The Independent Comedy Theatre Inc.
25 years of theatre on the Sunshine Coast. Formerly Indee at Eumundi, now The Indee Comedy Theatre. Our base is now at Yandina
Carol Burls
The Indee Theatre was founded in 1994 by Philip Chappell and Carol and John Burls. Initially, in order to get it off the ground, it was a private enterprise venture, funded by the trio. The debut production was a drama, TV Signals , a play by John Burls, which later went on to make the initial shortlist of the QTC’s George Landen Dann playwriting competition. Directed by Philip Chappell, it enjoyed a packed twoweek season at Noosa. This was followed up over the next 15 months with two more full-length plays and a topical revue, all by John Burls and directed by Philip Chappell. The trio realized that they weren’t flying under their own flag, so they relocated to Eumundi’s School of Arts and opened with A Man for All Seasons , drawing audiences from right across the Coast. They quickly established a reputation for high quality theatre and, under the guidance of Artistic Director Philip Chappell, went on, over the years, to develop and present a mix of classical, new works, topical revue and youth theatre productions . David Berker became alternating director with Philip Chappell and between them became a formidable new force Coast Theatre with a pro-am approach. They staged productions such as The Holy Terror, The Lady’s Not For Burning, Veronica’s Room, Hart the Musical, Pygmalion, Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell, The Clink, Parliamentary Privilege, Death of a Salesman, The Exorcism, The Sunshine Boys, Nancy, Stones in His Pockets, Farting About Make-up, Dealer’s Choice, Educating Rita, The Philadelphia Story, The Writer, Deathtrap and The Woman in Black. There have also been 4 seasons directed by Indee Theatre patron and iconic actor, Carol Burns – namely Playing Sinatra, Home, Art and more recently , Moonlight and Magnolias. In its earlier years the theatre competed in many festivals and other award oriented events, taking away a swag trophies, before deciding to contain all its efforts “at home”. For over a decade and a half, the theatre has staged annual seasons of the topical revue UP EUMUNDI ROAD (November/December), featuring entirely original, bitingly funny material and Comedy & Consommé (mid July), funny one-act plays and a 3-course winter dinner. BUT NOW THE THEATRE HAS DROPPED “EUMUNDI” FROM ITS NAME AND HAS MOVED TO YANDINA