Two-act musicals

Stage Mothers

5F, (scope for chorus), 1 set, 100 minutes

The perfect small-cast musical with the big heart.

Five women gather in the waiting-room of a theatrical production company. There’s a new musical Rosie opening and young girls are required to star in the show. The five women are there to make sure their brilliant offspring gets an audition time, the later the better because directors forget the early birds. One of the mothers is a grandmother pushing her granddaughter.  Each woman has a unique back-story yet all are united in their dedication (or fanaticism) to promote their child and have her get the leading role. The kids have no say in the matter. For the stage mothers, winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing. Tension builds and warfare looms large. Their mantra is simple; second place is first place for losers.

In Act 2, it’s time to meet the auditionees, the budding stars, aged 10, played by their mothers (one’s a gran). Really? Really. Costume changes may be interesting but does the apple fall far from the tree? Are the little ‘uns miniature versions of their mothers?

Despite Noel Coward urging otherwise, there are millions of Mrs Worthingtons active today.

Thank you so much for “Stage Mothers”. I had a wonderful night.  Enjoyed the script, laughed a great deal and I was tapping my feet with the wonderful music.

I think it’s the best you’ve written.

Could not believe the outstanding quality of the performers.

To me a musical has to have big chorus numbers and a love ballad – Stage Mothers ticked all the boxes.

Really enjoyed Stage Mothers last night.

It was a terrific show and it was amazing the cast were so polished.

The song by the Vietnamese lady was beautiful and beautifully sung.

I felt the tunes were TOO good because I haven’t been able to get ANY of them out of my head!

The five of us were very grateful and all loved every minute of the play. There was much to talk about on the way home and we all agreed that the music and songs were a brilliant addition to your perceptive and skilful playwriting. You provided us with such a happy and entertaining night which ended all too quickly.

I really did like Stage Mothers, in particular the music.

Stage Mothers Script

Preview script link above

 

Fairy Tales

16 roles (8M/8F), 1 set, 100 minutes, optional chorus

Fairytales 3 pics

Fairy Tales is an adult musical for children and vice versa. Your set is an enchanting forest with a gorgeous cottage. It’s home to Red Riding Hood’s grannie, Snow White’s hideaway, Cinderella’s step-mother, Hansel and Gretel’s witch, Jack and the Beanstalk’s mother and Beauty and the Beast’s castle. It’s a multi-purpose building! We’re at the annual Fairy Tales convention. It’s a who’s who of famous fairy tale characters. Curtain opens on your picture-book set as the famous folk sing.

But things are not okay. This is not an all sweetness and light story. There’s trouble in Fairy Tale City. Cinderella is unhappy about her footwear at the ball, Snow White queries the male/female roles in fairy tales, Jack is desperate for economic recognition, Wolf is really a sheep in wolf’s clothing and Hansel and Gretel would like a serious chat with the brothers Grimm. In fact, unhappiness is everywhere. That is until someone comes up with an amazing proposal. Let’s swap roles. Not forever of course – just for the day; just here at the convention. Hilarious and dramatic events unfold as the fairy tale characters try living in someone else’s fairy tale. But does being someone else make you happy? The whacky witch and the grumbling giant are ever present. Then, when the threat of censorship or even a total ban on some fairy tales, because they are politically incorrect, looms large, what can be done? The answer comes from a very surprising source with the full company singing the hit song Fall In Love.

Your costumes are stunning, your set enchanting, the music toe-tapping and the comedy and drama just keep on coming. Terrific songs and loads of pantomime characters. Use a chorus of fairy tale characters – as few or as many as you like. Two bouncy acts with a total running time of about 100 minutes. Great success with adults, youth theatre and schools.

Fabulous backing CD, snappy band parts to accompany this wonderful family show. Ideal for Christmas or as your “new” panto. The finale is definitely a “happily ever after” celebration of life. Fairy Tales is a heart-warming, thought-provoking show.

We just finished our show and it went great!! We had a lot of great comments from the audience, everybody, cast and crew included, loved your show. Thank you!! Lutheran HS, San Diego
Fairy Tales has been a great time. It was a treat to observe the students ‘pick up’ the humorous parts of the play even after reciting them for over two months. Once again thank you for another fantastic play and may there be many more! St Brendan’s PS
Fairy Tales is a delightful musical. Moonee Ponds Central School
We really enjoyed performing Fairy Tales. It came out very well with most people pleasantly surprised at how much fun and how interesting it was. Thanks again for all your help and support. Derby Stock Theatre Company, Vermont
I was so very impressed with our production of Lollies last year and thought no school production could be better. How wrong I was! Fairy Tales this year was superb. David Jenkins, Principal, Traralgon Primary School
Fairy Tales is a great show. We loved the music and we had a great time doing it. Matthew Players, Baltimore MD
Fairy Tales was a huge success with both evening performances being sold out. Extra performances were scheduled to enable everyone to see the show. It was a great experience and a lot of fun for all involved. Traralgon Express
It was a great performance. Thank you so much for a great script for the kids who had so much fun doing the show. We had close to 50 in the cast. Thank you again for a wonderful script, the kids had so much fun! River City Players, Ohio

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Scrubbers

5F, one set, 95 minutes

Scrubbers hats

Five women work as cleaners at night in a large office complex. The play takes place mainly in their small tea-room before and after their shifts. Their working lives are pretty dull – washing floors, cleaning toilets, dusting, vacuuming and emptying rubbish bins. And their home life is just as bad, perhaps worse. Each woman has a story to tell; a sad story. But one of the cleaning ladies has hopes for a better life away from scrubbing floors. Her dreams affect the others to the extent that their lives are changed dramatically and forever. The drab tea-room for the scrubbers is transformed when they become showbiz stars. It’s a hoot.

Scrubbers has been staged around the world with great success. One company toured the show to many parts of the UK with a stopover in London.

Waitresses ScrubbersAn awesome script that delighted every audience. The music was fantastic, complemented by the backing tracks that came with the show package. The further into rehearsals we got, the more we appreciated the depth of the show. It had just the right amount of drama combined with some excellent humour. The cast, crew and audiences all came away buzzing at the experience. Heretaunga Players
Scrubbers is gritty, challenging, then heart-warming and finally triumphant. We had a very successful season. Riverlea Theatre, Hamilton NZ
Scrubbers was a resounding success. This fabulous musical was thoroughly enjoyed by the audiences at all four venues and we have received many compliments for the show and the cast. Scrubbers was hilariously entertaining and brought many people to theatre who had never been before. Maryborough Players Inc.
A strong point for me in this show is multi-talented Cenarth Fox’s terrific lyrics and music. The songs deserve to be enjoyed by audiences beyond this show. Cheryl Threadgold, Melbourne Observer
Scrubbers is a fabulous show, both heartwarming and funny, besides where else would you find a playwright/director who bakes cupcakes for the show. Marie Ryan Inner FM

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Fogies

16 roles (7M/9F), 1 set, optional chorus, 100 minutes

A comic but serious treatment of old age. A magnificent set. Smileaway is the retirement home for a group of elderly folk. Yes, nearly all your cast are 80 years of age. Even older. What a challenge. Your actors have to walk, talk and even dance as ‘seniors’. Matron Iris Blatt is not your average nice person. She treats the elderly residents with contempt constantly reminding them that no-one ever visits. This is particularly sad for Gloria who always asks if her son is coming to see her today. The local politician, Mayor Horace Oleganious lives up to his name. He too has grand designs on making money out of the old folk. But some of the fogies refuse to bow to the bullies. The fogies attend their weekly get-fit classes and plan to fight back. The gardener’s a strange one. He talks to the plants bu there’s plenty of depth to what seems a simple character. Then suddenly Smileaway is up for sale. The fogies panic then despair when the Matron and Mayor decide to buy the place. The estate agent arrives when the fogies have gone on a picnic but dear old Freda is asleep in her chair. She produces her ancient cheque/check-book and buys Smileaway.

The fogies return and are delighted. Matron is fuming. But horror. Freda’s account was closed twenty years ago. Brilliant. Matron and Mayor swoop. They will buy it themselves. “We’re on the fiddle …” But a happy ending is definitely required. You’re only as young as you feel. A very special new owner appears and a family reunion occurs to melt your heart.

Fogies runs about 110 minutes, has 19 principal parts of mixed gender, a chorus as big as you like, one gorgeous set and has enjoyed great success with adults and teenagers. Some experienced children have even staged this bouncy musical. Fogies has a sparkling script, score, band parts and backing CD.

The musical was extremely well received by the audiences. It was an outstanding success. Scarborough Senior HS
Fogies ran for four nights and was an outstanding success. It genuinely entertained four packed houses with catchy songs and memorable characters. Braybrook HS
Congratulations on your script. Fogies is a wonderful show. Gemco Players
Fogies is a top show, not to be missed. South Grafton HS
Fogies was sensational! Cast and audience had a fantastic time. Singleton PS
The show was a huge success and the kids did a great job. The performances were even better than those in Rat Race. The crowds loved it. Thanks for all your help. Dimboola Memorial HS
Thanks for Fogies. We had a great time performing the show and it was very much a success in building teamwork and morale amongst our staff. NRHS
We thoroughly enjoyed performing Fogies. Helena College
Fogies was sensational! Cast and audience had a fantastic time. Singleton PS

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Shakespeare the Musical

18 roles (M and F), doubling possible, optional chorus, open stage, 110 minutes

William Shakespeare is the world greatest playwright. We know about his plays but what of the man? And what was life like in his day? Shakespeare’s England had spies, persecution, murder, barbaric public entertainment, plagues, executions, love, romance, poverty, wealth and danger. His plays reflected the times. Shakespeare the Musical reveals the schoolboy, the teenage father and then the actor and playwright in licentious London. His work is universally known and acclaimed being rich in language and the study of ‘the human condition’. His life was like his plays, full of adventure, grief, triumph, romance, and danger. He wrote tragedies, comedies, and histories and led a mysterious and fascinating life. Snippets of his plays appear seamlessly as we move through the great man’s life. Appreciate the plays. Appreciate the playwright. It’s entertainment with education and a great way to celebrate the Bard.

A fantastic, lively, jam-packed musical. A historically accurate musical about Shakespeare’s life and times presented in a lively, fun way. For all ages. A great introduction to Shakespeare. Gemco Players
Shakespeare the Musical was excellent and both students and staff enjoyed producing and performing this musical. It was brilliant. We were absolutely thrilled. The show had history, entertainment, and toe-tapping tunes. Goulburn Valley Grammar School
Your play Shakespeare the Musical is lively and entertaining. John Bell The Bell Shakespeare Company
I am so thrilled to tell you that Shakespeare the Musical went exceedingly well. Everyone asked about the show and had great praise for the great script and fabulous music. St Joseph’s School Malta

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Jukebox!

Al Jolson, Judy Garland and Elvis

16 roles (7M/9F), one amazing set, optional chorus, 95 minutes

The famous Broadway and Hollywood stars are all in your show!

Georgie has inherited her late grandfather’s old cafe in the quiet country town of Sleepy Hollow. Georgie likes her cafe and the peace of the rural environment. But when the local Council support a development proposal, everything is under threat. The town will be flooded with tourists and concrete. Worse still, Georgie’s cafe will be demolished. But just when things look really bleak, Georgie gets a surprise gift from an old timer. What a gift. It’s a jukebox. But no ordinary jukebox. This one has magic written all over it. The jukebox doesn’t play songs, it plays people. Famous people, entertainers who’ve thrilled generations. Broadway stars, movie greats – they’re all inside this magic jukebox. So when the buttons are pushed, Sleepy Hollow gets the surprise and prize of its life. Great character roles and a remarkable set that comes alive!

The SHOWBIZ Musical! The action is set in an old cafe in the quiet country town of Sleepy Hollow. A gift arrives  – an old jukebox which doesn’t play songs, but people! When the buttons get pushed Sleepy Hollow gets the surprise of its life. The famous artistes were amazing; Natasha as Judy Garland, Tom as Al Jolson and Paul as the one and only Elvis. Dengie Hopes and Dreams Stage Company

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Toys

15 roles (7M/8F), one striking set, chorus, 100 minutes

Toys Art ExhibitionThis enchanting musical is truly a family show. It’s been staged by children, teenagers and adults for audiences of all ages. It operates on different levels. Entrancing entertainment for children but many serious and topical issues for adults. One amazing set. A giant chair – three actors can easily stand on it – huge presents and a box of pencils to simply amaze. It’s 2am on Christmas morning. Santa’s been but the house is asleep. Moonlight streams in the darkened room. A present moves. Ted E. Bear emerges and unwraps Cowboy. They have a plan to secretly escape to the North Pole to tell Santa that some humans are mistreating their toys. How will they travel? How will they survive? Just as they start to escape, the other toys come alive, defiantly oppose the plan, but eventually agree and creep off into the huge house to look for provisions. Raggy is alone and wants to know why her friend Golly has been ignored by Teddy. She decides to ask Santa with the moving ballad ‘Dear Santa’.

Suddenly disaster. Ted falls down the stairs and is seriously ill. He needs a stuffing transplant. But Ted E. Bear is outwardly aggressive and certainly prejudiced. He doesn’t want Golly to escape because Golly’s black and everyone knows [or so says Ted] that black toys show off. But when the toys examine their stuffing to see who has the same, only Golly’s stuffing is suitable. The toys sing ‘It’s what inside of you dear old Teddy that the world outside can see. What counts is what’s inside.’ The stuffing transplant is successful. Part of Golly saves Ted E. Bear and everyone learns a valuable lesson The escape plan now involves all the toys! But surprises keep coming. In the corner there’s a toy box and out come the hand-me-down toys. They know all about life, and pass on some excellent home truths. ‘ur heart’s still in the right place even though we’ve lost some stuffing.’ The cowboys/girls and Indians come out of hiding during the Saloon-Bar Rag and the party just keeps growing. The escape is about to happen until disaster.

Everyone is shattered when a note is found. It’s written in toy writing and addressed to Santa. Oh no. There’s a traitor in their midst. One of the toys has betrayed them. Who wrote the note? A wonderful and hilarious art class and exhibition follows, and the traitor is revealed. What a shock! But time is running out. We must escape now. A toy steam train roars into the lounge and the toys climb on board. Off they go waving to the hand-me-down toys. The escape is flying. Crash! Ted steers into the broom cupboard. The toys limp back and despair as a huge storm erupts. They can’t possibly escape in this weather. But with the odds against them, with everything looking hopeless, Ted rallies the troops for one last assault.

‘You’ve got to have a go, you owe it to yourself, come on and see it through
You’ve got to soldier on, anon or out on show, you’ve got to have, you’ve got to have a go.’

Toys runs for about 100 minutes, has 14 roles and scope for a wonderful chorus. There are solos, duets, trios and big chorus numbers. The costumes are stunning and the songs are delightful. It’s truly an adult musical for children and vice versa.

In pure entertainment terms, Toys is hard to beat. It was a high-energy, fast-paced production and the obvious enjoyment of the actors proved infectious to its appreciative opening night audience. Fine, family entertainment. South Grafton HS
Another successful production thanks to the script! Toys went extremely well. ‘The best ever’ was one comment. Thanks again for a great show. Singleton PS
There is always something delightful about a group of performers who obviously enjoy acting as much as the audience likes watching. Toys is a treat for young and old alike. Toys is a show not to be missed. Shepparton Theatre Arts Company
A lot of fun with some serious messages, Toys tackles issues of prejudice, justice, love and life. Methodist Ladies College
A highly entertaining production with an underlying message of care and co-operation. Audiences were delighted by the witty script and the singing and dancing. Toys is a visual delight that captured audiences of all ages. KooWeeRup HS
This enchanting musical is truly a family show. It operates on different levels with entrancing entertainment for children but many serious and topical issues for adults. Alpha Theatre
A wonderful musical, our best ever production. Port Pirie Youth Theatre

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Sherlock, Stock and Barrel

5 actors play 73 roles, 85 minutes, no set

That’s got you thinking. 3M and 2F thespians perform 25 of the 60 Sherlock stories penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle including The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Speckled Band, The Valley of Fear, The Empty House and The Sign of Four. And the actors sing as well.

It’s a madcap, non-stop musical comedy with Mrs Hudson constantly urging Mr Holmes and Dr Watson to move to the next tale. A great challenge for the actors. There are catchy songs with the Reichenbach Falls being introduced with Oh It’s Swell to Swim in Switzerland. A great way to introduce Sherlock Holmes to your audiences. A great way for actors to keep fit! You could have a much larger company but where’s the fun in that? Comes with a backing CD. There is a radio play adaptation of this show complete with songs. See Contact and then Order Form.

This almost vaudevillian show covers many of Holmes’ greatest adventures with 73 characters performed by 5 actors. It’s a very enjoyable piece and the audience on opening night caught on to the stories and performance style right from the start. It’s a bright show, a crowd pleaser and would be a great way to finish off a theatre year. Curtain Up
This fast-moving comedy is particularly a wonderful feast for all Sherlock Holmes fans. Cheryl Threadgold
A non-stop comedy, a hansom cab gallop through 25 of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, a night of mystery, mayhem and mirth, a wonderful script and some very catchy tunes. Brian Amos
Hugely enjoyable, it works beautifully. If the Reduced Shakespeare Company were to tackle Sherlock Holmes the result might be something like this, but it would probably lack Cen Fox’s profound knowledge of the Holmesian Canon. It is dramatic, tuneful, ingenious, and above all very funny. Sherlock Holmes Society of London
What a breathless hoot! It was hard to keep up with the frantic pace as the cast of five played some 70-odd characters, enacting a myriad of Sherlock Holmes tales. The wittily-penned dialogue created by Cen Fox was fabulously projected by multi-talented actors. Oh and they sang as well! Lizzie Notareal

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Don Bradman Lives Next Door

WG Curtain Calls

“Play up, Pay up and Play the Game”

2M, one simple set, 90 minutes

I know what you’re thinking. A two-hander about cricket – who wants to see that? Well actually it’s the non-cricket people who have the most love for this show. It’s a cinch to stage and even easier to tour. It’s a comedy with songs set in cricket heaven today. Two residents, one the world’s greatest batsman and the other the world’s greatest showman are next-door neighbours. Don Bradman and William Gilbert Grace (WG) set the world of cricket alight. Enter Fred Ashley-Cooper, the cricket world’s most prolific writer. Fred wants to write a warts ‘n all book about Doctor Grace and his suspect activities. Grace tells all.  Bradman plays his piano.

So has cricket changed since WG and the Don last played the game? I mean today we have gambling, sledging, chucking, cheating, controversial umpiring, strange pitches, media beat-ups, apartheid, one-day cricket, loud music at games, sponsors, crazy spectators, players’ wage demands, fiery bowlers and scuffles and fantastic finishes.  YES BUT ALL THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE 19th CENTURY!

Discover how The Ashes began. See how W.G. Grace changed the game of cricket forever, how in heaven today he now wants copyright on ‘The Ashes’. He made a fortune from cricket during Queen Victoria’s reign. He was the world’s greatest shamateur and cricket’s first superstar. But what does the Doctor really think of the Don?

WG Song 2Don Bradman Lives Next Door has toe-tapping songs. The umpires sing Sir Donald Bradman and the players sing The Doctor went in on Tuesday. There are strokes, appeals, and declarations. A bishop gives praise to the Lord of Lords. Don Bradman Lives Next Door is full of drama and comedy with cricketing myths, maidens and merriment. Only the facts and batting order have been changed. It runs for 90 minutes and has fabulous reviews.

W.G. is a bullying snob who unabashedly claims single-handedly to have taken cricket from a social pastime to an international obsession and credits himself with the birth of the Ashes – that little gem alone is reason enough to see the play. Melbourne Observer
The script is a nice combination of C.J.Dennis, Steel Rudd and even Barry McKenzie. The Footy Almanac
A fantastic play, well performed and directed! A must see! Lynne Stevens-Chappel
A very clever play and the actors were superb. Strathmore Theatre
Brilliant play, brilliant production, brilliant playwright. I would happily go again. Marie Ryan 96.5FM
What a great play and what an enjoyable afternoon. Cameron Close
A madcap round of ‘warts and all’ interviews, quizzes and dance routines, a thoroughly enjoyable show all round. Victorian Drama League

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Roll ‘n Rock

14 principals, chorus, 1 set, 100 minutes

The company play (a) dancers at the Saturdee night hop (b) parishioners in church (c) teenagers in town (d) audience at radio show (e) over-the-hill vaudevillians

When did Rock ‘n Roll really begin? Ah, now the truth will out. In the sleepy town of Dullsville in 1947, FLIP and MARILYN are in love. He’s a budding songwriter, she wants to study medicine. FLIP plays the organ in church on Sundays and tries out his new hymn on his sisters. The hymn is Roll Up to the Rock of Faith. They reckon it’s boring. So FLIP tries the hymn at a new tempo. Oh boy. FLIP discovers a new style of music he calls roll ‘n rock. FLIP plays his new music next Sunday in church. Young people love it. PASTOR MUSTARD and MAYOR LOOPHOLE are stunned and reckon it threatens civilisation. FLIP battles authority to get his music heard. MARILYN leaves to become a doctor and life seems pretty grim. Will FLIP’S music ever become famous? Will he ever marry MARILYN? Will vaudeville make a comeback? Suddenly FLIP’s music is being played on radio. Has FLIP invented roll ‘n rock? All is revealed in this toe-tapping, laughter-filled musical.

Thank you for a great musical. It worked superbly for us and we sing your praises to all our colleagues. Roll ‘n Rock was just terrific. Estell Manor HS, New Jersey
76 students from Ballina PS combined with Ballina High School’s instrumental students to perform Roll ‘n Rock. We were very pleased with the performances. We used musicians from the high school and it worked well. We think Roll ‘n Rock is a great show – the best one we’ve had from you. Ballina PS
Having seen the school’s production of Roll ‘n Rock, I would like to say how glad I am that my children go to St George’s Road school. For my child to be part of this wonderful show and to gain in confidence and be so enthusiastic about something shared with teachers and other students, has been marvellous to see. Oh well, I thought, another boring school presentation, but I mustn’t disappoint my little granddaughter. After 6 children, 19 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren, there can’t possibly be anything I haven’t seen already in the way of school shows – but how wrong I was! I enjoyed Roll ‘n Rock so much I felt like jumping from my seat and dancing and singing along with the grand finale, but there were too many old fuddy-duddies around me, I was afraid Mrs Doodle would disapprove if I were to “get all hep”. What a wonderful show. Congratulations to all concerned. Shepparton PS
Thank you for your help in our production. At the end of the show, one of the crew said, “That was the best fun I’ve had in years”. We received a standing ovation on Saturday night. The best comment was, “You couldn’t help enjoying Roll ‘n Rock because everyone on stage was having such a great time”. Thanks again. St Barnabas Youth Theatre, North Rockhampton

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Cobbers

14 roles (7M/7F), one set, optional chorus, 90 minutes

cobber – noun used in Australian English meaning friend, mate or companion. In days past in Suffolk England, to cob meant to form a friendship. The word cobber first appeared in The Bulletin in February 1895.

Three young English siblings [two sisters and their brother] set sail for Australia in 1897. They land in Sydney to live with their aunt. At the time, Australia is in the grip of Federation fever. The three English travellers discover what it’s like to live Down Under at a time when there was turmoil in the colony. Some Aussies want to cut the ties with Mother Britain. Queen Victoria enters and sings, “Cut those apron strings”. In 1897 Australia was a series of independent colonies with their own border posts, postal and railway systems and no national defence force. Countries such as Italy and the USA engaged in a civil war or wars before establishing federation. Australia avoided civil war but had its fair share of skirmishes, squabbles and struggles along the down under federation way.

Cobbers is at times a serious and then light-hearted look at Australia and Australians just before and after Federation. It was a time to win or lose your cobbers. Includes the stirring anthem Australia. And includes an all-singing, all-dancing Queen Victoria Cut Those Apron Strings.

Cobbers was an exceptionally good musical for a large cast of kids as everyone was involved. There were lots of speaking parts and singing groups with great roles for boys and girls. Everyone loved the songs – they were catchy, easy to learn and taught heaps of information without them realising it. These kids are now in year 11, still remember their songs and think very fondly of the play. Parents really loved it and laughed at all the appropriate places. Teachers thought it was a terrific way to teach Aussie history. It was fun to do. Timboon P-12 School
The play was a huge success and the kids did a fantastic job. The audience loved the historical approach the play took and most commented that they found out more about Australian history than at school. Sacred Heart School, Corryong

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Dinkum Poppies

dinkum – true, honest, genuine or excellent example of its kind
tall poppy – someone with outstanding status

16 roles (8M/8F), one simple set, optional chorus, 95 minutes

Dinkum Poppies is a musical salute to thousands of people who’ve had something to do with Australia. Statesmen, shearers, squatters, soldiers, social-workers, singers, sporting stars, sheilas, strikers, suffragettes, swindlers and swaggies. Struth!

The setting is a modern sideshow in a fairground. A family tour the country performing their showbiz fairground routines. Business is bad. When someone suggests they ‘spin a yarn’, something magical occurs. In stroll the actual stars. The heroes and heroines off yesterday arrive to tell their tall tales but true. Fair dinkum.
It is with pleasure that we report the success of Dinkum Poppies. The three performances were well supported by parents and friends of the school and all were enthusiastic in their praise of the show. In particular they liked the fluid presentation of Australia’s heroes and enjoyed the participation it allowed for a large cast of students. We thoroughly enjoyed the production. A magnificent concert! Maroochydore State High School
A frolic through Australian history. Enjoyed by everyone. Dinkum Poppies is a superb show. Whittlesea Technical High School
Dinkum Poppies was very successful. Yeppoon State High School
Dinkum Poppies is a fast-moving musical full of life, laughter, joy, sadness and hope. Kew High School
We did have fun performing Dinkum Poppies. Thanks for your sense of humour. Dinkum Poppies helped the students recognise themselves as Australian and recognise that they have a part to play in the future of this country too. Alphington Grammar School
Dinkum Poppies is a delightful musical. Grey Street Primary School
Dinkum Poppies was a great success and we are still singing the tunes in our head! Boronia Heights PS

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The Originals

OroiginalsCCQldOriginalsCCWLOS16 roles (8M/8F), chorus, 3 sets, 105 minutes

The first Cenarth Fox stage show first staged in 1974.

History comes alive. A strong company musical with meaty principal roles and heaps of work for your chorus. The story involves people in and around Sydney, Australia in the early 1800’s. The free settlers are represented by two families – the Campbells and the Broadsides – the Convicts are led by Stephen Blackmore and Governor Macquarie is represented by a member of his regiment – Corporal Daniel Brash. Never far from the action are the original Australians, the indigenous people who arrived thousands of years before the Europeans.

The people and events are fictitious but the settings, characters, and battles are very real. The Originals is a story about the first European Australians and how they encountered the indigenous people. The early days in Sydney were rugged and exciting, matched only by the fascinating people who lived there. Performed by adults and secondary schools with great success.

A bright show with catchy tunes and an interesting story. Pakenham Gazette
An ideal choice. The Originals looked good and sounded good. Ballarat and Clarendon College
All connected with The Originals were amazed by the enthusiasm and vitality of the show. North Rockhampton SHS
The Originals was a perfect foil for the talents of the students. Proserpine SHS

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