Chair of City of Newcastle's Community and Culture Advisory Committee, Councillor Jenny Barrie, said supporting Newcastle’s grassroots theatre makers is vital for thriving creative communities.
“Newcastle is alive with talent that we are proud to showcase through this program, which provides a platform to tell local stories that resonate with our community, while offering visitors a new way to connect with Newcastle’s theatre culture,” Cr Barrie said.
“City of Newcastle is proud to support each of these production companies through this program, which has been embraced by the local community, with over two and a half thousand tickets sold across the four productions delivered during 2025.”
Upstage at the Playhouse was developed by the Civic Theatre to deepen engagement with the local theatre community by co-presenting and supporting works that showcase the talent, creativity, and diversity of the Newcastle region.
Each of the selected shows will be given a two-week placement in the atmospheric 195-seat Playhouse, which is co-located in the same building as the iconic Civic Theatre.
Local writer Mikaela Corrigan will be debuting her play She, Her and I with Cats in the Cupboard Productions, established in 2023. The play tells the story of three estranged sisters who reunite at their family home in Bar Beach to care for their sickly mother.
Using visual media and local beach scenes to evoke memory and belonging, She, Her and I is a deeply cathartic and humorous story that will connect audiences to Newcastle’s coastline and the complexity of family dynamics.
