The James Hall Memorial Variety Show
The Importance of Being Earnest was presented live last year and it is now being screened to commemorate Mark Fifield, a cherished member of CHATS, who recently passed away unexpectedly.
At Mark Fifield’s funeral, some of his work colleagues approached CHATS with the idea of screening a special presentation of “The Importance of Being Earnest” to give hospital staff who worked with Mark a chance to see his talent and have an opportunity to come together to celebrate his life.
Mark played two critical roles in the play, and portrayed them brilliantly.
At the same time this is an opportunity for people to make a donation towards helping Mark’s family complete renovations on his home.
Mark was a revered member of CHATS and we feel his loss deeply.
CHATS ran a successful puppetry workshop in July.
The workshop lasted three hours and covered elementary principles of puppetry that can be used with a variety of puppet styles.
Why puppets? Productions such as Warhorse, Shrek, The Lion King and The Very Hungry Caterpillar all use puppets to bring a sense of wonder and magic to the performance. Puppets can help an audience to suspend their disbelief as they enter a new realm of unreality during a show, and puppets can bring to life animals, scenes or concepts that would be difficult to portray with human actors.
And if you're looking for another reason, puppets will be a major feature of an upcoming CHATS production in 2023.
Drew Wilson demonstrating how to bring the puppets to life
Creating our Bunraku style puppets
We have bought down the curtain on our very special event ‘One Random Act: Festival of One Act Plays’ and it is all over bar the counting and dealing with costumes.
The production has been a great success, and the quality of the plays outstanding, and we have now expanded the ranks of potential directors for both CHATS and CHMCC.
A massive thank you to Sharon, Bethany and Beckley for the huge investment of time and energy that they put into making this such a successful event.
The Importance of Being Earnest closed off with nothing but praise for our incredible cast and crew!
They worked tirelessly to bring this beloved and classic play to life even though the threat of covid hung over their heads.
An excellent show that everyone involved should be very proud of!
The curtain closed on our great production of ‘In Bed with the Bishops’ by Rob Selzer on Sunday July 18, after nine performances.
The standard was excellent, and all four actors stepped up and gave fabulous performances and entertained their audiences brilliantly.
CHATS returned to the Jetty Memorial Theatre stage after the pandemic restrictions were relaxed in March 2021 with the funny and sad 'Steel Magnolias', by Robert Harling, directed by Donna Fairall (her first non musical).
Six fantastic women on stage and an all female stage crew delivered a magnificent play that touched the hearts of all who saw it.
CHATS Past Productions
(In most recent show order)
2022
Oct A Midsummer Night's Dream Lily Tasker & Manny Lagette
Sept The James Hall Memorial Variety Show - CanDo Cancer Fundraiser
July The Importance of Being Earnest (Oct 2021 show) film tribute night
for Mark Fifield
July Puppetry Workshop Drew Wilson
March One Random Act - Trudy Jeffery, Rebecca Riches CHATS Festival of One Act Plays Becky Cole, Rebecca Pakes,
Lily Tasker
2021
Oct The Importance of Being Earnest Rex Madigan
July In Bed with the Bishops David Tune
March Steel Magnolias Donna Fairall
2020
No shows due to COVID-19 pandemic.
2019
Oct The Mousetrap Dee Tune
Jul Jaq and the Green Pork Maureen Burgess
Mar Heathers the Musical Rory Banwell
2018
Oct Lords and Ladies Beckley Vincent
Jul Toad of Toad Hall Rex Madigan
Mar Calendar Girls Pat Slattery
2017
Oct Frazzled/Love Letters Shirley Barnett/Alison Lowden
Jul Legally Blonde Jr the Musical David Tune, Stephanie Bateman
Mar Wyrd Sisters Beckley Vincent
2016
Oct Twelfth Night Shirley Barnett
Jul Cosi Judi Williams
Mar Noises Off Rex Madigan, David Tune
2015
Oct Birthrights David Quinn
Jul Death of a Salesman Rex Madigan
Mar Mums the Word Teenagers Shirley Barnett
2014
Oct Rumors Emilia Guthrie
Jul Autumn Song Penny Dennis
Mar Quartet Shirley Barnett
2013
Oct Two Floors Up Kelly McLoughlin-Wilden
Jul Mum’s The Word Shirley Barnett
Mar Brilliant Lies Rex Madigan
2012
Oct 2 Doors Down Kelly McLoughlin-Wilden
Jul King Lear Shirley Barnett
Mar Summer of the 17th Doll Rex Madigan
2011
Oct The Invisible Woman Shirley Barnett
Jul Seven Little Australians Anne Joyce
Mar The Outback Debutantes Ball Chris McNichol
Light and Heavy David Quinn
(Perfecting My Nature Strip, Under Control)
2010
Oct Falling from Grace Kelly McLoughlin-Wilden
Jul Trojan Women Shirley Barnett
Mar The Flying Pieman Alex Hood
2009
Oct Gone to Bali David Quinn
Jul Hamlet Shirley Barnett
Mar Swingtime Canteen Pat Slattery?
2008
? The Skin Of Our Teeth Shirley Barnett
July Arsenic and Old Lace David Quinn
Mar Disneyland or Bust David Quinn
2007
Oct Reedy River Shirley Barnett
Aug Away David Quinn
2006
Nov Summer Shorts ?
July The Sentimental Bloke Shirley Barnett
May The Dresser David Quinn
2005
Nov Stepping Out David Quinn
Nov Bombshells Shirley Barnett
July Cloudstreet Jean Newman
Mar The Glass Menagerie Brian Fitzsimmons
2004
Nov Travelling North Shirley Barnett
Aug 2 Doors Down Kellie McLoughlin-Wilden
Aug Cityscope Shirley Barnett/David Quinn
Mar Hot Taps David Quinn
2003
Nov The Importance of Being Earnest Jeffrey Scotford
July Face To Face Shirley Barnett
Apr Triple Heat Jean Newman/Julie Fouad
2002
Nov It Runs in the Family Jean Newman
Aug MacBeth Shirley Barnett
Apr Triple Treat Jean Newman
2001
Nov Secret Bridesmaids Business Jeffrey Scotford
Nov Ginger Meggs & the Missing Link Shirley Barnett
Aug Mort Beckley Vincent
Apr The Legend of King O’Malley Brian Fitzsimmons
Feb Marat Jean Newman
2000
June Six Pack Jeffrey Scotford
Feb After The Ball Shirley Barnett
1999
Nov Out Of Order Jean Newman
Jul Much Ado About Nothing Shirley Barnett
Mar Cosi Jean Newman
1998
Oct Heretic Shirley Barnett
July Run for your Wife ?
July Fossils (CHATTERS) Shirley Barnett
Feb Equus Jean Newman