The Hall Committee is ready to hit the road

The chairs are stacked in fives, the cutlery is in bundles of 10, the new urn has a power saving safety switch and they have banned Ag Students 21sts after too many incidents with sheep dip.

The Hall Committee is prepared for all contingencies when the new show premieres on Wednesday 4 September in North Wagga.

The Civic Theatre original production will hit the road to perform in halls throughout the Riverina over the next two weeks.

Written by actor and comedian Damian Callinan, whose film The Merger was made in Wagga Wagga, The Hall Committee is an interactive new play based on stories and interviews from local people in our own community halls.

The production will transform halls in North Wagga, Oura, Ganmain, Uranquinty, Ladysmith, Downside and Cootamundra into the fictional village of “Rummage South”.

Civic Theatre Manager Carissa Campbell said there has been plenty of interest in The Hall Committee, which will feature both local and interstate actors.

“We are very pleased with the response from local communities, with most shows now sold out,” Ms Campbell said. “By hosting the play in community halls, we’re also encouraging the audience to get out and see parts of the region they might not have visited before.

“We’re proud to be fostering local content by working with the local professional theatre industry to develop new works and provide performance opportunities for young and emerging artists”.

Mr Callinan said the play tells the story of the stringent Rummage South hall committee president Brenda, who is at odds with her fellow committee members over how the rundown hall should be used by the community.

“I spoke with some passionate people who told some fantastic stories. The show plays homage to the role halls have played in the fabric of small town Australia,” he said.

“The audiences will have their own hall transformed in front of them as the cast usurp their residing committee to bring this interactive, immersive, hilarious play to life.”

The Hall Committee’s tour of the region is made possible through a Community Presenter Touring Grant from Create NSW. For more information on the play or to buy tickets, visit civictheatre.com.au.

The Hall Committee

• North Wagga Hall: Wednesday 4 September 7.30pm, Thursday 5 September, 7.30pm
• Oura Community Hall: Friday 6 September, 7.30pm
• Ganmain Hall: Saturday 7 September, 7.30pm
• Uranquinty Community Hall: Wednesday 11 September, 7.30pm
• Ladysmith Memorial Hall: Thursday 12 September, 7.30pm
• The Arts Centre Cootamundra: Friday 13 September, 7.30pm
• Downside Hall: Saturday 14 September, 7.30pm