Die, Mommie Die!
Die, Mommie, Die! by Charles Busch is a campy, melodramatic parody of 1960s Hollywood thrillers, following a washed-up movie star desperate to escape her suffocating marriage and rekindle passion with her younger lover. When her husband uncovers the affair, a chain of deceit, murder, and family betrayal unfolds. Blending farce, drag performance, and noir-inspired intrigue, the play serves as a darkly comic homage to the glamour, scandal, and excess of old Hollywood melodrama.
Details
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Die, Mommie Die! is a delicious contradiction. It's a play that revels in excess while quietly holding a mirror up to the world we still live in.
At first glance, its world of faded glamour, scandal, sex, and poison feels heightened, almost absurd. But beneath the rhinestones and razor-sharp wit lies something strikingly familiar. Fame is still currency. Youth is still commodified. Women, particularly those in the public eye, are still scrutinised, discarded, and mythologised. The machinery of celebrity that surrounds Angela Arden is not a relic of the past; it has simply evolved, becoming faster, louder, and far more unforgiving.
What makes this play so irresistible is its unapologetic embrace of melodrama. We leaned into that fully in our process. Every glance lingers too long, every secret simmers just beneath the surface, and every revelation lands with theatrical precision. Rather than shy away from the heightened style, we chose to honour it, to treat the stakes as life-or-death, because for these characters, they absolutely are.
The script is bursting with pop culture references that anchor it firmly in a particular era of Hollywood excess, yet those references also serve as a bridge to now. They remind us that we are still fascinated by celebrity implosions, still consuming scandal as entertainment, still complicit in building, and destroying icons.
In rehearsal, we found immense joy in diving into this world. It's a place where glamour masks desperation, where love and manipulation are often indistinguishable, and where a perfectly timed martini can be as dangerous as any weapon. It is camp, yes, but this is camp served shaken, not stirred.
At its core, Die, Mommie Die! asks us to consider the cost of performance not just on stage, but in life. What does it take to maintain an image? Who do we become when we are constantly being watched? And perhaps most chillingly, what happens when the role we are playing begins to consume us?
So tonight, we invite you to indulge in the spectacle, to laugh, to gasp, and to revel in the chaos. But beneath the sequins and the scandal, there may be something uncomfortably close to home.
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Strong Language
Sexual References
Drug Refernces
A prop gun is used
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Angela Arden: Izabela Wasilewska
Tony Parker: Hayden Parsons
Bootsie Carp: Susan O’Toole Cridland
Edith Sussman: Rachel M.J
Lance Sussman: Matthew Wethling
Sol Sussman: Al Bromback
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Director: Wayne McPhee
Stage Manager: Al Brombeck
Designer: Brigitte Bennet
Intimacy Co-Ordinator: Heidi Gledhill
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Creative Futures Photography
“Midnight Social’s production of Die, Mommie Die!, is a reason to get down to Milton’s PIP Theatre. McPhee has selected an excellent play, chosen a great venue, attracted a talented cast, and created a gem of a show.”
Read the full review here
Cast
Izabela Wasilewska
as Angela Arden
Izabela holds an Advanced Diploma of Screen & Stage Acting from the Actor’s Conservatory in Brisbane, as well as a Psychology degree from The University of Queensland. She has acted in a variety of shows over the years; some notable mentions include ‘Accidental Death of an Anarchist’ at PIP Theatre, ‘The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery’ and ‘Barefoot in the Grass’ with Thrive Productions, ‘Psycho Beach Party’ with X Collective at PIP Theatre, ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ as Nurse Ratched with Ghostlight Theatre Company, she has performed as Cherry in ‘Cosi’ twice! – once with Brisbane Arts Theatre and again with Ghostlight Theatre Company, she has played Titania in Brisbane Art’s Theatre’s earlier run of ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in 2008, she has played Henrietta in Agatha Christie’s ‘The Hollow’ with Stage Door Theatre, As Anna in ‘Closer’ and Kate in ‘The Removalists’, both with Brisbane Arts Theatre, in ‘Mania’ with MAP Theatre Co at Metro Arts Theatre,
Hayden Parsons
as Tony Parker
Hayden is a 25 year old artist who has been acting for the past 8 years. In that time he has graced the screen and stage in over 25 productions. He most recently starred in Sun and Wine Arts production ‘For the Sake of Love’. You may have also seen him over the last year In Brisbane Arts ‘Cliff Notes of Insanity’ as the Dread Pirate Robert’s, Sun and Wine Arts ‘Blue’ as Elias or Villanova Players ‘The Great Gatsby’ as the titular character.
When Hayden isn’t on the stage or screen he is in the classroom. Having trained with Teachers such as Brad McMurray, Peter Kent, Melissa Agnew, Peter Rasmussen, Rob Horton and most recently Michaeala Da Costa at creating artists, Hayden has acquired a wealth of knowledge in this performing art.
Hayden is very excited for his next production Die Momma Die and especially the people he is going to share the stage with.
Susan O’Toole Cridland
as Bootsie Carp
Under the mentor-ship of some exceptional directors, although primarily an actor, she soon discovered a real passion for directing. Being able to share with actors what Susan was fortunate to be taught by people who were skilled in this craft soon became an obsession.
Directing credits include Cinderella, The Wish Granter, After January, Summer of the Aliens, Cosi, The Breakfast Club, Ruby Moon, Blackrock, Fame and various one act shows on the South East Qld Drama Festival circuit.
As an actor, her stage performances include roles in Dags, Mother Courage, Night Mother, Slaughter on St Teresa's Day, The Glass Menagerie, Harp in the South and she made a rare return to stage most recently in Steel Magnolias. She has won awards on the South East Drama Festival circuit for her performances in Seeds, Who the Fuck is Erica Price and for writing and performing in Void, and was a Gold Palm Award finalist for Best Director for Ruby Moon
Rachel MJ
as Edith Sussman
After studying for 7 years Rachel M.J quit pursuing her PhD in Psychology for something more realistic. Since, she has frequently been type cast as a murderess, or something in that wheelhouse. Her partner - who plays her brother in this production - does not find this concerning.
Matthew Wethling
as Lance Sussman
Matthew spends most of his time behind the scenes, working as the lighting or tech guy. After acting in "They came from beyond" in 2017 and "Don't you forget about me" in 2018. Matthew decided that behind the scenes was where his skills could truly shine. Returning for another act in 2020 "Lost in the post", he has since become a skilled Producer, Director and AV Technician.
Until one fateful day his partner plucked him for the lightbox, threw him on stage, and demanded he play her brother in an up-and-coming theatre show. "This is our big break" she said to him. We shall see.
Al Bromback
as Sol Sussman
Al Bromback is a veritable theatre all-rounder. They are equally comfortable on stage and off. They've worked with many professional and community theatres across South East Queensland in various roles around the theatre - from operator to stage manager to actor to marketing. Their recent acting credits include Hugh Damann in Flaming Carnation's 'Blow The Men Down', Susan in Nash Theatre's 'Veronica's Room', and Lucy in Spadewerx's 'Secret Bridesmaids Business'. They've also made several appearances in Legend's Unrolled TTRPG improv live shows. They may also be cursed, they've regularly been called on to take the stage last minute in shows they were meant to only stage manage.