In 2024, the Drill Hall Theatre Company significantly expanded its creative capacity, supported by the Regional Arts Fund. This expansion was realised through four distinct projects that each contributed to cultural life in the Northern Rivers.
The Chronicles of Eldershaw brought Stephen Edgar’s narrative verse novel to the stage, beginning with creative development and a sharing session in March 2024. Audience feedback was used to refine the script, leading to a highly successful nine-performance run in October. The production was distinguished by its multi-media approach, integrating live music, innovative lighting, and personal visual elements, with key contributions from Gregory Aitken, Kate Horsley, John Rayment, Sunita Bailey, and musicians Avia Sebasio-Ong, Yasir Assam, and Hielrick Fidele d’Armour. Plans are already underway for future productions.
Displace I Call Home is a play that was developed at the Drill Hall in July 2024 and premiered at the Byron Theatre in July 2025. The story follows Jacqui, a botanist facing terminal illness, and explores themes of belonging and displacement. The production utilises physical theatre, projection mapping, and an immersive soundscape. Displace I Call Home embodies the ethos of “a home for the arts, a home for everyone”, through the creation of a giant nest. By showcasing regional talent and providing training opportunities for emerging artists this project aims to foster lasting cultural and social change within the Northern Rivers community and beyond.
Hot Mess for Kids is an innovative, immersive life-drawing show designed for younger audiences by Sophie May and Gabrielle Miller. The project features flower costumes, shadow puppets, and a dynamic moving shadow screen, all developed with mentorship from Valley Lipcer of Roundabout Theatre. The design and development phases concluded in July 2024, and the show is scheduled to launch in late 2025.
A Midsummer Night’s Queen is a new musical that reimagines Shakespeare through an LGBTIQ lens, with original music and a script by Michael Sharmon. The project’s development in October 2024 brought together a talented cast and crew, guided by production collaborator Jake Dix. Preview performances at the Tropical Fruits New Year’s Eve event received rave reviews and strong audience engagement, with the full production set to premiere at the Drill Hall Theatre in November 2025.
Through these four projects, the Drill Hall Theatre Company has broadened its artistic reach, nurtured local talent, and enriched the cultural fabric of the Northern Rivers. RANSW congratulates them on a successful Regional Arts Fund project.
Images credits
Above: Drill Hall Theatre Company, ‘Displace I Call Home’, 2025, photo by Kate Holmes.
Below: Drill Hall Theatre Company, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Queen’, 2025, photo by Carlos West.
Drill Hall Theatre Company, ‘Displace I Call Home’, 2025, photo by Kate Holmes.
Drill Hall Theatre Company, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Queen’, 2025, photo by Carlos West.
Drill Hall Theatre Company, ‘Displace I Call Home’, 2025, photo by Kate Holmes.
