Each month we like to spotlight one of the members of the Limelight Theatre community. This month, meet Tim Riessen, actor, musician and soon to be director!

Tim’s first experience of working in theatre was while he was living in Albany, where he was fortunate to land a role in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar. He found this to be a wonderful experience and, caught by the bug, managed to land roles in two other productions. This fuelled a desire to do more, so Tim started looking for further acting opportunities when he moved to Perth.

In 2013, Tim came across an audition notice in a local paper for Limelight Theatre’s production of The Phantom of the Opera. He was cast in a supporting role and hasn’t looked back since! Since Phantom of the Opera, Tim has performed in at least two shows a year at the Limelight, including Pride and Prejudice, The Glorious Old Time Music Hall, Don’t Shoot the Messenger and Blitz!. His favourite role, however, was playing Eli Whitney in 2014’s Anything Goes. ‘He was a fun character to play,’ says Tim. ‘He was a bit of a caricature.’ Tim also enjoyed the challenge of his role in 2015’s Speaking in Tongues, where he played several characters in marital strife.

Tim’s proudest theatrical moment, however, was when he was cast in his first leading role as Pa Larkin’s in The Darling Buds of May in 2015. ‘To carry this off and learn all the lines was definitely an achievement’.

Pat joined Wanneroo Repertory with his late wife Ann in 1982 when one day they stumbled upon the former Wanneroo Scout Hut at the Showgrounds and upon entering the “shed” found Kevin Lofthouse and Peter Lane, (both founding members and now sadly passed away), involved in constructing theatre flats and scenery for the next show for Wanneroo Repertory. “Were we interested in becoming involved with local community theatre?” they asked. The rest, as they say, is history.

Pat joined up immediately and his first duty for that show, played at The Civic Centre, was – guess what – Front of House! He was also heavily involved with the construction of the Limelight Theatre and was also involved on stage with productions both at the Civic Centre and Limelight, appearing on stage in Guys and Dolls, Music and Memories, Follies, Dracula Spectacula, Sister Bonaventure, King Tide Running and “probably others that I have forgotten!”

Early on, he stage managed a few shows and worked backstage and remembers fondly stage managing The Wizard of Oz with, (in the Civic Centre), “a 15-year-old Lisa McCune playing Dorothy and my big strapping 13-year-old son Kevin, as King of the Munchkins!” Other great memories Pat recalls are hosting the ITA One Act Drama Festival in the Civic Centre at Wanneroo Rep’s 10th Birthday and the opening of the Limelight with all the attendant pomp and ceremony and the obligatory dignitaries in attendance.

“I soon became aware that being a male and although I loved to sing (still do), singing, moving and remembering lines at the same time was not really my cup of tea (just ask Polly Waugh!)” In later years Pat took great enjoyment in operating sound and absolutely loved being involved front of house (which used to be under the stairs in the Limelight before the foyer was built! “Me and Debby Ainslie, what a team!” He has enjoyed both these positions for many, many years, and still does.

Pat’s only adventure “back on the boards” was recently being coaxed by Shelley to appear in The Grand Old Time Music Hall in 2016 when he enjoyed the singing immensely but still had big problems with movement! “Luckily,” he says, “there was enough great talent on stage for me to hide behind!”

“I realise that back when I joined Wanneroo Repertory, that was what you did, you “joined” a club. However, over time the concept of belonging to a theatre club has changed and nowadays people join to use the theatre space, show off their talents and move on to the next show when finished. That’s progress I suppose, but I still hanker for the old days when you were part of a large group with a common purpose all working to the same ends. There are, and always will be, “core” memberships to see the running of the club continue into the future, but being old fashioned, I still miss the “club” atmosphere and the many social get togethers we used to have. We were just like “family”.”