Photographs by D’Artagnan Sprengel, Katie Aiken and Douglas Roberts.
Once Upon a Time in the East
Performed 2020 (between COVID lock downs!)
A Spaghetti Eastern by Douglas Roberts provided as an offset Christmas play for winter entertainment.
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Despite the COVID disruption, Shoestring Theatre came back and it was full steam ahead!
Our Intermediate, Junior, then Senior training workshops in February 2020 were a great success and there was great anticipation of our production of “My Brother Joseph”. However COVID-19 derailed our plans and so it was decided to defer the show until the 2021 season.
Since our Director was still in the country in July, we decided to offer a mid-year “extra” performance; a pop-up drama production titled “Once Upon A Time In The East”. Sixteen enthusiastic Shoestring actors kicked off rehearsals on Friday July 17th and performances were on Friday July 24th and Saturday July 25th at the Patumahoe Community Church.
Over 150 people joined us to enjoy a mid-winter Christmas show; a comic interpretation of the traditional nativity story with existential shepherds, quarrelling wise persons, some navigationally-challenged angels and a young couple negotiating accommodation with some pretty grumpy hoteliers.
Thank you to the dedicated team of parents and drama graduates that collaborated with the cast to put the whole production together in a week.
My Brother Joseph was performed to near sellout audiences at Waiuku War Memorial Town Hall on March 26th and 27th 2021. It had 26 performers aged 7-17, 22 of whom had speaking roles. We took just two weeks to create the show from script to stage.
The play used the story of Joseph as its starting point, telling the events as a series of memories from Joseph’s younger sibling. We used an avenue stage along with the traditional proscenium, which challenged our performers to adapt their acting style and speak loudly to be heard on all sides.
Performed 2019
As storms rage, travellers find shelter in the old Babel Coaching Inn.
There they hear tales that tell of things both far and near, familiar and strange, comical and perplexing.
Five tales unfold before the storms subside and we can go home again.
Performed 2018
Another day, another fairy tale. What could go wrong?
Just about everything, as it happens.
Take a princess and a palace, a lost invitation and two hapless narrators who try to put everything right, and you’d want to sleep for a hundred years as well.
Performed 2017
Drama, intrigue and plots in the court of the Sultan of Persia.
A lowly young woman becomes Queen, the Grand Vizier plots evil deeds, and a company of travelling players wanders into the middle of it all, with unexpected consequences.
Our troupe of actors aged 8-16 years brings you darkly comic live theatre, for two nights only.
Performed 2016
Benedick and Beatrice lock horns in a battle of wits; Claudio’s love for Hero gets tested almost to destruction. Shakespeare’s playful comedy is a tale of romance, intrigue, deceit and high drama. How will it all be resolved in the end?
Our troupe of actors aged 9-16 years brings you an abridged yet authentic version of Shakespeare’s light-hearted take on love and pride.
Whether you’re new to Shakespeare or a Bard Buff, you’ll enjoy our Short Shakespeare Show.
Performed 2015
“Cinders McRella” is an off-the-wall retelling of the Cinderella story – pantomime with a twist of lemon.
Presented by a group of local home-educated students aged between 9 and 17 who have put the whole show together in a single week. Working intensively to prepare, dealing with all aspects of theatre craft, staging, costuming and effects as well as performing.
Performed 2014
Joe of Arabia is a short comedy play about stories and their tendency to be unpredictable.
Step forward Joe - an ordinary character who isn’t even destined to leave a footprint in history, but in our play he gets stuck to the sole of history’s shoe instead!
Arabian camel traders, ancient mariners, Elizabethan players and a whale all get caught up in the whirlwind before Joe is flung back to where he belongs...
