Calypso Theatre: A sexy new era for local productions on the Downs

Toowoomba playwright, David Searston launches Calypso Theatre Co, a new local theatre production company with a bold, fresh take on small town stage shows.

CENTRE STAGE: Toowoomba playwright David Searston has recently launched a new local Theatre Company called Calypso Theatre Co. Picture: Nev Madsen

Despite his plays becoming sell out successes at the Empire Theatre and stage hits in New York City, Toowoomba born and bred playwright and thespian David Searston still calls the Garden City home.

Local Toowoomba playwright David Searston. Picture: Nev Madsen

Now the 32-year-old is excited to launch his biggest project to date right here inside one of his favourite childhood haunts, the old Railway Hall on Bellevue Street.

“My dad is a coal train driver so I spent a lot of time growing up and playing here as a kid,” he said.

“I even had my 30th birthday here with a 70s theme which suits the era the hall was built in.”

Now the old hall is having a new life brought to it as it becomes the headquarters for Searston’s Calypso Theatre Company.

“It’s been a personal project I’ve kept close to my chest for more than six months now but I feel like I’m ready to share it with the wider Toowoomba community and start getting the word out there,” he said.

Local Toowoomba playwright David Searston has created the Calypso Theatre Co. Monday, August 16, 2021. Picture: Nev Madsen.

“The name came to me as I was thinking about what I wanted the theatre company to be, sexy, fun, fresh, exciting and modern and I felt like Calypso Theatre sums all of that up pretty well.”

Searston formerly ran Mostly Standing Theatre Co in collaboration with fellow local theatre star Elizabeth Schneidewin, but the theatre company was forced to disband following Liz’s unfortunate diagnosis with multiple sclerosis.

“Liz and I put on several great productions together with Mostly Standing and formed a really tight knit theatre company together so it was hard to disband, but I felt the time was right to start something on my own and keep writing and producing local theatre for Toowoomba,” he said.

The University of Southern Queensland theatre graduate soared to international recognition in 2017 when his comedy The Friendzone premiered in Toowoomba and in New York and again when his play Bananas was published and performed to sell out crowds at the Empire Theatre.

Toowoomba playwright David Searston has recently lanched a new local theatre company called Calypso Theatre Co. with plans to take productions right across the Darling Downs. Picture: Nev Madsen

“I think Toowoomba needs more live theatre and stage productions and my ultimate dream is to have my very own theatre right here in Toowoomba but for now the Railway Hall is home and Calypso Theatre Co already has big things in the works,” he said.

“We will start auditions and rehearsals in March next year for the rejuvenated Shakespeare in the Park theatre festival during the 2022 Carnival of Flowers and in the meantime I’m also returning to the stage in the Rep Theatre’s production, One Slight Hitch and my first film script, The Outback Hipsters is being filmed by local director Andrew Foley.”

Searston said he’s also currently working on new material for Calypso, with plenty of funny, dramatic and emotional content flowing onto the page for future projects.

To get in touch with Searston and stay up to date with all things Calypso Theatre Company, head to his Instagram page @searstonds.