Thank you for looking up our latest news for the Ipswich Little Theatre Junior Theatre Group and Little Players 2021
We are up and running again! Students from last year’s group commenced classes on Saturday 20th February at 8.30 am. I managed to have enough vacancies to accommodate those on my waiting list and these new students began classes on Saturday 27th February at 8.30 a.m.
We have a total of 27 students this year. Biggest ever in my 11 years as director – I think. After the first five you just keep forging on and don’t think about the past too much.
We will only do one production this year, possibly in mid September. Everyone is juggling dates at the moment. I plan to reprise ‘Things That Go Bump in the Night’. This is a good one for so many new, inexperienced thespians. We will actually have a one-on-one ratio in class this year so the ‘old’ students can assist the new ones. One challenge. I have to write in 7 new characters to enable everyone their ’15 minutes of fame’. Should prove interesting.
This year we have a former student taking up Jacqui’s reins and learning about running the sound and lighting board. He is keen, we are pleased, and it should be a great big learning curve for all of us. As a foot note another of our former Juniors is now running the sound and lighting board for the main house productions in the Jean Pratt Auditorium. She is also assistant director for one of the plays showing there. Well done you!
Little Players group will commence in the second semester of the year. I have a small number of students so far but if you are interested please give me a call or email me. My email address is listed but you can always reach me through our ‘Contact Form’ on the Home page of the Theatre Web site.
In the meantime all I can offer to potential new students is that I will take names and add you to the new waiting list.
I am sorry for any disappointment you may feel. If there was another Saturday in the week and another class space then we could have two groups but reality kicks in and we just can’t do it.
Please keep supporting our Community Theatre. We need all the support we can get to recover from the COVID blow. Visit our website for the latest in productions in the Main House and book your tickets quick smart. If our first season is anything to go by tickets will be rushing out the door. Don’t miss out!
The following will give you an insight into what our classes entail.
In the lead up to our performance the students will still be studying elements of theatre to gain more experience and a greater understanding of what is required once you put yourself forward for a production. We only get two hours once a week for Juniors and one hour for Little Players so it can become quite intense at times. Hopefully we will all ‘break a leg’ and have tons of luck to see us through.
Ipswich Little Theatre is a community organisation designed to promote live theatre and to present wonderful dramas and comedies. My aim is to teach children theatre skills which actually translate into life skills. Many a youngster has joined the group lacking in confidence or self-esteem and emerged at the end of the year a star! Theatre etiquette, voice production (though many a parent has told me that there is no problem about being heard at home), stage blocking, working as part of a team or cast, characterisation … the list goes on.
If any aspiring actors, set designers and builders, costume makers, and makeup artists out there would like to volunteer their services – we are all volunteers by the way – on a Saturday morning please contact me on the number listed at the top of the page. I can promise you a rewarding experience. The kids are great, the workers are great, the Theatre Family support is more than great. The scripts are all original and geared to get the best out of the students. What more can I say to entice you along?
Deirdre Lowe
Junior Theatre / Little Players Director
Email: juniors@ilt.org.au
About Juniors:
Ipswich Little Theatre has been providing tuition classes for children interested in the performing arts for many years and is tailored to suit Primary School children. Starting age is approximately 6 years and the graduation age is 13 years.
Numbers will be capped at 22 – 24 this year. We prefer a balance of girls and boys if possible.
Regular class time is Saturday Mornings from 8.30 am – 10:30 am. Little Players meet Thursdays 4.30 to 5.30 pm. The children are involved in workshop sessions in class each week, working on their performance skills, and building confidence levels which are two very important skills to have in any walk of life.
Little Players
This group was established because so many little brothers and sisters wanted to join their older siblings. So Ann (Collyer), my helper and Assistant Director, and I decided to bite the bullet and start a younger group. We thought that 5 years would be a good starting age but experience has shown that there is such a vast gap between 5 years and 8 years in concentration levels that we are no longer taking registrations for 5-year-olds. It’s a shame and maybe if the group consisted of only five years olds it would be more successful. Anyone know how to add another day to our week? The aim and target for all our groups are the same and that is for the students to have fun and enjoy what they are doing. This group only runs for 1 semester per year.
Check out our picture gallery for some great images from previous performances.
Parental help and support is always welcome – I’m sure there is something that you can assist with so please let me know if you are interested.
For further information regarding JT’s please email the Junior Theatre Director Deirdre Lowe or phone on 0409 202 380 or our Secretary, Helen Pullar on 3281 4437. Please see Deirdre’s note below the images of Junior Theatre.
A Note from the Junior Theatre Director
Hi,
My name is Deirdre Lowe and I have been the Junior Theatre Director since July 2010. Hopefully, it will be a long and enjoyable appointment. To introduce myself I’ll give you a bit of a ‘bio’.
I have been involved with Ipswich Little Theatre for a number of years now – since about 2003 I think. I was a volunteer helper with ‘S’ Troupe for many years and have also enjoyed being a cast member in several theatre restaurants and appearing in the series of plays ‘Deckchairs’. I have had a long involvement with amateur theatre both here in Australia and my home country of Scotland. I love stagecraft, directing, acting, scriptwriting, costumes …. yup, I’m a theatre junkie I suppose!
Other hobbies are hand sewing and quilting, reading, various crafts, travelling, music, meeting interesting people .. not necessarily in that order. I am married to a great man, have 3 grown children and 7 grandchildren and 1 great grandson. I am, again, looking forward to this new year and am confident that I will continue to meet the needs of the students by making it a fun and positive time while exploring theatre and developing their skills.
I have been developing my own skills over the years and now have successfully written 16 children’s plays to my credit. One of those, ‘Nina in Numberland’, was also performed by the Day Time Pantomime Group early in May 2013. All the others were performed by the Junior Theatre Group – very successfully I might add. They do a marvellous job. I have also facilitated weekly Theatre Games workshops at the Community Education Day for Home Schooled Children here in Ipswich
Each year we hope to concentrate on characterisation; developing scenarios; plus the basic stagecraft elements required for a performance. There will always be a number of ‘new’ students in a larger group which generally provides a challenge for myself and my team of helpers. However, Ann, Tracey (new this year), and I will rise to the occasion and I am sure the help and support we receive from members of the senior theatre will stand us in good stead.
Please keep visiting our website to learn about the dates for upcoming productions by Ipswich Little Theatre Junior Group and Little Players.
Regards
Deirdre Lowe