Short and Sweet plays produced

A regional version of "the world's biggest little play festival", Short and Sweet, will be held at the Peninsula Theatre from July 25 to 28.

Gosford Council will host the week of short plays, featuring local actors and directors and showcasing the work of local playwrights.

The event will be coordinated by Woy Woy actor, writer and director Mr Steven Hopley.

"Steven Hopley, an award-winning veteran of Short and Sweet, has produced comedy and classic productions, and has had his short plays performed at the Sydney Opera House and internationally," according to marketing manager Ms Lisa Kelly.

"Hopley has been reading scripts and auditioning actors and directors to bring the best 10 scripts to life on the stage.

Mr Hopley said the theatre had "received 35 scripts, of which 10 will be produced".

"There is a wide variety of topics including a piece on Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers, a drama concerning AWA's, a comedy set in the bunker during Hitler's final hour, a couple of 'couples' dramas, one featuring the loss of a child, and a futuristic Dystopian drama that looks into the future of genetically modified foods."

Operations coordinator for Gosford Council's arts and culture unit, Ms Anita Freed, said the council hoped to make it an annual event on the Central Coast.

It would be "for the benefit of local writers as well as patrons who will enjoy a smorgasbord of professionally produced local drama", she said.

Ms Kelly said that the national Short and Sweet festival, now entering its sixth year, was the biggest festival of 10-minute theatre in the world.

"Held annually at Newtown Theatre and the Seymour Centre in Sydney, and for the second year at the Arts Centre in Melbourne, the festival has already helped launch the careers of countless theatre professionals," Ms Kelly said.

The Central Coast version of Short and Sweet starts on Wednesday, July 25, with shows nightly at 8pm and an additional 3pm matinee on Saturday, July 28.

The same 10 plays will be performed each night and the final night will include an awards presentation with prizes and awards.

Actors include Woy Woy Little Theatre's Paul Karten and Sierra Phillips; Paul Russell who has performed with the Little Theatre and Ad Hoc Theatre and Sydney actors Kate Barnes and Danny Rey-Conde.

Ms Kelly said two notable playwrights with entries in Short and Sweet were Rod Milgate and Dorian Mode.

Tickets are $22 for adults and $18 for students and concession card holders.

For more information and bookings, telephone 4323 3233.

More information on the Festival can be found at www.shortandsweet.org.

Press release, 4 Jul 2007 Lisa Kelly, Laycock Street Theatre