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A Bunch of Amateurs

Red Phoenix Theatre Company present

Image Credit: Peta Grace

REVIEWS FOR A BUNCH OF AMATEURS

"A Bunch of Amateurs is great fun. Get along to see it." - The Advertiser

"What's not to love about this production? Nothing - it's a night of fun and laughter and you'll come out being glad that you went." - All About Entertainment

"Red Phoenix’s latest play A Bunch of Amateurs is a must see piece of theatre." -Stage Whispers

"This show packs a punch and is strongly performed by all cast members who deliver their lines with much wit and humour." - Global Media Post

"Red Phoenix Theatre company is dedicated to producing Adelaide premieres and can chalk this one up to another success story." - Glam Adelaide

"Michael Eustice has to be congratulated for assembling such an immensely talented group and bringing this production to such a high level." - Broadway World

"Technically perfect and the outstanding performances will continue to jell together. Another Adelaide premiere success for Red Phoenix, and a very funny one, too." - The Barefoot Review

"A Bunch of Amateurs is a celebration of local artistic communities, all while having the audience clapping in applause and cackling at every line." - Theatre Travels

"It is well worth seeing what this talented bunch of amateurs can do." - Adelaide Theatre Guide

From famed satirists and writers Ian Hislop and Nick Newman comes Red Phoenix Theatre Co.'s latest production, A Bunch of Amateurs!

Keen to boost his flagging career, fading egotistical Hollywood action hero Jefferson Steel arrives in England thinking he's about to play King Lear in Stratford - only to find that this is not the birthplace of the Bard, but a sleepy Suffolk village by the name of Stratford-St-John. Instead of Kenneth Branaugh and Dame Judi Dench, the cast are the Stratford Players - a bunch of amateurs trying to save their theatre from developers.

Jefferson's monstrous ego, vanity, and insecurity are tested to the limit by the enthusiastic am-dram thespians. As acting worlds collide and Jefferson's career implodes, he discovers some truths about himself - along with his inner Lear!

Starring Brant Eustice as Jefferson Steel, Laura Antoniazzi, Derek Crawford, Cheryl Douglas, Lindsay Dunn, Anishaa Faith, Petra Schulenberg, Anita Zamberlan Canala, Anthony Vawser and Tracey Walker.

Reviews for A Bunch of Amateurs

"★★★★★ - Terrific comedy packed with killer comic dialogue... plenty of twists and turns" - Whatsonstage

"★★★★ - Deliciously stuffed with Shakespeare...a laugh-a-minute" - Mail on Sunday

Image Credit: Peta Grace

Cast of A Bunch of Amateurs

LAURA ANTONIAZZI

Laura Antoniazzi was most recently in Picnic at Hanging Rock for the Theatre Guild. Her other stage credits include The Great Gatsby and Before the Party with Independent Theatre, where she was nominated for TASA’s Best Female Actress Award; Glorious!, A Murder is Announced, Leading Ladies with Therry; The Changeling, The Way of the World with the Theatre Guild; AutoBahn with Butterfly Theatre; The Memory of Water and Rose’s Dilemma with St Jude’s Players. Laura has performed in four shows with Galleon; One Slight Hitch, Loves and Hours, Jake’s Women and Sex Cells. She’s also trodden the boards with The Adelaide Rep in Palace of Varieties and It’s Just Sex. Laura’s professional credits include a book week touring show The Wonderful World of Roald Dahl, and the West Terrace Cemetery by Night Tours.

DEREK CRAWFORD

Derek Crawford, is a fun and friendly chap looking to be taken out of his comfort zone in order to better his skills in the world of acting. With a martial arts background he has taken on various roles in action acting involving fight coordination and stunt work - in film, TV, short films and web series.

With his 3rd show with Red Phoenix Productions, following the success of The Flint Street Nativity, Derek not only wants to see where the road of acting and theatre can take him but is also in it for the journey that unfolds with every part no matter how big or small.

CHERYL DOUGLAS

Cheryl Douglas continues her passion in theatre with her portrayal of Lauren "the beer broad" in this production of A Bunch Of Amateurs. Cheryl is excited about being back on the stage at Holden Street with Red Phoenix. Some of her previous engagements have been Claire in Boston Marriage, Alice Gloriana and Mary Frith in Cheaspside, Miss Julie in After Miss Julie, Elizabeth in When The Rain Stops Falling, Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible, Paulina in Death And The Maiden, Deborah in Men Behaving Badly, Mary in Memory of Water and most recently Jess in The Flint Street Nativity.

LINDSAY DUNN

Lindsay Dunn has worked in performing arts since 1976, and is an accomplished singer/guitarist. His favourite past roles include: The Father in Shout! - opposite the legendary Toni Lamond, Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar, Mr Bumble in Oliver!, Alfred Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Andre Thibbault in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Reverend Parris in The Crucible, Herbie in Gypsy!, Dale Harding in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Thenardier in Les Miserables, John Tarleton in Misalliance , Romeo in A Tender Thing, Howard in Cheaters, Killigrew in Nell Gwynn, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, The Duke in Two Gentlemen of Verona, and four different characters in Henry V. This is Lindsay’s second appearance with Red Phoenix Theatre, having played Harry in last year’s production of The Man from Earth.

BRANT EUSTICE

Brant Eustice has worked in theatre since the early 1980s. For State Theatre Company of South Australia appearances include Sex Diary of an Infidel, Carrying Light, Lion Pig Lion and God of Carnage; and the joint STCSA and Sydney Theatre Company production of David Williamson’s The Removalists. Recent appearances include The Flint Street Nativity, The Man From Earth, Caligula, The Conspirators, The White House Murder Case, Two Brothers, Don Parties On and Titus Andronicus, all for Red Phoenix, Bracken Moor for Independent Theatre and Holy Day for the Theatre Guild. Brant regularly reads poems for Radio National. He has received three Adelaide Critics Circle Awards; for directing Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, acting in Oleanna for the Theatre Guild and acting in The Conspirators and Two Brothers for Red Phoenix.

NICHE FAITH

Niche Faith has only recently re-established her love for theatre, her last involvement was in 2016 where she took on a hair and makeup design role for Glenunga International High School’s adaption of Andrew Bovell’s “When the Rain Stops Falling”. During her time at Glenunga International High School, Niche has acted in several student devised productions, as well as “The Breakfast Club” and Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. A Bunch of Amateurs will be Niche’s first Red Phoenix production and her first acting role in four years.

PETRA SCHULENBURG

Petra Schulenburg is a veteran of both amateur and professional stages across Adelaide. Her credits include a Victorian Green Room nomination for a Melbourne season of a one woman show - Waiting. Also, various ensemble and one person shows at The Bakehouse Theatre including A Streetcar Named Desire (Stella), Oedipus Rex (Jocasta) and the title role in Antigone; The Dreamed Life of Nora Scheherazade for ComeOut; as well as a variety of shows for Stirling Players, Theatre Guild, Independent Theatre and in her earliest days La Mama. TV credits include Chuck Finn, McLeod’s Daughters and Medical Defence Australia (MDA) for the ABC. Petra is pleased and excited to be performing with Red Phoenix and she hopes that the audience will have as much fun watching A Bunch of Amateurs as she has had rehearsing it!

ANTHONY VAWSER

Anthony Vawser is thrilled to be appearing for the first time in a Red Phoenix Show, after working with - and writing about - a wide variety of Adelaide theatre companies and productions ever since his (far away) teenage years. Favourite acting roles include those in Extremities, A Doll’s House, A Man For All Seasons, The Final Toast, Butterflies Are Free, and If/Then. Assisting backstage during August: Osage County was also an undeniable highlight for him. Anthony currently reviews for both Adelaide Theatre Guide and Stage Whispers Magazine.

TRACEY WALKER

Tracey Walker has been involved in Adelaide theatre for over 20 years. This is her fifth production with Red Phoenix, having previously performed in Two Brothers, Titus Andronicus, Caligula and The Flint Street Nativity. Her other productions include the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild’s Lettice and Lovage (as Lettice Douffet), Andrew Bovell's When the Rain Stops Falling with St Jude's Players; The Cripple of Inishmaan with the Adelaide Repertory Theatre; The Darling Buds of May with Therry; The Playboy of the Western World with Independent Theatre; and as Martha in Burnside Players' Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? She has worked with many other Adelaide theatre companies including Blue Sky Theatre, Mixed Salad Productions and the Stirling Players.

ANITA ZAMBERLAN CANALA

Anita Zamberlan Canala appeared in Red Phoenix’s last production of The Flint Street Nativity 2018. This will be her third outing on the Holden Street stage having performed in The White House Murder Case in 2017. She has appeared on the stages of Galleon Theatre, Adelaide Theatre Guild and St Judes.

Image Credit: Peta Grace

Production Team of A Bunch of Amateurs

MICHAEL EUSTICE

Micheal Eustice is the Artistic Director of Red Phoenix Theatre. He has directed and performed in numerous productions from a very young age. Like many actors of his vintage he began his theatrical journey with the legendary Bunyip Children’s Theatre where he played the roles of many different animals and occasionally a human. Recent award winning and nominated directing credits include The Flint Street Nativity, Caligula, The Conspirators, and Titus Andronicus for Red Phoenix, Neville's Island for The Rep and the sell-out season of Macbeth for the Theatre Guild. Michael is the Managing Director of the performing arts schools Theatre Bugs and the Adelaide Theatre Academy and has a Masters in Theatre Studies from the University of London.

LIBBY DRAKE

Libby Drake is a co-founder of Red Phoenix Theatre and has been involved in theatre as long as she can remember – from an audience perspective! In 2013 Libby got out of her audience seat and became Assistant Director for Adelaide Rep’s Neville’s Island. She has since been Assistant Director for Red Phoenix's The Flint Street Nativity, Caligula, The Conspirators, Don Parties On and Titus Andronicus. She was also Production Manager for Two Brothers and costume designer for The Conspirators as well as doing anything else that needs doing on all Red Phoenix productions.

RUBY FAITH

Ruby Faith began her theatrical journey when she joined The Bunyip Children’s Theatre at 8 years of age and performed in multiple productions. She has acted with many other theatre groups over the years including The Westenders, the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild and State Youth Operas. Ruby’s driving passion continued over the years as a singer/ songwriter performing with many bands including jazz quartet Kaliope, jazz duo Hi-lo, The Milk, Khushi, and more recently her duo The Rubytones. Ruby is a Red Phoenix board member and appeared in The Conspirators and Caligula. She also ran the sound for The White House Murder Case and lights for The Man From Earth and The Flint Street Nativity.

JAN FARR

Jan Farr has been working back stage or front of house for various Adelaide amateur theatre groups for about 15 years. She has been involved in most of Red Phoenix productions and her favourite so far is Titus Andronicus for the challenge it provided. Rehearsals for A Bunch of Amateurs have been an absolute joy and she hopes you all enjoy this very funny play.

JASMINE LEECH

Jasmine Leech considers her major achievement in theatre was producing and directing a production of Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco in 2016 as a part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival. A few bumps on the road lead to Jasmine also taking on the lead role in the production, Berenger. Since then, she has been undertaking a Bachelor of Psychological Science at Flinders University. With her degree almost finished, Jasmine took part as SFX operator for the first time in Red Phoenix Theatre’s production of Tim Firth’s The Flint Street Nativity last year. Later, she took on another first time role as stage manager for a locally produced and written production called After Life: Conversations in a Hospital Waiting Room by Robert Baulderstone in the Adelaide Fringe Festival this year.

KATE PRESCOTT

Kate Prescott is a Live Production Design graduate from Adelaide College of the Arts. Her earlier experience in theatre has included amateur director, actor, and set, props and costume designer. As a freelance designer Kate has worked with well established, as well as up and coming directors in performance and dance. Production designs include Twelfth Night, Phaedra’s Love, Roberto Zucco, Mother Courage, and One for the Road for AC Arts; Little Shop of Horrors and Oliver for Adelaide Theatre Academy; Caligula and The Flint Street Nativity for Red Phoenix; and most recently Grounded for Holden Street Theatres.

RICHARD PARKHILL

Richard Parkhill has been fascinated by light since the late 60’s and has designed lighting for amateur theatre almost continuously since then. He has worked with Melbourne Theatre Company and was a Senior Lighting Director with Channel 10 and Channel 7 and designed lighting for shows including Young Talent Time and Prisoner. Richard is currently the House Technician at the Arts Theatre. He regularly designs lighting for several amateur theatre companies including The Adelaide Rep, Red Phoenix, Therry and the Theatre Guild.