Black Swan State Theatre Company 2014 Education brochure

E ducat ion S e a s on

2014

PRINCIPAL Partner

Regional & Education Partner

Onstage st u d e n t tic k e ts

a message From the

Artistic Director ”A line can be straight, or a street, but the human heart, oh, no, it’s curved like a road through mountains.” Tennessee Williams

O

ur hearts are irrational, chaotic, powerful, passionate, pulsing with love and hate. Our rational minds guide us down the straight line, the road that should be taken, the system that must be followed. But our hearts take us on journeys of discovery and misadventure. The battle for dominance between chaos and order, savagery and civility makes for great theatre, and is central to our 2014 season.

Kate Cherry artistic director

STUDENT TICKET PRICES

Production

The House on The Lake

We are proud to bring artists of this calibre to the people of Western Australia. This season of drama is sultry, scintillating and downright hilarious, a cri de coeur to live our lives as fully as we can and to share them with strangers as well as with friends. So nestle into the beautiful seats at the State Theatre Centre, and wait for a moment of illusion, or perhaps a moment of truth.

S C H O O L G RO U P B O O K I N G S Black Swan’s school group booking period opens via Ticketek Group Bookings on 11 November 2013. When purchasing individual tickets through Ticketek, secondary and tertiary students must show student identification.

Laughter on the 23rd Floor

So wind your way through the education brochure to see what delights the Heath Ledger and the Studio Underground hold for you, and you’ll see names like Anton Chekhov, Alison van Reeken, Stuart Halusz, Chrissie Parrott and Michael Loney, to name just a few.

Advance payment is required for subscription bookings.

The Seagull

In the Studio Underground we celebrate the inaugural work of the Black Swan Lab with a new play by Aidan Fennessy, who won such acclaim for his play National Interest.

Select two or three of the Heath Ledger Theatre productions for 10 or more students, and add The House on The Lake on to your subscription for more experimental theatre!

As You Like It

Powerful women dominate the Heath Ledger this year, as the ever beautiful Sigrid Thornton brings her melancholy and grace to Blanche DuBois, the scintillating Greta Scacchi sizzles as Arkadina and the delightful Jovana Miletic as Rosalind dazzles from court to forest and back again.

S chool S u bsc r iptio n s Black Swan’s exclusive School Subscription booking period opens on 15 October 2013. Book early via Ticketek Group Bookings to avoid disappointment!

A Streetcar Named Desire

Black Swan is proud to present a dynamic combination of emerging artists, familiar Western Australian talent and nationally acclaimed stars for this year’s student season. On the Heath Ledger stage we have three classics, A Streetcar Named Desire, As You Like It and The Seagull; and a contemporary comedy, Laughter on the 23rd Floor.

Secondary and tertiary students have access to subsidised tickets for the five student season productions for 2014 (A Streetcar Named Desire, As You Like It, The Seagull, Laughter On The 23rd Floor and The House on The Lake).

Free student ticket / 10 purchased

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Student Price

$31.50

Subscription price

$28

(2 or 3 plays)

Free teacher ticket / 10 purchased

$29 $27 (addon only)

Yes

PA REN T P R I C E T I C KE T S Parents can access a special discount, the $49.90 or $54.90 parents price tickets, if their child is attending a Black Swan performance as part of a school group booking. Schools must book these tickets as part of the school group booking (maximum of two tickets per family).

Sigrid Thornton as Blanche DuBois

s t u d e n t se a s o n

17 06

"Whoever you are – I have always depended on the kindness of strangers."

to

MA R

APR

A STREETCAR NAMED

By

B

Tennessee Williams

American realism at its nail-biting best.

lanche, an aging Southern belle, impoverished and alcoholic, escaping lost illusions and faded glory, seeks shelter with her sister, Stella, in New Orleans.

Stella and her husband, Stanley, live and love in a tiny apartment in a poor quarter of New Orleans, where the inhabitants pulse with vitality and sensuality. Blanche’s arrival throws the couple into turmoil when Blanche, the dreamer, and Stanley, the realist, battle each other for Stella’s affections.

When a sexually charged conflict erupts between Stanley and Blanche, it threatens to destroy Blanche’s tenuous grasp on sanity and the very fabric of Stella’s happiness.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play.

MON

TUE

WED

17 Mar 7.30pm

THU 20 Mar 7.30pm

25 Mar 6.30pm

26 Mar 11.30am &



27 Mar 7.30pm

FRI

SAT

SUN

22 Mar 2.15pm 29 Mar

V 2.15pm

30 Mar 5pm

7.30pm 1 Apr 6.30pm

2 Apr 7.30pm



3 Apr 7.30pm



5 Apr 2.15pm

6 Apr 5pm

CAST INCLUDES

Benj D’Addario Nathaniel Dean Luke Hewitt Michael Loney Rhoda Lopez William McNeill Sigrid Thornton Steve Turner Alison van Reeken DIRECTOR

Kate Cherry Post Show Q&A  Rio Tinto Pre-Show Talk 6.45pm  Audio Description & Tactile Tour V Captioned Performance 

SET & COSTUME DESIGNER

Christina Smith

LIGHTING DESIGNER

Matt Scott

SOUND DESIGNER

Ben Collins

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Lawrie Cullen-Tait VENUE

STCWA, Heath Ledger Theatre

DURATION

2 hrs 30 mins incl. interval WARNING

Adult themes, smoking THEMES

Alcohol abuse, reckless behaviour, reputation, deceit, spousal abuse, family loyalty, betrayal and sanity.

A Streetcar Named Desire is presented by special arrangement with The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee.

Jovana Miletic as ROSALIND

s t u d e n t se a s o n

19 01

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players ...”

to

MAY

J UN

AS YOU LIKE IT By

william shakespeare

Girl falls for boy. Boy falls for girl. But when the malice of an evil duke tears them apart and forces them to flee into the forest, can love still win the day? And more importantly: can a woman still win her man while pretending that she’s a he?

A

s You Like It is one of the most beloved romantic comedies of all time. Playful, passionate and enchanting, the topsy-turvy tale of Rosalind and Orlando is chock-full of outlandish characters and some of Shakespeare’s greatest lines.

Full of wit, wisdom and warmth, it’s the perfect play for anyone who’s ever been in love.

Come “fleet the time carelessly” with some of WA’s favourite actors in this enchanting production directed by Helpmann Award-winner Roger Hodgman.

“Shakespeare’s wittiest and most joyful comedy.”

The Courier Mail

CAST INCLUDES

MON

TUE

WED

THU 22 May

19 May 7.30pm 28 May 11.30am & 7.30pm

SAT



24 May 2.15pm

29 May 7.30pm

31 May

7.30pm 27 May 6.30pm

FRI



V

2.15pm

Post Show Q&A  Rio Tinto Pre-Show Talk 6.45pm  Audio Description & Tactile Tour V Captioned Performance 

SUN

1 Jun 5pm

Caitlin Beresford-Ord Brett Dowson Andy Fraser Brendan Hanson Luke Hewitt Geoff Kelso Nick Maclaine Greg McNeill Jovana Miletic Cecelia Peters Igor Sas Grace Smibert James Sweeny Steve Turner

DIRECTOR

Roger Hodgman SET & COSTUME DESIGNER

Christina Smith LIGHTING DESIGNER

Matt Scott

SOUND DESIGNER/ COMPOSER

Ash Gibson Greig ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Lawrie Cullen-Tait

VENUE

STCWA, Heath Ledger Theatre DURATION

2 hrs 40 mins incl. interval THEMES

Love, human experience, city versus. country, disguise, cross dressing

KENNETH RANSOM as DAVID RAIL

A Rio Tinto Black Swan Commission

”It’s the three steps ... trust, betrayal, revenge ... but it always begins with trust.”

s t u d e n t se a s o n

10 22 to

J UN

world premierE

J UN

David Rail, a prominent lawyer, awakes in a hospital room with no idea of how he got there.

D

r Alice Lowe scrambles to piece together the mystery because in fifteen minutes time he’ll forget everything all over again. The House on The Lake is a labyrinthine mystery that hides at its dark heart a hideous crime.

From award winning playwright Aidan Fennessy comes a taut psychological thriller where truth and memory are scattered like broken glass.

CAST INCLUDES

Kenneth Ransom DIRECTOR VENUE

Adult themes

Stuart Halusz MON

TUE

WED

THU

10 Jun 8pm

11 Jun 11.30am & 8pm

12 Jun 8pm

14 Jun 4pm

17 Jun 8pm

18 Jun 8pm 

19 Jun 8pm

21 Jun 4pm

Post Show Q&A

FRI



SAT

SUN

22 Jun 6pm

DURATION

90 mins [no interval] WARNING

THEMES

Murder, betrayal, truth and lies, law, psychology, paradox

STCWA, Studio Underground

Please note: The House on The Lake is not part of the student subscription season, but is available as an addon to any subscription package.

GRETA SCACCHI as IRINA ARKADINA

s t u d e n t se a s o n

11 31 to

“I loved you, and I dreamed of fame ...”

AUG

AUG

Seagull By

anton chekov

The lives of unforgettable characters, including the famous novelist Trigorin, the celebrated actress Arkadina, her son Konstantin and the young Nina, unfold in Chekhov’s work of genius.

T

he Seagull is about the stories we craft out of our dreams and disappointments, about love in all its guises and about artists who behave just like everyone else – only a little bit more so! Tender and humorous, this play is for anyone touched by love, or anyone who harbours a secret passion for Who magazine. A passionate, delightful, infuriating diva brings her entourage home to the family estate, and nothing will ever be the same again.

Glittering with style, talent and passion, Emmy and AFI Awardwinning and Golden Globe and BAFTA Award-nominated Greta Scacchi is born to bring Arkadina to life.

“Chekhov’s plays were the greatest since Shakespeare.”

The New York Times

MON

TUE

WED

11 Aug 7.30pm 19 Aug 6.30pm 26 Aug 6.30pm

20 Aug 11.30am & 7.30pm 27 Aug 7.30pm



THU

FRI

SAT

14 Aug 7.30pm

16 Aug 2.15pm

21 Aug 7.30pm

23 Aug



28 Aug



7.30pm

SUN

CAST INCLUDES

Rebecca Davis Leila George Michael Loney Greta Scacchi

SOUND DESIGNER

Ash Gibson Greig MOVEMENT DIRECTOR

2.15pm

Kate Cherry

DIRECTOR

Chrissie Parrott

30 Aug 2.15pm

SET AND COSTUME DESIGNER

STCWA, Heath Ledger Theatre

V

31 Aug 5pm

Post Show Q&A  Rio Tinto Pre-Show Talk 6.45pm  Audio Description & Tactile Tour V Captioned Performance 

Fiona Bruce LIGHTING DESIGNER

Jon Buswell

VENUE

DURATION

2 hrs 40 mins incl. interval WARNING

Adult themes, smoking

THEMES

Self evaluation, meaning of life, unrequited love, existential crisis, the mundane, the small things in life that are ‘moments’, existential paradox of human life

PETER ROWSTHORN as MAX PRINCE

s t u d e n t se a s o n

08 21 to

“Maybe we’ll never have this much fun again in our entire lives.”

SEP

SEP

laughter on the 23rd Floor By

NEIL SIMON

It’s 1953. Senator McCarthy is raising hell about ‘reds’ in show biz, and there’s “a wait list to get on the blacklist”.

B

ut on the 23rd floor of New York’s Rockefeller Plaza, the team behind The Max Prince Show is determined to keep the good times rolling. One-liners fly and zingers ricochet off the walls as Max Prince and his writers hold out against the suits who think the show’s too long – and far too smart!

Written By Neil Simon (one of the most Oscar and Tony Award nominated Writers of all time), and based on his time as one of Sid Caesar’s comedy writers, the non-stop gags keep on rolling in this clever comedy about clever comedians.

Starring the impossibly funny Peter Rowsthorn (Kath & Kim, Thank God You’re Here), this is a laugh-out-loud comedy with punch lines that pack a wallop.

MON

TUE

WED

8 Sep 7.30pm 16 Sep 6.30pm

17 Sep



7.30pm

THU

FRI

SAT

11 Sep 7.30pm

13 Sep 2.15pm

18 Sep 7.30pm

20 Sep 2.15pm



V

SUN

“Pulverisingly funny.” The Wall Street Journal CAST INCLUDES

Peter Rowsthorn 21 Sep 5pm

DIRECTOR

Kate Cherry

Ben Collins VENUE

SET & COSTUME DESIGNER

STCWA, Heath Ledger Theatre

LIGHTING DESIGNER

2 hrs 30 mins incl. interval

Lauren Ross Post Show Q&A  Rio Tinto Pre-Show Talk 6.45pm  Audio Description & Tactile Tour V Captioned Performance 

SOUND DESIGNER

Trent Suidgeest

DURATION

WARNING

Coarse language, smoking THEMES

Cultural terrorism, McCarthy’s anti-communism witch hunts, comedy, censorship

Offstage Black Swan offers a range of workshops benefitting students and teachers. We can tailor our workshops to suit any age group and ability level. All workshops are $180/hour incl. GST, plus mileage. Maximum 25 people. Visit our website for more information.

P ER F O R M A N C E WO RK S H O P S (Duration: 2 hours)

✦ Original Solo Performance

✦ Voice Care & Control

✦ Physical Theatre

✦ Improvisation

✦ Monologues

✦ Drama for Fun

P RO D U C T I O N & D E S I G N WO RK S H O P S (Duration: 2 hours)

✦ Design Workshops (Set, Costume, Lighting or Sound) ✦ Production Management (Production, Stage or ASM) ✦ Arts Marketing (Duration: 1 hour)

”Thanks once more to Black Swan for organising a professional and relevant workshop for the students. Fiona was absolutely incredible.

She had an instant and engaging rapport with the students.” Michelle, Geraldton Grammar School.

T E AC H ER P RO F E S S I O NA L L E A RN I N G Anytime, anywhere and tailored to your needs.

T H E AT RE T O UR S Four weeks’ notice required. No charge for students and teachers.

E D U CAT I O N RE S O URC E K I T S Free as part of a student group booking as a supplementary resource to the performance. Visit our website for a full list of Ed Kits from previous Black Swan productions, available to purchase for $35 each.

S T U D EN T A M BA S SA D O R S ( H igh school ) In 2013 we introduced the Student Ambassador Program. Year 12 high school students are nominated in year 11 by their teachers to become an ambassador the following year. The 2014 high school student ambassadors are: ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

Georgia Carter Alysha Curran Madison Gracie Madeleine Jolly-Fuentes

“The year I spent as a student ambassador was amazing; I gained invaluable knowledge as to how the industry actually operates and how much effort and work goes into staging a theatre production of such high quality.” Sarah, 2013 student ambassador.

S T U D EN T A M BA S SA D O R S ( T e rtia ry ) Tertiary ambassadors usually spend time as a Black Swan intern first and are invited to become a student ambassador by the Education & Community Access Manager. The 2014 tertiary student ambassadors are Nicole Pearce and Claire Mouchemore.

4ARTS PERFORMING ARTS EDUCATION FESTIVAL The 4ARTS partners – Black Swan State Theatre Company, West Australian Ballet, West Australian Opera and West Australian Symphony Orchestra - are committed to continuing the 4ARTS Festival in 2014, subject to continued funding. Check our website in early 2014 for more info on dates for the 2014 festival.

“I am just so grateful that my kids got the chance to see these performances and participate in the workshops!” Lara, home school teacher & parent.

SHAKESPEARE SHENANIGANS ON THE ROAD IN 2014 We are taking Shakespeare Shenanigans on the road to metropolitan schools in 2014. Register your interest in having this 50 minute performance and 50 minute workshop at your school. Email Alena at alena@bsstc.com.au with ”SS tour interest” in the subject line.

Semester One ✦ Year 11 & 12s: March 5-7, 10-14, 17-21, 24-28, 31, April 1 Semester Two ✦ Year 7-10s: October 13-17, 20-24, 27-31 November 3-7 “Thank you so much for helping to organise this show coming to our school. The performers were excellent and the students enjoyed the performance and the workshop afterwards. For some I think this was their first encounter with Shakespeare.” Matthew, Gilmore College.

Contact

Education & Community Access Manager Alena Tompkins State Theatre Centre of WA, Level 1, 182 William Street, Perth WA 6000 PO Box 337, Northbridge WA 6865 Te l

+61 8 6212 9300

Di re c t Fa x Email W eb

+61 8 6212 9310

+61 8 6212 9318 alena@bsstc.com.au www.bsstc.com.au

Follow us on Tw i t t er and I n s tag r a m @BlackSwanSTC or become our fan on Facebook

Stay tuned for more exciting programs throughout the year. Sign up to Black Swan’s education e-newsletter to get the latest news and updates.

Email your contact details to Alena on alena@bsstc.com.au to be added to our education database.