King Street Theatre stages two plays in repertory

For the first time in Sydney independent theatre, a company will stage productions in repertory. The King Street Theatre in Newtown will host a three-week season of Three Winters Green and Butterflies are Free from October 17. The repertory season will feature nine actors, some of whom will appear in both plays.

First is up is Butterflies are Free, a comedy from the 1960s that was later adapted into a film starring Goldie Hawn. A mix of comedy and drama, it is set in New York’s infamous “season of love” in 1969 – right when Hair was becoming a smash on Broadway. The world was in flux socially, politically, and economically, and the play is just as turbulent as the time.

Directed by  Les Solomon, this production stars James Wright (Relative Merits) and Cheryl Ward (Top Girls). They are joined by Emily Kennedy and Matt Young (Enron).

Two nights later the revival of Three Winters Green begins. Written by Australian playwright Campion Decent, who will premiere a new work in Griffin Theatre’s 2014 season, the play is set during the late 1980s/early 1990s and follows eight people through this very specific era – particularly through the heavy impact of the AIDS crisis. It’s a moving and funny look at a community’s fight for survivial.

Three Winters Green will star cabaret favourite Tom Sharah (I Will Survive). Joining Tom will be three of the stars from Butterflies are Free – James Wright, Emily Kennedy  and Matt Young, along with Mat Verevis, Diana Perini, Brett O’ Neill and Gael Ballantyne (Lucky Stiff).

“I wanted to produce two plays that were from different cultures, but captured two very specific times in history,” said director Les Solomon.

“Butterflies are Free is set at a time when society was changing and the effects were both unique and often hilarious to a society that had taken a long time to come out of the postwar conservatism.

“Three Winters Green is set twenty years later when some of the effects of those changes were reflected in a new and sometimes frightening world – a different culture in a different country – but the power of change is very relevant to both plays in our season.”

For bookings or further information, visit kingstreettheatre.com.au.