Music Theatre Projects Ltd is a not-for-profit company which has its home base in the rural village of Gunning, NSW. We are developing a range of exciting projects, but need your help in the process.
On Sunday 21st July at Collector Memorial Hall we presented the first public reading of Fire, a play set in rural NSW in the 1920s, written 100 years ago by Millicent Armstrong. (We had previously presented readings in 2 invitation-only settings.) Millicent was a WW1 veteran, a soldier settler farmer, who ran a farm about 40 mins from Gunning (by today's transport methods), while writing a series of remarkable plays.
Millicent Armstrong's 4 act drama, Fire, framed within a catastrophic bushfire event, deftly explores important social themes that still seem so relevant in today's world. Each time we present any of her plays, the responses are always "why haven't we heard of her", and "these plays seem so contemporary".
The performance was an awareness-raiser for our continued work. This accompanying online auction is to help raise necessary funds to support our work.
Eight of the items have had successful bids placed on them, so we have closed them off, but two wonderful prizes remain. This auction will run until we have found homes for those items.
We received generous donations from local artists, artisans and cultural entities towards this online auction, and the Board of Music Theatre Projects is very grateful to all of them for their support.
Auction Item | Value | Time Left | Current Bid |
"Languedoc" - artist: Margarita Georgiadis, 2018, oil on canvas 50 x 75cm | 2500 | 17 days 20 hrs 46 mins | No bids yet |
Canberra Theatre Centre, double pass to MTC's | 200 | Expired | 200.00 by HWS |
Double pass to piano recital by Jayson Gillham, 3pm Sun 8 Sept, GPAC | 97 | Expired | 98.00 by DN |
Hamper of treats from Gundog Estate, Gundaroo | 105 | Expired | 106.00 by HWS |
Gift pack from Will & Russ, Gunning | 100 | Expired | 105.00 by Aj |
The Gentleman's Companion Vol II, iconic cocktail book | 50 | Expired | 50.00 by Kerry |
Spice Affair, Yass, voucher for delicious food | 100 | Expired | 105.00 by Casalet |
Voice coaching with Wild Voices Music Theatre | 220 | Expired | 230.00 by Anna |
Voucher for The Street, Canberra | 80 | Expired | 90.00 by Casalet |
“Henry Pleased with his Words” - Oil on canvas, 45 x 61cm, 2023 - by Max Cullen | 950 | Expired | 950.00 by Kerry |
Help us continue our work of bringing the plays of Millicent Armstrong to a contemporary audience. Your participation in this auction will provide funds to Music Theatre Projects, and you will receive one of these wonderful auction prizes.
Good luck with your bids.
"Languedoc" - artist: Margarita Georgiadis, 2018, oil on canvas 50 x 75cm
This beautiful work has been donated by exceptional artist, Margarita Georgiadis, one half of the duo (with the legendary actor and artist Max Cullen) who run The Picture House Gallery, a cultural treasure in Gunning’s main street. Margarita and Max have their studio within this building, along with a gallery space, bookshop and small theatre. The Picture House Gallery is currently being given much needed restoration work, thanks to a NSW Government Creative Capital grant. Create NSW administered this grant which is being project managed by Upper Lachlan Shire Council. This important work will ensure this prominent heritage building in Gunning’s main street will have a very long life. Gunning, like many rural and regional locations, has had considerable impacts from weather events, including a devastating flood in 2022, which impacted The Picture House Gallery precinct.
We are very grateful to Margarita for this very generous donation, and hope that bidders will dig deep for this special item.
https://www.thepicturehousegallery.org/
Catalogue Number: 1
Time remaining: 17 days 20 hrs 46 mins
Bid at the pre-filled amount or higher
Double pass to Melbourne Theatre Company's English, Friday 6 September, 7.30pm at The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre
Marjan thinks it’s one of the greatest things two people can do together: speak English.
Winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, English is a story of falling in love with your own voice.
Music Theatre Projects' founder, Dianna Nixon, participated in Canberra Theatre Centre's New Works program in 2023. We are delighted that CTC is supporting this fundraising campaign, and hope to continue collaborating in the years to come.
https://canberratheatrecentre.com.au/
Catalogue Number: 2
Time remaining: Expired
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Double pass to piano recital by Jayson Gillham, 3pm Sun 8 Sept, Goulburn Performing Arts Centre
Internationally praised for his compelling performances, Australian-British pianist Jayson Gillham is recognised as one of the finest pianists of his generation. After receiving numerous prizes from the leading piano competitions including the Leeds and Van Cliburn, it was Jayson’s win at the 2014 Montreal International Music Competition that brought him to international attention. Highlights of Jayson Gillham’s orchestral engagements include concerts with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Alexander Shelley, Bournemouth Symphony with Victor Aviat, Sydney Symphony with Vladimir Ashkenazy at Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Symphony and Joshua Weilerstein, Adelaide Symphony with the late Sir Jeffrey Tate, West Australian Symphony with Asher Fisch, Auckland Philharmonic with Giordano Bellincampi, Christchurch Symphony with Benjamin Northey as well as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Nashville Symphony and Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal. Recent and future engagements include a return to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Adelaide, Queensland and Tasmania Symphony Orchestras, debuts with the KwaZulu Natal and Johannesburg philharmonic orchestras, the CBSO in Birmingham, a duo recital with Timothy Ridout at RWCMD in Cardiff and a solo recital at the Hay Music Festival.
MTP premiered our touring version of Drought and Other Plays at GPAC in 2022, and we are grateful for the support GPAC has provided to us in helping get the word out about the forgotten local treasure that is Millicent Armstrong. When you visit GPAC, you’ll see a series of silhouettes, one of which remembers the nurses of WW1, including Millicent herself.
https://www.goulburnpac.com.au/
Catalogue Number: 3
Time remaining: Expired
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Hamper of treats from Gundog Estate, Gundaroo
Gundog Estate is a five-star rated boutique wine producer specialising in super premium Riesling, Semillon, and Shiraz. Sustainability, and it’s three pillars—economic, social, and environmental, is at the heart of what they do & has led to community partnerships with Path 2 Change and 15 Trees. Gundog Estate Cork St. Cellar can be found in the historic stables, adjacent to Grazing Restaurant in Gundaroo village. In addition to their award-winning range of wines available to taste, visitors also have an opportunity to enjoy a range of seasonal dishes prepared by their neighbours – the award-winning Grazing Restaurant.
Living in a rural village, we are surrounded by a food and fibre-growing region full of wineries and superb food. Big thanks to the folks at Gundog for adding a special treat to our list of prizes.
https://gundogestate.com.au/visit-gundaroo/
Catalogue Number: 4
Time remaining: Expired
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Gift pack from Will & Russ, Gunning
Will & Russ is a small business nestled in the main street of Gunning. It is a beautifully curated foraged goods store. The proprietor stocks goods designed to bring a touch of nature into your home. Don’t miss this special place when visiting Gunning on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for decorative, handy, and perfect gifts. (Look out for the fleece of wool in the window.)
https://www.instagram.com/will.and.russ/
Catalogue Number: 5
Time remaining: Expired
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Copy of the iconic cocktail recipe book, “The Gentleman’s Companion” Vol II
Being an Exotic Drinking Book, or, Around the World With Jigger & a Flask, By Charles H Baker Jnr. Published 1939.
This book inspired a cabaret show, which MTP hopes to bring back to Yazzbar in November this year. You can bid to own your own copy of this classic tome, so loved by all good cocktail makers. As to the cabaret show – we describe it like this: “with a seasoning of rock standards, in celebration of the cocktail, Dianna Nixon stands ready with glass in hand and a voice that will rumble, soar, chat and cry, in this solo gambol inspired by The Gentleman’s Companion, Charles H Baker's delicious 1939 tome of instructions for satisfying imbibement and degustation.”
Bottoms up.
https://www.musictheatreprojects.com/productions/in-production/the-gentlemans-companion/
Catalogue Number: 6
Time remaining: Expired
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Spice Affair, Yass, voucher for delicious food
Located in Comur St, Yass, Spice Affair brings you a variety of dishes from different regions of India. In the 5000-year-old tradition of Indian cooking, the cultural and geographic boundaries of India have changed significantly. The cuisine also evolved over time, influenced by many invaders, travelers and rulers. India’s diverse regional cuisines have become richer with the assimilation of these various cultures. India has embraced vegetarianism from the Vedic times, when India was primarily an agricultural society. The climate permitted year round availability of fresh fruits, vegetables and grains. In the past six hundred years, Mughal influences brought a new style of cooking from the Middle East to Central Asia. India’s large coastal regions have a diverse legacy in their seafood from not only local influences, but also from the Portuguese and French colonies. Industrialization’s influence on Indian cuisine began during the period of British colonization. This is the period where the Indian cuisine began to travel the world.
I highly recommend the Goan Fish Curry. Yum.
https://www.spiceaffairyass.com.au/
Catalogue Number: 7
Time remaining: Expired
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Voice coaching: 2 x 1 hour lessons with Wild Voices Music Theatre.
These two sessions will be given by Dianna Nixon, either at her home office in Gunning, or at her studio in Dickson, ACT. It can be in either speech or singing, or both. Dianna's students are working on: AMEB exams, school assessments, Eisteddfods, tertiary auditions, tertiary music degrees, voice transition, professional auditions & role preparation, wedding songs, & public speaking. Students range from children to retirees and include young people training for careers in music theatre, dance, acting and music. Some intensive coaching might be helpful in building confidence, improving vocal sustainability, supporting vocal development, preparing for that important presentation or personal event.
Successful bidder will liaise with Dianna directly to set up times and location.
www.wildvoicesmusictheatre.com
Catalogue Number: 8
Time remaining: Expired
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Voucher for The Street Theatre, Canberra
The Street in Canberra is a vital driver of the professional performing arts sector in our region. Over many decades, including the last 15 with Caroline Stacey at the helm, they have premiered many new Australian works, helped shepherd the early careers of some of our most significant contemporary writers, built professional development opportunities, and employed a long list of locally based, and visiting, artists and creatives. Dianna Nixon has worked on a wide range of projects at The Street over those 15 years, in a variety of roles - as voice coach, director, actor, musician, and in creative developments of new work. Dianna also utilises the Street as a venue for concerts for Wild Voices Music Theatre, and for collaborations such as Mirage with Hayat Selim, in February, 2023.
This voucher will enable you to attend live performance at The Street. Check out their website for what's coming up this year.
https://www.thestreet.org.au/
Catalogue Number: 9
Time remaining: Expired
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“Henry Pleased with his Words” - Oil on canvas, 45 x 61cm, 2023 - by Max Cullen
Gunning is increasingly known as a place where arts and culture are valued and nurtured. Central to this has to be Max Cullen, one of Australia's most renowned stage and screen actors, and also a remarkable artist. Max has donated a painting of Henry Lawson. This work captures Max's long term interest in this subject, having written and toured a show performing as Henry. We wonder if Henry Lawson and Millicent Armstrong ever crossed paths?
Again we thank Max and Margarita, of the Picture House Gallery and Bookshop, Gunning, who've found time to help us out whilst they are in the midst of the most extraordinary restoration works at the old Coronation Theatre Gunning. Champions both.
https://www.thepicturehousegallery.org/
Catalogue Number: 10
Time remaining: Expired
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If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Paddock To Stage at mtprojectsltd@gmail.com.