Ipswich Little Theatre is preparing to celebrate a remarkable milestone next month, with the 70th Ipswich One Act Play Festival set to showcase some of the region’s finest community theatre talent.
Running from 7 to 9 August, the festival is believed to be the longest-running one act play festival in the Southern Hemisphere, continuing a tradition that began in 1955.
Festival Coordinator Aaron said the event has become one of the highlights of the local theatre calendar, attracting performers and audiences from across South East Queensland and beyond.
“It started back in 1955 at the old Ipswich Town Hall and has continued ever since,” he said.
The festival was created to give theatre groups the opportunity to perform one act plays ranging from 20 to 50 minutes in length, with productions judged by an independent adjudicator and awards presented across a range of categories.
Over the decades, the festival has grown into part of a wider one act play circuit, with productions often travelling to festivals in Toowoomba, Dalby, Beenleigh, Nanango and the Sunshine Coast.
Esteemed Adjudicator Returns
This year’s festival welcomes respected theatre identity Arthur Frame as adjudicator, marking another chapter in his long association with the event.
Arthur first became involved with the Ipswich festival in 1968 as a scribe before later serving as adjudicator for both the 30th and 60th festivals. He now returns to judge the landmark 70th edition.
Ipswich Little Theatre Entering Two Productions
Ipswich Little Theatre will present two productions during the festival.
The youth section entry is the comedy 2468 Who Do We Resuscitate?, while the adult section features Daffodil, directed by Kate Hepner and inspired by the classic gothic short story The Yellow Wallpaper.
Aaron said preparations were well underway, with casts rehearsing ahead of the August performances.
Affordable Weekend of Entertainment
Festival sessions will be held across the entire weekend, with tickets priced between $10 and $15, making it one of the region’s most affordable live theatre events.
Alongside the performances, visitors can also enjoy Ipswich Little Theatre’s popular home-cooked meals, refreshments and a community barbecue during the weekend.
Tickets Available Soon
Entries for participating theatre groups close this week, with tickets expected to go on sale shortly afterwards through the Ipswich Little Theatre website.
Aaron encouraged theatre lovers to book early, particularly for the popular Friday and Saturday evening sessions, which traditionally sell quickly.
With seven decades of theatrical history behind it, the Ipswich One Act Play Festival continues to celebrate local creativity, emerging performers and the enduring strength of community theatre.
More information and ticket bookings will be available through Ipswich Little Theatre at ilt.org.au.
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