Taupō theatre troupe auditioning for new play

Centre Stage Taupō president Kylie Dumble is making her directorial debut with The 39 Steps.

Centre Stage Taupō is on the lookout for fresh talent for a vintage performance.

Next year’s big production will be a version of Alfred Hitchcock’s film The 39 Steps, with a twist fit for the great man himself: the stage will be set for a live radio play.

This will see a small number of actors each performing a multi-faceted role, says director and Centre Stage president Kylie Dumble.

“It’s an actor playing an actor, who’s playing multiple characters. It’s really an opportunity to have a lot of fun.”

Given the play’s unique nature, the staging team is open to ideas and the cast of six will have thewn input on how things unfold.

“There’s a lot of very cool opportunity to create. You’re not just coming in picking up a script and saying, ‘OK, this is who I am’.”

Five of the cast will be radio performers, with the sixth acting as a foley artist, providing sound effects to tell the story. This character will be onstage, albeit without lines, so will have the opportunity to develop a personality through movement and gesture rather than words.

Underscoring the performance and boosting the atmosphere will be the Taupō Concert Band, providing live music.

Auditions will take place on Sunday, November 26, with rehearsals beginning in February and the performance dates running from May 15-25. Potential auditioners are asked to visit https://www.centrestagetaupo.co.nz/auditions for more information and to register.

Milly Fullick is a journalist based in Taupō. She joined the Taupō and Tūrangi Herald team in 2022.

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