SHORT AND SWEET Sydney 2024 focused on new and unique ideas to drive the eight week season, and are all brought vividly to life, with an added emphasis on spotlighting the individual writers behind their extraordinary works, and also their process. Stylish theatricality galore, character relationships, bewildering intrigue, together with magical story-telling.
Huge range of clever new works, all brought to the forefront. Of course there are the plays that are sharp comedies, existential dramas, character studies and family dynamics, surreal horror, poetry, musical, political and inspirational narratives, adventure, mystery, and some rather brilliant deductions required.
Short+Sweet 2024 was a celebration of play writing, plus the creation of original theatre via story-telling.
SHORT AND SWEET THEATRE – 2024 SYDNEY – GALA FINALS WEEK @ TURNER HALL THEATRE
Saturday 4th May 2024 until Sunday 5th May 2024.
The world’s biggest short play festival is back in Sydney.
1 MASK
= Crew Cut Finals, Audience Vote (Week 4)
Written by Written by Adam Szudrich (Queensland)
Directed by Gina Cohen and Jeremy Godwin
ITC = She’ll Be Right On the Night
STARRING – Gina Cohen (Edi), Jeremy Godwin (Parker), Jesse Sher (Gofer)
Drama – It is 1940 and vaudeville performer, Edi, is waiting backstage for her big break in the new medium of television. Except there is one problem: her performance partner, Parker, is late. When he finally does arrive there is an even bigger problem: he does not want to do it.
2 FOUR BEATS TO A BAR
= Festival Director Selection (Peoples Choice Showcase for Week 7)
Written and directed by Lisa Kelaher (Dulwich Hill NSW)
ITC = Backstage Pass
STARRING – Neil Modra (Sam)
Drama – Sam’s big moment was in 1958 when he was asked to play a trumpet solo with the visiting London Symphony Orchestra. He reflects back on the events surrounding the moment and an important friendship in understanding the role of family, childhood and relationships that shape us.
3 THREE SIDES TO EVERY STORY
= Winner Best Play (Judges) for Week 3
Written by Sally Bartley (Copacabana, NSW)
Directed by Daniel Maher (Double Bay, NSW)
STARRING – Ashley Fraser, Sam Zerger, Henry Twomey
Audience drama favourite, at the opening night performance.
Drama – A love-triangle dynamic exploring a coming of age story. Three teenagers at a house party navigate the trials and adolescence and self-image.
4 ON QUEUE
= Winner Best Play (Judges) for Week 1
Written by Lisa Morey Norkin (USA)
Directed by Kate Stewart
STARRING – Mark Alexander, Rick Butler
Drama – Two strangers drawn to an unexplained event try to fill time while waiting for something, anything, to happen.
5 AND IN THE END
= Wildcard Finals Winner – Festival Director Selection (Week 3)
Written and Directed by Frank Leggett (Balmain, NSW)
ITC = Ampullae of Lorenzini
STARRING – Debbie Neilson (Sophie), Matthew Grasso (Matt)
Drama – Matt and Sophie started dating at 15 but now it is all over. Or is it? One thing is certain – Matt will never give up on their relationship.
6 A THING OF HOPE
= Crew Cut Final Best Play Judges + Audience Vote (Week 6)
Written by Geraldine Marcellino (Sydney)
Directed by Brea Macey (Sydney)
STARRING – Brea Macey
Drama – What can a young homeless woman with an innocent heart, a love of clouds and the wrong set of circumstances; tell us about the world we are seeing through our death scrolls?
7 KILL YOUR DARLINGS
= Winner Best Play (Judges) for Week 4
Written and directed by Laurent Auclair
STARRING – Cam Ralph (Dave), Graham Yates (John Devine), Martin Cohen (Marco)
Audience comedy favourite, at the opening night performance.
Comedy – Two men barge into John’s apartment in the middle of night. Who are they and what do they want?
INTERVAL of 15 MINUTES
8 BLIND DATE
= Winner Best Play (Judges) for Week 6
Written by Ken Levine (USA)
Directed by Hollie Meyer (Annandale, NSW)
STARRING – Kathy Luu, Philippe Klaus
Comedy – Two strangers go on a first date “experience”. They are not compatible until … maybe they are?!?
9 SHAKESPEARE WHERE ART THOU
= Peoples Choice Showcase Judges Vote Winner (Week 3)
Written and Directed by Paulene Turner (Greenwich)
STARRING – Debbie Neilson (Juliet), Dan Maher (Homer), Steven Tait (William Shakespeare), Paul Byrne (Christopher Marlowe), Liz Hovey (Ms Orwell)
Drama – It is 2077. Juliet has frittered away all her study time on Spacebook. Now, the only way she’ll pass her exam on Romeo and Juliet, is to come up with a Shakespearean plot of her own.
10 MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY
= Winner Best Play (Judges) for Week 5
= Best Play FD Selection at Short+Sweet Illawarra 2023
Written and directed by Freia Kirkaldy (Sydney NSW)
Assistant Director – Rima Chakrabarty
STARRING – Franca Lafosse (Emma)
Drama – Yearning for purpose beyond her monotonous corporate job, a young woman becomes consumed by an obsession with a social media influencer who preaches self-care, self-love, and the importance of being the protagonist in your own life.
11 PRICK
= Winner Best Play (Judges) for Week 7
Written by Gina Cohen
Directed by Jeremy Godwin
STARRING – Gina Cohen (Anne), Jeremy Godwin (Rick)
Drama – Anne is grieving the loss of her husband, Eddie. Rick turns up to lend his support. All is not as it seems.
12 BRAVE PEOPLE
= Winner Best Play (Judges) for Week 8
Written by Allan Staples (Port Chester, New York)
Directed by Kai Paynter (Sydney)
STARRING – Jasmin Certoma (Nicole), Kirk Hastings (Ben)
Drama – Newly married couple, Ben and Nicole receive grim news at a doctor’s office. They attempt to brace an uncertain future with love, humility, and humor.
13 SEEDS IN YOUR POCKET
= Peoples Choice Showcase Judges Vote Winner (Week 1)
= Winner Best Production at Short+Sweet Illawarra 2023
Written and directed by Fiona Leonard (Germany)
ITC = Blue Goat Theatre
STARRING – Georgia Britt, Alice Bendall
Drama – A swashbuckling tale of a swordswoman who is undefeated on the duelling field, and who scandalised the world with her life and passions.
EXPECT – Some plays may contain “crude indecent” adult themes, adult concepts, and strong highly offensive profanities, offensive/coarse language, swearing + curses, and offensive foul material/themes, moderate alcohol usage, and issues relating to trauma. Recommended only for persons over the age of 18.
Pix by Luke Berman.
WEEK 9 is SEMI-FINALS –
PEOPLES CHOICE SHOWCASE –
27 and 28 APR 2024
CREW CUT FINAL –
26 and 28 APR 2024
WILDCARD FINAL –
25 and 27 APR 2024
WEEK 10 is GALA FINALS –
4 and 5 MAY 2024
SHORT AND SWEET THEATRE – 2024 SYDNEY – GALA FINALS WEEK @ TURNER HALL THEATRE
Saturday 4th May 2024 until Sunday 5th May 2024.
SHORT + SWEET ‘The Biggest Little Festival in the World!’
TICKETS – https://www.tickettailor.com/events/shortsweetsydney/
WEBSITE – https://shortandsweet.org/festivals/shortsweet-sydney-theatre-festival-2024
FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/shortsweetsydney/
INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/shortsweetfest/
GALA FINALS PROGRAMME – https://sydneyartsguide.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GALA-FINALS-SHORT-SWEET-SYDNEY-PROGRAMME-2024.pdf
CREWCUT FINALS PROGRAMME – https://sydneyartsguide.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/WEEK-9-CREWCUT-FINALS-SHORT-SWEET-SYDNEY-2024-PROGRAMME.pdf
WILDCARD FINALS PROGRAMME – https://sydneyartsguide.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/WEEK-9-WILDCARD-FINALS-SHORT-SWEET-SYDNEY-2024-PROGRAMME.pdf
PEOPLES CHOICE FINALS PROGRAMME – https://sydneyartsguide.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/WEEK-9-PEOPLES-CHOICE-FINALS-SHORT-SWEET-SYDNEY-2024-PROGRAMME.pdf
This festival is proudly partnered with TAFE NSW
Photography/Filming is not permitted during performances
Multiple dates and times.
WHEN
Thursday 15th February 2024 until Sunday 5th May 2024
WHERE
TAFE building B – Northern Entrance – location is upstairs B1.04.HALL
Turner Hall
19 Mary Ann Street, Ultimo, NSW 2007
Near to the corner of Harris Street
SYDNEY NSW Australia
HANDICAPPED ACCESS and LIFT available – from the rear entrance on the Ground Floor – at the Southern Entrance to the building.
SYDNEY BUSES 501 from RAILWAY SQUARE,
to Harris Street Bus Stop.
https://sydneyartsguide.com.au/rss/
SHORT+SWEET SYDNEY | GALA FINALS 2024 results
Our sell-out Gala Finals have now come to a close in what has been a memorable Gala Finals with thirteen outstanding plays, making it very difficult for our audience and industry judges to pick a winner.
Congratulations to our winning plays and artists, and also to all our Actors, Writers and Directors not only in the Gala Finals, but all of those that have been a part of our festival family over the last 11 weeks.
AWARDS
BEST PLAY (Judges):
BRAVE PEOPLE
PEOPLES CHOICE:
THREE SIDES TO EVERY STORY
BEST SCRIPT:
MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY (Freia Kirkaldy)
and A THING OF HOPE (Geraldine Marcellino)
BEST DIRECTOR:
KAI PAYNTER (Brave People)
BEST ACTOR:
Brea Macey (A Thing of Hope)
BEST ACTOR (runner up):
Jasmin Certoma (Brave People)
Thanks to all our production team and our partners TAFE NSW for a highly successful 2024 season at Short+Sweet: Making the World a More Creative Place – Ten Minutes at a time.
