Rowan’s Story
Content warning: Rowan’s Story contains portrayals of domestic violence and sexual coercion
A visceral, heartfelt examination of a 17-year-old’s life as he explores his sexuality, discovers the intricacies of emotional relationships, and uncovers the meaning of his family’s violence. Rowan’s Story is a 45-minute play for a youth audience tackling crucial questions on gender equity in an Australia carved by partner violence. Rowan’s Story is inspired by student generated work and performance, making it a nuanced, funny, gut-clenching ride through the lives of young Australians, as they see it.
Cast
Louise Brehmer, Hattie Clegg-Robinson, Giuseppe D’Allura, Dimitri Politis
Playwright
Director
Dramaturg
Elaine Acworth
Bridget Boyle
Linda Hassall
Sound Design Morgan Francis
Lighting Design
Set and Costume Design
Fight/Intimacy Coordinator
Executive Producer
Associate Producer
Stage Manager
Videography
Teegan Kranenburg
Simona Cosentini
NJ Price
Erica Fryberg
Lauren Harvey
Stephen Rowan
Shaun Charles
Biographies
Louise Brehmer - Actor
Louise is an award winning actor with a career spanning over 25 years. Her theatre credits include Tiddas (La Boite/Brisbane Festival/Sydney Festival), The Tempest (Brisbane Shakespeare Festival), and The Holidays (Queensland Theatre) among many others. Louise is a professional improviser and voice over artist (current campaign: QLD Gov Cost of Living Action Plan). She is a Clown Doctor for The Humour Foundation, and a highly experienced Teaching Artist. Louise is a graduate of the Acting Program at QUT and has trained in the U.S.A. with Shakespeare and Company.
Hattie Clegg-Robinson - Actor
Brought up in west Meanjin, Hattie trained for fourteen years in classical ballet and contemporary dance. She joined Brisbane City Youth ballet company for eight seasons. Since graduating from NIDA’s BFA Acting program in 2022 she took part in the creative development of Telethon Kid at Malthouse Theatre and made her professional debut in The Norman Mailer Anecdote at Queensland Theatre.
Giuseppe D’Allura - Actor
Giuseppe is a Brisbane-born actor with roots in Sicily and Philadelphia, USA. He is a recent gradate of the WAAPA Acting program, where he won Best Actor at the annual film Gala for the Screen Academy. His recent theatre credits include a tour of Twelfth Night (Fremantle Theatre Company). Recent screen credits include Play Dirty (Servo Production Services), Apple Cider Vinegar (SeeSaw) and Chasing Lemons (The Colour Series).
Dimitri Politis - Actor
Dimitri graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from QUT in 2022. During his studies, he had the opportunity to collaborate with directors Wesley Enoch on his final-year play and Bridget Boyle in the production of Angels in America. Before embarking on his university journey, Dimitri was a member of the Queensland Theatre Youth Ensemble from 2016 to 2018.
Linda Hassall - Dramaturg
Linda has over 30 years experience as a director, playwright and dramaturg. Published plays include Motel Chronicles, Salvation, A Contemporary Hymn and Post Office Rose. She recently published Theatre of Dust: Climate Gothic analysis of contemporary Australian plays which dedicates a chapter to Elaine Acworth’s Water Wars. She has directed work at Metro Arts and La Boite. Awards include: Matilda Award for Best New Play, and top 10 finalist Queensland Premiers Drama Award. She is the Theatre Field of Study Coordinator a Deputy Program Director at Griffith University.
Morgan Francis - Sound Design
Morgan is a composer, sound designer and Matilda Award nominated actor. A QUT Fine Arts (Acting) graduate, his credits include Lysa and the Freeborn Dames (La Boite), Boy, Lost. (Belloo Creative) and numerous creative developments at Queensland Theatre and Dead Puppet Society. As a composer, Morgan worked on critically acclaimed The Norman Mailer Anecdote (Queensland Theatre) and with Wesley Enoch on Dan Evans’ JOAN MUST DIE*. Morgan is also lead singer/songwriter in Lost Goat Found, a Brisbane rock four-piece with multiple singles and a studio EP.
Teegan Kranenburg - Lighting Design
Teegan is a lighting designer and production manager based in Brisbane/Meanjin. They hold a Bachelor of Arts (Contemporary and Applied Theatre) from Griffith University and have collaborated with companies such as Counterpilot, Flipside Circus, and Brisbane Festival. Teegan is currently the Production Manager at La Boite Theatre. Recent projects include lighting design for Matriarchs and [gameboy] at Metro Arts’ DANCE24, The Norman Mailer Anecdote at Queensland Theatre, and She with Indelability Arts.
Simona Cosentini - Set and Costume Design
Simona is a set and costume designer from Naples, Italy. After studying Fine Arts in Scenography in Bologna, she honed her skills with theatre companies in Italy. Since moving to Cairns, she has collaborated with major theatre companies across QLD and the Northern Territory. Her work spans traditional and contemporary mediums, focusing on sustainability and VR in set design. Recently, she expanded her skills as a co-writer, cultural consultant, and producer on Lucky and the Flight of the Sky Puppies.
NJ Price - Fight/Intimacy Coordinator
NJ trained in Acting and Music Theatre at Mountview Academy in London, developing a passion for stage combat. She is a teacher with the British Academy of Dramatic Combat and The Society of Australian Fight Directors. NJ is a regular fight choreographer with Queensland Theatre, QUT, Griffith Conservatorium and many independent theatre companies. NJ integrates psychology into her work, including trauma therapy and how childhood experiences affect adult behaviour. NJ’s other creative work is writing and performing as lead vocalist for Brisbane-based heavy rock band Burst By Sun.
Erica Fryberg - Executive Producer
Erica brings extensive experience as an Editorial Manager, Artist Manager and Creative Producer, from arts organisations nationally including Opera Australia, Sydney Symphony, Sydney Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company, Musica Viva and Opera Queensland. Her mentorship oversees Assembly of Elephants’ Associate Producer.
Lauren Harvey - Associate Producer
Lauren is an actor, writer, and producer currently completing her Arts Queensland industry placement. A recent graduate of QUT Acting, her performance credits include David Williamson’s Aria (Noosa Arts Theatre), JOAN MUST DIE* (Gardens Theatre) and The Haptic Visions (Metro Arts). In 2024 she was awarded the Adelaide Fringe Fund for her play Call Girls. The show’s web series adaptation received official selection at Melbourne Web Fest.
Stephen Rowan - Stage Manager
Stephen has had a career spanning over thirty years in the theatre industry as an actor, singer, writer, director, stage manager, production manager, tour manager and producer of new work by emerging writers.In the tertiary sector, Stephen lectured in stage management and production management within Griffith University’s Contemporary and Applied Theatre degree.
THANK YOU
To Alex Conway, White Ribbon Australia, and the Federal National Strategy Team for their ongoing support of Rowan’s Story, particularly in providing resources regarding gender based violence. To La Boite theatre for loan of technical equipment.
Special thanks to Amy Kallis, and the dedicated drama staff at Yeronga State High School.
Elaine Acworth - Artistic Director, Assembly of Elephants, Playwright
Co-founder of Assembly of Elephants, Elaine creates award-winning plays and mentors emerging playwrights. She has been commissioned by both State and independent theatre companies in Australia and produced at London’s Hackney Empire, Edinburgh Festival and Comédie Française. She works in live performance, audio and video, and teaches specialist workshops in class environments at secondary and tertiary levels.
Bridget Boyle - Artistic Director, debase productions, Director
Co-founder of Debase Productions, Bridget is an Australian director focusing on comedy and gender. She has directed for Brisbane Festival, Queensland Theatre, and State Theatre Company of South Australia, and holds a doctorate in Drama.
Assembly of Elephants
Assembly of Elephants (AoE) creates new performance work in live theatre, digital capture and audio. We seek out ideas that demand an audience. Working with schools, we engage young people and use drama as a means to interrogate their world and change ours for the better. We bring together wellbeing and justice organisations with creatives and educators in an ecology for social change with performance at its heart.
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