'It's about momentum': What's in store for IO Performance this year?

The new season from the local theatre production company was launched alongside a community open day on Saturday, with preparations for the first play of the year already in motion.

Headed by co- founders and artistic directors Grace Roberts and Chris Jackson, the pair said 2024 was about growth.

"We feel like at this point in IO's life, this was the right time to ramp up and put on more shows and workshops," Mrs Roberts said.

"We've got five shows this year which we have done previously, but these are five full shows with full casts ... anywhere between two and 30 actors."

Mr Jackson said they wanted to shift their focus to expanding and growing not only themselves, but the community around them.

"For the actors, performers, technicians and designers involved in the works that we do; the growth serves them as well," Mr Jackson said.

"It's about momentum for everybody."

Along with the shows, IO is expanding their acting and directing workshops, with the addition of five new programs: Inspire, IO Flow, CURioUS, RioT Act and Scene It.

Mr Jackson said the new additions came from feedback from the community.

"All of these expansions of workshops actually come from feedback and inquiries from people that attend our workshops and have asked for more," he said.

While they have no plans to move behind the green doors on Cimitiere Street, Mrs Roberts said they were "bursting at the seams a little bit."

"We're a little bit too big for it but that's a good problem to have," she said.

"But this is where we make the art, because it's also our rehearsal space as well as our performance space, all those moments that happen in rehearsal which are so special live here."

As for this year's five shows, audiences can expect a variety of genre on the stage.

"They're all very different plays, topics, genres and styles; I would say that each of the plays that have been curated for this year have very current themes to the society that we live in as well," Mr Jackson said.

Long time IO Performance member Imogen Storm will take on an acting coaching role this year for the first time, and said she offered guidance for actors looking to make their skills more "fine tuned".

"Especially depending how they want to navigate their career within the industry, and then themselves as an artist," Ms Storm said.

"After performing here, and then in the mainland, and then overseas, I've always come back because I love how niche IO are and how they take risks.

"I think some of the best art that you can witness is ones where you don't know what they say but you remember how you felt."

The first play from IO Performance of 2024, The Effect, premieres March 15 and runs until the 23^rd.