WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE DHARUG PEOPLE, TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS OF THE LAND WHERE RIVERSIDE IS NOW SITUATED, AND THE BURRAMATTAGAL PEOPLE, A CLAN OF THE DHARUG, WHO SETTLED ALONG THE PARRAMATTA RIVER OVER 60,000 YEARS AGO.
WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO ELDERS PAST, PRESENT AND EMERGING AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE CULTURE AND HISTORY OF THE ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLE.
riversideparramatta.com.au
Riverside Box Office
Cnr Church & Market Sts, Parramatta
Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm
Sat, 9.30am – 1pm
BY PHONE
02 8839 3399
Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm Sat, 9.30am – 1pm
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Look out for this M on each page for shows with Members pricing available.
Eligibility for concessions will vary across events. Information correct at time of printing. Pricing and fees subject to change.
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Online / Phone / Counter: Live event – $5.95
Cinema – $2.50
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Riverside Theatres is a registered COVID Safe venue with the NSW Government. The health and safety of all Riverside patrons and staff is at the forefront of all our operations. Our policy will be consistently reviewed and will be updated in line with NSW Health guidelines and advice, City of Parramatta WS policy and procedure. Please check the website prior to attending Riverside Theatres for the most up-to-date information: riversideparramatta.com.au/your-visit/ patronsafetyinformation/
It is important that if you are unwell you stay home, we have updated our ticket conditions and our Box Office team are available to talk through your exchange and refund options. You can contact the Box Office on 02 8839 3399 or email BoxOffice_Riverside@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au
Thank you for keeping our community safe.
Cover Image: Girl Band, Photo credit: Kathy LuuIntroducing Riverside’s Morning Movie Club – take a break, come and grab a cuppa and a movie in Rafferty’s Cinema. With affordable tickets (concessions from only $9) and a free bickie with every hot drink, more 10.30am sessions will now be included for a number of films in the cinema program, with new films added regularly.
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E-NEWS FOR REGULAR UPDATES.
After an incredible and colourful start to the year, I am pleased to welcome you to the autumn/winter season at Riverside Theatres.
As the days grow shorter and the cooler months approach, we have plenty of wonderfully warming theatrical delights for your autumn entertainment. You laugh away any blues with our fun-packed comedy, keep the whole family happy with our program of brilliant kids' theatre or can sit back and enjoy the creativity and challenge of some world-class drama.
To kick us off, I’d like to highlight our all-new 2023 Music Program. Specially curated by our team of expert programmers, it's an eclectic mix of gigs and concerts with something to suit every music taste – from the return of our friends from the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra with some Vivaldi classics to Australia’s jazz guitar legends paying tribute to the Kings of the Blues. We also have partnered with the City of Parramatta’s First Nations Warami Festival to present Triple J Unearthed's favourite, PIRRA, plus a beautiful collaboration from didgeridoo artist William Barton and violinist Véronique Serret performing their ARIA Award-nominated Heartland.
Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta returns hot on the heels of the incredible season and tour of CHOIR BOY with two Australian premiere plays. Girl Band, with an original 90s soundtrack, opens in May in partnership with New Ghosts Theatre. Later in the year Fade, by Latin American writer Tanya Saracho, will beg the question – what are you willing to do for a chance at success?
As the weather cools the drama heats up as we showcase seasons of great theatre including the recordbreaking Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap as it rounds out a sold-out national tour. Two of Shakespeare’s classics return with Macbeth and Romeo & Juliet contrasted with the hilarious and dangerously topical Skyduck: A Chinese Spy Comedy. Then join us to cap off the quarter when audience favourite musical Les Misérables returns to Riverside this July, following its smash hit success of 2019.
We hope you found a moment throughout the summer to enjoy our Courtyard’s transformation into the Riverside Festival Gardens. Riverside’s Courtyard facelift was a personal goal of mine since joining the team in 2021 with the goal of improving our patrons’ experience at the venue. I could not be more delighted with the result the team achieved and the way our audiences have embraced the new look. And if you didn’t get a chance to visit, or you did and just don’t feel ready to go back to old courtyard vibes – worry not! We will be keeping our revamped Riverside Gardens open throughout the year for you to enjoy before, during and after shows and for pre-and post-event functions.
There’s so much happening this year at Riverside and I’ve no doubt you’ll find something to warm the soul, amuse, educate and entertain you throughout the season. We’re super excited about the program we’ve put together and the team and I are all looking forward to welcoming you to one of our great shows and seeing you in the Riverside Theatres foyer (or courtyard gardens) again soon!
Best regards,
Craig McMaster Director | Riverside Theatres
DATES AND TIMES:
Tue 11 Apr at 7.30pm
Wed 12 Apr at 11am & 1.30pm
Thu 13 Apr at 11am
Fri 14 Apr at 11am
“Supercharged urban circus” – Scenestr
BMX, basketball, breakdancing, acrobatics, drumming and more, the international smash hit returns!
A magnificent, colourful & astonishing expression of a generation that has reinvented the circus, 360 ALLSTARS is a revolutionary production that will leave you dizzy with excitement!
Don’t miss this chance to catch 360 ALLSTARS at Riverside as part of their 10 year anniversary World Tour.
Check the website for details of Breakdancing, Circus and Basketball Freestyling Workshops.
Show suitable for ages 5+
SCAN IT. BOOK IT.
DATES AND TIMES:
Tue 18 Apr at 10:30am
Tue 18 Apr at 12:30pm
Wed 19 Apr at 10:30am & 12:30pm
“Brave, tragic, compassionate and hilarious by turns, Shake Shake Theatre’s The Story of Mr B lifts its audience into its heart and holds them there. With great humour and a real sense of how the minds of youngsters’ work, it tells of life, love, forgiveness and regret.” –
The List, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Delighting audiences young and old. Performed with puppets, animated objects and shadow theatre.
Created by Shake Shake Theatre, a collaboration between Pierre Filliez (Swiss) and Jessica Nicholls (Australian). Established in 2014 they have since toured throughout Europe and the UK and now bring their familyfriendly work to Australian audience. With a focus on humanity, humour and sustainability, they handcraft stories, puppets, and entire sets in order to tell heartfelt stories.
Don't forget to book for the Puppet Making Workshop!
Show and workshops suitable for ages 5+
WEDNESDAY 19 APRIL –
MONDAY 5 JUNE (OPEN DURING BOX OFFICE HOURS IN THE RIVERSIDE FOYER)
CATCH THE HOTTEST ACTS OF THE FESTIVAL, ALL IN ONE INCREDIBLE SHOW!
WED 26 APRIL AT 7:30PM
Bringing Southwest Asian & North African cinema to Parramatta. The first ever SWANA Film Festival will be an epic 3-day festival showcasing over 20 films spanning across Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Armenia, and Syria!
We highly recommend purchasing an ALL-ACCESS PASS as each screening will be a unique experience, no one screening is the same! You won’t want to miss this!
DATES AND TIMES:
Sat 29 Apr at 7.30pm
Kumar is hailed as one of South East Asia’s most iconic and respected performing artists and a brilliant stand-up comedian. In the past three decades, Kumar has proven to be a multi-talented performer, entertaining millions as a comedian, tv host, actor, dancer, director and author. Widely known for poking fun at all things controversial, Kumar’s caustic remarks, based on everyday observations, are bound to have audiences bowling over with laughter.
BOHM & LOL ASIA PRESENT
6 MAY 7 MAY 21 MAY
The Brandenburg bring two of Vivaldi's masterpieces roaring to life. Gloria and The Four Seasons are given theatrical adrenaline shots of colour, movement and light to reveal both the details and force of this extraordinary composer.
Embodying the unmistakeable Jerez style of flamenco guitar playing, Paco Lara presents flamenco guitar in all its authenticity, culture, and artistry. Expect impressive articulation with musical elegance and imagination.
Dave Hole, Geoff Achison and Shane Pacey have all been greatly influenced by the KING’S and will be delivering the very best of these monsters of the blues in their own unique and compelling style.
PACO LARA
Riverside’s Music Program offers a great selection of music for all tastes, and we’re thrilled to offer a special multi-pack discount for those who want to REPEAT THE BEAT.
Buy 4+ shows from our music program and receive 10% off your tickets or buy 6+ shows and you’ll save 20% off.
PIRRA are an indie-pop/dance outfit hailing from Wollongong. Their flavour of danceable indie-pop mixes live instrumentation with washes of synth and programmed sounds to support the silken melodies of frontwoman Jess Beck.
17 JUNE
25 JUNE 23 JULY
The great didgeridoo virtuoso William Barton and powerhouse violinist Véronique Serret blend songlines and storytelling in this compelling collaborative work. Inspired by the poetry of William’s mother, Aunty Delmae Barton, the message of Heartland is of peace and love carried by an eagle spirit.
Ephemera: Space Jazz. A musical exploration of celestial landscapes such as pulsars, craters, planetary atmospheres, stars, sun and void. Merging the sound worlds of jazz and contemporary classical, and set to real space sounds and projections, it is a unique experience.
*Multi-pack applies to selected titles in the music program throughout the year. Exclusions apply. Does not apply to all music events scheduled in the venue or listed on the Riverside website. Look for "REPEAT THE BEAT" offer info on the event page to find eligibility.
TOURED BY ARTBACK NT
DATES AND TIMES:
Thu 4 May at 8pm
Fri 5 May at 12.30pm + Q&A
Fri 5 May at 7pm
Sat 6 May at 8pm M
Value For Money, choreographed by Jasmin Sheppard and Sara Black, interrogates how relationships, community, proximity and place can change our perception of a life’s worth.
We all come from a common place- land, dust, molecule. The human journey separates us from other animals by our drive to find our individual worth. What makes us a valuable and unique addition to this place? How do we value human life? Is it the calculable economic value or the intangible emotional and physical value of a person we should be considering? In addition, this human desire to discover our individual and collective value contradicts a human need to control and have dominion over other humans, animals and land; to project collective value onto objects, deities, other individuals: the polarity of power and vulnerability inherent within us all.
RIVERSIDE THEATRES PRESENTS JOINING THE DOTS THEATRE
DATES AND TIMES:
Wed 10 May at 8pm Thu 11 May at 8pm
Fri 12 May at 8pm Sat 13 May at 2:30pm Sat 13 May at 8pm
These days Albert Einstein is as famous for his quotable quotes and his flagrant disregard for combs as he is for his outstanding contribution to physics. But what do we actually know of the man under the white hair? Does the private life of such a publicly acknowledged genius matter? Relativity by Mark St Germain asks the question: to be a great man, does one first need to be a good man?
Joining the Dots Theatre Co is bringing their hugely popular 2022 production to Riverside. Johann Walraven will again direct Nicholas Papademetriou (as Einstein), Nisrine Amine (as Margaret the journalist) and Alison Chambers (as Einstein’s secretary/housekeeper).
DATES AND TIMES: Sat 13 May at 7pm
“O full of scorpions is my mind dear wife…”
Sport for Jove’s brand new production of Macbeth played to packed houses and incredible responses in 2022, offering fresh and startling insights into this extraordinary play with a thrillingly good cast – a deeply atmospheric, faithful and exciting introduction to the play for young audiences.
Sport for Jove’s acclaimed Macbeth is an ecstatic vision of ghosts, shadows, what love and ambition can do to people, and the terrors of the imagination.
Macbeth is a must-see for students of the play, or young people experiencing Shakespeare for the first time.
SUPPORTING NEW GHOSTS THEATRE COMPANY THROUGH RIVERSIDE'S NATIONAL THEATRE OF PARRAMATTA’S TRUE WEST PROGRAM
BY LUCY CLEMENTS
WORLD PREMIEREDATES AND TIMES:
Thu 18 May at 8pm
Fri 19 May at 8pm
Sat 20 May at 8pm
Wed 24 May at 8pm
Thu 25 May at 8pm
Fri 26 May at 8pm
Sat 27 May at
“Universally, women with personalities are hated” – Billie Eilish
Created by powerhouse record label managers, Chris and Darren, this is the girl-band to end all girl-bands. They have moulded, twisted, and worked these girls to become the girls everyone wants. The Sensation Girls.
Problem is, The Sensation Girls don’t know who they are anymore. When unofficial leader DeeDee unexpectedly quits, things begin to unravel. The girls are getting older and bolder and they know what they want, what they really, really want.
Get ready for dancing, Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes inspired rap, low-rise jeans, and a hell of a lot of mess.
IT'S GREAT SHORT FILMS, IT'S ON OUR, IT'S THE VIBE.
ACADEM QUALIFY AND BAF RECOGNIS
SATURDAY 20 MAY 3PM & 6.30PM
Catch some of the most innovative, provocative and wildly entertaining orld has to offer at ustralia’s leading lm festival!
ALIST.COM.AU PRESENTS
DATES AND TIMES: Sat 20 May at 7.30pm
“Unlike any comedy show I’ve ever seen. It’s brilliant, clever and very, very funny.” – Broadway World
Do you love staring at screens? Are you staring at a screen right now? You should get out more. Specifically to a show that has an enormous screen smack-bang in the middle of it.
The Umbilical Brothers take the energy of live performance and the spectacle of cinema and smash them together into a new show performed simultaneously on stage and the big screen. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen, and nothing they’ve ever done, and it will blow your mind way more literally than you are expecting.
DATES AND TIMES:
Wed 31 May at 1pm & 7pm
Thu 1 Jun at 1pm & 7pm
Fri 2 Jun at 8pm
Sat 3 Jun at 1pm & 8pm
Sun 4 Jun at 1pm
Driftwood The Musical tells the inspirational story of the renowned Austrian/Australian sculptor Karl Duldig and his artist/inventor wife, Slawa Horowitz-Duldig. We follow their lives in pre-war Vienna, Slawa’s ingenious invention of the foldable umbrella, and an incredible chain of events: miraculously escaping the Holocaust and rebuilding their careers as artists in Australia. A magical story of art and creativity, survival and perseverance, family, freedom and love.
This epic story traverses three continents and three generations and has been adapted for the stage by award-winning playwright Jane Bodie, based on the original memoir by Eva de Jong-Duldig. It features original music, lyrics and arrangements by Anthony Barnhill with lyrics by Tania de Jong AM and Jane Bodie. Award-winning Director Gary Abrahams brings a stellar cast to the stage. It features original music and arrangements by Anthony Barnhill with lyrics by Tania de Jong AM, Jane Bodie and Anthony Barnhill. Acclaimed Director Gary Abrahams brings a stellar cast to the stage.
Critics have described it as “mesmerising”, “sublime” and “stunningly crafted” after its sell-out world premiere season in Melbourne in 2022.
& DIRECTED
BY CHRIS BENDALLDATES AND TIMES:
Wed 7 Jun at 7pm
From Writer/Director Chris Bendall comes a fantastic new story about the power of every person to find their voice, and save the world.
Two intertwining stories – one magical, the other all too real – bring two unlikely heroes to the stage in a new work inspired by the Fridays for Future student-led protests of 2019. Black Sun / Blood Moon follows Maddy, a ten-year-old climate champion, and Katie, the underachieving assistant of a climate denying politician, as they set out to save the planet.
When Paul unwittingly inspires his young daughter Maddy to take part in a school climate strike, their lives are turned upside down irrevocably. Maddy’s journey will put her at increasing risk as she takes her message to the powers that be, while Katie will find herself on the back of eagles and dolphins as she attempts to fulfill a fantastical quest from the future.
Suitable for ages 12+
THE WORLD’S LONGEST-RUNNING PLAY
DATES AND TIMES:
Thu 15 Jun at 7pm
Fri 16 Jun at 7:30pm
Sat 17 Jun at 2pm & 7:30pm
Sun 18 Jun at 1pm & 6pm
Tue 20 Jun at 7pm
Wed 21 Jun at 1pm
Wed 21 Jun at 7pm
Thu 22 Jun at 7pm
Fri 23 Jun at 7:30pm
Sat 24 Jun at 2pm & 7:30pm
This thrilling West End production is THE genre-defining murder mystery from the best-selling novelist of all time… case closed!
As news spreads of a murder in London, a group of seven strangers find themselves snowed in at a remote countryside guesthouse. When a police sergeant arrives, the guests discover – to their horror – that a killer is in their midst! One by one, the suspicious characters reveal their sordid pasts. Which one is the murderer? Who will be their next victim? Can you solve this world-famous mystery for yourself?
For almost 70 years, AGATHA CHRISTIE’S THE MOUSETRAP has kept millions of people from every corner of the globe on the edge of their seats.
RIVERSIDE THEATRES PRESENTS AN AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA PRODUCTION
BASED ON THE BOOK BY MEM FOX & JULIE VIVAS
ADAPTED & DIRECTED BY SANDRA ELDRIDGE WITH ORIGINAL MUSIC BY PAUL STANHOPE
DATES AND TIMES:
Sat 24 Jun at 10:30am + Q&A
Sat 24 Jun at 12pm + Q&A M
This delightful production, based on the poignant picture book by Mem Fox and Julie Vivas, adapted and directed by Sandra Eldridge, weaves together captivating storytelling with mesmerising music in an immersive and intimate performance. Featuring a new score by awardwinning composer Paul Stanhope performed by a string quartet from the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge is the perfect introduction to live classical music, guaranteed to enchant audiences both young and old.
Suitable for ages 3+
RIVERSIDE THEATRES PRESENTS SKYDUCK & CO AND SQUARESUMS&CO.'S
DATES AND TIMES:
Thu 29 Jun at 7pm
Fri 30 Jun at 8pm
Sat 1 Jul at 2.30pm & 8pm M
Skyduck is back!
After wowing audiences in 2019 at Belvoir St Theatre, this hysterical international action spy comedy will return to Sydney in 2023 after a New Zealand tour of Auckland and Wellington.
Completely revamped for the mainstage, this quirky and irrelevant parody of China’s top secret agents trying to steal America’s top-secret fighter jet software in the early 1990s will leave you in stitches – all while Australia was busy preparing for the Sydney Olympics!
Think Chinese Top Gun meets 007 with a J-Pop backing track!
Suitable for ages 13+
DATES AND TIMES:
Fri 30 Jun at 7pm
“Thou can’st not speak of that thou dost not feel…”
A brand new production of this incredible play for young audiences from Artistic Director, Damien Ryan. The existential crisis facing our world today has triggered a deafening chorus of ‘How dare you!’, screamed from the heart of our planet’s youth. And it’s not just about climate issues. What can children teach us in their struggle to be heard?
Our production takes on the spirit of a filthy Italian opera, driven by love and heat, fights and fevers of the mind, and of course, by Shakespeare’s soaring poetry. We are carried to backcountry Verona, a profoundly insular town, trapped in cycles of tradition and vendetta, staring out at the future with moral pollution at its heart. Only its children’s courage to express themselves will bring change. With the mad blood stirring, two young lovers meet and set in motion the most iconic love story of all time, that of Juliet and her Romeo.
A thrilling introduction to Shakespeare for young audiences.
RIVERSIDE THEATRES PRESENTS
DATES AND TIMES:
Mon 10 Jul at 6.30pm
Tue 11 Jul at 11am & 1.30pm
Wed 12 Jul at 11am & 1:30pm
"A great introduction to contemporary circus for younger audiences" - List
“The show is gilded with comedy that had all ages laughing with raucous enthusiasm, and the music keeps the carousel turning at a frenetic pace.” - Brisbane Times
A family show with a circus twist full of mischievous antics for little humans.
Suitable for ages 3+
COMPOSED BY GIOACHINO ROSSINI, DIRECTED BY PRISCILLA JACKMAN, CONDUCTOR SIRO BATTAGLIN, SET DESIGN BY MICHAEL SCOTT-MITCHELL COSTUME DESIGN BY SABINA MYERS, LIGHTING DESIGN BY MORGAN MORONEY
DATES AND TIMES:
Fri 14 Jul at 7.30pm
Sat 15 Jul at 7.30pm
The Barber of Seville fizzes and pops with lyrical acrobatics and irrepressibly funny characters. Rossini’s most famous ‘opera buffa’ is a musical masterpiece with a storyline that would be equally at home in a Hollywood rom-com. Opera Australia’s finest voices and a live orchestra deliver a score that is instantly familiar from renditions in movies, cartoons and commercials. Here, the frothy humour is intoxicating and the chorus revels in every uproarious escapade.
Delight in a riotous romp along the road to true love! This is opera at its light-hearted, effervescent best.
RIVERSIDE THEATRES PRESENTS A SHAKE & STIR THEATRE CO PRODUCTION
ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY SHAKE & STIR THEATRE CO
DATES AND TIMES:
Tue 18 Jul at 10:15am & 12:30pm
"Perfect.” - Broadway World
Full of trickery and wickedly-funny pranks, Dahl’s adored classic encourages us to treat others with love and care and proves that if you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams.
Packed with Dahlicious mischief, hilarious mayhem and big belly laughs, The Twits is an unmissable fun for all ages, from shake & stir theatre co the award-winning team behind the sold out seasons of Fantastic Mr Fox, Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts and George’s Marvellous Medicine.
You’ve read the book – it’s time to experience this family classic from the wacky mind of the world’s No. 1 Storyteller live on stage.
Suitable for ages 5+
FORM DANCE PROJECTS AND RIVERSIDE THEATRES PRESENT DANCE BITES 2023
DATES AND TIMES:
Thu 20 Jul at 7:30pm
Fri 21 Jul at 12:30pm + Q&A
Fri 21 Jul at 7:30pm
Sat 22 Jul at 7:30pm
Perceptions sees flamenco dance artist Pepa Molina return to the Riverside stage following Bush Bailando premiered by FORM in 2016. Bush Bailando earned the 2016 Dance Australia critic’s choice for Most Interesting Artist. In her new work, Pepa will surround herself with renowned performers from Spain exploring the intricacies, superstitions and cliches in Flamenco’s past and present.
DATES AND TIMES:
Thu 27 Jul at 8pm
Fri 28 Jul at 8pm
Sat 29 Jul at 8pm
Wed 2 Aug at 8pm
Thu 3 Aug at 8pm
Fri 4 Aug at 8pm
Sat 5 Aug at 2:30pm & 8pm
A witty and insightful look into work, life, the dynamics of power, class and race and the manipulation of status as a minority.
Lucia, a Mexican-born novelist, gets her first TV writing job, feeling out of place in the male and white writing room, she quickly becomes friends with the only other Latino around, a janitor named Abel. As he shares his stories, similar plots begin to find their way into Lucia’s TV scripts.
An observation on making it as an outsider and how far you’ll go for success.
PACKEMIN PRODUCTIONS AND RIVERSIDE THEATRES PRESENT BOUBLIL AND SCHÖNBERG’S
A MUSICAL BY ALAIN BOUBLIL AND CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG
BASED ON A NOVEL BY VICTOR
DATES AND TIMES:
Fri 28 Jul – Sat 12 Aug
HUGO
The hit show from Packemin Productions returns in 2023!
Be transported to nineteenth-century France as the team behind hit productions of Kinky Boots, Mamma Mia!, Jesus Christ Superstar, Shrek, Wicked and The Phantom of the Opera bring one of the world’s most iconic musicals – the multi-award-winning classic, Les Misérables returns to the Riverside stage in 2023.
Based on Victor Hugo’s novel, Les Misérables is a poignant, emotional story that follows ex-convict Jean Valjean’s lifelong struggle for redemption after being imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread. Once released he remains an outcast of society and in a stroke of desperation breaks his parole to gain his freedom. Police inspector Javert vows to hunt him down and bring Valjean to justice.
Set amidst the political upheaval of a developing France, accompanied by a heart-wrenching score, including some of the most well-known musical theatre hits such as I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own, Stars, Bring Him Home and One Day More, Les Misérables is a must-see classic that will stay with you for years to come.
TE WAIATA PAIHERE WAIRUA –THE SOUND OF WOVEN SOULS
24 AUGUST
31 AUGUST –2 SEPTEMBER
Employing strong visuals projected on screen, emotionally charged song, deeply personal story telling and genuine raw emotions of anger, grief, sadness and joy, Reckoning leads its audience through a process of truth-telling and truth-accepting that subtly triggers states of empathy and understanding, whilst the music uplifts the audience.
ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY TIM MCGARRY
A new Australian play based on the novel of the same title by Colleen McCullough. Central to the story is an unorthodox love that develops between Mary, a career driven, mid-50’s business executive and Tim, a handsome 25-year-old labourer with a mild intellectual disability.
A fierce and funny migrant story that pays homage to the stories of European migration in the 60s and 70s and explores the dignity and comedy of the female workingclass experience.
“I love drama. It’s fun to be here. It’s funny to be cheeky all the time. Have a laugh.” – Anthony, participant
Riverside's Beyond the Square drama workshops for adults with disability have been running for over 27 years working with a large number of incredible artists as teachers, facilitators and directors.
The program runs throughout the year, with bookings available for a selection of dates for in-person and online workshops.
Scan here to find out more online about Riverside's Beyond the Square workshops.
Riverside is committed to making our programs and venues welcoming and accessible for all people. If you require specific seating, audio or accessible parking please contact our Box Office team on 02 8839 3399 who will be happy to assist. Our Front of House staff can also help you to your seat if required.
Level access from the street leads into our foyer. Level access continues into all venues. Space for wheelchairs is available in all venues but requires booking in advance.
Accessible bathrooms are available at each end of the foyer.
Limited paid parking at Riverside is available for patrons with a current disability parking permit only. Ask the Box Office staff when booking your tickets.
If you need seats closer to the front to be able to hear please advise the Box Office staff when booking your tickets.
Riverside has hearing augmentation systems in all three theatres to assist patrons who are hearing impaired. Choose from a single ear earpiece, a neck loop attached to a hearing aid or use your own ear buds with Riverside’s FM receiver to amplify the sound from the stage. To access this free service, ask the Box Office staff when booking your tickets.
Patrons with hearing impairment can access some live performances and cinema sessions through captioning. Captioning is available on large screens inside the theatre for live performances and as open captioning for some films.
Riverside accepts the NSW Companion Card, allowing a support person free entry.
If you need seats closer to the front to be able to see and enjoy the show, please advise the Box Office staff when booking your tickets.
Patrons with vision impairments can access some live performances and some cinema events through audio description. Audio description is the live verbal commentary at select moments in the performance and is relayed to audience members via a discreet receiver and ear piece. The description communicates key visual information including action sequences, facial expressions, costume and scenery. Sensory pre-show tours are offered alongside Audio Described shows. Advise the Box Office staff when booking your tickets.
A number of performances at Riverside are selected to be interpreted with Australian Sign Language (Auslan). Interpreters are discreetly positioned on side stage and provide an opportunity for people who are Deaf to access and enjoy these theatre productions.
These are sensory friendly performances where the perceived ‘rules’ of theatre are modified to allow patrons with Autism and other specific needs to enjoy the performance in a welcoming environment.
Modifications will differ depending on the show, but can include the house lights being dimmed, but not turned all the way down; the understanding that patrons may come and go from the theatre as needed; elements of the show that might include loud noises or sudden bright lights being toned down or removed.
The performing arts helps build stronger, more connected communities and can transform lives. Here at Riverside we are proud to be a vibrant cultural hub in our local community, but we always strive to do more.
Please consider making a tax deductible donation to help us continue to give education access, eliminate barriers to attendance and strengthen new play development. Our extensive Education Program not only inspires Australia’s up-and-coming talent but also makes the transformative experience of live theatre affordable through our subsidy program.
Beyond the Square is Riverside’s drama program for people with disability. Offering participants creative outlets, personal and social exploration, and skills development it is one of the longest running and largest programs of its kind in Sydney.
Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta is investing in the future, creating opportunities for Western Sydney artists and audiences through mentoring and much more.
For more information on the Parramatta Cultural Trust, to become a Sponsor or to find out other ways you can help Riverside, contact us on 02 8839 3399 or see riversideparramatta.com.au/support. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.
Find us nestled on the banks of the scenic Parramatta River in the heart of Eat Street.
T: Our closest station is Parramatta Station which is approximately 15 minute walk from Riverside. Trains to Parramatta run every 10 to 15 minutes and bus services run regularly throughout the night.
F: Parramatta Wharf is an 8 minute walk to us along the river. For more transport options and to plan your trip see transportnsw.info/
P: There are multiple car parks in short walking distance of Riverside (see map).
If you hold a current accessible parking permit, we have a small number of onsite parking spaces available to book through our Box Office on 02 8839 3399
Please note: Permanent traffic changes are now in place on and around Church Street (between Market & Macquarie Streets) for the Parramatta Light Rail. Motorists traveling to Riverside should note, these changes may affect the amount of time that it takes for you to drive & park.
Check out dining, parking and accommodation offers from our partners at riversideparramatta.com.au/your-visit
RIVERSIDE THEATRES
Cnr Church and Market Streets Parramatta NSW 2150
PO Box 3636 Parramatta NSW 2124
ABN 49907174773
Administration
02 8839 3398
Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm
Director – Craig McMaster
Marketing & Communications Team Leader – Sophie Anderson
Leadership Team Administrator – Cassandra Bayley
Operations Manager – Mike Brew
Ticketing & Box Office Coordinator – Dave Fili
Executive Producer, National Theatre of Parramatta – Joanne Kee
Program Manager – Catherine Swallow
Lord Mayor, Cr Donna Davis
Vyvienne Abla
Marwa Abouzeid
Cate Cunningham
Jackie Emery
Cr Ange Humphries
Dr Robert Lang
Matthew Lazarus-Hall
Cr Cameron McLean
John Moore
Keiasha Naidoo
Cr Georgina Valjak
Brochure Design and Artwork leadinghand.com.au
Details in this brochure are correct at time of printing.
Riverside reserves the right to add, withdraw and substitute artists and vary the programme and prices should the necessity arise. Please note that some performances may contain smoke, strobe lighting, loud noise, coarse language and nudity. Where known we will indicate this in our program, website and in the theatre foyer at the time of the performance.