Cairns children and families can look forward to an extra sprinkling of Christmas magic this year, with the premiere of a heart-warming new play

Roland Thring And The Year All His Christmases Came At Once by Rod Ainsworth will show at the JUTE Theatre in Cairns from December 16-19, as part of JUTE’s Indie Season.

The play is being professionally produced by Bundaberg-based Creative Regions, a non-profit company working towards seeing regional communities thriving through creativity.

It is the enchanting story of Roland Thring, a boy who is hit by lightning climbing up his father’s HAM radio tower and finds, after this near-death experience, that he has an unusual gift.

Director Rod Ainsworth, designer Dominie Hooper and composer Peter Rankine will bring Roland’s tale to life with all the magic of theatre.

"It’s very much a play about how we connect as people and the theatre’s a great place to do that," Rod says. "It’ll be an hour where kids, parents and grandparents can all take delight in storytelling."

One of the country’s most respected dramaturges, Peter Matheson, has been involved in the development of Roland Thring and said that it’s a play for the child inside all of us.

"It is a clever and heart-warming play with strong theatricality, a dark edge and a velvety centre," he says.

"Its idiosyncratic humour, pace and core make for great entertainment."

n Roland Thring And The Year All His Christmases Came At Once is showing at JUTE Theatre, 96 Abbott St, Cairns, from December 16-19. There are three shows a day at 10am, 2pm and 6.30pm and family discounts are available for pre-bookings (four tickets for the price of three). To book, head to www.ticketlink.com.au or phone 1300 855 835.

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