HotHouse Theatre

24/12/2024

✨ Merry Christmas from HotHouse Theatre! 💫

As we wrap up an incredibly busy and productive year, our team is taking a well-deserved break! We want to express our heartfelt thanks to our partners, suppliers, loyal subscribers, and our wonderful community for their unwavering support. To our families, thank you for standing by us through it all.

From all of us at HotHouse Theatre, we wish you a happy, restful, and safe Christmas and festive season, and a bright New Year! 🌟

We can’t wait to welcome you back to the newly refurbished Butter Factory Theatre in 2025 - still with its beloved charm but now with a fresh sparkle!

The theatre will be closed until Monday, 6th January, but there’s still plenty to explore during the festive season...
🎟️ Tickets, Gift Cards & HotHouse Unlimited Subscriptions:
Dive into Season 2025 - a season of unlimited possibilities, where stories of resilience, transformation, empowerment and community unfold. Six extraordinary works. Five generations of storytellers. Unlimited inspiration. 🌟
Available at www.hothousetheatre.com.au

Here’s to a year of unforgettable theatre and deepening community bonds. Let’s make 2025 a season to remember! 💫

20/12/2024

Give the Gift of Theatre this Christmas! 💝​​​​​​​​​
Looking for a unique and unforgettable gift? A HotHouse Theatre Gift Card is the perfect present for the theatre-lover in your life! Use it for tickets to our thrilling production, RODEO CLOWN – a show like no other.

🌟 About the Show:
In a bloke-fuelled world of broncos, cowboys, and bucking bulls, this female rodeo clown is one of a kind. For years, she’s faced the dangers of the arena with grit, humour, and courage. But will this be the wildest, scariest, best show of her life?

RODEO CLOWN dives into the bravery, danger, and life-or-death stakes of this wild, adrenaline-charged world.

📅 Show Dates:
Thursday 6 March | 7:30pm
Friday 7 March | 7:30pm
Saturday 8 March | 7:30pm

Surprise someone special with a HotHouse Gift Card – the ultimate ticket to adventure and storytelling! Buy tickets or gift cards here: www.hothousetheatre.com.au/rodeo-clown

20/12/2024

Looking for the perfect gift for the theatre-lover in your life? A HotHouse Theatre Gift Card is the ultimate present! ​​​​​​​​​
Kick off 2025 with “Doing Her Thing” by Kerryn Beatty – part of our brand-new HotHouse Fringe Program.

Kerryn Beatty returns to the HotHouse stage with her long-awaited companion album, blending song, story, and stirring memory in an exquisite acoustic set. Joined by Helena Kernaghan on piano and Beatrix Leonard on violin, it’s a night to remember!

📅 February 21 | 7:30pm
📍 The Butter Factory Studio – good vibes, open bar, endless fun!
🎟 Tickets: Full price $38 | Concession $33

Surprise someone special with a HotHouse Gift Card – the gift of unforgettable experiences! Buy tickets or gift cards here: www.hothousetheatre.com.au/doing-her-thing

19/12/2024

🎁 Looking for a gift that’s full of laughs and good vibes? ​​​​​​​​​
Wrap up some fun this Christmas with a HotHouse Theatre Gift Card, the perfect present for your comedy-loving friends and family! The Errors Tour by Nick Steain is part of our brand-new HotHouse Fringe Program - where Friday nights come alive with incredible music, cabaret, comedy, and more in our newly renovated Studio venue!

Nick Steain’s The Errors Tour is stand-up at its most glorious - a hilarious deep dive into life’s cringe-worthy moments, near misses, and the art of redefining failure. Think of it as a user manual for finding adventure in the everyday (and not capsizing a kayak in shark-infested waters)!

✨ Show Details:
📅 February 7 | 8:30pm
🎶 Pre-show entertainment from the talented Oliver Hunter
📍 The Butter Factory - good vibes, open bar, and endless fun!
🎟 Tickets | Full price $38 + Concession $33

One night only - grab your tickets now or surprise someone with a HotHouse Gift Card for the ultimate Christmas present: www.hothousetheatre.com.au/the-errors-tour/

19/12/2024

Making Theatre Accessible to All​​​​​​​​​ 🌟

Do you know a local not-for-profit organisation that supports vulnerable or disadvantaged members of our community?

Our friends at The Cube Wodonga are offering complimentary tickets to their shows for not-for-profit organisations to distribute to clients facing challenging circumstances. With research showing the mental health and educational benefits of theatre, this initiative aims to bring the magic of live performance to those who might not usually have access.

We need your help to spread the word and ensure more people in our community can experience the joy of theatre!
👉 Apply for the Complimentary Ticket Program here: https://wodonga.smartygrants.com.au/cubetickets

Together, let’s make theatre a welcoming space for everyone and celebrate the power of live performance!

19/12/2024

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the kids (and a treat for you too)? ​​​​​​​​​

HotHouse Theatre presents WHALEBONE by Jens Altheimer - a magical, fun-filled adventure that’s perfect for the whole family these school holidays!

🤖 Can we save our stories when the robots arrive?

Step into the ‘Depository’, where tales come alive, rogue AI runs wild, and quirky contraptions might just save the day. This whimsical show blends humour, magic, machines, and mesmerizing visuals for kids and grown-ups who love surprises, suspense, and a bit of wonder!

✨ Special Family Deal:
Take advantage of our special offer where you can bring the family along for just $20 per ticket (when booking 4 or more tickets). It’s the perfect value-packed Christmas gift - memories, laughter, and fun all rolled into one!

Show Details:
🎯 Wednesday 15th January | 6:30pm
🎯 55 minutes (no interval)
🎯 Bonus: Post-show Q&A and a chance to explore Jens’ amazing contraptions up close!

🎟 Tickets & Gift Vouchers available: www.hothousetheatre.com.au/whalebone/

Treat the grandkids, spoil the family, and make this Christmas one to remember with the gift of live theatre!

14-18 January

18/12/2024

HotHouse Theatre presents: WHALEBONE by Jens Altheimer

Featuring dazzling video and computer animations, flying objects and a pinch of circus, this richly visual theatrical experience takes kids and adults alike on a roller-coaster ride.

WHALEBONE is filled with eccentric contraptions, strange machinery and clunky inventions, including the world’s first half-human juggling machine!

Nestled in the mysterious ‘Depository’, meet a lone worker with a mission. In a world where AI and machines are going rogue and making more and more decisions for us, he tries to safeguard human stories, memories and emotions
Laugh out loud, gasp in awe, and let your imagination soar. Whalebone will ignite the curiosity of young aspiring inventors, as well as everyone who loves stories and wonders.

It invites audiences to ponder the role of technology in our lives, sparking conversations about what really defines us as humans.

Show Details:
🎯 Wednesday 15th January | 6:30pm
🎯 Duration: 55 minutes (no interval)
🎯 Audience participation galore!
🎯 Stay after the show for a Q&A and the chance to explore Jens’ fascinating contraptions up close.

Tickets:
🎟 Adults: $35 | Kids: $25
🎟 Members of The Cube Wodonga and Albury Entertainment Centre: $25
🎟 Family Group (4+ tickets): $20 per ticket

Don’t miss this magical, inventive spectacle for the whole family - perfect for the school holidays!

👉 Book Now: www.hothousetheatre.com.au/whalebone/



https://vimeo.com/813430016

This is "Trailer Whalebone 20 sec April 2024 - SD 480p.mov" by Jens Altheimer on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

18/12/2024

Step into the magical world of the 'Depository', a mysterious agency that safeguards human memories.

As a rogue AI threatens to erase our treasured stories, a solitary worker races against time. Can his quirky contraptions and eccentric machines shield our stories?

Jens Altheimer masterfully blends humour, imagination, and heart in WHALEBONE, a show bursting with dazzling visuals, playful inventions and a pinch of circus.

Perfect for kids and adults, this is not just a show—it's a journey into a fantastical realm where tech meets tale, sparking wonder, curiosity and a good think about what AI means for our lives.

Celebrate the magic of stories, laugh about comic clashes between man and machine and rediscover what truly makes us human.

Show Details:
🎯 Wednesday 15th January | 6:30pm
🎯 Duration: 55 minutes (no interval)
🎯 Audience participation galore!
🎯 Stay after the show for a Q&A and the chance to explore Jens’ fascinating contraptions up close.

Tickets:
🎟 Adults: $35 | Kids: $25
🎟 Members of The Cube Wodonga and Albury Entertainment Centre: $25
🎟 Family Group (4+ tickets): $20 per ticket

Don’t miss this magical, inventive spectacle for the whole family - perfect for the school holidays!

👉 Book Now: www.hothousetheatre.com.au/whalebone/

Creative Victoria Creative Australia

18/12/2024

HotHouse Theatre presents:
WHALEBONE by Jens Altheimer
🗓 Wednesday 15th January | 6:30pm

🤖 Can we save our stories when the robots arrive?

Step into the ‘Depository’ - a place where tales come to life! But when a rogue AI threatens to erase our stories, can whimsical inventions and quirky contraptions save the day?

✨ Join award-winning performer Jens Altheimer on a thrilling roller-coaster adventure filled with humour, magic, mesmerizing machines, and stunning visuals. Perfect for kids and adults alike who love suspense, surprises, and exploring what makes us truly human.

Jens Altheimer is the creative genius behind Squaring the Wheel (Adelaide Fringe Award winner for Best Production for Children) and Loose Ends (award nominee).

Show Details:
🎯 Duration: 55 minutes (no interval)
🎯 Audience participation galore!
🎯 Stay after the show for a Q&A and the chance to explore Jens’ fascinating contraptions up close.

Tickets:
🎟 Adults: $35 | Kids: $25
🎟 Members of The Cube and Albury Entertainment Centre: $25
🎟 Family Group (4+ tickets): $20 per ticket

Don’t miss this magical, inventive spectacle for the whole family - perfect for the school holidays!

👉 Book Now: www.hothousetheatre.com.au

Creative Victoria Creative Australia

17/12/2024

This Christmas, skip the ordinary and give a gift they’ll remember forever. 🎁​​​​​​​​​

HotHouse Theatre’s Season 2025: HotHouse Unlimited offers a line-up of heartwarming dramas, side-splitting comedies, and inspiring stories that will captivate audiences of all tastes. From our six amazing subscription shows, to the family fun of Whalebone, to the excitement and energy of our new HotHouse Fringe Program.

🎟️ Gift Cards & Season Subscriptions (3, 4, 5, or 6 shows) are available now - flexible and perfect for any production in our 2025 season. Plus, we have special pricing for Under 30s Subscriptions!
Share the magic of live theatre this festive season and create memories to cherish. Purchase yours now at www.hothousetheatre.com.au

16/12/2024

Calling all local vocal talent! 🧡

Our friends at The Cube Wodonga are on the hunt for exceptional performers to feature in the 2025 Broadway Lounge – a voice and piano showcase. Accompanied by an accomplished pianist, this is your chance to shine in an intimate, relaxed setting - and share your talent with the community!

Ready to get involved? Submit your Broadway Lounge EOI: https://wodonga.smartygrants.com.au/BroadwayLounge

Together, let's make theatre a space for everyone and celebrate the vibrant talent in our region! 🌟

Creative Victoria The Cube Wodonga

15/12/2024

Thank you Jodie Bruton and The Border Mail for the article on Philip Quast 🙏🏻

Philip Quast reflects on early career ahead of his Albury show.

15/12/2024

We were delighted to have Philip Quast, one of the most celebrated figures in musical theatre, in town last week for the Albury Entertainment Centre season launch. While he was here, Philip took some time to chat with Jodie Bruton about his upcoming show, The Road I Took, which HotHouse will be co-presenting with the Albury Entertainment Centre in November 2025. Read The Border Mail feature article below:

'Biggest lesson in Play School is to be able to play without fear of judgement'

Philip Quast never set out to be an actor.

The son of a Tamworth turkey farmer, Quast believes acting may have actually found him.

A knockabout country boy with a big imagination and intense curiosity in the natural world and Indigenous culture, he dabbled in musical theatre in his late teens as part of the local footy cohort, of all things.

After studying arts at the University of New England at Amidale for a year he was encouraged to audition for The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney and, to his shock, he got in.

It was a turning point in his life.

Now musical theatre royalty, Quast was a three-time winner of the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

From Les Miserables to Mary Poppins, Sweeney Todd to Sunday in the Park with George, South Pacific to Into the Woods, Quast has performed iconic roles in Australia and throughout the world.

"I've made my whole career out of playing dysfunctional and dangerous men!" he quipped.

"But I never judged them; I leave that work for the audience."

To musical theatre fans, Quast was best known for playing the villainous Javert in Les Miserables in the original 1987 Australian production and later in the London show.

But most Australians would know Quast for his 17-year run on ABC TV's Play School.

"The biggest lesson in Play School is to be able to play without fear of judgement," Quast said.

"I learnt a lot working with Noni (Hazlehurst); you develop a persona onscreen and a connection with your audience.

"It's got so correct now; in the old days the tape rolled and it never stopped.

"There was an element of danger about it and there should be; you might fall off the ladder while marking boxes and that was left in.

"Noni was fun and naughty and in the moment and free of judgement; there's a way of looking at the camera and anticipating the child's reaction to build connection.

"It's the only program where a child can look at an adult at eye level and call them by their first name; the biggest challenge for children is power dynamics. We were working as an equal with the child.

"Now they shoot it in segments; it's all level and nothing goes wrong.

"When we edit out mistakes it develops vanity and self-consciousness as opposed to playing your way out of adversity."

A father-of-three boys with his wife Carol, Quast eventually quit Play School after he kept getting mobbed at school pick-up time!

With a rich and recognisable baritone voice, Quast had surprisingly never trained in singing.

"I've never had a singing lesson in my life," he said.

"When I was at NIDA I'd go out to Centennial Park and practise.

"You can't do that now because somebody would film you and put it on TikTok!"

Off the back of his sold-out tour in London's West End, Philip Quast AM will share the journey of his life in a musical cabaret retrospective in Albury next spring.

In a collaboration between HotHouse Theatre and Albury Entertainment Centre, a Border audience will be treated to behind-the-scenes stories, thoughts and events that helped shape the country boy turned international performer's life.

Quast's mother hails from Henty and he himself had a long-time interest in the Riverina.

"I've always been fascinated with Indigenous culture and the trade routes," he said.

"By 11 I'd found all of the stone axe factories around my region; it gives me goosebumps thinking about it!

"I would have loved to have been an anthropologist or archaeologist.

"I still don't know what I want to do (for a career) ... I'm still working out what I'd like to do.

'But I got an AM for mentoring and education in the arts and I'm very proud of that!"

Quast's new show The Road I Took runs at Albury Entertainment Centre on Thursday, November 27.

Aside from his big musical numbers, don't be surprised if Wiggerly Wooor I'm A Little Teapot get a run!

The Road I Took was among The Magic of Theatre Season 2025 announced at Albury Entertainment Centre on Thursday, December 12.

Philip Quast's new show The Road I Took will run at Albury Entertainment Centre on Thursday, November 27.

🎯 Book your ticket now: https://hothousetheatre.com.au/the-road-i-took/

Picture by Jessica Hromas: Off the back of his sold-out West End tour, Philip Quast AM will share the journey of his life in a musical cabaret retrospective in Albury next spring.

13/12/2024

✨ Share the Joy of Live Theatre This Christmas! ✨​​​​​​​​​
Looking for a gift that brings people together? HotHouse Theatre’s Season 2025: HotHouse Unlimited is packed with unforgettable stories, offering something for every taste - from heartwarming dramas to side-splitting comedies.

Treat your loved ones (or your team!) with Gift Cards and Season Subscriptions (choose from 3, 4, 5, or 6 shows), giving your recipients the freedom to choose any production in our 2025 season. Plus, we have special pricing for under 30s subscriptions!

It's the perfect 🎁 for:
🎯 Theatre enthusiasts
🎯 Families and friends who love unique experiences
🎯 Businesses seeking unique gifts for employees or clients

Give the gift of live theatre and create memories that last a lifetime. Purchase your Gift Card or Subscription today at www.hothousetheatre.com.au

13/12/2024

✨ Give the Gift of Theatre: A Season of Unforgetable Stories Awaits! ✨ ​​​​​​​​​
Looking for the perfect gift this Christmas? Treat your loved ones (or your team!) to a season of wonder, laughter, and unforgettable moments with HotHouse Theatre's Season 2025: HotHouse Unlimited! Purchase a Gift Card or Season Subscription (for 3, 4, 5 or 6 shows) that can be used for any production in our 2025 season. From heartwarming dramas to side-splitting comedies, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. We also have special pricing for our under 30s subscriptions.

Perfect for:
🎯 Theatre enthusiasts
🎯 Families & friends who love unique experiences
🎯 Businesses looking for meaningful gifts for employees or clients

Share the magic of live theatre this Christmas. Purchase your gift card or subscription now at www.hothousetheatre.com.au

05/12/2024

Did you spot us in today's edition of The Border Mail...??
You can read all about Season 2025: HotHouse Unlimited on page 12! Or jump onto our website for more info, or to book your tickets, subscription or Christmas Gift Voucher: www.hothousetheatre.com.au

04/12/2024

Welcome to Season 2025: HotHouse Unlimited. An extraordinary lineup of six original productions featuring some of the nation's boldest voices across five generations of storytellers. Each story brings local voices to the forefront and celebrates the limitless possibilities we can create together. Check it out and let us know what you think!

Unlimited stories. Unlimited inspiration. Unlimited possibilities. Unlimited joy!

Find out more or book your ticket, subscription or Christmas gift card at our website: www.hothousetheatre.com.au

01/12/2024

No, you don't need to adjust your screens, we've taken over the Border Mail website! 🧡🩷 Check out the sea of pink and orange and all that HotHouse Unlimited: Season 2025 has to offer at https://www.bordermail.com.au 🤩