Welcome to the Critical Stages Touring list of streaming theatre, cabaret, arts education and artist opportunities happening online this week and next. Our goal is to bring you with the best, as well as all the indy programming seen no where else. The list is updated throughout the week so if you find something we don’t know about, make sure we do.

Note that donation links will take you directly to donations for that show – please support the artists who entertain you at a time they need your support the most. And if you have something to share send a message to robbi@criticalstages.com.au or complete the Google form. We are especially keen to hear from independent artists and those streaming accessible performances.

Stage And Stream Links
Friday 22nd  – Thursday 28th May

AUSTRALIA / NZ BY DATE

Friday 22nd May

  • BELVOIR IN CONCERT
    Streaming from Friday 22 May for one weekend only, Belvoir in Concert presents the best of Belvoir Theatre Company’s musical performances in a series of specially recorded shows by their original cast members. Just for the joy of it!  If you’ve been a fan of the music and musicals that this Sydney iconic has produced over the years you don’t want to miss this, and there’s a huge lineup of killer talent to enjoy.
    From7;30pm AEST – FRI MAY 22 – SUN MAY 24 – Free, please donate
    FACEBOOK & YOUTUBE www.belvoir.com.au/events/belvoir-in-concert/
  • A HIGHLY FILTERED PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY – SANDPIT
    billed as an “irreverent mashup of queer gothic fiction and internet influencer culture.” this TikTok-inspired reboot of Oscar Wilde’s tale has been made possible by Google Creative Lab. Fantastic local cast in Antoine Jelk, Catherine Vn-Davies and Zoe Barry.
    7pm AEST 
    YOUTUBE – www.youtube.com/watch?v=UApZjxZKzvk&feature=youtu.be
  • THE SEAGULL – AUCKLAND THEATRE COMPANY
    ATC have made a production of Chekhov’s The Seagull set in lockdown, with the family all on a Zoom call! It is cut into 4 acts/episodes which are screening Fridays 7pm NZT. The first two are online for viewing now with Act 3 going up tonight.
    7pm NZT / 5pm AEST – Free, please donate
    YOUTUBE – www.youtube.com/channel/UCKDS6vUXW4axHk5Ht5vTNsQ
  • CONTAGIOUS CABARET – BROOKLYN RUNAWAYS
    Brooklyn Runaways’ have launched an ambitious online cabaret series. Each week professional singers are asked to interpret a song in a new way, and finish by nominating another artist for the next week. Let’s see how far it can go! Donations taken for artists on the show.
    7pm AEST – Free, please donate
    FACEBOOK – www.facebook.com/brooklynrunaways/ & YOUTUBE
  • THE ISOLATE LATE SHOW – LITTLE RED COMPANY
    Lockdown and stay-up every Friday night with The IsoLate Late Show. The show has been gaining huge audiences over the last few weeks and continues to raise funds for Australian performers in association with the Actors’ And Entertainers’ Benevolent Fund. Hosted by Naomi Price.
    8pm AEST – Free – Please donate
    FACEBOOK & YOUTUBE – www.facebook.com/events/153740219261322/
  • BATS HAPPY HOUR
    Wellington’s BATS Theatre are hosting weekly happy hours hosted by the BATS team via Zoom. It’s drinks, laughs and an opportunity for some cross-Tasman covid support. Only, it’s much more fun than we just mad it sound.
    5.30 – 7pm UTC +12 / 3.30 – 5pm AEST – Free, NZ$5+
    www.bats.co.nz/whats-on/bats-happy-hour/

  • LET’S FRIDAY WITH THE LISTIES
    Will there be remote Learning? No! Will it be informative? Unlikely! Will it be barely held together chaos? Probably! Kid’s favourites The Listies are back with a weekly live-stream of the kind of madness that only they can make. Tune in and LOL out.
    4:30pm AEST – free, please donate
    FACEBOOK – www.facebook.com/events/2745559065730543/

Saturday 23rd May

  • SUMMER OF THE SEVENTEETH DOLL – BLACK SWAN THEATRE COMPANY
    Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA is celebrating national treasure Ray Lawler’s 99th birthday on Saturday 23 May at 7.30pm WST with a stream of the much-loved play Summer of the Seventeenth Doll from their 2018 season.
    7:30pm WST / 9:30 AEST – Register to View, please donate
    www.bsstc.com.au
  • BAD BABY JEAN – THE LAST GREAT HUNT
    Bad Baby Jean is one of three performances created to explore new ways of bringing live performance to online audiences, with help from friends at Google. Puppetry, animation and live performance collide. Created and Performed by: Gita Bezard, Adriane Daff, Jeffrey Jay Fowler, Arielle Gray, Chris Isaacs and Tim Watts
    7pm WST / 9pm AEST
    YOUTUBE –  www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7Vlu2lsCo4&feature=youtu.be
  • VARIETYVILLE – ACTS OF ABSURDITY
    Outstanding Interactive live online variety show with guests from all over the world performing wondrous Acts of Absurdity, hosted by the Dandy himself and rolling through regular segments fashioned by a team of marvels misfits including Foxy Moron’s “Fun Fiesta”, Eric the Dog’s “Mysteries of the Animal Kingdom” and “Are you Game”. 
    7:40pm AEST – A$5+ Pay what you can afford. Patron of the Arts tickets available.
    www.varietyville.net
  • GLOW CABARET – BEST OF THE FEST! 
    A live stream variety show hosted by festival director, Sophie deLightful. It’s a huge lineup of circus, burlesque, vaudeville and more. Watch via Zoom but get all the details about the guests on their Facebook page.
    8pm AEST – A$10
    www.facebook.com/events/463827734392027/
  • SEQUIN SESSIONS
    Cabaret star Michaela Burger returns with all-new Sequin Sessions shows! Tonight it’s all-80’s retro adventure for the grown ups featuring all the music you remember, or wish you could. Michaela’s trademark humour and fabulous voice is a great way to spend Saturday night. Tune in again with the little ones for a children’s cabaret special on Sunday.
    8pm AEST – Free, please donate
    www.michaelaburger.live/
  • LIVE FROM STONEWALL
    The Stonewall Hotel, Create & Cast and Undefine Media present an exciting new weekly multi-camera live-stream community entertainment variety hour starring Minnie Cooper. The show was nominated this week in the Time Out iso awards – congrats!
    8pm AEST – Free, please donate
  • THE WORST GAME SHOW EVER ONLINE ON ZOOM – SERIOUS COMEDY
    Guest comedians battle it out in the ultimate Serious Comedy game show night. In a series of increasingly challenging questions and potentially life threatening tasks, there can only be one (maybe two) winner(s). A little Saturday night mayhem!
    8:30pm AEST, Free or Pay What You Can
    FACEBOOK – www.facebook.com/events/534006017293825/

Sunday 24th May

  • BUBBLE SHOW WITH DR BUBBLE & MILKSHAKE
    Fringe Favourites and World Class Bubble Performers Dr Bubble and Milkshake produce an all-new show for Adelaide Frigne every year, and if you’re looking for something to entertain the kids on a Sunday afternoon, you just found it. Get some house-safe bubble blowers and join in!
    On-Demand – A$5
    www.adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/bubble-show-with-dr-bubble-and-milkshake-fringeview
  • SELF
    Encore Performance of the 2017 dance theatre production, SELF, streaming on Facebook. Stay tuned afterwards for an exclusive look into the development process with the show’s cast and creatives. Raising funds for the Arts Wellbeing Collective.
    8pm AEST – Free, please donate
    FACEBOOK – www.facebook.com/SELFaus/
  • SUNDAY SONNETS
    A fortnightly reading of William Shakespeare’s timeless poetry, to be read by an incredible ensemble of actors, based in both Australia and overseas in a joint live feed. Directed by Sam Haft.
    11am AEST – Free
    FACEBOOK – www.facebook.com/events/1344454095751292/
  • MUSICAL MUGWUMPS
    Each week a new musical for artists to perform is announced. Artists volunteer to be part of the read/sing-through and on Sunday nights these brave performers go live for a non-rehearsed, full run through of the show! This week: Hair!
    7pm AEST – Free
    FACEBOOK – www.facebook.com/MusicalMugwumps/
  • STREAMED SHAKESPEARE
    Streamed Shakespeare is mixing things up this week with no performance but an interactive trivia livestream entirely about the bard. Shakespeare lovers, prepare thy selves.
    2pm AEST – Free, please donate
    FACEBOOK –  www.facebook.com/StreamedShakespeare/

Monday 25th May

  • BEEFCAKE & BEAUTY – FRINGEVIEW
    14 world-class circus performers and emerging talents from Australia and overseas were brought together for a pyshical theatre and circus spectacular in collaboration with Switzerland’s Place au Spectacle! – PG Rating.
    On-Demand – A$10
    www.adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/beefcake-beauty-fringeview
  • LOCKDOWN FOR LOVERS
    Koorliny Arts Centre presents crooner Jake Dennis in Lockdown for Lovers, a selection of classic swing, jazz, and blues songs made famous by Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble, Ray Charles, and Tony Bennett. The live event goes for thirty minutes from 11.30am AEST. A recording will not be available after the livestream.
    11:30am AEST – Free
    FACEBOOK – 
    www.facebook.com/koorlinyartscentre/
  • BRAVE NEW ROUGH & READY – BRAVE NEW WORD
    The first week of submissions to Sydney’s indy storytelling darlings, Brave New Word, were an eclectic and exciting round of shortform stories. There’s a new round every week and this week will centre around the theme ‘blanket’. Start every night with a quick story from great Australian theatre makers.
    6pm (Daily) AEST – Free
    FACEBOOK – www.facebook.com/BraveNewWordTC/
  • THE STORY CHUNDER WITH MATT YOUNG
    Matt Young’s weekly live event was performed at Brisbane’s BackDock Arts. Every week a new lot of storytellers spew forth their most entertaining stories for your delight or disapproval. Join Matt (TBS’s Wrecked, The Producers) for the livestream then listen to his podcast on Spotify, iTunes, Twitch or where ever you listen to podcasts.
    7pm AEST – Free, please donate.
    INSTAGRAM – www.instagram.com/thestorychunder

Tuesday 26th May

Wednesday 27th May

  • ART CENTRE MELBOURNE’S BIG NIGHT IN
    Arts Centre Melbourne, one of Australia’s most important artistic hubs for more than 35 years, has teamed up with John Foreman’s Aussie Pops Orchestra to present a weekly live digital show every Wednesday at 7pm. Special guests, great chat, top performers!
    7pm – Free – Please donate
    www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/
  • FAILED BECHDEL TEST – THORNHILL THEATRE
    Failed Bechdel Test written by playwright P Diegues will be presented as part of  Thornhill’s Couch Readings on May 27th. After a disappointing book club session where little time was spent discussing literature due to conversations circling back to husbands and boyfriends, 2 women decide to have an exclusive one on one book club in  a coffee shop where their conversation spirals onto the topic of men. Returning to Couch Readings are Australian actors Elisa Vitagliani and Fernanda Murialdo. Join them on Facebook (@ThornhillTheatreSpace) and Twitter (@ththeatrespace).
    FACEBOOK – www.facebook.com/ThornhillTheatreSpace

Thursday 28th May

 

AUS/NZ ON-DEMAND

  • MOUNTAIN GOAT MOUNTAIN – THRESHOLD
    Families across Australia have the opportunity to participate in an adventurous new audio-led theatre experience, developed during isolation for families to enjoy at home. Guided by a narrative soundscape, families will embark on this 45-minute theatrical experience using only a charged audio device (computer, phone of tablet), a bed sheet (the bigger the better), a piece of blank paper (A4 will do) and favourite pencils, pens or textas.
    On-Demand from May 14 – A$12.95 for 30 days access
    www.artscentremelbourne.com.au
  • ADELAIDE FRINGEVIEW
    Adelaide Fringe Festival has launched a digital project and there’s a ton of content across every genre of performance. We’ve highlight a few in the list this week but it’s well worth checking out the full offering.
    On-Demand, limited time – check site for listings
    www.adelaidefringe.com.au/fringeview
  • NANDHU – BANGARRA DANCE COMPANY
    Bangarra have curated a new digital offering – Nandhu (‘to be close in Wiradjuri language) – which will include a selection of performances from their repertoire. Each will be presented with interviews, BHS features and more to dive deeper into each work.
    On-Demand – free, please donate
    www.bangarra-knowledgeground.com.au
  • STAN ORIGINAL LOCKDOWN COMEDY FESTIVAL
    Filled in the homes of comedians in isolation the specials will features over 25 Australian comedians making us chuckle from the (dis)comfort of their living rooms. Four specials over four weeks from 9th May.
    On-Demand, subscription service (Australia only)
    www.stan.com.au
  • KIDS COUCH CONCERTS
    Hosted by Emily Who the Kids Couch Concerts were created as a way for indy preschool entertainers to keep connecting with the audiences they love. The project has produced two volumes that take the form of a video variety show featuring The Mik Maks, Pevan and Sarah and Avocado Smash. 95% of profits go the artists involved.
    On-Demand – A$11.95 to purchase, A$5.95 to rent
    VIMEO – Volume 1 & Volume 2
  • ADAPT – AUSTRALIAN DANCE THEATRE
    Australian Dance Theatre’s exciting online-only season for 2020 is on-demand with new shows going live regularly.
    On-Demand – Free, please donate
    www.adt.org.au/adapt/the-beginning-of-nature/
  • GEELONG ARTS CENTRE
    Watch previous editions of their live-streamed events that have featured artists including Michaela Burger, Jude Perl and Hassall.
    On-Demand – Free, please donate
    www.geelongartscentre.org.au
  • RED RATTLER 
    Sydney’s Red Rattler Theatre is at the heart of emerging, fringe and queer arts practice, and this week they begin a new fortnightly online events series with a screening of Kelli Jean Drinkwater’s groundbreaking documentary Nothing To Lose. There’s lots to come from the rattler so bookmark them and check back Fridays.
    www.facebook.com/TheRedRattler/
  • MARDI GRAS LINK LIST
    Looking for great queer content and a complete listing of drag performances happening online? Sydney Mardi Gras has a handy list with far more shows than we can list here and some great music picks as well. Check it out here.
  • PLAYWAVE
    Youth arts access platform Playwave is curating their own list of online offerings that are suitable for theatre lovers 16-21. They’re updating the page regularly and also offering a number of creative resources that anyone with a teen in the house should check out.
    www.playwave.com.au
  • MONKEY BAA THEATRE CO
    Look behind the scenes of one of the world’s best children’s theatre makers. Each session will give young people an insight into the many people who work to create a live theatre production. New episodes coming soon. Previous live-streams available on-demand.
    On-Demand – Free, please donate
    FACEBOOK – www.facebook.com/monkeybaatheatreco

INTERNATIONAL

 

ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES

  • NEW – CLOSES MAY 25TH – COME TO WHERE I AM AUSTRALIA – CRITICAL STAGES TOURING
    EOIs are now open for a new playwriting opportunity from Critical Stages Touring and the UK’s Paines Plough. At least 7 writers will be paid to craft and perform short plays about their home towns and the places that shaped them. The plays will be produced as video postcards, filmed in local partner venues, to be distributed via a new digital platform and on the website of Paines Plough. Future performance opportunities are also intended. All the details at www.criticalstages.com.au/artists/
  • NEW – ASK AN ORACLE ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATIONS – BROWNS MART
    Need to just talk to someone in the know? Have no idea what you need but know you need something? Art Oracle and Brown’s Mart Theatre have got you covered. FREE one on one consultations for artists and creatives with producer Erica McCalman for artists in the Northern Territory. Tuesdays in June, numbers strictly limited.
  • MINI FILM & SCRIPT COMPETITION – THEATRE BUGS & ADELAIDE THEATRE
    Calling all young Filmmakers & Screenwriters! This is your chance to win $500 and other Awards in the inaugural ATABUG Mini Film & Script Competition. There are two competitions to enter: 1. Produce a three-minute film, a slideshow with voice over, a music video, an animation, a documentary, or a musical. OR 2. Write a three-page script. Pay to enter – A$37.50 per entry. Entries close June 7th.
    www.filmfreeway.com/Atabug
  • NATIONAL THEATRE OF PARRAMATTA – OPEN DAYS
    NTofP is looking to meet arts professionals (performers, designers, creatives) from Western Sydney to do auditions and talk ideas, which may lead to commissions and paid opportunities. Open Days on 1 & 2 Jul (possibly via Zoom). www.riversideparramatta.com.au/NTofP/engage/opendays/
  • PRAYAS THEATRE – SHORT SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT
    Prayas is looking to develop short-form, original plays by local Kiwi writers to be included in a future production. They’re seeking first drafts of bite-sized works which will be assessed and shortlisted by a panel of NZ theatre professionals. If shortlisted, the script will be put through a process of development, with resources from us, with the aim to programme it in a future anthology show. www.prayas.co.nz
  • METRO ARTS
    Queensland-based artists should take note – Metro Arts offering support for the creation of four new creative projects. This new program is aimed at providing artists opportunities to create work ready for presentation in and around their new home at West Village, in late 2020. Applications close Sunday, 24 May 2020, midnight. www.metroarts.com.au/call-for-proposals-2020
  • KEEP HEART PENRITH
    The new online program Keep Heart Penrith delivered by Penrith Performing and Visual Arts will help guide audiences and community to the new changed arts world via Creative Care Packs; a series of arts-based content & learning delivered to your email address.
    www.qtheatre.com.au/keep-heart-penrith/
  • LITTLE LUNCH ONLINE – ARTS FRONT
    Little Lunch Online is a chance to check in and connect with each other while we grab a quick bite of lunch, or a morning coffee for folk in the West. It’s a quick 30 minute window to share ideas and resources, and plan our actions in responding to the pandemic, the climate crisis and whatever global emergency awaits us next.
    Daily, Midday AEST – Free
    www.artsfront.com/event/37103-little-lunch-online-llol
  • BROWN’S MART BUILD UP 
    BUILD UP is Brown’s Mart’s seeding and development program. Projects can be for research or creative development of new projects by Independent Theatre artists working and living in the top end of the NT. These projects are for any stage of development and are designed to support a fertile environment for the creation of new
    NT theatre. The last round applications close on 15th June. Full details at www.brownsmart.com.au
  • ADELAIDE FRINGEVIEW
    Applications are open until May 31 for the pilot of their online, digital Fringe experience, now running. Artists are invited to register a video as a Fringe event. It is free to register as an artist and take part in the pilot, with Fringe waiving all registration and artist ticketing fees to make it available to everyone. And this will eventually be a ticketed event! Get all the details here.
  • BRAVE NEW ROUGH & READY
    Sydney indy favourites Brave New Word Theatre Co are inviting artists to take part in a new project – an open access, weekly invitation to tell a story from your own home and have it featured on their networks. There are very finite guidelines that make participation easy, and a weekly theme to inspire you. Seven performances will be showcased weekly. Get all the details on their Facebook page.
  • PERFORMING LINES
    Performing lines have put together an exhaustive list of resources, grant links and current programs that every artist and independent org should look over.  www.performinglines.org.au

SAVE THE DATE

These are the future streams that are high on our list – get them into your diary now!

  • SUN – MAY 31 – SLAMALAMADINGDONG
    Poetry slam kings Slamalamadingdong’s May Slam has the same structure and flair of an online slam, but with an international feature close to Slama Fama’s heart and more poetic stories shared! Special guest poet this month – Texas-born Afro-Latinx performance artist Arielle Cottingham/
  • WED – JUN 3 – MALTHOUSE THEATRE
    Melbourne’s Malthouse have commissioned three new monologues in response to the pandemic, brought to life by director Bridget Balodis. New words from writers Jean Tong, Jane Harrison and Tom Holloway.
  • FROM MAY 31 – RIVERSIDE THEATRES DIGTIAL
    Riverside Theatres Digital will be a series of specially produced concerts, digital film screenings and more, produced in Parramatta. With Helpmann Award-winners on stage and behind the scenes the line-up is impressive and we can’t wait to see Phil Scott and Jonathan Biggins on stage again.
  • FRI- JUL 3 – HAMILTON
    Streaming platform Disney+ brings Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Pulitzer-prize winning musical to screens worldwide. recorded in 2016 with the original Broadway cast the screen version is directed by Thomas Kail who promises the best seat in the house for every moment.

EDUCATION / ACTIVITIES

  • Curious Legends Workshops
    Newcastle’s Curious Legends are running a series of free, live streamed workshops from their studio every Tuesday and Thursday @ 4pm AEST. Aimed at helping kids and parents in lockdown, as well as to support artists during this time. Workshops explore performance, puppetry, clowning, making, dance, storytelling, and much else besides!  Supported by Create NSW, Orica, and Newcastle Region Library. www.curiouslegends.com.au/out-of-the-box
  • Barking Gecko Theatre – Isolate > Create > Connect
    Made in collaboration with ThinkArts in India. A weekly video delivered by teaching artists from BGT and ThinkArts online, children aged 5 to 17 will set a creative task inviting them to create a small artwork capturing their perspective on the world right now. Each week children will be asked to upload their creation digitally to the Barking Gecko website. At the end of the 10 week-long project we will have created a digital scrapbook that documents this unprecedented time in history through the eyes of children. Now in week 4 it’s not too late to jump in and get creative with kids around the world. No cost. www.barkinggecko.com.au
  • ATYP Home Theatre Plays – With help from the ATYP Foundation, Australian Theatre for Young People have commissioned 10 brilliant Australian playwrights to each write a 5-minute script that you can download and perform with your family and friends (when visitors are allowed at your place or try it with your friends over Zoom!). Each script features 2-6 characters, with a mix of some young people and some adults. Anyone in your house can play any character – or multiple characters! There are no boundaries! And if you want to share your reading with the world submit it to ATYP for inclusion in their YouTube Channel. All the details at www.atyp.com.au
  • Poetry In Action – this NFP touring company has brought their popular education program online to stream into homes and classrooms. There are 4 performances in line with curriculum for Years 5-12. Visit www.poetryinaction.com.au for more info.
  • Storyville Live – Storyville’s in-school program sends performers to read much-loved storybooks to children. For the next couple of weeks they’ll be trialling live storytime via Facebook, and it’s well worth it for those with little ones at home. 11am and 3pm AEST daily – free www.facebook.com/theStoryville/
  • Slingsby by Request – South Australian theatre company Slingsby has created an online resource of live performances in line with curriculum. The first work is Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kastner, adapted for the stage by Nicki Bloom. Teachers and home-teachers should check out this great new resource.  www.slingsby.net.au/slingsby-by-request/
  • Audioplay – This is unlike any other activity out there at the moment. An immersive play experience for kids (ages 6-12) where they download an audio story in which they play one of the characters using ordinary household items for props. Creative play just got so much better! www.audioplay.me
  • Shake & Stir Interact
    Since 2006, shake & stir drama classes have been a regular extra-curricular activity adored by tens of thousands of students, and now their latest program has moved online. Each week, your child will engage with a carefully-planned, professionally-produced and, most importantly, super-fun 30 minutes of creative play, at home. We’re talking drama activities and performance-based games that will get them acting and keep them active. www.shakeandstirinteract.com.au
  • ATYP Online
    Australian Theatre for Young People have brought made their drama programs virtual just in time for term 2. A selection of their regular programs will be facilitated live each week via Zoom and Google Classroom. Participants will work with a skilled ATYP tutor and classmates in an interactive online space from the safety of their homes. It’s just one of several programs teachers and home teachers should discover. www.atyp.com.au
  • Patch Theatre
    Patch Theatre has been making shows for 4–8 year old children and their families from our home in South Australia since 1972. In our nearly 48 years, Patch has made 110 much loved theatre works and performed to over 1.8 million children around the world. They’re posting regular updates to arts activities for little ones online, and via Facebook and Instagram. www.patchtheatre.org.au/activities
  • Polyglot Theatre
    Children’s theatre makers Polyglot have developed a series of new arts activities that will keep young ones busy and thinking during creative play. There’s heaps of fun stuff to explore and if you don’t have kids we highly recommend doing them anyway because a) they’re fun and b) home-grown hilarity is needed right now. www.polyglot.org.au/polyglot-at-home/
  • Riverside Theatres
    Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres has always had a fantastic education team and resources to match – and now a directory of teacher resources from past performances is available on their website. There’s also a super-handy (and HUGE) listing of other online resources that teachers and parents should not miss. www.riversideparramatta.com.au

 

a collage of posters and performance images from the productions listed in the blog article.