Female-led local theatre is now in the Limelight

A NEWLY formed theatre company wants to bring intimate live theatre experiences to small regional venues which showcase the work of local actors and writers, and champions roles for women. Limelight Touring Company is the brainchild of Brenda Spilva who is known locally in the theatre scene for her performances with the Wangaratta Players and Allegro Theatre Company Yarrawonga. Following Allegro's production of playwright John Misto's The Shoe-Horn Sonata in 2022, and the gripping performances of Brenda and Colette Quin as former POWs reuniting 50 years after their release from a Japanese prison camp during World War II, the theatre company was approached by the Shrine of Remembrance to bring the show down to Melbourne. Unfortunately it was too big a task for the amateur theatre company, but it was the impetus for Brenda to bring her idea to tour the show to a Regional Arts Victoria information session in Cobram, where she received their full support. "It was brilliant, because not only did they think it was an excellent idea, they said why would you stop at just one show?" she said. "The way you could get their support was to start your own touring theatre company, so I gave them a bit of information about my background and experience (running my own business in several different capacities) and then with Colette's theatre credentials and Laura Gundrill's experience, it just seemed like a bit of a dream team." Brenda wasted no time and on her return home to Yarrawonga, registered the domain name, business name and social media handles for Limelight Touring Company on behalf of the trio, saying it was important "not to overthink it". They now plan to take The Shoe-Horn Sonata to the Shrine of Remembrance next year to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, they've added the play Grace by Katie Walker to their program for February next year, and they are in rehearsals for their inaugural production, Waiting (by Dina Ross) which debuts in November. "We've been looking at female-led, female-written shows that also support regional actors - this is the whole premise," said Brenda. "We also want to tour regional towns and perform in small halls like in Yackandandah and Beechworth - places where people would normally have to travel to major centres like Wangaratta, Albury or Shepparton to see a performance. "We really wanted to stand alone and have a point of difference from the beautiful amateur theatre groups we've got here (in North East Victoria). "We wanted to do something that wasn't competitive, but that was aligned with our values of female-led theatre." Fellow actor Kirsty Woods will join the Limelight cast for their upcoming production Waiting, which presents snapshots of the lives of four ordinary women. Brenda, who is also the company's director, says there's humour, sadness and controversy in the stories which are shared throughout four 20-minute monologues. "They're all very different but they're all very relatable - some are confronting and some you can empathise with in a way," she said. "Dina (the author) has not shied away from being quite raw and brash and even quite desperate in some of these character's portrayals, sharing what they're going through." The characters include Andrea, who is reading a romantic novel while waiting for her online date to arrive at a café; an unnamed woman waiting outside a rehabilitation centre to visit her husband; Fran, who is in hospital undergoing an MRI; and Courtney, a Marilyn Monroe lookalike waiting to get her next big break. Brenda said while they loved the script, it was also important they selected shows which were suitable for touring to small venues, requiring minimal sets and backstage support so costs could be kept down and ticket prices made accessible. Instead, they plan to create the illusion of place and rely on strong performances and the imagination of the audience to set the scene. Brenda says they wanted to support small venues, but she was also excited by the idea of bringing live theatre to alternative spaces which may not be designed for the purpose. She said she would like to harness the talent in regional areas, provide opportunities for local actors and uncover scripts and stories local writers "might have hidden in their bottom drawer." "We have all this talent here and that should be celebrated," she said. "Good writing, good performances and good scripts should have time on the stage - audiences want to walk away entertained with thought-provoking, professional, quality theatre." Limelight Touring Company will present Waiting by Dina Ross at the Wilbury Community Hall on November 9 at 7.30pm, Vine Hotel Wangaratta on November 10 at 2pm, Stage Door Wangaratta on November 14 at 7.30pm, Swanpool Memorial Hall on November 15 at 7.30pm, Yackandandah Court House on November 16 at 2pm and Old Stone Hall Beechworth at 7.30pm. Tickets are available via Trybooking or visit limelighttouring.com.

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