In an unassuming terrace house in a quiet street, in a quaint country town in New South Wales, hangs an extraordinary collection of enchanting theatrical costumes.
This is the home of the Wellington Amateur Theatrical Society, which first entertained patrons in 1910.
Some of these costumes are more than 100 years old, and to walk between the racks of vintage clothing is like taking a stroll through Oklahoma!, a skip down the yellow brick road in The Wizard of Oz, or a scamper through the streets of 1930s New York with Annie.
Now, as newly minted director Julie Hancock prepares to present Little Shop of Horrors to the residents of Wellington, on the state's Central Western Slopes, she's hoping to find inspiration among these outfits.
"You can look around, and pretty much any show we've done over the last 100 years is represented here in our little costume house," Julie said.
"The ladies that run this costume house, if you ask for something, they can go and put their hand exactly on it, which I find incredible because there's so much stuff."
Behind the curtain
The society is made up of volunteers, and for many years theatre in Wellington comprised two groups, the Wellington Drama group and the Wellington Musical Society.
Throughout the 1930s the two groups operated as one, putting on the musical production of High Jinks in 1930 and a drama production in 1934 called It Pays to Advertise.
By May 1994, both groups had officially merged to become the Wellington Amateur Theatrical Society — also known as WATS.
For the first time in more than a century, the society was forced to cancel its productions in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.
Despite the setbacks, the society has remained strong and dedicated to its mission, returning in 2022 with the performance of The Sound of Rodgers and Hammerstein.
"Peter Pan was one that they're still talking about," Julie reminisces.
"It's funny, I meet kids that were in Peter Pan and are now going to university and they remember it so fondly.
"That's why it's so important we keep going, because you give those children a bit of a taste of showbiz, who knows what might happen."
Lifelong skills
For Julie and many other members of the society, the experience of being part of a production is more than just a hobby. It's an opportunity to develop skills that are useful both on and off stage.
"I remember I did a lot of amateur theatre when I was younger. But then when I went into the business world, it's the same thing," she said.
"A good manager is like a good director, and he or she knows how to get the best out of a group of people.
"So you do take those skills you learn, like teamwork, into the wider world."
Keeping the show going
Beyond personal development, the society plays an important role in fostering a love for the performing arts in the community.
"It's like being part of a great soccer or football team, you've basically got a group of people with one aim, and that's to put on a show at the end of it.
"But there's three months of really hard work to get to that point, and for some it's that first sense of going through that process.
"Then there's the accomplishment of that end result, and who doesn't love a whole audience clapping and cheering at the end. It doesn't matter what age you are, it's fantastic."
However, the society is always in need of fresh faces to help keep the show going.
"No matter if it's us, or if it's the Wellington Race Club or the Art Society, having a strong volunteer committee is crucial to it happening," Julie explained.
"If the next generation doesn't come through, then it doesn't happen, we don't exist."
