Shepparton Theatre Arts Group is a non-professional theatre company based in Shepparton, Victoria. Our company is part of a long tradition of the performance of dramatic arts in this region, brought about through the efforts of many community groups in towns such as Euroa, Echuca, Kyabram and Numurkah (to name just a few). Shepparton Theatre Arts Group or STAG for short formed with the amalgamation two amateur theatrical groups, Shepparton Light Music Company and the Shepparton Dramatic Society.
Both companies had, in their own right, a long history of providing entertainment of a high standard for regional Shepparton. The amalgamation of the two groups resulted in an amateur company fostered by dedicated members who had the foresight to invest in property which now provides both storage area and rehearsal space.
The ongoing re-development of the rehearsal site has seen the construction of a new 220 sq. m. building, allowing several shows to be produced and rehearsed concurrently and alieviating a lot of storage problems and now incorporating out own small 70 seat Blackbox Theatre.
In the comparatively short period since its inception, STAG has been responsible for the performance of 117 productions, including 32 musicals, 57 plays and 28 concerts, pantomimes and theatre restaurants. STAG’s productions have brought many hundreds of people together to rehearse, design and build sets, choreograph, orchestrate, and perform to audiences that must by now, number in the tens of thousands. Many talented people have passed through STAG, some to continue professionally in the entertainment industry beyond the Goulburn Valley.
Our company is fortunate to have among its members a wealth of talent and experience, not only in the “on stage” areas of song, dance and acting, but also in the unseen areas of stagecraft. Lighting design, set design, makeup and wardrobe are all areas where our company exhibits substantial skills which only improve the final result for our audience.
One of the company’s major strengths is the broad range of membership it attracts, and in particular the participation by many family groups in our productions. A browse through our list of members indicates just how many families have become involved in the company. Enthusiastic interest from our junior members continues. These young performers are to be supported, for they represent the future of STAG. As we continue forward in the new millennium, the challenge for Shepparton Theatre Arts Group is to continue to entertain our audiences with quality amateur theatre, while providing our members with a sense of achievement and fellowship.
