GRIT: On Tour in 2024
After a sell-out season and successful debut – GRIT: The Town, The Stories, The Music is back in 2024.
GRIT, created by Perseverance Street Theatre Company will be touring to local Gympie regional halls, up to Cairns and then back to Gympie in February and March next year. After a sold-out season in Gympie in 2022, this home-grown performance by Gympie’s local professional theatre company is back with a few unexpected twists. New tunes, scenes and one new cast member will keep this hit show fresh and engaging.
A heartfelt performance with stunning vocals and originals songs, this performance tells the story of six residents of a regional town “somewhere” in Queensland. GRIT emerged from the collection of stories of resilience and hope from over 30 residents of the Gympie Region in 2022. Developed just after the devastating February floods of 2022, the importance of celebrating tenacity and grit could not have come at a better time. Creative producer Sofia Abbey explains the style of the show; “it is hard to pin GRIT down to one style of performance. It feels like a jazz bar, rock concert, play and a choir, simultaneously. The performance blends storytelling, vocals and movement to explore the many ways that we all find to rise above life’s challenges”
GRIT will feature local actor Fletcher Colfs as the storyteller portraying all six characters. Local vocalists and actors Sarah Harvey, Ben Adams and Abby Bowyer will provide the three-part harmonies and movement. The decision to remount GRIT was an easy one for the company. CEO Sharon Hogan explained, “We had so many locals approach us after this uplifting show asking us when it would come back because they missed it and had heard great reviews”.
Perseverance Street Theatre Company are partnering with local hall committees in the Gympie Region to take a 70-minute concert version of the performance on the road. GRIT will be performed at the Goomeri Hall of Memory on Friday 16 February, Cooloola War Veterans Hall on Saturday 17 of February, Kadanga Hall on Sunday 18 of February, Glastonbury Hall on Friday 23 of February and finally Theebine Hall on Saturday 24 of February. At each of these small halls local stories of resilience will also be shared. The company are currently working with storytellers in these areas to capture local stories of courage and tenacity.
GRIT: On Tour will return home to Gympie to the company’s cosy pocket size studio space after shows in Rockhampton, Townsville, Cairns and Bundaberg. Special thanks to Arts Queensland and Jute Theatre and the support of the Build Back Better Program which aims to develop regional theatre and to the local Gympie Council Grant Program.
Tickets are now on sale for the Local Halls Tour and the full theatrical Gympie Season at the Perseverance Street Studio. March Gympie Studio Dates: 20 March till 27 of March, 2024