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Dare To Be Different!

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Australia's longest running theatre collective with an emphasis on works relevant to the gay, lesbian, bi, straight, transgender communities. Out Cast was established in 1997 from very humble beginnings. Its first production, a panto of sorts was staged at the Carlton Courthouse Theatre. Not a particularly successful first show but it sowed the seeds for a small team of committed individuals who still saw a need to redress the imbalance of gay theatre in this country. Out Cast really kicked off with a series of staged play readings above the now defunct Ramjets Cafe in Commercial Road, Melbourne. Once we found we had a dedicated following we decided to jump into the pool once more with our first “official” production, a staging of a specially written piece, Steven Dawson’s Big Dicks On Stage which enjoyed great success. It followed up with Gertrude Stein & A Companion. More productions followed until Out Cast started to become known as Melbourne’s gay theatre company. For 5 years we performed in the David Williamson Theatre in South Yarra. Our biggest gamble came in 2002 when we decided to move north across the river to the 100 seat Mechanics Institute Performing Arts Centre in Brunswick. We hoped our audiences would follow. The first production in our new home, also a Steven Dawson piece Love In A Cubicle almost sold out its entire 5 week season and laid the foundation for many successes to come. Since then we have gone from strength to strength. Taking bigger risks each time for the past 10 years we have embarked on tours to queer festivals in Perth and Adelaide, undertaken very successful sell out seasons of our shows in Edinburgh, Dublin, Manchester and London. All this as a completely unfunded company, given little financial assistance except through some very loyal sponsors and always at great risk of financial failure. But we persevere because we love the thing we do. Out Cast is now run on a production to production basis of 4 shows a year as well as touring commitments. We hope to see you at our next show.We invite you to join our emailing list to stay up-to-date with current productions. And please check out our sponsor links at the bottom of this page.

Coming Soon

July 10 - 21

Special Pre-Edinburgh Fringe season

10 shows only

A special pre-Edinburgh Fringe season of great theatre.

Dark & Twisted

2 plays by Steven Dawson

Monstrous Acts

In 1440 Frenchman Gilles De Rais was hanged and burned for the suspected deaths of almost 400 boys. A powerful re-imagining of the last days of one of history's most horrifying killers and his search for redemption through the love of another tortured soul. Poetic, erotic and moving, this visually stunning story of two men who, faced with their impending deaths, find love and forgiveness in each others' arms.
'Dark and intimate setting, serves well the narrative to come, which at times is unsettling but also poignant' - Stage Whispers.

Mr Braithwaite Has A New Boy [Abridged version]

Adoption, inheritance, a raunchy rentboy and one stressed-out pussy. Harold, a well-to-do but lonely older gentlemen takes up with young street prostitute, Johnny. With everyone after a slice of the pie, someone's bound to get it in the end... You'll never look at a choc-top in the same way again. 'Steven Dawson's latest outing is Queer as Folk meets Pretty Woman' - Stage Whispers.