At the centre of Bairnsdale Production Line Theatre Company’s production of The Heartbreak Choir is, naturally, the choir itself.
Written by acclaimed Australian playwright Aidan Fennessy, and opening this month on Friday, October 17, the play is set in a small-town community hall where singing becomes the unlikely glue binding together a group of fractured lives.
The Heartbreak Choir begins with a small choir taking stock of its decisions, after breaking away from a larger, longstanding ensemble when an emotionally charged disagreement left friendships strained and loyalties divided. What begins as a tentative and uncertain venture gradually grows into something far greater: a new choir, defined not by conflict but by connection, resilience and the healing power of singing together.
Guiding the vocals in this play about singing, are choral directors Will Hardy and Etienne Goessens.
Most recently, Etienne had a starring role in a Traralgon production of Mamma Mia and prior to that was part of Production Line’s highly successful 2025 season of Come From Away, which also included Will in the main cast. Both bring extensive vocal and musical experience, with an instinctive understanding of how harmonies can lift not only a production, but also the people at its centre.
“The fictional choir’s journey really rings true for the cast too.
At first, they were all finding their way
and it was messy, tentative, and sometimes frustrating. But that process is exactly what the characters go through in the play,” Etienne said.
“As we’ve worked together, listened harder and trusted each other more, the sound the singers make reflects that process perfectly. It’s a perfect mirror of the story we’re telling on stage.”
In a special addition to the main cast, joining them on stage in the final scene will be members of two of East Gippsland’s local choirs, The Alleycats and the newly-formed the Phoenix Singers.
Their appearance on stage bridges theatre and reality, underscoring the play’s themes of community and reminding audiences that the spirit of singing together is very much alive in our own small towns.
Jo De Boer is a member of both the Phoenix Singers and the Alleycats and this is her first time on stage with Production Line.
“It’s a great chance to be part of a local production, even if it is a very minor part, and to sing with other local community members. A really joyous opportunity and I’m genuinely pleased to be able to support our local theatre community,” Jo said.
The result promises to be a stirring finale, as the world of the play and the world outside it meet in one shared moment of harmony.
“There’s something magical about watching this fictional choir find its voice,” Will said.
“At the start they’re hesitant, fractured, and still carrying the weight of what’s divided them. But as the play progresses, so does their confidence and resilience. By the end, they’ve found something much bigger than themselves. Hearing the harmonies our local real-life choirs create with the cast in the final minutes is absolutely my favourite part.”
The Heartbreak Choir will be performed at The Forge Theatre for six shows only, opening on Friday, October 17, and closing with a final matinee on Sunday, October 26. Opening night profits will be donated to Bairnsdale Neighbourhood House, and patrons attending the premiere will
also enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbly and a scrumptious supper provided by New Leaf Café.
Further information can be found on the Forge Theatre and Production Line websites and Facebook pages.
