Beaumaris Theatre Inc. acknowledges the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation, the Traditional Owners of the land on which Beaumaris Theatre stands. We pay our respects to Victoria's First Peoples and their Elders past, present and emerging.
CONTENTS
Click on the headline below to jump through each section of the program.
ABOUT THE SHOW
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
CAST & CREATIVES
MEET THE TEAM
ABOUT BEAUMARIS THEATRE
Chalkface
Chalkface is set in the fictional Victorian primary school of West Vale, where we meet Pat, who returns from the summer holidays with the ashes of her closest teacher friend, Sue. After years of dedication to the school, not one of her colleagues found time to attend Sue’s funeral, and Pat is feeling very jaded.
In walks Anna, a newly qualified teacher with a degree in Neuroplasticity. She is young, bright-eyed, energetic and has a therapy guinea pig. As you might expect, these two don’t quite see eye to eye.
Throughout the play, we start to see that not all is as it should be with the maintenance of the school and the office manager, Cheryl, who spends a lot of her time near the shredder and keeping the stationery cupboard under strict lock and key. The Principal, Douglas, seems out of touch with the other teachers and more interested in corporate babble speak and saving money than connecting with the young students in his care. Denise and Steve, the two other teachers, are also dealing with their own issues.
Book Week arrives, and things escalate from here…into an explosive ending.
Chalkface is described by playwright Ange Betzien as ‘a whack love letter to all those teachers who have taught us to read, write and most importantly, to think.’
I was drawn to the dark humour of this script and how it made me feel as an educator and parent. Ange has been able to articulate the uncertainty of the education sector in Australia, and her humorous approach to such serious issues makes us question, what should our education system provide to enable our young people to thrive?
Set in the fictional primary school of West Vale Primary, we can see the negative impacts when money matters more than pedagogy. The nurturing environment where students can become self-directed risk-takers, and staff feel equally nurtured and supported, is not reflected in the staff room or the classroom environments.
The staff room, with its threadbare furnishings and peeling paint, is at least a ‘play space’ for teachers, whereas the children in their care do not even have a playground. Surely this is the bare minimum for a primary school, especially as play-based learning helps children discover how to take risks, socialise and collaborate?
Ange’s play highlights some of the challenges our public schools must contend with and how we must resource them appropriately to give our children the best start in life.
I would like to extend my thanks to everyone involved in this production for their unwavering support, enthusiasm and passion in bringing this play to the stage. It has been fantastic working with Deb, Jenni, Fiona, and Steve. Thank you to my whole creative team and brilliant cast for bringing me so much joy and fun whilst sharing this important story.
We hope you will enjoy this Victorian premiere production, and I thank Beaumaris Theatre for continuing to support Australian voices. Finally, for all of those tired teachers out there who constantly strive to do their best, despite adversity, our heartfelt thanks for all you do. This show is dedicated to you!
Samantha Stone, Director
Cast
Pat Novitsky - Georgy Charles
Anna Park - Lucy Treverton
Denise Hart - Bel Shields
Steve Budge - Tom Ellis
Douglas Housten - Simon Coles
Cheryl Filch - Trudi Sheppard
creative team and crew
Director - Samantha Stone
Production Coordinator - Jenni Osburn
Stage Manager - Fiona Williams
Assistant Stage Manager - Steve Morris
Set Design - Fred Pezzimenti and Samantha Stone
Costumes- Jenni Osburn and cast
Wig Design - Martha Weddel
Lighting Design - Joshua Gardner
Sound Design - Adam Solomon & Joshua Gardner
Lighting & Sound Operator - Joshua Gardner
Set Construction & decor - Chris Churchward, Daniel Ischia, Fiona Williams, Fred Pezzimenti, Georgy Charles, Sally Flemming, Samantha Stone, and Steve Morris
Marketing and program - Kristina Doucouliagos
Photography - Pietro Giordano & Tim Tselepis
Videography - Tim Tselepis
Flier Design - Ella Creaton
Front of House Coordinator - Fiona Williams
Front of House Manager - Adam Solomon
Box Office - Beaumaris Theatre Committee Members
Front of House Volunteers - Beaumaris Theatre Members & Friends
With very special thanks to Chris Churchward for his excellent skills and expertise in helping to create the staffroom of West Vale Primary School and special effects mastery.
Thank you to Daniel Ischia, Neil Barnett, Frankston Theatre Group, Iván Martinez Botella, St. Leonards College, Lynda French, Chris French, and Fiona Williams for going above and beyond.
Samantha Stone - Director
Samantha is delighted to be making her directorial debut at Beaumaris Theatre. Full disclosure, she is also a teacher. Her most recent directorial roles have been school productions of Madagascar Jr, The 39 Steps, The Love of Three Oranges, 101 Dalmatians Jr and The Pink Panther Strikes Again. Some of her other directing credits include The Inheritance, Secret Bridesmaids’ Business, The Odd Couple (female version), and A Christmas Pantomime.
Samantha has acted in many productions, including playing M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias, Loretta in Knife Edge (VDL nomination) and Lady White Adder, The Wise Woman and Guard in Blackadder II at Beaumaris Theatre. She was also in productions of Proof (Mordialloc Theatre), and Daisy Pulls It Off, The Popular Mechanicals (Encore Theatre, Lyrebird Judge’s award for the best synergistic ensemble performance) and Psycho Beach Party (Essendon Theatre).
Samantha has written several plays and monologues and loves being in her home away from home at Beaumaris Theatre. She is thankful for her extremely supportive family, who give her the freedom to create and play and especially her daughter Maddie, who is always amazing and supportive.
Georgy Charles - Pat Novitsky
Georgy has been performing in community theatre since her teens on stages across Melbourne’s south-east, collecting accents, wigs and questionable character choices along the way.
Some of her favourite roles at Beaumaris Theatre include - the Baroness in The Sound of Music, Geraldine in The Vicar of Dibley (and if you look closely, she’s even brought along her favourite verger, Trudi Sheppard!), a Clown in The 39 Steps, and most recently, a parade of ridiculous characters in Blackadder II, where she waved goodbye to any remaining sense of decorum.
Georgy works in education, so appearing in a play about primary teachers feels both highly appropriate and mildly therapeutic. She has a deep respect for the impact teachers have on young lives and still fondly remembers Miss Thomas, her favourite teacher EVER, who was, without question, clearly someone who deserved a very large pay rise, but shudders when recalling Mrs Mason, who decidedly did not!
Samantha Stone, our fabulous director, has gathered a brilliant, fun team of creatives to bring this incredible script to life. We can’t wait to show you!
Lucy Treverton - Anna Park
Lucy is delighted to be making her Beaumaris Theatre debut in Chalkface, a show that blends her two great loves: theatre and the unhinged world of the education system.
A 2021 FUAA Performing Arts graduate, Lucy has spent the past four years directing high school musicals and is thrilled to be back onstage.
Her relationship with school has always been… dramatic. In Year 6, she wrote an outraged email to her teacher pretending to be her mum after discovering she wasn’t placed in a maths group with her friends. But her chaotic “Lucy” spelling and grammar quickly exposed her.
Lucy is thrilled to be part of this brilliant cast and hopes she causes slightly less trouble than she did in actual school.
Bel Shields - Denise Hart
Having completed her Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts half a lifetime ago, Bel’s theatre roles have been varied. Some of her favourites include Maureen in Stags and Hens (Ballarat Uni), Flute in The Popular Mechanicals (Encore Theatre Company), and Dinah in The Sweet Delilah Swim Club (The 1812 Theatre).
Outside of the theatre, Bel dons her most flattering hi-vis for her role as a school crossing lady and has a tiny home business making funky coats. She lives with her hubby, three teenagers, two cats, five chickens, and a partridge in a pear tree, none of whom perform in theatre.
When Bel was in grade 6, her teacher told her parents that she reminded him of a young Beatrix Potter, with her drawing and her stories. When Bel was in year 12, she and her best friend used to sit at the back of their psychology class and see how loudly they could fart before the teacher heard them. Oh, how times change!
Tom Ellis - Steve Budge
Tom, like most of the cast of Chalkface, is also a teacher! Currently working in the tertiary sector, he previously worked as a drama teacher for 12 years in Bayside.
Tom has directed numerous school musicals like Peter Pan, Annie, and Dear Edwina Jr. Tom has also undertaken workshops with Zen Zen Zo and Frantic Assembly and has enjoyed utilising some of these skills to bring the character of Steve to life.
This is Tom’s first show with Beaumaris Theatre, and the first time he has been on stage (that is not a classroom) in 10 years. His most recent acting accolades include reprised roles in a research-based docudrama around the life and experiences of graduate teachers.
Tom enjoys the irony of a Drama teacher playing the role of a Phys Ed teacher, considering PE was his least favourite subject as a student.
Simon Coles - Douglas Housten
Simon is delighted to be making his debut with Beaumaris Theatre.
Since entering the world of community theatre ten years ago, Simon has performed in a range of roles in both plays and musicals on the Mornington Peninsula, most recently in the role of the Inspector in J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls (Frankston Theatre Group).
When not performing, Simon is a secondary school teacher in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs and plays a variety of sports badly.
Trudi Sheppard - Cheryl Filch
Trudi is delighted to return to the Beaumaris Theatre stage and be involved in this witty Australian production.
Most recently, Trudi was seen as Nikki in The Appleton Ladies Potato Race (Malvern Theatre Company), her second role as a hairdresser after playing Truvy in Steel Magnolias (Beaumaris Theatre), having previously played Shelby in 2006. Other recent roles have included Jackie Jones in Cul De Sac (Encore Theatre Company, Lyrebird Award Winner) and Virginia in It’s Only A Play (Mordialloc Theatre Company).
A repeat offender playing Alice in The Vicar of Dibley (Beaumaris Theatre and 1812 Theatre, Lyrebird Award Winner), she is utterly chuffed to again be sharing the stage with her favourite Vicar! Other favourite roles include Sybil in Fawlty Towers and Annabella/ Margaret/Pamela in The 39 Steps.
Trudi happily notes that her favourite teacher of all time is her sister.
Fiona Williams - Brenda, The crossing supervisor & Stage Manager
Fiona is an excellent stage manager and has worked as part of numerous backstage crews at Beaumaris Theatre.
From time to time, she has crept out of the shadows and into the spotlight as Frau Schmidt in our production of The Sound Of Music, a party guest in The Great Gatsby, Connie and Anne Welberg in Flowers For Algernon, Johnna in August: Osage County, and a village person in Cinderella and Jack in the Beanstalk - a Pantomime. She also played an elf and stage-managed The 70th Anniversary Christmas Panto Revue.
She is looking forward to being part of Chalkface and hopes you enjoy the show.
Steve Morris - Mr Theodopolous & Assistant Stage Manager
Steve’s first appearance on the Beaumaris Theatre stage was way back in 2003 in Blackrock.
Since then, he has appeared in shows including The Castle, Dimboola, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Smiley The Musical, Anne of Green Gables, The Sound of Music, Fawlty Towers and Set Build - just to name a few!
He has also been busy backstage managing shows such as Deathtrap, Blood Brothers, Echoes, Bedside Manners, One For The Pot and Une Belle Farce. He has also appeared in productions with Malvern Theatre, LOTS, MOTTS, Ace Theatre and Kismet Productions.
One of his strongest memories of his primary school days is the compulsory consumption of a small bottle of milk every morning. He still can’t drink milk - unless it has some chocolate syrup and ice cream with it!
Jenni Osburn - Production Coordinator & Costume Coordinator
Jen‘s association with Beaumaris Theatre began back in 2007 when her youngest daughter appeared in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She is a proud Life Member of Beaumaris Theatre and has served on the Committee since 2008.
She is thrilled to be working with Sam and the extremely talented cast on this hilarious insight into some of the ongoing struggles faced by our teachers, and not forgetting the admin staff in our schools. Her eldest daughter is a teacher and assures her the struggles are real!
She remembers fondly Mother John hoisting her habit and pulling her scapular through and tying it at the front to create a trouser-like concoction in order to play French Cricket with students at lunchtime.
Fred Pezzimenti - Set Designer
Fred has been involved in the theatre for over 45 years and has performed with and directed for many companies, including Opera Australia, MLOC, ASPECT Inc., PLOS, Panorama Theatre, ASPECT Inc and Melbourne Opera Company.
At Beaumaris Theatre, Fred has directed Dreamchild - Alice’s Musical Adventures, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Vicar of Dibley, Sweeney Todd - the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, August: Osage County and The Three Musketeers.
He has also designed sets and lighting for numerous productions, including Cosi and Puffs. Fred has also spent many years as a member of the Beaumaris Theatre Committee.
Joshua Gardner - Lighting Designer, Lighting & Sound Operator
Lesson Plan: Joshua's Life and Theatre
Learning Objectives: Technically oriented theatrical understanding
Activity: Exploration of three areas of study
Area of Study 1: High School
While at school, his interest was kick-started when he was asked to light a school production. Since then, he has supported the school with everything from assemblies and concerts to dance and drama shows (2017-present). He has also worked on all their musicals since 2017: Poet's Corner, Struggletown, Grease, Chicago, Fame, Lady Liberty, and A Chorus Line.
Area of Study 2: University
At this point, life's and theatre's lesson plans diverged. It wasn't until the end of his computer science degree that he explored the untapped world of university theatre. Here, he lit, mixed, and played his way through several productions, including four years of The Sitzprobe, Firebringer, The Haunting of Sycamore Theatre, A Matter of Family, and Last Impressions.
Area of Study 3: Beyond the Classroom
Beyond university shows, he has extended his reach to the Melbourne Fringe Festival and to independent and community theatre, working with Lightbox (First Date) and OSMaD (Come From Away).
Assessment: Utilise his diverse experience to support the Victorian premiere of Chalkface, an entertaining show he hopes you'll enjoy!
Join us on Spotify to listen to a playlist compiled by the director, Samantha Stone, and cast that will give you a taste of the themes of Chalkface and the songs that represent these fun and complex characters. See if you can guess which song lines up with which character!
Beaumaris Theatre was founded by Bill and Angela Martin in 1953. Bill and Angela were thespians who built a theatre in the attic of their home. It housed about twenty audience members and had a small stage and dressing room.
Soon the demand for tickets for these productions far exceeded the space available, so the Martins along with other members of the Beaumaris Players, worked very hard to have the theatre space we now know in Wells Road.
For the last 70 years, thespians from all walks of life and various backgrounds have been treading the prestigious boards laid by Bill and Angela. We are delighted to continue their legacy of producing theatre for the Bayside community and beyond.
BEAUMARIS THEATRE COMMITTEE
President - Debbie Keyt
Vice-President - Adam Solomon
Treasurer - Jenni Osburn
Secretary & Public Officer - Lynda French
Marketing Manager & Membership Secretary - Kristina Doucouliagos
Committee Members - Camilla Klesman, Deb Carpenter, Fiona Williams, Georgy Charles, Harrison Ewart-Dart and Stephen White.
BEAUMARIS THEATRE LIFE MEMBERS
Bill Martin; Angela Martin; Roger North; Esme North; Roy Baldwin; Bea Beckwith; Anne Lowe; Jean Freer; Beth Kelsall; John Rees-Osborne; Nancy Sutch-Taylor; Edda Dawson; Barbara Franks; Annie Laurenson; Jenny Mullholland; Stephen Mulholland; Don Strong; Taffy Strong; Michael Coultas; Graham Eddie; Derek Curd; Janine Chugg; Debbie Keyt; Robyn Morris; Steve Morris; Neil Barnett; Rhonda Vaughan; Vince Vaughan; Danny Forward; Jenni Osburn; Trevor Osburn; Kristina Doucouliagos; Fred Pezzimenti and Camilla Klesman.
Thank you to our supporters and sponsors for continuing to support Beaumaris Theatre.
