New production and events company debuts at Busselton Fringe

A new Busselton-based events and production company will be delivering its debut production at this year’s Busselton Fringe festival.

Unknown Productions and Events will be staging two performances of a short one-act play called Ashes to Dust.

Liana Kelly-Regan from Busselton is a co-founder and has been involved with theatre for more than 10 years.

She said the beginning of UPE could be traced back to 2023’s Fringe Festival.

“A group of us got together to stage a Rocky Horror interactive movie night, we had a great time, so we decided to see if we could (be) doing similar things,” she said.

Busselton-based business owner Ash Jackson was also involved in staging the Rocky Horror event.

“I really enjoyed working with Liana on the concept for the Fringe event. Producing something a bit different, a bit left of field really appealed to me, the idea for UPE came out of that event,” she said.

“With UPE, we are aiming to put on smaller, more diverse shows, and utilise some of the many venues we have around town.

“We would like to give people a chance to take part in theatre, all aspects, lighting, costumes, acting, we want people to come and have a go.”

The production team and the cast have been working hard on their debut production for weeks.

“Ashes to Dust will be our debut show, its a really funny script, with a very small cast,” Jackson said.

“The director is really getting the best out of the cast.”

Louise Bell, director of the debut show, said all the firsts were expected to be less than ideal but in reality had been a “dream”.

“Take a debut show for a company, throw in a debut regional performance with a debut director and a debuting actor, and that itself could sound like a farce,” she said.

“But in actuality it has turned out to be a dream on every level.

“We have a great cast, great team, great show, all of which is leading up to what will be a night of great laughs.

“I am privileged to have been at the helm.”

There will be two shows only — one on March 22 and the other on March 23.

They start at 8pm at YCAB on Foreshore Parade.