By Peter Searles

In 2024, the UC Dramatic Arts Club (UCDAC) performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the UC theatrette. The show was a success on multiple fronts. As well as entertaining audiences and giving UCDAC members the opportunity to perform, the show reinvigorated the club itself, drawing in new members who have carried the club into a new era. One of those new members is the club’s current president, Gemma, who recently spoke with Curieux about the period of resurgence the club is currently enjoying.

Gemma was one of many who were unaware that UC had a Dramatic Arts Club until she saw a call for auditions to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The show attracted a large number of auditions, and those who took part in the show have helped grow the club further through an expanded schedule of events and a stronger presence on social media.

When the run of A Midsummer Night’s Dream performances at UC’s theatrette was complete, Gemma (who is studying to be a teacher) made use of the connections she has made throughout her degree to arrange an encore performance of excerpts from the show to students at St Edmund’s College. The school performance was another success and UCDAC were soon invited to perform again for the school students. Always keen for more work to be involved in, they happily agreed. This time the club chose the looser, sillier and generally lower stakes option of a pantomime, which meant the show could come together quickly, even with the reduced numbers the club was contending with in the off-semester months.

UCDAC brings together a group of students with a shared passion for theatre. But Gemma told me that the social aspect of the club is an even more significant contributor to the loyalty of its membership than the opportunity to perform and produce shows. As well as sharing a love of creating and acting, the UCDAC members are a firm group of friends who just enjoy hanging out.

Recent social events have included an improv night and an evening of karaoke, and in semester 1 this year, the club hosted a showcase in which members and friends were invited to perform a song, dance, monologue or stand-up set. More events are expected soon, and that’s all on top of the club’s annual schedule of theatre productions.

The club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) is held at the beginning of each year, giving members the chance to vote for appointees to the club’s executive membership positions. But the AGM is also an opportunity for members to pitch their ideas for the club’s annual production. This year, the AGM attendees agreed on The House of Bernarda Alba, a relatively lesser known Spanish play, after a passionate and well prepared pitch from the show’s director won the club members over.

The House of Bernarda Alba is a period piece set in Spain in 1936 and tells the story of a family of women. The show has dark themes and an arty style, which UCDAC plan to take even further through adaptations which include an expansion of the cast to incorporate male as well as female characters. It’s another change of pace from the pantomime the club performed most recently, meaning that UCDAC members will gain even more experience taking on a variety of material. The House of Bernarda Alba also offers new challenges in terms of costume design. Those among the club membership who have experience with sewing have offered their skills to prepare the black dresses and veils that will be worn on stage.

The recent growth UCDAC has experienced means the club will move from one major production per year to two. So keep an eye out in semester 2 this year when the call for auditions for the semester 1 2026 show will be announced via the UCDAC Instagram page (@ucdramaticartsclub).

Although Gemma was not able to share what the first show of next year will be, she did say that the recent increased activity of the club has meant there is more funding available to potentially secure the rights for larger productions. Ideas for musicals with ensemble casts have been discussed with interest among the UCDAC membership.

While we wait for more announcements on that, we can start getting excited for The House of Bernarda Alba, set to be performed in the UC theatrette in week 8 of semester 2 2025. With ticket prices around $10, there should be no barrier to enjoying the results of months of creative work from this passionate club.

Follow the UC Dramatic Arts Club on Instagram (@ucdramaticartsclub) for all the latest information and visit their rubric page to become a member.

Society Spotlight: University of Canberra Dramatic Arts Club (UCDAC)

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