The Gillett family are 'accidental thespians' who love performing together

James, Brenda and John Gillett are in the 15-person cast for The Red Door Theatre Company Inc.'s upcoming production 'Agatha Crusty'.

Brenda and John are making their stage debut, while James is returning to the stage with the company. It was James' passion for theatre which brought the family together on stage.

James has ADNP syndrome - a rare intellectual disability - and has a burning desire to be on stage performing.

"James' main ambition in life is to get up on stage," John said.

The theatre company has previously written non-verbal roles into the script for James to perform, however for Agatha Crusty, James has lines he is excited to deliver.

"James was invited by the theatre community, which is so rare and so beautiful," Brenda said.

"To be accepted whole-heartedly by a group of people, for him, is wonderful.

"We are seeing him shine in his own right."

However, the family never intended on performing together.

Brenda would attend rehearsals to help out and support James, often filling in for absent actors during script read-throughs.

When the company needed an actress to play the cleaner, she stepped into her acting debut.

John said he was "caught by the ankles trying to get out of the door" when another actor pulled out and so also agreed to a role.

"We are reluctant thespians," John said. "Accidental thespians," Brenda added.

However, the experience has been nothing but a joy for the family.

Brenda often just sits on stage and enjoys the performance happening around her, so engrossed in the theatre she forgets she is a part of it.

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Brenda said being able to do something together as a family which was James' passion was wonderful.

"Everything else, we've had to take James along, but now he's drawn us into his interest," she said.

"We've found something that is James' - he's initiated it - and we've been introduced into his life as a family.

"It's wonderful for us to do something together that is his thing."

With just more than a week until opening night, the debutants are starting to feel nervous but are looking forward to putting all their hard work on display.

"The Red Door Theatre company put on community plays for the community," John said.

"I think this will be the best performance yet."

The shows are:

For more information, visit The Moruya Red Door Theatre Facebook.