Meet Me at the Baths

MEET ME AT THE BATHS : WHALE CHORUS & ANG COLLINS 

Take a seat on the Baths’ beloved aquamarine concrete bleachers, don a pair of headphones, and become immersed in stranger-than-fiction stories inspired by real Novocastrians. Meet Me at the Baths is a brand new site-specific work presented by local powerhouse theatre company Whale Chorus.

Playwright Ang Collins (Spewy) and director Janie Gibson (Voices of Joan) join forces to showcase a tapestry of local stories using the stunning backdrop of the Newcastle Ocean Baths to amplify this special place’s untold stories.

For over 100 years, locals and visitors alike have soaked in the magic of the Newcastle Ocean Baths. Join the ensemble of four actors as they dive deep into serendipitous moments, nostalgic memories and hilarious hijinks in a tidal wave of life’s big changes.

Created in collaboration with community and mixed with gorgeous live soundscapes direct to your eardrums, Meet Me at the Baths is a heart-first plunge into life’s changing rhythms, the healing properties of salt water swims and the radical public power of our city’s iconic ocean pool.

Local stories of love, loss, healing and change sparkle against the stunning backdrop of the Baths. Bring your cossies and take a dip at the end! 

DURATION
60 minutes

SENSORY & CONTENT WARNING
Meet Me at the Baths is suitable for ages 10+

AUDIENCE ADVICE
Meet Me at the Baths is an open air theatre event. Please bring clothing suitable for a range of weather conditions including a hat, sunglasses, and a raincoat (no umbrellas). As seating is on the concrete bleachers, please also bring a towel or cushion for your comfort. Bring your swimmers if you wish to take a dip at the end!

In the event of extreme weather the performance will be relocated to an undercover venue. All ticket holders will be notified in the event of a venue change. For further information please contact the Civic Theatre Box Office on 02 4929 1977. 

ACCESSIBILITY
Newcastle Ocean Baths is fully accessible, with access for patrons with low mobility and accessible amenities. There will be a designated area at the front of the bleachers for wheelchairs and people of reduced mobility.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS 
Whale Chorus is a leading professional theatre company in Newcastle. Their mission is to reinvigorate theatre’s true function as a ritual of reconnection. They tell heart-centred stories, from Shakespeare to boundary pushing original plays, and experiment with new ways of engaging audiences through immersive, immediate and courageous theatre. Their work is deeply local; born of the people and places of our city. They transform our city’s spaces into unique sites for theatre including public parks, giant fig trees, community halls and Newcastle’s iconic ocean baths. Alongside their performance seasons they are committed to nurturing the next generation of storytellers and theatre makers through our artist development, training and education programs. Learn more at www.whalechorus.com

ARTISTS & COLLABORATORS
Meet Me at the Baths was created through a collaborative creative process involving community interviews, playwriting and devised theatre.

Director & Devisor: Janie Gibson
Writer & Devisor: Ang Collins
Performers & Devisors: Barney Donaghy, Jim Lawson, Katia Molino & Stephanie Rochet
Sound Design & Composition: Liesl Pieterse
Movement Direction: Angie Diaz

SOCIAL MEDIA
@whalechorustheatrecompany/

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Proudly supported by Civic Theatre Newcastle.