Musical Plays and Pantomimes

Hi AllThe following information received from Judith Prior:Judith Prior.6 Ryan Street BundabergQueensland Australia 4670Phone / Fax 07-41527003E-Mail jprior@interworx.com.auURL http://www.bundabergonthe.net/jpriorInternational Publishing and LicensingPlayers Press P.O.Box 1132 Studio City California 911614-0132 U.S.A.20 Park Drive Romford Essex RM1 4LH United KingdomJudith Prior PresentsMusical Plays and Pantomimes by Australian PlaywrightsSuitable for School or Amateur Theatre"Phantom of the Music Hall" by Judith Prior.Allegro Theatre CoBest Musical Production, Best support actor 1998.Yarrawonga's Allegro Theatre Company won two major Zonta awards for 1998 at The Zonta Gateway in Wangaratta. Allegro's brilliant production of "Phantom of the Music Hall" was the best musical production in North East Victoria. Best support actor was won by Allegro's John Duncan for his role as Arthur.Special mention in the critique for best actress was made of Allegro's Val Oglivie as Martha, as well as John Duncan's role, and in respect of Julie McBurnie's role of Millie.It's that team effort that resulted in the top production award according to Production Director of "Phantom of the Music Hall" Barb Wallace. "I'm so proud of the team on stage and working behind the scenes," an overwhelmed Barb said. "It was a real team effort." Judges for the big night were Mr Mark Stephens (Lazy Harry) Mrs Wendy Stephens and Mrs Elspeth Connor. Barb said that in the five years the three have been adjudicating, "The Phantom of the Music Hall' was the first time they have witnessed a theatre company receive a standing ovation from an audience. "Audience response and participation was just colossal," said Barb, who first directed fifteen years ago."The judges remarked that our sets were simple, costumes excellent, characters very strong, and orchestra and music well suited to the characters." Special mention was made by the successful producer, director about Michelle O'Meara for her role as musical director. Wayne Robinson's masterful orchestral performance on keyboard and piano and Judith Prior as playwright, Judith has also written "Lady Godiva" which Allegro produced on 28th and 29th November and 5th and 6th December directed by Alan Randall. In 1991 and 1996 Allegro Theatre Company won Zonta Awards for their productions of "The King and I" and "Pirates of Penzance."1998 saw Little Theatre groups at Kyabram, Myrtleford, Penrith, Berrigan, Eltham, Tomaree, Dampier, Kwinana, Great Lakes Amateur Drama Society. All staging successful performances of "Phantom of the Music Hall" much to the enjoyment of audiences and casts. Banyo High School Qld also successfully performed "Phantom of the Music Hall" as the School Musical for 1998Ten years ago, on completing the premiere season of my first script "Wink at the Sphinx" I was brought back to earth by my dad. Although justifiably proud of my artistic efforts, he laughingly gave me this fatherly advice. "Don’t give up your day job, love." The advice was taken in the spirit in which it was given. At the time, I had no intention of giving up my day job. Since winning a childrens writing competition run by the Melbourne Age newspaper at the tender age of eleven, writing has always been a hobby, an escape for me. The thought that writing might become a full time profession had never occurred to me, and I’m still not quite sure how it all happened."Wink at the Sphinx" was quickly snapped up by a publisher, and I blithely set about penning my next effort "Jest at the West". On completion of a most successful season of "Jest", I fully expected this play to be published and had already enthusiastically launched into my next masterpiece, "Jungle Juice"; when I received my first rejection slip. The publishers didn’t like "Jest at the West", couldn’t see any future market in Australia for a musical play based on the American wild west. The play had been extremely well received in it’s premiere season and I could see no reason why it should not be as successful as the first one. While nursing my bruised ego, and debating the wisdom of even finishing "Jungle Juice" a royalty statement arrived in the mail; along with a very small cheque. Great news! In twelve months, five amateur companies had actually performed my first play and listed here were the names of these groups. With my usual optimistic attitude I decided to write to each of them and advise of my new work, and see what would develop. All five of those original companies went on to perform "Jest at the West".Inspired by this success I placed several small advertisements in theatrical magazines; since then there have been over one hundred and seventy performances by more than forty companies of "Jest at the West", all over Australia. Possibly about to be overtaken by "Phantom of the Music Hall", "Jest at the West" so far remains my most popular work. Both of these scripts and all of my subsequent plays have since been published by Players Press in USA, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. and are now available world wide. To date there have been over 600 performances of Judith Prior Plays in Australia alone.Through my contact with the many amateur groups who are performing my work, I’m often sent scripts to read, by aspiring playwrights. Among these there are two writers whose work I have chosen to include for distribution with my own. Rod Clark is a Western Australian writer of pantomime. His brilliantly Australian flavored works are very modern, extremely funny and sure to appeal to children and adults alike. I’m sure "Snow White’s Pizza Palace" "Aladdin meets Howbazaar" or "Wally Matilda" will be showing at an amateur theatre near you in the not too distant future.Another uniquely Australian comedy "Flight 069" by new writer, Kim Johnson of NSW, is sure to be popular. Set in the 70's on board an aeroplane, with the audience included in the action as economy class passengers, the main characters, Davo and Stammers, Pearl, Herbert and hostess June Moon, will have audiences in stitches with their antics and Ocker attitudes. Watch out for this play, don’t miss it, if it plays in a theatre near you.If I’m starting to sound more like a publisher than a playwright, that’s because I now spend most of my day at my desktop publishing business, answering faxes and phone calls, E-Mail and orders, printing, binding and despatching scripts. I really enjoy the daily contact with secretaries, school teachers, actors and directors . The thrill of making contact with a new Company or Group is every bit as exciting as writing......Except I don’t get much time for writing anymore, and, guess what? I’ve had to give up my day job!Judith Prior.