Mercury Theatre Wynnum
PLAYING BY THE BAY SINCE 1949
Ladies of Spirit*
by Georgina Reid
Performance Dates:
7:30pm: Friday, 26 and Saturday 27 November 2021
7:30pm: Friday, 3 and Saturday, 4 December 2021
All performances held at the Manly-Lota RSL Hall, 184 Melville Terrace, Manly.
About this Production
Gibraltar School was founded as a school for young ladies by the two dear old Misses Pye, now deceased. The long-suffering teachers now have their lives made miserable not only by their pupils but also by the present head-mistress, Miss Rowe, known universally as “Hard Rowe”. Since Gibraltar is a private school, they resign themselves to the fact that there is little they can do about it, but they find help coming from a very unexpected quarter indeed.
Directed by Silvana Siliato
Silvana joined Mercury Theatre some 7 years ago, and since then has been an integral part of our theatre as an active member, as an actor, and participating in front-of-house duties. She has directed several plays with our theatre, such as “The Traveller’s Table” by Hugh O’Brien and “California Suite” by Neil Simon. Silvana has brought her vast experience to the committee in many aspects.
Cast and Crew
Sally Burgess
played by Darsha Hockings
Darsha has been involved in various forms of theatre, including plays and musicals, since 2010. She loves the process of delving into the characters and bringing their stories to life.
Jane Cox
played by Jennifer Jones
Jennifer has been involved with Mercury Theatre over the last 10 years in roles both on and off the stage. Starting with a small acting part, Jenni quickly graduated to larger acting roles, directing, and various positions on the executive committee whilst frequently helping out with front-of-house, costume design and producing. After mostly directing roles in recent times, Jenni is enjoying being back on stage under Silvana's confident direction.
Mrs Thorpe
played by Helen Goleby
Helen taught drama lessons to children for twenty years before deciding to tread the boards herself. She enjoyed several wonderful years performing with the Dayboro Players before returning to the Bayside and joining the Mercury Theatre.
May Danvers
played by Jennie Dean
Jennie’s first ever step on stage was in 2013 playing Merlin’s ditzy sister Fubbsey in Mercury’s theatre restaurant production of “A Knight to Remember.” Jennie has gone on to perform both comedic and dramatic roles in “Robin the Hood”, “Money who needs It”, “Portrait of Murder”, “Do not Disturb” and “It’s a Wonderful Life”. When not on stage, Jennie can be found behind the scene as stage manager and prompt as well as front of house.
Miss Maudesley (Maudie)
played by Bronwyn Hinton
Bronwyn has acted for many years in various roles, she has also participated offstage as director, prompt, stage production, and front-of-house. She is a Life Member of Mercury Theatre having been involved since her childhood, as her mother, Daphne Raymond was a founding member of Wynnum Mercury Theatre. Bronwyn says “it is good to be back on stage after a couple of years off. I have played numerous roles over the years but Maudie is up there as one of my favourites”.
Miss Rowe (Hard Rowe)
played by Barbara Collyer
In early 2003, Barbara responded to a newspaper audition call. An undiscovered passion was revealed with a subsequent leading role with Mt Cotton Drama Group. Since then, she has enjoyed many roles both off and on stage with that group and others. She now delightedly anticipates the challenge and fun of bringing the role of Hard Rowe to the stage.
Mrs Emmett
played by Janet Angel
In January 2021 Janet made a debut in Mates Genesis Theatre production “Sailing South” and she recently took part in their radio play “Miss Bilby and the Moss-Covered Cleric”. She has just finished performing in a Hills Players production “The Witch in 204”. This is Janet’s first performance with Mercury Theatre.
Miss Harriet Pye (Hatty)
played by Rosemary Thwaites
Rosemary has been acting for 30 years. She has undertaken a myriad of roles from behind the scenes, front-of-house, acting in both comedies, dramas and theatre restaurant performances as well as directing. Some may remember Rosemary’s direction of “The Extraordinary Revelations of Orca the Goldfish” and “Do Not Disturb”. She’s performed in “It’s My Party and I’ll Die if I Want to”, “Duets”, “Hell’s Belles”, “Portrait of Murder” and “California Suite”.
Miss Matilda Pye (Matty)
played by Kathy Manning
After taking part in Mrs Daphne Raymond’s Mercury Youth Theatre Pantomimes in 1976, Kathy caught the acting bug, dabbling in stage plays in London, (1981) and with Mt Cotton Drama Group from 2008-2018. The highlight of her acting career was travelling with Ben Parkinson’s Company in 2015 –to Hollywood, where she stayed at the iconic Roosevelt Hotel, and felt that a life-long dream had been realised. She has been and extra in three locally made movies. Her aspiration is to be like Actor Jacquie Weaver. This year, she has returned to acting, post-COVID, by performing as Matty in Mercury Theatre.
Lighting Programer/Stage Manager
Sam Galatola
This is Sam's second time Stage Managing, early this year he was Stage Manager on “Kitchen Diva” with Mates Theatre Genisis. He recently got into theatre this year and worked various roles with different theatre companies. He's excited to be working with Mercury Theatre on “Ladies of Spirit” and put his skills to the test in Mercury Theatre.
Lighting
Pearce Krisanski
Pearce is currently studying for a Diploma of Screen and Media. This is his first time working with Mercury Theatre.
A special thanks also to Ric Medlin, Glenda Markwell, and the Front-Of-House team for their contribution to the production of Ladies Spirit.
If you are interested in joining Mercury Theatre Wynnum,
or attending any of our upcoming plays
please add your name to our CONTACTS page.
*Ladies of Spirit is produced by arrangement with ORiGiN™ Theatrical, on behalf of Samuel French, a Concord Theatricals Company.