24 Jan 2019 to 9 Mar 2019
7 Feb 2019 to 27 Apr 2019
23 Apr 2019 to 4 May 2019
SHORT+SWEET ILLAWARRA 2018
In the place where the mountains meet the sea, Short+Sweet Illawarra launches its inaugural season of ten-minute plays with a top 20 season at two venues in the Wollongong region in 2018. The Illawarra is an untapped theatre heartland, boasting hundreds of actors, writers and directors. The Illawarra supports a vibrant community theatre scene second to none in regional Australia.
With a focus on regional artist development, Short+Sweet will look at providing a pathway for regional emerging artists to have their work seen by the wider theatre community, as well as contribute to the region’s diversity in its performing arts community.
2018 Performance Season - Top 20
4 - 7 October (8 Plays)
Week 1 of Short+Sweet Illawarra will launch at the Harbour Theatre, Shellharbour - home of the Roo Theatre Company.
PURCHASE WEEK 1 TICKETS HERE
18 - 21 October (11 Plays)
Week 2 will be performed at the Bridge Street Theatre, Coniston - home of the Phoenix Theatre.
PURCHASE WEEK 2 TICKETS HERE
WEEK 1 PREVIEW: CLICK HERE
Principal Festival Partners 
RESULTS+REVIEW: WEEK 1
SHORT+SWEET ILLAWARRA
Harbour Theatre Shellharbour
RESULTS
The results are in, and we are proud to announce the first two plays which have won a spot in our Sydney festival February-March next year.
Judges Choice:
1st Place: THREATENED PANDA FIGHTS BACK
2nd Place: IS THIS A... read more
WEEK 1 | SHORT+SWEET THEATRE ILLAWARRA 2018
4th to 7th October 2018
at the Harbour Theatre - home of the Roo Theatre Company
Addison Street Shellarbour Village
Performances Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30pm + Sunday at 5:30pm
Short+Sweet – the world’s largest little play festival – launches in the Illawarra... read more
Short+Sweet Illawarra Top 22 Season Announcement
The wait is over, we have selected our full season of twenty-two plays in the first ever Short+Sweet Illawarra, and ticket sales are now open for this historic event for the Wollongong and Shellharbour community.
We are excited to announce another batch of shows that will form the Top-20 season of short plays at the inaugural Short+Sweet Illawarra.
Congratulations to our new writers and our new directors!
A WOMB WITH A VIEW
written by Rich Orloff (USA)
directed by Karen Beavis
Moments before being born, a... read more
We are proud to announce the first batch of plays that will light up the stage at the very first Short+Sweet Illawarra – the newest addition to the world’s largest little play festival.
The first plays to make the cut are our Independent Theatre Company’s, which come from both established and brand new theatre groups in the Illawarra, and as far down the coast as Pambula!
It is... read more
FINAL CALL: Script and ITC Submissions
SHORT+SWEET ILLAWARRA
Submissions close 11:59 pm Thursday 31st May 2018
Time is running out to be a part of the Illawarra's inaugural season of ten-minute plays as part of Short+Sweet: The world's biggest little play festival. If your play is shortlisted, it will be available to be selected... read more
We are excited to open registrations for Illawarra theatre directors to take on a ten minutes script and turn it into a quality piece of theatre.
Successful directors will be responsible to guide their actors through their rehearsal process and liaise with Short+Sweet to make sure your play has the support it needs to produce in the festival. Successful directors will read a batch of... read more
Submissions are now open for local community and independent theatre companies to submit a script, including director and actors to be considered for the inaugural Short+Sweet Illawarra season in October.
You don't need to be an established theatre group to submit an ITC entry, even a loose collection of creatives is fine by us. All we ask is that your play is no more than ten minutes... read more
Thank you for your interest in submitting an independent production for Short+Sweet Theatre Illawarra 2018! Independent Theatre Companies (ITC) may pitch their ten-minute performance using this form.
Submitting as an Independent Theatre Company entry into Short+Sweet Illawarra gives a group of local artists the chance to submit not only a script for consideration, but be able to work... read more
AUDITIONS: SHORT+SWEET ILLAWARRA 2018
We are looking for actors to register to audition for the newest member of World's Largest Short Play Festival: Short+Sweet Illawarra. It doesn't matter how old you are, what your cultural background is, or your shape or size - with over 20 plays being performed, odds are there will be a role for you!
Auditions will... read more
DIRECTOR REGISTRATION: SHORT+SWEET ILLAWARRA
Registrations are now open for new and experienced directors to take the helm of one of our shortlisted local and international scripts at the very first Short+Sweet Illawarra.
As director you would be responsible for... read more
SHORT+SWEET ILLAWARRA
Direct Script Submission
If you would like to submit your ten-minute script for Short+Sweet Illawarra direct, please complete the form below. Applying directly means you would like to have a short play you have written submitted for performance at Short+Sweet Illawarra 2018. Writers can submit more than one play for... read more
Script Submissions Open
Short+Sweet Illawarra is currently taking scripts for its inaugural season of ten-minute theatre on NSW's South Coast. Short+Sweet Illawarra will launch with a Top 20 season over two weeks in October this year.
Writers from Illawarra and South coast are encouraged to submit, as we are looking to have strong local representation amongst... read more
WEEK 1 - HARBOUR THEATRE, Shellharbour
SHORT+SWEET ILLAWARRA
TOP 20 - WEEK 1
4th - 7th October 2018
Harbour Theatre, Shellharbour
Home of the Roo Theatre Company
THE PLAYS
HIS MOTHER'S CURTAINS
written by Diana McLaren (Illawarra)
directed by Sophie Bentley
Cast: Annie May Roberts and Nelson Blattman
A couple is having a fight about whose parents are worse but there are added tensions boiling beneath.
DARE
written and directed by Honora Jenkins (Illawarra)
presented by Kind Art Ed
Cast: Mitchell Fahey, Rachel Cairncross, Emily Cairncross and Minna Lehman-Kuit
Set on the stage in a TV studio, contestants are expected to compete in a new kind of reality game where they are being judged on how true to themselves they can be.
The problem is, by being themselves they don't conform to the expectations of the game show host.
THREATENED PANDA FIGHTS BACK
written by Rex McGregor (NZ)
directed by Cara Severino
Cast: Kaylee Ashton, Isabella Whitcher, Flynn Mapplebeck and Patrick Harrison
As the World Wildlife Fund’s poster boy for endangered animals, Ling enjoys a comfortable life full of adulation and all the bamboo he can eat. But when a rival species challenges him for the role, he risks losing everything.
BRAINS
written by Bernadette Le Mesurier (Illawarra)
directed by Robert Bruce
Cast: Jon Meakin, Andrew Gobran and Ricky Gamble
Sooner or later in the zombie apocalypse when most of the humans are gone, their brains are going to be hard to find.
FOR HIRE
written by Alexander Cuff (Illawarra)
directed by Sevgi Murphy
presented by Lavender Fox Productions
Cast: Alex Groombridge and Julian Levani
An assassin is hired to kill their close friend, who also used to be an assassin.
CRY FOR ME
written and directed by Pete Malicki (Sydney)
presented by The Monologue Project
Cast: Chris Bocchi
Alicia from Argentina is very proud of her greatest achievement in Australia: she found herself a job as a ‘funeral cryer’. She is paid to cry at funerals to get the sadness rolling.
TIMESAVERS
written by Barry Wood (UK)
directed by Byron Faulkner
Cast: Abbey McDonald, Jon Meakin
A new store has opened, offering a unique way to save time - But is it all a scam?
IS THIS A DREAM
written by Katrina Samaras (Illawarra)
directed by Lily Christie Daly
Cast: Olivia Harris, Naoise Champion, Lillian Woods, and Annie May Roberts
Our depressed heroine meets three historical female icons in a dream-like quest for answers to life's big questions.
WEEK 2 - BRIDGE ST THEATRE, Coniston
SHORT+SWEET ILLAWARRA
TOP 20 - WEEK 2
18-21 October 2018
Bridge Street Theatre, Coniston
Home of the Phoenix Theatre Company
THE PLAYS
CONTEXT
written by John C. Davenport (USA)
directed by Laryssa Sutherton
Cast: Zac Chadwick, Bradley Ward, Olivia Harris and Gillian Meers
The characters involved in a breakup say what's on their minds -- but not to each other.
THE GODDESS
written and Tom Peach (Illawarra)
directed by Bernadette Le Mesurier
presented by duGarde
Thalia and Sharon were BFFs at school, then Sharon married Thalia's father. Now he's dead and they must write his epitaph.
WAITING FOR MASTERCHEF
written and directed by Will Worthington (Illawarra)
presented by Eat Will’s Shorts
Cast: Arthur Gallagher, Bradley Ward and Sophie Bentley
Three protagonists absorbed in their digital detritus try to find meaning.
REALITY CHECK BY ELIZABETH
written and directed by Annisa Belonogoff (Sydney)
presented by Warrior Empire Productions
Cast: Annisa Belonogoff
Reality Check is a comedy about a single girl trying to navigate her way through the online dating world from home.
COUNTERPOINTS
written by Nicholas Fitzpatrick-Fuller (Illawarra)
directed by Jarrod Sleiman
presented by the Phoenix Theatre Company
Cast: Oscar Baker, Kiah Sassall and Cameron Johnstone
Our ‘hero’, Mike introduces his Commie-Atheist brother, Jack to his girlfriend over dinner-with messy results!
OH NO A GHOST
written by James Turnbull (Illawarra)
directed by Arthur Gallagher
Cast: Cara Severino, Sam Lovell and Bryson Grenfell
Being a real estate agent is hard, especially when the house you’re trying to sell is haunted by the vengeful ghost of a murder victim.
SLOW DATING
written by Adam Szudrich (South Coast NSW)
directed by Lis Shelley (Lochiel NSW)
presented by Footprint Theatre Inc (Pambula NSW)
Cast: Penelope Hunt
70-something happily married Ester drops in to a 'speed dating' event for seniors that leads her to make a difficult decision.
SIGN OF THE TIMES
written by Crystal Jane (Sydney)
directed by Andrew Cremen
presented by Wollongong University Dramatic Society
Cast: Andrew Cremen, Elise Vohradsky, Jai Szwec
Six people reflect on an incident on the train the day before where a tradie called an Islamic girl a terrorist.
THE DEATH OF NIGHTSTICK
written by Alexander Cuff, Sam Lovell and Jarrod Sleiman (Illawarra)
directed by Sam Sweeting
presented by Cerberus Theatre Company
Cast: Alex Groombridge, Justin Clayden, Anna Murphy and Freya Jarret
Nightstick is the world's greatest superhero... and the actor playing him has gone a little too method...
A WOMB WITH A VIEW
written by Rich Orloff (USA)
directed by Karen Beavis
Cast: Kiah Sassall, Lily Christie Daly, Samantha Brownlee-Knight, Isabella Whitcher and Abbey McDonald
Moments before being born, a baby girl has second thoughts about leaving the comfort of her current home.
FIFTEEN SECONDS
written by Ken Levine (USA)
directed by Inga Silfr
Cast: Zac Chadwick and Naoise Champion
A young couple make eye contact for the first time and it could change both of their lives.
Our Team
Luke Berman
Executive Producer, Festival Director
luke.berman@shortandsweet.org
James Turnbull
Head Stage Manager, Festival Photography and Graphic Design
james@blackboxtheatre.org
Lighting Designers:
Nick Lewis (week 1), Corey Potter (week 2)
Festival Photography by Yobriggityphotography
Lighting & Sound Operators
Kane McCarthy and Graeme Downey
Stage Crew:
Nat McConchie, Lizzie Giustiniani
Top 20
IS THIS A DREAM
written by Katrina Samaras (Illawarra)
directed by Lily Christie Daly
Our depressed heroine meets three historical female icons in a dream-like quest for answers to life's big questions.
THE DEATH OF NIGHTSTICK
written by Alexander Cuff, Sam Lovell and Jarrod Sleiman (Illawarra)
directed by Sam Sweeting
presented by Cerberus Theatre Company
Nightstick is the world's greatest superhero... and the actor playing him has gone a little too method...
THREATENED PANDA STRIKES BACK
written by Rex McGregor (NZ)
directed by Cara Severino
As the World Wildlife Fund’s poster boy for endangered animals, Ling enjoys a comfortable life full of adulation and all the bamboo he can eat. But when a rival species challenges him for the role, he risks losing everything.
SLOW DATING
written by Adam Szudrich
directed by Lis Shelley (Lochiel NSW)
presented by Footprint Theatre Inc (Pambula NSW)
Starring Penelope Hunt
70-something happily married Ester drops in to a 'speed dating' event for seniors that leads her to make a difficult decision.
REALITY CHECK BY ELIZABETH
written and directed by Annisa Belonogoff
presented by Warrior Empire Productions
Reality Check is a comedy about a single girl trying to navigate her way through the online dating world from home.
OH NO A GHOST
written by James Turnbull (Illawarra)
directed by Arthur Gallagher
Being a real estate agent is hard, especially when the house you’re trying to sell is haunted by the vengeful ghost of a murder victim.
CONTEXT
written by John C. Davenport (USA)
directed by Laryssa Sutherton
The characters involved in a breakup say what's on their minds -- but not to each other.
FOR HIRE
written by Alexander Cuff (Illawarra)
directed by Sevgi Murphy
An assassin is hired to kill their close friend, who also used to be an assassin.
A WOMB WITH A VIEW
written by Rich Orloff (USA)
directed by Karen Beavis
Moments before being born, a baby girl has second thoughts about leaving the comfort of her current home.
THE GODDESS
written and Tom Peach (Illawarra)
directed by Jay Duncan
presented by duGarde
Thalia and Sharon were BFFs at school, then Sharon married Thalia's father. Now he's dead and they must write his epitaph.
TIMESAVERS
written by Barry Wood (UK)
directed by Byron Faulkner
A new store has opened, offering a unique way to save time - But is it all a scam?
COUNTERPOINTS
written by Nicholas Fitzpatrick-Fuller (Illawarra)
directed by Jarrod Sleiman
presented by the Phoenix Theatre Company
Starring Oscar Baker, Kiah Sassall and Cameron Johnstone
Our ‘hero’, Mike introduces his Commie-Atheist brother, Jack to his girlfriend over dinner-with messy results!
BRAINS
written by Bernadette Le Mesurier (Illawarra)
directed by Robert Bruce
Sooner or later in the zombie apocalypse when most of the humans are gone, their brains are going to be hard to find.
HIS MOTHER'S CURTAINS
written by Diana McLaren (Illawarra)
directed by Sophie Bentley
A couple is having a fight about whose parents are worse but there are added tensions boiling beneath.
SIGN OF THE TIMES
written by Crystal Jane
directed by Andrew Cremen
presented by Wollongong University Dramatic Society
Starring Andrew Cremen, Elise Vohradsky, Jai Szwec
Six people reflect on an incident on the train the day before where a tradie called an Islamic girl a terrorist.
WAITING FOR MASTERCHEF
written and directed by Will Worthington
presented by Eat Will’s Shorts
Three protagonists absorbed in their digital detritus try to find meaning.