About A Date With Death

Swipe right on a night of variety with Ballarat National Theatre for the best first date of your life - and one that just might be your last! Get tix & chill with us this winter, with a smorgasbord of short plays and monologues that explore a theme that touches every single one of us.
We’re offering 10 separate courses by local and international writers that touch on the joys of life, the crushing inevitability of our mortality, and the curiosity and absurdity of death.
Featuring one act play The Death of Ellen Moore, written & directed by Jon Amesbury, we are showcasing brutal comedies to heart-breaking dramas and everything in between.
The talents of our actors and directors will make you laugh until you cry and just, well…cry.
Put on your glad rags, because Death waits for no-one, not even the hottest date in town!

The season includes the following short plays, monologues and excerpts:

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard, Directed by Laura Hudson
Date With Death by Steven Hayet, Directed by Gin O'Brien
Enlightenment written by Ann Chadwick, Directed by Ann Chadwick
Sister Cities by Colette Freedman, Directed by Liana Emmerson
Heaven's Above written by Peter Nethercote, Directed by Ann Chadwick
Just Friends by Maryrose Whyte, Directed by Ann Chadwick
He Died Alone by Marty Monstar, Directed by Shannon Nicholls
Still Water by Katrina Mathers, Directed by Ruby Penhall
The Death of Ellen Moore by Jon Amesbury, Directed by Jon Amesbury with co-Direction by Megan J Riedl

5th July - 14th July 2024

Open Door, 106 Albert St. Sebastopol
Genre: Drama
Playwrights: Jon Amesbury, Sir Tom Stoppard, Steven Hayet, Ann Chadwick, Colette Freedman, Peter Nethercote, Maryrose Whyte, Marty Monstar, and Katrina Mathers
Directors: Jon Amesbury, Laura Hudson, Gin O'Brien, Ann Chadwick, Liana Emmerson, Shannon Nicholls, Ruby Penhall, and Megan J Riedl
Producer: Megan J Riedl

Partnership

With the City of Ballarat

Performance Venue

Open Door

106 Albert Street, Sebastopol

About the Directors

Nine plays, eight directors, one production.

Jon Amesbury - The Death of Ellen Moore by Jon Amesbury

Jon is a seasoned actor and director who has been involved in numerous plays, including John Godber's Bouncers, Ben Elton's Silly Cow and Agatha Christie's The Hollow.

Megan J Riedl - Creative Director

A prolific creative, super solo mum and all-round good guy, Megan is a professional wordsmith and autistic woman.

A powerful (and award-winning) spoken word performer, Megan’s poetry fearlessly gives voice to the secret stories we tell ourselves.

Megan’s playwriting explores themes of identity, belonging, truth and power, highlighting issues of social justice. A collaborative theatrical director, Megan has writing, producing and directing credits with community and independent theatre companies across Victoria. Known for creating beautiful worlds of stylised realism, her work as a director with BNT includes Medea, Act Like A Girl, and Mr Bennet's Bride.

Ann Chadwick - Enlightenment, Just Friends and Heaven's Above

Ann studied drama at Victoria University as a part of her BA. Since then, she has been involved in all aspects of theatre, on stage and off. She has collaborated with people of all ages and abilities, and worked as a solo artist to tell stories through performance. Ann wrote and directed the play Nude in Decline specifically to be presented in art galleries.

Liana Emmerson - Sister Cities by Colette Freedman

Liana is an award-winning director and actor who studied at 16th Street Actors Studio. She directed Terry Pratchett’s: Wyrd Sisters for BNT in 2023, which tied for Best Production (Comedy) at the VDL Awards. She also directed BNT’s Pride and Prejudice Podcast in 2020, which went on to become a Webby Award Honoree in the 25th Annual Webby Awards (Limited Series Podcast - Scripted Fiction) alongside podcasts from HBO, BBC and Comedy Central. She is an “actor’s director” with a focus on bringing all of an actor’s skill to a performance to get the most fulfilment from a script.

Laura Hudson - Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead by Sir Tom Stoppard

Laura Hudson is a creative artist based in Ballarat. She’s a songwriter, singer, dancer, actor and now director. Laura has worked both on-stage and off for BNT productions over the past ten years. She has also worked with BLOC and Lyric.

Shannon Nicholls - He Died Alone by Marty Monstar

Shannon trained as an actor at Federation University's Arts Academy, graduating in 2017, and has been involved with BNT since 2018. He has served as an actor, assistant director, and member of the company board in the time since. Shannon returns after his directorial debut in 2023 with Shakespeare’s Caesar.

Shannon has always been passionate about inclusive, positive, and accessible theatre. He strives to create a workspace wherein everyone can create as equals, and not be constrained by lack of resources.

Gin O'Brien - Date with Death by Steven Hayet

This is Gin's first time directing and she is starting small! Gin has graced the stage in a number of BNT productions including Wyrd Sisters, Steel Magnolias, A Christmas Carol and Medea. Gin also played the title role in Louisa's Dawn at La Mama in 2022. Coming from a dance background, Gin has taken on the role of choreographer for Jekyll and Hyde (BLT) and two musicals with Hutt City Musical Theatre (NZ). Gin is looking forward to working with and alongside such an impressive group of directors for this production.

Ruby Penhall - Still Water by Katrina Mathers

A familiar face in local to Ballarat Theatre spaces, this is Ruby's first time directing. She has recently performed in Wyrd Sisters for BNT, and in Les Misérables with Ballarat Lyric Theatre. She was recognized for her work on Wyrd Sisters with a BNT Community Contribution Award for Production.