About Leongatha Lyric Theatre

Lyric Theatre came into existence in 1965, when a small group of local teachers and members of a struggling Leongatha dramatic group met to form a new theatre group to be called Leongatha Lyric Theatre.

A local music teacher and singer named Lyn Carr, who had recently moved to the area, was the driving force behind this new group, and was the director and musical director of the group’s first two productions.

The performance venue for the group was Mesley Hall, the Leongatha High School’s new assembly hall, and this has been the venue chosen by Lyric Theatre for almost every production since then.

Since Lyric Theatre’s formation, productions have included musicals ranging from Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial By Jury to Fiddler on The Roof, Godspell, Canterbury Tales and Jesus Christ Superstar; pantomimes; plays ranging from Twelve Angry Men to Stepping Out, Educating Rita andThe Rainmaker; touring variety productions; and youth theatre pieces such as Bats, Hating Alison Ashley, and King MacBee And The Walking Trees.

Our productions draw patrons from a wide area, and our local businesses have always been very supportive in terms of materials and financial sponsorship.

We have a current, (2011), financial membership in excess of 100 people aged from 12 years to over 70 years, and over 180 non-members on our advance booking mailing list.
Geoff Perrett Rising Star Award
The Geoff Perrett Rising Star Award, jointly sponsored by the Perrett family of Leongatha and Leongatha Lyric Theatre, was created at the instigation of the Perrett family following the accidental death of Geoff, who had been a valued cast member and committee member of Lyric Theatre.
Members of the Lyric Theatre committee select the winner of the award each year, which is open to members of Lyric Theatre who are under the age of 21, and who have shown commitment and potential during the past 12 months.
Geoff Perrett Rising Star Award Winners
Leongatha Associated Theatre Inc.
Gippsland Amateur Theatre Inc. was established in 1992. Founding members were Leongatha Lyric Theatre, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group, Latrobe Light Opera Society, West Gippsland Performing Arts Society, Centre Theatre Company (Warragul), Production Line Theatre Company (Bairnsdale), Shoestring Theatre Company (Traralgon), and Sale Theatre Company.
Gippsland Amateur Theatre Incorporated was renamed Gippsland Associated Theatre Inc. in 1999, to take effect from 2000.
Members of GAT pay an annual membership fee, which entitles them to have one production judged. If the group wishes other productions to be judged, they pay an extra fee per production. Other benefits of membership include feedback in the form of judges’ reviews of productions, an annual awards night, and a connection with the wider Gippsland theatre scene. All member groups provide one judge for the judging panel, and productions are judged in a number of categories.