By Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell & Gordon Farrell Directed by Carla Moore
Based on the book by John D’Agata & Jim Fingal By arrangement with Music Theatre International Australasia Pty Ltd, on behalf of Dramatists Play Service, Inc.
November 1st – 23rd
Jim Fingal has a small job: to fact check articles for one of the best magazines in the country. Jim Fingal’s boss, Emily Penrose has given him a big assignment: apply his skill to a groundbreaking piece by legendary author John D’Agata. And now, Jim Fingal has a huge problem: John has been careless with the facts. This comedic yet gripping three-hander, becomes a battle over facts versus truth. Significant questions are fought over in this briskly entertaining play and you’ll find yourself happy to have your preconceptions and assumptions disturbed.
Please leave a clear message on our answering service and someone from the Box Office team will get back to you as soon as possible. It may take a day or two.
Season 2025
When the Stars come out
With 69 years of experience at producing quality theatre in Epping, we are experts at bringing out the best in our shining stars, on and off the stage. We value the support of our loyal audiences without whom we couldn’t glitter at all and invite you to our sparkling 2025 Season which offers you three plays for the price of two!
Silent Sky
By Lauren Gunderson Directed by Tracey Okeby Lucan
By Arrangement with Dramatists Play Service
April 25th – May 17th
Broadway Bound
By Neil Simon Directed by Carla Moore
By Arrangement with ORiGiN™ Theatrical, On behalf of Samuel French Ltd. A Concord Theatricals Company
August 1st – August 23rd
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Adapted by Simon Stephens based on the Novel of the same name by Mark Haddon Directed by Kaye Lopez
By arrangement with ORiGiN Theatrical, on behalf of Samuel French. A Concord Theatricals Company
November 7th – November 29th
Purchase the When The Stars Come Out subscription in 2025nd enjoy three superb plays, with supper and a program included in your ticket price for only $70.
Each season includes FIVE matiness – two Saturdays and three Sundays.
Please note when booking subscriptions, the regular price of $35 per ticket will be shown when selecting tickets. Your subscription discount will be deducted at the final payment stage.
OR posting to The Theatre on Chester, PO Box 335, Epping NSW 1710.
Subscriptions close Saturday 1st March 2025
Auditions
Silent Sky
By Laura Gunderson
Directed by Tracey Okeby Lucan
Tues 3 December & Thurs 5 December 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Silent Sky is a romantic telling of the life and accomplishments of Henrietta Leavitt during the years she spent working at the Harvard Observatory. Her work on the pulsing of stars is how we can measure the distance between stars, her early death from stomach cancer robbed her of a Noble Prize. They play takes some liberties adding a sister and love interest and speculating about what Leavitt must have felt during these years. The play is warm, funny and bittersweet as it explores what it means to be a working woman of science at the turn of the century and maybe what that still means now.
CAST:
Henrietta Leavitt – 30s brilliant, meticulous, excited. American. Wears a hearing aid. Her dreams of making a contribution to science conflict with the realities of the world and the other demands on her time. Based on the real Leavitt.
Margaret Leavitt 30s – the sweet stay at home sister of Henrietta. American. She is creative but happy with her place at home in her fathers’s church and family life.
Peter Shaw 30s – apprentice to the head of the astronomy department. American. Bumbling, sweet and easily led. Represents the societal/ masculine viewpoint much of the time.
Annie Cannon 40s – short, smart and sure of herself, a firebrand. American. Head of the computers at this time. Based on the real Cannon.
Willamina Fleming 50s – Fun, Scottish, very intelligent with a biting wit. The original computer. Based on the real Fleming.
PERFORMANCE DATES
Wednesday 29th October – Saturday 23rd November
April 23, 25, 26*, 27*, 30 May 2, 3, 4*, 7, 9, 10, 11*, 14, 16, 17* *Performances as marked are at 5pm, all others are at 8pm. Cast required 1 hour prior.
At Theatre on Chester Cnr. Chester and Oxford Streets, Epping
Rehearsals are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 28th January 2025 at 7pm. Sunday afternoons/Mondays will be added closer to season commencement for tech and full dress rehearsals, dates and times will be advised.
TO BOOK AN AUDITION TIME contact secretary@theatreonchester.com.au and advice the characters and time preference for your audition.
Auditions will be approximately 15 minutes. Audition scenes and script excerpts will be sent on booking. Memorising the script for the audition is not needed, but please be familiar with your character and the appropriate scenes.
Please advise us at the auditions if you have any prior commitments for rehearsal dates.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
The Theatre on Chester is at the corner of Chester and Oxford Streets, Epping. The theatre is located in the Epping Uniting Church hall, please enter next to the church. The theatre is 5 minutes’ walk from Epping station and street parking outside the theatre is generally easy. Auditions and all rehearsals are held at the theatre.
Audition Times – please let us know your preference for an audition day and time when you book. If you have no preference, please let us know as this helps with timetabling.
Bring to the audition – Your CV, head shot, script and application form in hard copy.
Payment – The Theatre on Chester is a community theatre and as such none of the cast or crew are paid. You will however be rewarded with tea, coffee, biscuits, the occasional pizza and lots of rapturous applause!
Membership of the Theatre on Chester – Actors who are cast for the production will need to be members of the Theatre on Chester, $10 for a year.
Other commitments – Set building for the production will be on Saturday mornings from 9.00am – 1.00pm. It is appreciated if cast members can give a few Saturdays to help with the set. On performance nights, cast members please stay for 5-10 minutes after the show to help the stage manager close up and the FOH team to pack chairs etc. Many hands make light work and then we can all get away at a reasonable time. The Sunday evening following the final performance is set beak down, help from the cast is appreciated.
