Ashworks is a new collaborative project led by local theatre maker Zac Hanlon, with assistance from Michelle Fry. This project invites new, local theatre makers who have not yet had the chance to write or direct to come together and produce their own 30 minute shows.

Creative Directors: Michelle Fry & Zachary Hanlon
Production Manager: Zachary Hanlon
Lighting Design: Zachary Hanlon
Sound Design: Kris Cetinic, Patrick Ferrer, Sarah Bergman & Zachary Hanlon
Lighting Operator: Thomas Peterson & Annika Bertinat
AV/Sound Operator: Cristina Chavez
Publicity: Nick Kilpatrick & Zachary Hanlon
Posters: Kris Cetinic, Michelle Fry, Patrick Ferrer, Sarah Bergman & Zachary Hanlon

About the Show: Four disparate students find their paths crossed when locked in a stuffy classroom. The confined space leaves little room for their histories to stay dormant, creating an urgency amongst the group to unlock the door. Between their failed attempts to escape and the enticement of an orange handball, tensions are bound to rise.

Secrets are exposed and the layers of high school personas are lowered, revealing truths about the students that they may not be ready to face. This ‘breakfast club-esque’ play is a humorous exploration of who people are behind closed doors. The show will include themes of anxiety, LGBTQIA+ relationships and power statuses. Who are you behind locked doors?

Writer / Director: Michelle Fry

Featuring: Adam Watt, Clementine De la Hunty, Brittany Barr & Jai Sahota

About the Show: This show is a take on televised Talk Shows, allowing the viewer to be immersed into a real-life Talk Show. It’s just like any other Talk Show, but better. A Talk Show in 3D, yes that’s right a Talk Show in 3D! Hosted by Australian royalty, Kris Cetinic and Sarah Bergman. With a celebrity guest, and a chance for YOU, a peasant, to come up on stage and join the fun. This show will be a memorable night with laughs, giggles, sweat and tears.

Co-Writers / Co-Directors: Kris Cetinic & Sarah Bergman

Featuring: Kris Cetinic, Aalia, Sarah Bergman & Harry O’Keefe

About the Show: Unemployed with no motivation, Michael finds himself stuck in a constant loop of replaying dark souls. His friend and roommate Ani worries for his health and is trying to help him out of his rut. These two friends unknowingly have a third guest in their midst, The Mindeater.

The Mindeater and the Happiness Machine is about hope through the lens of a video game. It’s about the relationship we can find ourselves having with video games, how we can relate, how we can heal with them and how they can also keep us safe. In a twisted way it’s sort of a love letter to video games.

Writer / Director: Patrick Ferrer

Featuring - Ani Roberts, Thomas Roberts & Michael Ianni

About the Show: A tale of grief and sorrow mixed with an oddly comforting sense of awkwardness. The Mockingbird is a personable play about two people, the situation-ship between them, and the effects of grief on those that we love.

Charlie is a physics major that is slowly coming to terms with the death of his father and is quite abruptly interrupted in every way possible by Lillian, an ecstatic and excitable person with a penchant for poltergeists. The play is a cacophony of whimsy, nihilism, and the weird, fumbly way that you can act when you’re starting to make a new friend or get a new job but you don’t really know what you’re doing yet and you feel like you’re constantly embarrassing yourself.

Writer / Director: Zachary Hanlon

Featuring: Benjamin Wonderley & Nicole Cuthbert