The & Juliet musical in Wagga was directed by Michael Mitchell. Photo: Adam Wilson.
A costly legal dispute between Wagga’s School of Arts Community Theatre and former director Michael Mitchell has been sent to mediation, with the future of the case to be considered by the Supreme Court next month.
The proceedings, which stem from the theatre’s 2025 production of & Juliet, have been referred to mediation before 30 October.
The matter will return to the Supreme Court for a directions hearing on 6 November if it has not been resolved.
The latest development comes after Mr Mitchell challenged findings made by the theatre organisation following complaints about his conduct while directing the musical.
Under orders made in September, the mediation will cover all issues in the proceedings, including whether the findings challenged by Mr Mitchell should be withdrawn, set aside or otherwise cease to remain on SoACT’s records.
The legal dispute began after complaints were made about Mr Mitchell following the production, which ran in Wagga in September and October 2025.
The complaints included allegations that he used “non-inclusive” and “shame based” language and failed to meet marketing obligations.
Mr Mitchell has denied the allegations and previously criticised the way SoACT handled the complaints process.
In a statement published on Facebook, he alleged the committee had not properly investigated the complaints and had acted on broad allegations without verifying them.
He also challenged the committee’s decision to suspend his membership, arguing the process was inconsistent with SoACT’s constitution, code of conduct and legal obligations.
His internal appeal against the suspension was unsuccessful before he took the dispute to the Supreme Court.
Mr Mitchell initially sought orders including the appointment of an independent arbitrator, reinstatement of his membership rights while the dispute was dealt with, and access to a range of SoACT documents.
He also sought an order that SoACT pay his legal costs.
The proceedings have already generated significant legal costs for the volunteer-run theatre organisation.
At an earlier hearing, SoACT was represented by Wagga lawyer Kevin Foley, while Mr Mitchell initially represented himself before engaging Sydney lawyer Milan Cikic.
In June, Justice David Hammerschlag allowed Mr Mitchell to amend his legal claim, with the matter originally scheduled to return to court in September.
However, those September listings were vacated and the parties moved into mediation.
The court has also reserved the question of costs arising from the proceedings.
Mr Mitchell did not respond to Region‘s questions about the latest development.
SoACT, one of regional NSW’s longest-running community theatre organisations, has also declined to comment.
However, there are growing concerns among members about the financial toll of the legal battle, with questions about how long the volunteer-run organisation can afford to continue defending a costly case in the Supreme Court.
Despite the ongoing legal dispute, SoACT has continued to stage productions.
Its recent program included Icecream, a satirical drama by British playwright Caryl Churchill, which was staged on Sundays in August.
The play follows a middle-class American couple visiting England who connect with their working-class British relatives, before a violent outburst has unforeseen consequences for both families.
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