Hello everyone,
For those that attended the Festival over the weekend, we hope you had an enjoyable time and appreciated the plays (and yummy food) on offer.  We look forward to seeing you again next year.
Here are the results as per our adjudicator Edna Bartlett. Please note, she did not list nominations, only the winner in each category.

Kate… (President) (and Lily)

Best Production: Separating the Dust- Cosmic Players
Runner up best Production: Waiting for Doggett- Pop Culture Theatre
Best Youth Production: 4am- Gemco Players
Best Original Script: Racquet- Essendon Theatre Company
Best Ensemble: Mothers Have Nine Lives- Essendon Theatre Company
Best Director: John Jennings-Waiting for Doggett, Pop Culture Theatre
Best Female Actor: Rosslyn Angus- Clean Skin, Pop Culture Theatre
Best Male Actor: Matthew Phillips- Death of a Fish Finger, Dandenong Theatre Company
Best Supporting Female Actor: Angie Tonkin- Clean Skin, Pop Culture Theatre
Best Supporting Male Actor: Xavier Ryan- Racquet- Essendon Theatre Company
Best Male Youth Actor: Nicholas Jay- Switch on Turn Off, Gemco Players
Best Female Youth Actor: Camilla Sullivan- Scratchmarks, Gemco Players
Best Supporting Male Youth: Josh Anderson, Gemco Players
Best Supporting Female Youth: Tara Werner, Adlib Young Performers
Actor Showing Most Potential: Jason English, Adlib Young Performers
People’s choice- Clean Skin, Pop Culture Theatre

Don’t forget this! Yes we are nearly 30 years old!

Gemco Players is turning 30! It’s time to celebrate!
Please join your fellow members, past and present, for a theatrical review of the last 30 years.
The show will be followed by a four course dinner and party.

When: Saturday 7th August
Where: The Gem Community Arts Centre, Emerald
Time: Doors open 5.30pm. Show starts at 6pm. First course at 8pm
Tickets: $30 includes show and meal. $10  show only ticket available
Bookings: 0411 723 530

Take a look at www.pave.org.au

Here’s a fantastic review from some-ones blog:

John Godbar first wrote Bouncers in 1977 as a stylised look into the seedy world of British Nightclubs and those whose job it is to keep them safe. Using just four actors to portray a myriad of differing characters – both male and female – the quirky and hilarious play proved so successful, that in 1985 he wrote Shakers; a similarly styled play but instead from the perspective of four female cocktail waitresses.

Gemco Players and Director Tanya Barnes made the interesting decision to put these plays back-to-back and give us the event Bouncers & Shakers. Now I’ll preface the following by stating that I – as a general rule – HATE long nights at the theatre. Anything that is well over the two hour mark really tests my patience (I’m looking at you, Les Mis) and often has me looking at my watch and moving around restlessly in my seat. These two shows combined ran at almost three and half hours with an interval; well over my tolerance limit. However, not once did I check my watch. Not once did I drift off and start checking out the lighting rig. Not once did I think ‘I wish this would bloody finish,’ and this is real credit to all involved with this production. The running time simply presents outstanding value for your dollar, delivering an audience member two very entertaining shows for the price of one.

The way the show is written – with short sharp jumps from one series of characters to the next – pace and timing become a real issue, especially when you are running at three and a half hours. It was a pleasure to see a show like this where the the director has worked very hard on these key issues and it showed. Some of the comic timing and delivery on that stage was pure a-grade material . When this show hit the funny mark, it hit it hard; and I spent much of the night trying to actually contain my laughter. Tanya should also be congratulated on adapting the play for an Australian audience including many hilarious in-jokes that really made the audience feel part of it all. A very impressive directing effort indeed.

The outstanding ensemble cast clearly had their work cut out for them with this show. With so many lines, so many characters and so many transitions, I shudder to think how this show would have turned out with lesser performers. It would be unfair to single out anybody in the ensemble cast, but special mention must go to Tim O’Leary and Kym Davies for both executing some of the most brilliant comic timing the Ranga has seen for a long time. However, Kate McManus, Jen Bush, Kylie Storer, Ed Paulsen, Matty P and Daniel Jackson all deserve to be mentioned as well, each and every one of them having some superb moments on stage.

The overall experience – turning the venue into a nightclub and having to get past the Bouncers on entry (Just pray you never cop me in an ad-lib situation like that Mr Jackson!) just added to the overall vibe of the show. The soundtrack was outstanding, the lighting created great transitions and the FOH staff were (aghast) friendly!

I could do the usual Reviewer thing here, where I try to counter balance my praise by picking some minute and mundane detail that I didn’t like and spend a paragraph on it but I’m not going to – I’d just be clutching at straws. Instead, I’m going to recommend this show to anybody who likes a good laugh, finds taking the piss out of popular culture entertaining and isn’t offended by the word F&#k.

- The Ranga

Come along to Open Stage night, where anyone can do [practically] anything!

The first Sat of Every month 8pm, Gemco Hall.

Bar available.

$5.00 for audience, $3.00 for performers.

A casual night out, with no bookings required.

[Pictured] Salina and Darren at the Open Stage Night, earlier this year.

It was a fabulous opening of The Gem Community Arts Centre  in August !So many people worked so hard over the week to make the festival a success. Thanks to all of you who gave up your time to work behind the bar, on the door, on tickets, on tech, telling stories, singing, dancing, improvising, painting faces, manning the art exhibition, cooking, serving, playing piano, carving wood, cleaning, organising and being an audience member.

To see photos of the opening celebrations on Saturday 15th August click here.

To see photos of Carol’s Open Stage Night on Friday 21st click here, and for the Gala Concert on Saturday 22nd click here

Now OPEN for PUBLIC HIRE !

This exciting venue has a host of different spaces now available hire ranging from intimate meeting space  to hiring the whole  theatre and dressing rooms.  Ideal for events from parties, meetings and seminars  to full scale productions. The hire rates are extremely affordable to the general community. For more details and information including the hire agreements go to the link below, or ring David 0411343618 for further information.

THE GEM  COMMUNITY THEATRE

Phone Pam 59413263 for further information

With food, wine and good entertainment, it promises to be a fantastic week.

To view a list of the events, click here or to download the program as a pdf, click here.

To see photos of the opening celebrations on Saturday 15th August click here.

To see photos of Carol’s Open Stage Night on Friday 21st click here, and for the Gala Concert on Saturday 22nd click here.

Sally.

29 years old.

Breast cancer sufferer.

But this isn’t just her story…

Tissue is a play which takes a sometimes heart warming, sometimes confronting, and often humorous look at the people involved in her journey.

***

The one-act version of “Tissue” has been toured around Victoria for the past two months by Gemco Players, in conjunction with Theatre Box, and has received 9 awards thus far.

This October will see the full version of Tissue performed twice only, at the newest theatre in Australia, “The Gem”.

When: Friday 9th & Saturday 10th October, 2009.

Where: The Gem, 19 Kilvington Drive, Emerald 127 E5

Time: 8pm start

Cost: $18A, $15C   $3 from each ticket will be donated to breast cancer research.

Bookings: 0411 723 530

BOOKING NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE    CLICK HERE

Cast:

Sally – Amber Wilkes
Man – Daniel Jackson
Woman – Kylie Storer

Best Supporting Female Youth
Rommie Postma
Employees Must wash Hands Before Murder – Gemco Players

Best Supporting Male Youth
Adam Housham
The Nightly News – Gemco Players

Best Male Actor Youth
Connor Roma
The Nightly News – Gemco

Best Female Actor Youth
Lizzie Fox
Employees Must wash Hands Before Murder – Gemco Players

Best Supporting Male Actor
Daniel Jackson
Tissue – Gemco Players

Best Supporting Female Actor
Kylie Storer
Tissue – Gemco Players

Best Male Actor
Matt Phillips
Water Torture – Gemco Players

Best Female Actor
Jessica Fernando
Time Flies – The Basin Theatre Group

Best Director
Richenda Papps
Time Flies – The Basin Theatre Group

Best Ensemble
Tissue – Gemco Players

Best Original Script
Ken Purdham
Water Torture – Gemco

Best Youth Production
Employees Must wash Hands Before Murder – Gemco Players

Best Production
Runner up:
Tissue – Gemco Players

Winner:
Time Flies – The Basin Theatre Group

People’s choice award
Water Torture – Gemco Players

The weekend showcases many plays of many genres and styles, a highlight of the weekend being the many youth entries for which there are separate awards.

Download a submission form to enter your play.

Festival runs 16th – 18th July, ‘10.