Austrailian Theater

I'm a high school student in Louisville, Kentucky in the United States. I am working on a report for school about Australian Theater. I have to report on the differences between Australian Theater and American/Western Theater. If you could help me in any way, I would greatly appreciate it.
Cathy Mellen

> Hi Cathy!I'm an Australian playwright living in Bundaberg Queensland just near the Great Barrier Reef. I write comedy; my works are all to do with Pantomime and Theatre Restaurant. Some high schools here have presented my work as high school musicals. In the states this style might be called Dinner Theatre or Cabaret Theatre.I'm not sure that I can be very helpful regarding the differences in our respective countries tastes in Theatre. My experience has led me to believe that the prime objective of any piece of Theatre is to move an audience; that is to move them to laugh or to cry or perhaps to look at a subject in a different manner. I believe that people all over the world are motivated and moved by the same types of things. This is what accounts for wonderful shows that create box office records in every country.I don't know anything about the different styles of theaters (as in actual buildings) but I have observed from our little Theatre company producing American shows, such as "Oklahoma!" "Guys and Dolls" etc that American people and the characters they portray have a wonderful pride in their country and that nearly always shows through.Australians on the other hand, often poke fun at anything Australian. This doesn't mean that they would be comfortable with any other nationality doing the same thing! I'm sure most Australians are just as patriotic as their American counterparts; it's just that they don't want to be seen being sentimental about it. Perhaps the new show just released "The Boy From Oz." will help change this.My work is published in USA by Players Press at Studio City In California and my web page is:-http://www.bundabergonthe.net/jpriorYou might like to visit and leave me a message in the guest book.RegardsJudith PriorP.S That's not how you spell Australian!

> I'm a high school student in Louisville, Kentucky in the United> States. I am working on a report for school about Australian Theater.> I have to report on the differences between Australian Theater and> American/Western Theater. If you could help me in any way, I would> greatly appreciate it.Dear CathyCan you be a little more specific with your question? By theatre do you mean experiences of performance in an Australian context or are you asking about differences between the dramatic literature of Australia and North America?Australian playwrighting is still very young, relatively speaking, and the debate about our "cultural identity" is still alive and well in many quarters.Finding similarities between Australian and North American plays would be relatively straightforward, but identifying a unique quality, common across the bulk of current Australian writing that you could contrast with American writing would be quite a bit more difficult.For that matter, how would you distinguish between current American and British Theatre without resorting to some pretty shaky generalisations?Very interested to talk with you further about this.CheersGrant

> If it is of any help I am a High School Drama teacher in Australia. If you want to email me the question you need to answer, I can probably be of greater assistance.A big point when writing your report, is that we spell theater - theatre.Kimberley - email yak@abacus.com.au