Life Member Interviews - Julie Leitz

Written by Grant Kennedy

I had the pleasure of catching up with Julie

and hearing about her time and work she has

done with FTG as well as other theatre companies.

Julie, married to John, was born at the Queen Victoria Hospital in Melbourne in 1955 and grew up in Coburg. Moving to Carrum in 1971 and then to Frankston in 1988.

Her interest in theatre started when she was very young and loved seeing live shows, however, her involvement started in 1989 when Julie went along, with a friend, to a familiarisation evening at FTG for Furtive Fortunes of Fickle Fate (Pictured with Tim White).

Julie was interested in doing props but President Rob Davies talked her into auditioning and she found herself performing in the chorus!

Julie then performed in eleven shows with FTG as well as PLOS, Astral, CEF and Rainbow until 1999. During this time she was involved in other aspects of FTG – costumes, props, front of house and served several years on the committee.

It was in 1999 that Julie went to Hudson, Ohio in USA and was married there to John, on the Village Green by the Mayor! They lived there for three years and then came back to Melbourne and settled down in Beaumaris….where they still are.

Dan Ellis and Julie in 1990 'Murder At The Music Hall'

One fo her favourite roles was Babette, a Magician's Assitant, in Murder At The Music Hall in 1990. This play was directed by Dan Ellis and had many a good laugh during that season!!

After returning to FTG in 2009, it was the costume department that was her real interest.

Julie said she loved the challenge of producing costimes for the many different eras of the plays allowing her to be creative and working with others to produce the finished result.

A few of her favourite plays to costume were The Importance of Being Earnest directed by Chris Davies in 2017, Tiptoe Through the Tombstones directed by Joyce Sedunary in 2015 and The Odd Couple (Female version) directed by Roy Thompson in 2016. These plays gave her the wonderful opportunities to be very creative.

As well as the creative side, she enjoyed the social side and interaction with the people she has met and the lasting friendships she has made being a part of FTG.

Over the past few years Julie became part of the Costume Team with CLOC. Some of the shows there that she has worked on are Chicago, Catch Me If You Can and Jersey Boys to name just a few.

Currently, Julie is part of a 23 person costume team for CLOC’s next show at the National Theatre The Hunchback of Notre Dame and is loving it!

.....And, as a Pearly

"MyFair Lady" 1992 with Marissa Tunks

PLOS's 'My Fair Lady' 1992. Julie is in the front with the biggest hat!

Julie has happy memories of the many shows she has been involved with, whether acting or with the production. It all started all those years ago in 1989 with FrankstonTheatre Group and Julie is still keeping busy working with costumes and theatre.