When it comes to community theatre, the not-for-profit organisation has typically taken to the stage as the GACCI Players, performing Shakespearean spoofs, pantomimes and more recently, straight productions, with a collection of experienced and inexperienced actors from the community.

Children have always been welcome as part of the shows, however the roles available to them have been quite small. In order to fill that gap and help boost the youth involvement in theatre, the committee decided to branch out.

In August, GACCI approached Gloucester High School drama teacher, Scott Davis to see if he had any students interested in a youth theatre workshop to be run by long time GACCI Player, Maureen Hjorth. Maureen had run school holiday day-long workshops in the past and was looking to try a longer version, which would allow the students to spend more time working on character development and the art of theatre.

When word got about about the workshop, the group ended up with students from GHS, Gloucester Public School and St Joseph’s Primary School. Since the end of August, the students have been meeting with Maureen to workshop a play called ‘Bad Auditions for Bad Actors’. Maureen choose the play partly for the humour and partly for the range of characters available for the students to workshop.

The students will be performing the play for the community, on Thursday, December 14 from 7pm at GHS Hall. Entry is a gold coin donation which will go toward future GACCI projects.