From Legends of the Scripts to Legends of the Skies: Up, Up and Away with Our Local Playwrights & Aviation History
- Saturday, 28 July 2018
 |
| https://kapow2016.wordpress.com/ |
 |
| LOTS Theatre Company Inc. Producer and Writer Jim Williams together with Artistic Director and Dramaturg Maggie Morrison sound take-off with a rousing opening number from their most recent production |
Legends of the Skies (LOTS) Theatre Inc. are enthusiastic local theatre volunteers who perform among exhibits at the Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin Airport.
The Australian National Aviation Museum situated in Moorabbin,
Melbourne Australia, opened in 1960, evolving from the Aviation Restorer's Group.
Historical aircraft are on display as well as exhibits such as WWI fighter plane wings and The Red Baron's fuel tank (95% verified).
Launched in 2013, LOTS annual productions feature original scripts by local authors presented by local actors about Australian aviation stories that deserve to be told.
 |
| Cheryl Threadgold, Jim Williams, Maggie Morrison - Founders & Writers of LOTS |
Today, four LOTS alumni spoke about their group’s origins, achievements, aspirations, and their individually written and collaborated scripts.
 |
| Members of the company from left to right: Justine Gorny (performer and publicity), Alison Knight (writer), Neil Follet (writer), Jim Williams (writer, producer), looking on as their flight's commander; Maggie Morrison, commences proceedings. |
Artistic Director Maggie Morrison discovered that her Mordialloc house was built on the site previously occupied by Gertrude McKenzie's home. Gertrude was an aviatrix during the 1940's and 1950's who ran a flying school with eight Tiger Moths and in 1959 became Mayor of Mordialloc. Maggie wrote a play about this feisty woman to celebrate International Women’s Day.
Maggie and her fellow scriptwriters shared insights into the techniques and challenges of bringing scripts to life for the theatre audience.
Dry, factual information is lightened with comedy and song.
Involving children creates the opportunity for questions to be asked that the audience would ask. Dressing up in period clothing, such as play acting a stock man, is another useful illustrative device. Planes are sometimes character props, such as 'Baby Bristol Beaufort'.
Lighting highlights specific parts of an aircraft such as the cockpit to focus audience attention. Sound effects add authenticity to a recreated flying event. The audience move through the museum to view scenes across different sets.
Neil Follet grew up on a farm on Lower Dandenong Road. With the airport over his back fence, his interest in flying was evident in his preparedness as a youngster in the 1950s to pay 10 shillings for his first flight. He became a pilot in 1964 and he edits the periodical 'Aviation Heritage'. He has written ten scripts, eight of which have been performed. He related several stories including that of Bluey Truscott, a Melbourne footballer who was an ace fighter pilot in Europe and New Guinea.
Alison Knight's father worked at Avro and Hawker.
He helped design the Hurricane fighter.
Alison is a playwright and the author of two books:
"Peter Stone" and "The Undiscovered Room and Other Stories".
He helped design the Hurricane fighter.
Alison is a playwright and the author of two books:
"Peter Stone" and "The Undiscovered Room and Other Stories".
 |
| https://www.facebook.com/alialight88/?fref=ts & https://twitter.com/Alialight88 |
One of her scripts celebrated Maurice Guillaux, the engaging and conceited French pilot who pioneered air mail delivery between Melbourne and Sydney. This script was narrated in a French accent.
Another was based on James Knight (no relation). On a flight from Melbourne to Perth his compass went 20 degrees off tack and he disappeared in the desert. His plane was discovered years later, his journal scratched into the fuselage, ending with a love letter before he perished. Alison wrote his story as a poignant 10 minute acapella style bush ballad.
Charles Kingsford Smith's well renowned achievements and bravery were tempered by the pressures of celebrity, alcoholism and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). His plane disappeared over the Bay of Bengal in 1935.
Frederick David was an Austrian Jew born in the early 20th century. He worked for Heinkel in Germany, then designed bombers used by Japanese to bomb Pearl Harbour. He was later interned in Australia, then adapted Boomerang aircraft to bomb Japanese.
Thomas White married former Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin's daughter, Vera. He conducted reconnaissance and sabotage in WWI behind enemy lines. He taxied his damaged plane for 15 miles past enemy encampments near Baghdad, was captured in Turkey, jumped off a POW train, bribed Russian soldiers and arrived at Odessa by war's end. His story lent itself to cheerful Biggles 'jolly old chap' 'boys own adventure' style dialogue.
Jim Williams taught Maths and Chemistry at Mentone Girls High School with Maggie Morrison who taught Drama. His first play about a hijacked plane that travelled around the world was a great success for the school. He has also performed in numerous local productions.
One of his LOTS scripts told the story of Robin Miller who almost single-handedly eliminated polio in Northern Australia with her innovation of adding serum to sugar cubes. Her plane was recognised approaching outback settlements by children who hailed her as the 'Sugar Bird Lady'.
Another script was about stockman Jim Darcy whose malarial ruptured bladder was operated on at Halls Creek by the postmaster on the Post Office bench with directions sent by Morse code by doctors in Perth. To send a doctor in those days was a nine day journey. He didn't survive the operation, but to Reverend John Flynn it was the catalyst for the formation of the Royal Doctor Flying Service.
 |
| Reverend John Flynn |
 |
| LOTS Co-Founder and Scriptwriter Cheryl Threadgold turns the attention and deserved accolades to an unsuspecting Justine Gorny |
Scriptwriters Cheryl Threadgold and Maggie Morrison paid tribute to Mentone Public Library regular, Justine Gorny, for her recent acting contribution (a 15 minute monologue even seasoned actors weren't game to try). However, LOTS has no star system, their ensemble style requires each actor to assume several roles in any production.
 |
| Justine Gorny rises to express her gratitude for the acknowledgement and opportunity to make a contribution to community theatre and history. |
Today's lively and informative LOTS presentations were roundly enjoyed by our highly appreciative audience.
We look forward to this year's production scheduled for October.
Tickets will be available in September.
BOOKINGS:
https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=382961 
Comments
Post a Comment