Lismore Theatre Company’s next show will be Lexie Turns to Stone, written by Patrick Carr, award-winning North Coast playwright and screenwriter.

It has been in rehearsal for the last two months and will be performed at the Rochdale Theatre in Goonellabah from Friday, May 3rd, until Sunday, May 12th.

Lismore Theatre Company is particularly excited to premiere this play and bring together some local theatre favourites.

Many audience members will remember Elyse Dallinger and Gray Wilson in 'Educating Rita' by Willy Russell and we have brought them together again in this witty satire. Also reuniting in this play are Sarah-Jane Loxton, John McPherson and Elyse Dallinger who most recently appeared together in Hungry Ghosts at LTC in 2023.

The play explores the life of Chris, a Gold Coast sculptor who has given up on art and makes a nice living carving statues of wealthy Gold Coast identities (or their wives) to adorn their canal-front mansions. He was commissioned by his old mate, Lonny, to make a statue of Lonny’s wife, Lexie. Inevitably, unresolved passions surface. Chris doesn’t mind, but Lexie’s thrown by developments. Trouble is, Lonny’s a crook gone respectable and not to be trifled with. Meantime, Chris’ intrusive daughter Angelica turns up and proceeds to wreak havoc with all around her, including Lonny. By the time she’s ready to leave, no one’s life will be the same. A comedy about sex, money, art and respectability.

We also introduce a new actor to our theatre company, Jane Carr, who will play Lexie in the title role. 

Jane says, 'People should come and see the show because live theatre has a unique magic, because the energy and skill of my fellow cast members is uplifting, because it is a hilarious ride through the delights and power of language.'

We also welcome back regular actors such as Anna Ludvik from the 2023 show 'Dead White Males' by David Williamson. Anna Ludvik who plays Lola says 'Lola is sassy, sure of herself and sexy. She’s fun to play. Getting on stage is such fun, as an adult, it’s a rare opportunity to actually “play”, make believe and explore concepts. The cast and crew are great.'

Elyse Dallinger, who plays Angelica, said, 'When I read the script and saw how witty it was and how intriguing the character dynamics were, I knew it was a show I wanted to be part of. The more I read and work with the script, the more I see in it, which is a true joy for an actor."

John McPherson, who plays Lonny, said of the play, "This is an outstandingly witty comedy that revolves around superbly crafted characters. That, plus the motivation of working alongside a highly talented cast who have the capacity to give full expression to each of the characters." 

When asked about the play, Gray Wilson, who plays the lead role of Chris, said, "It's a lot of fun. It puts the magnifying glass onto a section of society most of us will never know. Verbal jousting, hidden barbs, outright insults, ... what's not to love. Rehearsals are going swimmingly, and I think this one will join the long line of successes that Lismore Theatre Company keep bringing us, year after year."

Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased from https://www.trybooking.com/CPWFS or follow the link on the Lismore Theatre Company website.

There will be a fundraiser night on Saturday, the 11th of May for the Northern Rivers Suicide Prevention and Awareness Group which is a small registered charity supporting projects and programs that prevent suicide and build resilience and wellbeing throughout our region.

The money raised goes to training programs to provide mental health first aid, education on how to talk to suicide-affected people, and equipment for projects that bring communities together in and after traumatic times. They work closely with Lifeline and StandBy to support their programs too.