Dr Alison Lancey provides plenty of direction in her day-to-day duties as a GP and medical educator, but those skills will take on new meaning this weekend when she takes the helm in her first theatre production.
Dr Lancey will be among more than a dozen directors showcasing their short, sharp and original one-act plays as part of the Lake Macquarie One Act Play Festival, brought to life across two sessions by local performing artists.
The Saturday 6 April festival at Warners Bay Theatre, baramayiba, features almost $2000 in prizemoney, with a panel of expert judges handing out awards for most outstanding play performance, outstanding actor and youth actor encouragement award.
Dr Lancey said her play, The Agency, was "a comedy about how we can let bad relationships unconsciously turn us into shadows of ourselves".
"I work in the area of domestic and family violence, and I wanted to find a way to explore the themes around more subtle forms of abuse in relationships in a way that was accessible to everyone," she said.
"While that seems like a difficult subject to turn into a comedy, it's my hope that it prompts the audience to have conversations about healthy relationships with their friends and family."
Dr Lancey said she was "nervous but very excited" about presenting her work to a live audience.
"My talented cast have worked incredibly hard and have been so generous of their time through the rehearsal process making my first directing experience a dream," she said.
"I hope the audience laughs loudly and enjoys themselves throughout as much as I have."
This year's festival will be presented in two parts, with the first session starting at 1pm, and the second at 4.30pm.
Festival Director Charlotte De Wit said the event presented opportunities for artistic expression, community involvement and the celebration of local performing arts.
"I'm confident that with the support of our talented performers, dedicated volunteers, and enthusiastic audiences, this event will be a resounding success that leaves a lasting impact on all who participate," she said.
Go to arts.lakemac.com.au
