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Whitehorse Memories
With Whitehorse announcing its closure today, lets hear your favorite Whitehorse memories. I personally will never forget the amazing cast and crew assembled for 2004's Les Miserables. When Phil Carmody's orchestra struck the first notes of the overture, it gave me chill like nothing has since. An astonishing experience for me, and one I will always treasure.
What are your favorite memories of this amazing theatre company?
Ashley (Joly/Bamatabious, Les Miserables, 2004)
...
SEUSS!
SEUSS!
GUNS!
All I can say is that because of WMT, Mr Bradtke and Mr Azzopardi I had 'GUNS' for the first and so it seems only time in my life... the candles were very VERY HEAVY... They did also mean I got the occasional crotch scratch from the backstage crew... that was fun... The company will be sorely missed. Nothing is a guarantee, good bad or otherwise it will always be a struggle to survive.... may all other companies small or large prosper out of this....
Jonno xx
Friends
My best friends came from Whitehorse. I had so many great opportunities with the company over the last decade and was fortunate to be in some of their most successful shows. But it has always been the friendships that I made there that I will cherish forever that made Whitehorse the experience that it was to me. It's a sad day but the memories will always be with us.
beauty and the beast
such a good show with a great cast, directive team, artistic team and crew. beauty and the beast was really an amazing show and personally very professional and "magical".
3 words... Crazy... For...
3 words... Crazy... For... You... xxx
Whitehorse Memory
Whitehorse Memory Snippets:
Seuss!
James Cutler''s head split open by a tankard
Sallyanne the eternal 'bar wench'
playing 'hide the object' on stage
'I'm a Banana...'
Rob Constable
Signing autographs and playing 'Meet the kids' after shows
Penultimate parties
Modelling kitchen implements
Anne Keefe
Ostrach feather tantrums
the woodhouse grove carpark rabbit
Show dedications
Truck monkeying at the factory
Bun!
And most of all, the friends you collect along the way
... the list goes on.
:-(
Oh Leah, I had totally
Oh Leah, I had totally forgotten about cutlers head! And pass the object!! Best! So many memories!
Memories..
I met Jason during my first Whitehorse show... Everything goes down at cliffys house. Also, for giving me the chance to experience that blondes really do have more fun! The beset foyer is never gonna be as fun to look at without all the plaques. :-(
absolutely devostated to hear
absolutely devostated to hear this,
i do hope it gets back on its feet. such a wonderful company with wonderful people at the helm.
i learnt so much from my brief time with them and am so grateful i got the oppurtunity to do so.
thankyou whitehorse, big place in my heart!
gebaeeeyah...aahhhhhyeahhh!
xoxox
Crew..
Leigh Collier and Keith Stubley on cans - so hard to keep concentration on the sound when those two were on!!
The fun we had
Yep - the lighting crew on cans was sooooooo much fun. The memories (and friendships) remain...
Lucky to be apart!!!!
It may have been your last show. But what a show to go out on. Thank you Whitehorse for allowing me to be involved in a show (Rent), that will stay apart of me forever.
Phil
The Lighting crew on cans;
The Lighting crew on cans; the aftershow parties at our place, then Torrens' then Cliffy's; the great people who made WMT; hearing the audience reaction to the amazing proudctions we did; the FUN we had!!!
Seuss!
I was only onstage with Whitehorse for Seussical, but it still rates as one of the best shows I've been involved with.
Some fav memories:
* Rowland Brache accidentally kicking poor Lynette White in the face, and apologising for about an hour
* Character cupcakes courtesy of the Burns girls (Kate and Amy)
* Trying to make sandwiches with Ann in the green room -- hilarious Bump In job!
* Our 'Who' noses falling apart -- "don't worry, we're getting new ones"
* Stephen Valeri wishing everyone "Chookas" every 3 seconds
* Near death on the Whoville truck
AND they were the cast who finally made me crack and get a Facebook account!
Angie x
1992
Rob Constable, carrying 2x Cavalier King Charles through 25 dancers on stage each night, Cliffy's house parties, a crush on Matt Hetherington, NINE, Steven Bowler, Brad Smith's make-up and specialFX workshop, trivia night, thankfully NOT getting that part where nudity was required, GYPSY, dancing in a slick, and flowing Susan Ferriman 1940s polka-dot dress, Tony McShanag's non-talent numbers at rehearsal camp, that 'family feeling', and making many friends. Good times. Memories never fade. Thanks WMT. xox
I first met my hubby during
I first met my hubby during "On the 20th Century", which stands out for me as one of the best shows ever produced. Geoff Harrison and Sue-Anne Walker - amazing. With mum and dad both being President of the company as well as Life Members, it will be sad to see it gone for good. Lots of wonderful memories and life long friends.
From 1992
Rob Constable, carrying 2x Cavalier King Charles through 25 dancers on stage each night, Cliffy's house parties, a crush on Matt Hetherington, NINE, Steven Bowler, Brad Smith's make-up and specialFX workshop, trivia night, thankfully NOT getting that part where nudity was required, GYPSY, dancing in a slick, and flowing Susan Ferriman 1940s polka-dot dress, Tony McShanag's non-talent numbers at rehearsal camp, that 'family feeling', and making many friends. Good times. Memories never fade. Thanks WMT. xox
<3 whitehorse
my first ever show was with whitehorse mt - kids chorus in Joseph 2002. next was bye bye birdie in 2004 and i was randolph =] and since those early years so much has happened and changed but theatre is still my biggest passion. i think high school musical marked the end of my childhood. i learned so much about myself during that show and met some truly incredible people and my god is was by far the funnest show i've ever done! i'm also proud to have been a part of anything goes which was gorgeous! hsm and anything goes were a great opportunity for me to start learning how to perform as an adult and i have brought a lot away from working with people at whitehorse. i'm running off to study music theatre this year and honestly i don't think i would be where i am now without everyone at whitehorse. so thanks to you all, my friends who i've made, you're so inspiring and i'm really looking forward to what the future brings us all xoxo
I made my best friends
I made my best friends through Whitehorse, and it was this company that brought me out of my shell! Too many favourite memories, but here are a couple:
* Being nervous while sitting near Shaun Kingma during first Seussical rehearsal
* Being told by Karl McNamara "If you don't get out of my way, I will push you over" when I didn't know anyone or speak at all
* Nubian Plague
* My initiation into fake tanning/burnt soy sauce.
* Closing night parties
* Stephen Valeri making 'chookas', 'you're tragic', and 'don't distract me' part of my every day vocabulary
* Ash Tynan's successful attempts at making me laugh at every possible point of rehearsals and shows
* Utensil fashion parades
* Working on the most stunning sets with the best production teams
* Bun
* Guilds 2008
Let's hope there will be a reforming somewhere in the future.
JC
My first show with WMT was JC Superstar.
I met my good good friend Sal Skeggs for the first time in the audition room.
Whilst I sang my audition piece, she threw up!!!!! I got the role!
I also remember that during that show was when the vic am theatre world was introduced to theatrepeople.com.au for the first time.
Many memories. 40 years of contribution has made us what we are.
I also remember...
Swinging on that damn rope in the overture of joseph (oh&S WOULD NOW SAY NO!)
Costume change every 5 minutes in joseph (thanks sarah cliff)
Audience participation! (If you complain Meriki, I'll just go longer!)
Big Brother in the disabled toilet!
Partying at Cliffies!
Radio mic test challenges
Brad Smith stuffing my hot pants!
The mummy
Insert gary coleman into dialogue
Banana
AIrhorn
City Of Angels....thanks for
City Of Angels....thanks for the mammaries!
Humpfffff!!
SEUSSICAL was my first Whitehorse experience and so far (in 26 years) possibly the most incredibly outstanding production I've experienced to date. Wow! The entire rehearsal period was amazing and every time I drove home I couldn't believe what we had just achieved. I mean, every single moment from the first rehearsal to the final curtain was a pleasure, a learning experience beyond compare and an incedibly bonding and friendly time. Seuss people know exactly what I'm saying and I know it is one of those things that will always mean a lot to us who were there.
Farewell Whitehorse. Thank you for being my 'home' for at least three productions. I've had the pleasure of making incredible friends with some exceptionally talented people both on stage and backstage - You will be sorely missed.
Oh, the thinks you can think
Think and wonder and dream
Far and wide as you dare...
When your thinks have run dry
In the blink of an eye
There's another world there.
If you open your mind
Oh, the thinks you will find
Lining up to get loose
Oh, the thinks you can think
When you think about Seuss!
Humpff from Brigid, the Sour Kangaroo (and my faithful Joey)
A very sad day – a company
A very sad day – a company that gave me my passion for theatre, amazing opportunities, invaluable training and some lifelong friends. Over 20 years of wonderful memories...
- Seeing my first WMT show The King and I at age 13 and vowing to myself to one day be on stage with them
- First rehearsal for Oklahoma! at age 15 (and thinking it was like being on Broadway)
- Lauren Elise drawing me as Huck Finn
- Going to the dance audition for My One and Only and walking out when they said to get your taps on
- Rehearsal Camp eye openers
- Sal Skeggs “Romy Romy” in Nine
- Backstage dressing for an actual pole dancer in Nine – “I am not a Pole! Please stop!”
- Sitz Probe for The Secret Garden
- Hearing Toby Truscott and Richard Thomas sing Lily’s Eyes each night
- Toby Truscotts cap wearing in the bows for JC Susperstar
- Staying frozen while Paul Watson worked the audience, taking longer and longer each night
- Big Brother – voting the cast out
- “Bring out your dead” – Mr Watson
- Dieting for Joseph with Adam Kennon (and the bucket of KFC the night it closed)
- Tanning and waxing for Joseph (whilst skipping bump in)
- Sarah Cliff and the after parties and the driving lessons
- Chris Bradtke giving me my first directing opportunity for the first benefit concert
- Giving Lee Threadgold a blood nose in Les Miz rehearsals
- Les Miz
- Beauty and the Beast – and the 90 minute make up routine
- On stage with Rob Constable
- The amazing dedicated cast of Aida
- The first time the canopy worked in Aida
- Miming with Sal during Suess bows
- The countless friends and wonderful experiences
Some things you must have missed Shaun.
- Ashley Weidner shaving my sideburns in Sarah Cliff's bathtub post Les Miz
- Cigars and Scotch with Ashley Weidner post Les Miz
- Generally being allowed to spend time with Ashley Weidner
Ashley Weidner | Social Media dude
socialguru@theatrepeople.com.au
Asking at the first rehearsal
Asking at the first rehearsal of every show I ever did with whitehorse if Ash Weidner was cast... and hearing them say no! Priceless!
ahhhhh memories! Good times, Good times.
No longer will i do a show at Whitehorse without Ash Weidner!
Sad times, Sad times!
Ahhhh......
Well, there's the problem.......... :P
Ashley Weidner | Social Media dude
socialguru@theatrepeople.com.au
do you think we have time to
do you think we have time to tell them?
Maybe...
It would sound better coming from you though, I give you permission to send an email on my behalf.
Ashley Weidner | Social Media dude
socialguru@theatrepeople.com.au
The first amateur show I ever
The first amateur show I ever saw was a Whitehorse production and I'm beyond grateful for the motivation it gave me to audition for my first musical.
To Anything Goes and the opportunity to learn to tap amongst some incredibly talented dancers (Thanks for your patience Tam & James!)
To RENT. To stepping outside my comfort zone and sharing the stage with a group of the most passionate people I've ever met.
Thanks Whitehorse!
Whitehorse
* My head being split open - Scott Hili saving my life (and Jess Barlow nearly taking it away from me)
* The duck falling during the prologue of 'Beauty and The Beast'
* Lying on the barricade with closed eyes every night as Lea Threadgold sang 'Bring him Home'.
* Friends: I started naming some but there are too many.
* Learning to tap dance - thanks Tam and James, so much.
* Sharing stage with the beautiful Rachel Juhasz during 'Friendship' in Anything Goes. Best Performer in a Leading Role in my eyes!
* Lobster fun in Anything Goes.
* Spring concerts at Blackburn Lake
* Skeggs
* Vibra Bands
* Bakers Delight bun
* A director saying to me 'Don't Ad lib - you're not good enough' in front of the whole cast.
* Standing at the top of the staircase while Ashley Wiedner tripped down it, closing night of Les Mis.
* Emily Doran 'actually cracking it' - what, every 10 minutes?
Can there be one final gathering for Whitehorse to get together? Let's go out with a bang.
One Day More?
Tumbling on stage spectacularly for One Day More? :P
Meeting Guffman?
Ashley Weidner | Social Media dude
socialguru@theatrepeople.com.au
Wake
There wiill definitely be a HUGE wake for Whitehorse.....couldn't finish without one more chance for all the talented, gorgeous people to get together and have fun!!!
Um James... a couple of
Um James... a couple of things you missed:
*Having the most meaningful line in Les Mis "You have no friends"
*Successfully killing it in the role of Maude in BBB (despite your not being good enough to Ad Lib) lol
*Working tirelessly to understudy Judith Wepner in BBB but never getting your moment in the spotlight to sing "Swanee River"
and.... does 'Tappa Tappa Tappa" mean nothing to you? xx
Sad times. so many memories
-Being a pirate, a knight and wearing a kilt.
-My first production camp. So much alcohol and I blame Andrew Roberts for the port :-)
-Playing card games in the dressing room
-Standby go lights
...-Crewing my first show and being introduced to 'Crash' Kennon with the words "Why didn't you stop it"
-Being taught by Peter Torrens.... so many things
-Being taught by Rod Collier.....so many things
-Turning up for Guys and Dolls just to make the tree dance
-Stage Managing my first show - 42nd Street
-Stage Managing Les Mis
-Mentoring so many crew members
-Bouncing the house curtain and breaking my knee
-16 getting told to get off the bar during bump out
-16 getting told to get out of the bar during a show
-Ryan getting his first professional gig
-Panto's
-Klaas on stage
-Klass forgetting to do a scene change
-John Watsons birthday before the show
-Hiding Ryans clothes every night. Well he did leave them in the dock
-Wrapping Butlers car in glad wrap and realising we wrapped the wrong car
-Moving Butlers car during the show (sorry Michael)
-PIDGY!
-The Besen Team
-Cheap red wine!
-Going up the mountain to have a drink with Al
-Wondering why the revove was in the wrong spot? and trying to reverse it bit by bit during the scene with no actors on it.
-The Beast
-Card games in the dock
-"Make the bad man go away"
-Jimmy behind the C4U flats.
-Buns and Annes sandwiches at the factory
-Painting lines at 4 in the morning
-Ryan painting a piano
-The friendships that still go on
...so many more. On and off, 20 years of memories. A sad sad time
Very SAD!!!
I am very sad to see such a fantastic company say goodbye for the very last time. I have seen so many Whitehorse productions over the years and they have always been of the highest standard.
I was very fortunate to be a cast member in their latest award winning production "RENT". I have to say I have never been so proud to be a part of a company and its cast and crew. RENT will be show I will never forget. Thank you Whitehorse for making it the most enjoyable and exciting experience on stage. It was an honour to be on that stage with such a talented cast of performers. Long live La Vie Boheme!!!!
Whitehorse...
This company gave me my first theatrical experiences outside of High School in productions that will be hard to top...
*The nerves of my first audition for the company
*The first rehearsal of Seuss, damn that cast sounded great!
*Making Sal, Shaun and Meriki feel old
*Suess!
*The Besen stage
*Kitchen ware modelling
*Another pyramid... kung fu style
*NOT getting the nubian plague
*Do you take visa? in the ancient Egyptian markets
*My first lead
*Back flip, back flip, face plant...
*Breaking free
*Stubley's duck impersonations
More Information
For me Beauty and the Beast and Rent. Great shows!
Can we have some more information on what happened? This is a theatre company that a few years ago were financially more stable than most others. Big name sponsors like 3AW and well attended shows!
Sad day for Melbourne Theatre!
re : More info
We will pass it on as we get it Michael, no details at this stage.
Ashley Weidner | Social Media dude
socialguru@theatrepeople.com.au
Thanks WMT for the BEST
Thanks WMT for the BEST PRODUCTION I HAVE EVER BEEN INVOLVED IN; SEUSSICAL!!!
* Hitting Lynette White in the face at one of our first Seuss rehearsals
* Seuss penultimate- "how lesbians do it..." LOL
* Being a monkey
* The Seussical singing booth
* Stepping on to the Besen stage for the first time
* Annoying Anne Keefe :p
* Making some truly amazing and inspirational friends.......
* Meeting my best friends; Kathleen and Diana
Goodbye Whitehorse!
Love Rowly xoxox
Annoying Anne Keefe
Annoying Anne Keefe in the kitchen is def one of my fav kitchen experiences ever. So much innuendo.
Re: Annoying Anne Keefe
In YOUR endo. (See what I did there?)
Cheers,
Ian Nisbet
WMT
Just heard the news about WMT closing, such a sad ending for such a great company. I was a part of JC Superstar and 2001 and then Joseph and his Amazaing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Two amazing show experiences, that I will never forget. Thanks for the memories WMT!!
The final run of ‘Slap that
The final run of ‘Slap that Bass’ on "Crazy For You" camp...
Rehearsing Crystal into "Hello Dolly" on Bump In day...
Watching ‘God’s Love Nubia’ as an audience member, and wishing that I could go back three months and audition just to have the chance to be up there for that moment...
Peter Stanbrook’s DVDs at the end of every Whitehorse show – and my personally requested copy on Closing Night just so I could survive the week after...
Watching the "Crazy For You" reel together in the audience just before Closing Night...
Robert Mulholland’s hilarious impromptu role of “The Little Wooden Boy” in "The Producers"
Auditions for A Chorus Line – and experiencing it from the other side of the table...
The piss-bolt around the back of the stage every night mid "Anything Goes" routine...
The “Springtime For Hitler” sign crashing to the floor in the centre of the conga circle, and the entire theatre stopping in petrified silence...
Having the chance to work with the amazing Philip Gould, even if under unfortunate circumstances to our leading man...
Paul Watson’s unforgettable call for attention with the champagne glass just before ‘Blow Gabriel Blow’...
The cast cramming themselves drunkenly into random cupboards at the "Crazy For You" camp...
James’ final warm up prior to the Closing Night of "Crazy For You" to ‘Time of my Life’, and for one of the only times in my life, not being able to contain how I felt about it all coming to a close...
No way to save it? No chance
No way to save it? No chance of fundraising?
Re: No way to save it? No chance
Hi Louisa,
As far as I understand (and I may not have the right information) the company has enough money to cover its debts -- but that's it, they're back to zero.
They are citing lack of funds AND a lack of human resources so I assume that the committee can't commit the MASSIVE amount of time and effort required to raise the funds to stage future productions.
Cheers,
Ian Nisbet
And wouldn't this be not the
And wouldn't this be not the first time Whitehorse have needed bailing out?
Whitehorse Musical Theatre
Over 40 years of producing shows and yes it is the first time that Whitehorse have ever been in absolute dire straits, with no help in sight! We have had concerts before to help raise funds for various charities, and Patrons and Life Members have also helped in the mid term.
A very sad day indeed! Thanks
A very sad day indeed! Thanks WMT for the great shows, great opportunities on and off stage, great memories and amazing friendships....
* getting flooded at Cabaret rehearsal camp and having to drive home from Angelsea via Ballarat
* lighting a ciggie at said rehearsal camp off a gas stove and burning my fringe
* Scott Board
* Music Man rehearsal camp - Lanny
* being pushed into the Pros arch by Geoff Harrison as a very enthusiastic Dolittle
* Tony McShanag and the Fanger's dressing room
* not being able to flush the toilets during the show's at the Pheonix because the pipes made to much noise
* Fruity McNuggit
* Watching Shaun run away from the pole dancer in Nine
* Throwing up during Paul Watson's JC audition
* The worm
* Tanning with Shaun during Joseph Bump In
* Shaun sliding up and down the dressing room in his socks while waiting to go on
* Big Brother voting video's in the Disabled WC at The Besen and Meriki doing a battery change
* Being in a freeze waiting for Paul Watson to finish the audience participation
* Where's that boy with my Latte?
* Frau Sh!t and "i don't do improv' (Sal Morrison)
* Les Mis and the nightly cast challenges, Doran wanting to know why I was putting dirt on my face - "Don't you want to look hot?"
* Plate Carnage in Beauty and the Beast with Amy, Jonno's bloody candles, CC's balls, debriefing Shaun
* Seussical - miming & dancing with Shaun in Finale
* AIDA - amazing production and cast and never seeing the banquet scene
* Anything goes, Paul Watson breaking the glass and Barry and I loosing it during one of our scenes, Cutler & Toovey shenanigans
* RENT!! - Everything about it!
Thanks Whitehorse xxxx
Paul Watson: "Hope Harcourt
Paul Watson: "Hope Harcourt the Debutante?"
Amy Larsen: "Hope Harcourt the Debutante?"
it was Rachael not Amy!!!
it was Rachael not Amy!!!
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