WTC supports our creative directors new play SHEPHARD KINGS
Wyndham Theatre Company gave support to Alaine Beek, Essence Productions (our Vice-President and Creative Director) by being the auspices company for her Wyndham Council grant to support Alaine’s new historical play ‘Shepherd Kings’. On Monday 16th November Alaine and her team of actors performed a rehearsed reading of the play in hall of the Werribee Park Mansion with the grand staircase as the backdrop. The night was attended by many including actors, writers, producers, Chirnside descendants, Werribee Park staff and volunteers, Werribee Historical society staff and Wyndham Cultural Centre staff. Alaine has been running her two roaming shows every weekend at Werribee Park for the past twelve years and this new production is an exciting new play. It is different in style to her other plays in that it is a drama that focusses on the central characters in the Chirnside family, Thomas (Kevin Hopkins) , Andrew (Phil Cameron-Smith), Mary (Alaine Beek), Andrew Spence (Scott Jackson) and Nellie Melba (opera singer Donna King). There was a feedback session at the end of the night and fantastic comments were made showing obvious excitement and engagement with the reading. The next step will be to take the play to full production. It will be performed for its first season at the base of the grand staircase with the audience seated in the hallway. The aim will be for it to be performed at other venues.