Merrigong Season 2024 Brochure

MERRIGONG SEASON 2024 theatre thrills here.

Acknowledgement Our company’s name ‘Merrigong’ reflects the Dharawal word for the Illawarra region’s distinctive escarpment, a landmark of supreme cultural importance.

This name serves as a constant reminder that our venues rest on unceded First Nations land.

In all that we do, Merrigong Theatre Company seeks to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, seas and skies, and to show respect to all First Nations people who call our region home.

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theatre thrills here.

Meet the people behind the faces on our brochure cover as they share what “Come Together” means to them...

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Marie Mitchell-Stanley Inner Circle Donor

Ethan Green The Strangeways Ensemble

“There is always a friendly atmosphere when attending a play or any show. Being a Season Ticket Holder keeps one connected to the community and coming together.”

“To me, Come Together means being together with your friends doing something we all love.”

Geoffrey Markham Merrigong Volunteer

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“The reason I keep coming back is to see the reaction on our patrons’ faces, be it happy or sad.

The camaraderie that happens between staff is awesome.”

Kay Proudlove Writer and Performer “The creatives and patrons of Merrigong come together to create real stories. My time here has shown me the importance of that connection when it comes to making a good show into a great one.”

Sienna Karunarathne Young People’s Program

Danielle Moylan

“Merrigong is an incredible place where the community can all come together to enjoy, witness and appreciate the different perspectives of art and performance.”

Merrigong’s First Nations Engagement Coordinator

Dunghutti/Gumbaynggirr

“Like the meeting place of a river, Come Together means many people from different areas find a way to proceed on the Land we share, celebrate, work and live on.

All come to connect, celebrate and support each other.”

Nick Vagne MERRIGONGX Artist “No art is ever done by oneself.

The entire artistic process is an amalgamation of the people around you as you build a work.

It’s something you could never reach locked away in a study, but as you come together within the theatre, the magic starts to once again spark.”

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“Valentine, an essential Australian dramatist… writes the marginalised and oft-persecuted fringes of Australia into our dramatic canon with long-denied dignity and grace.”

Elenoa Rokobaro. Photo by Alana Valentine

Time Out

A Send For Productions, Sydney Festival and The Art House Wyong production

SEND FOR NELLIE

By Alana Valentine, with Kween G

Nobody did cabaret like the amazing Nellie Small.

1931, Sydney. West-Indian Australian singer Nellie Small puts on a sleek top hat and tails at a little Oxford Street venue, and a legend of Australian vaudeville and cabaret is born.

Send For Nellie recreates in story, song and in Nellie’s own words (drawn from the archives) the incredible tale of the most impressive career in Australian theatre you’ve likely never heard of. Direct from the premiere season at Sydney Festival, powerhouse performer Elenoa Rokobaro (Caroline, or Change; Tick, Tick… Boom) steps into the spotlight with a swinging three-piece band and songs from the great era of Jazz, Blues and Gospel.

Between the soulful melodies, hear Nellie’s riveting, hilarious and gut-wrenching memories.

The joys, challenges, rumbles with gangsters, and flirtations with ladies in the audience, all come to vivid life in a thrilling new cabaret.

Written by Helpmann Award-winning playwright, and long-time Merrigong Theatre Company collaborator, Alana Valentine (Dead Man Brake, Barbara and the Camp Dogs, Letters to Lindy), Send For Nellie celebrates a ground-breaking, non-conformist path.

14 ‒ 17 FEB BRUCE GORDON THEATRE $45 – $55 Approx. 1 hr (no interval) Post-Show Q&A Thu 15 Feb, 6.30pm Talking Point Sat 17 Feb, 15 mins after the matinee Recommended for ages 14+ Director Liesel Badorrek Writer and Co-Curator Alana Valentine Cultural Governance and Co-Curator Kween G Cast Elenoa Rokobaro and Eleanor Stankiewicz

Mainstage Season

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A Sydney Theatre Company production

RBG: OF MANY, ONE

By Suzie Miller Directed by Priscilla Jackman

“Magnificent from start to finish.” Limelight After a smash-hit premiere season in 2022, the luminous Heather Mitchell reprises her “virtuosic” (The Conversation) performance as Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the hotly anticipated national tour of RBG: Of Many, One. Now Wollongong can experience an intimate, behind-the-curtain audience with the woman who changed the face of the American legal system.

The second woman to be appointed to the US Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was both a trailblazer in the American judiciary, and a fierce advocate for gender equality and reproductive rights. RBG: Of Many, One chronicles her wins and dissents; the steps forward, the steps back. It reveals a woman of intellect, courage, determination and feeling; the personal behind the political.

On the heels of Prima Facie which took London’s West End by storm, Olivier Award-winning Australian playwright Suzie Miller continues her interrogation of complex human stories, with this vibrant portrait of one of the most iconic women of our time.

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3 ‒ 6 APR IMB THEATRE $69 – $99 Approx. 1 hr 30 mins (no interval) Post-Show Q&A Thu 4 Apr, 6.30pm Talking Point Sat 6 Apr, 15 mins after the matinee Recommended for ages 14+ Director Priscilla Jackman Designer David Fleischer Lighting Designer Alexander Berlage Composer and Sound Designer Paul Charlier Assistant Director Sharon Millerchip Voice and Accent Coach Jennifer White Cast Heather Mitchell

Mainstage Season

★★★★★

The Sydney Morning Herald

★★★★★ Stage Noise

★★★★½ ArtsHub

★★★★½ The AU Review

★★★★ Time Out

★★★★

Heather Mitchell. Photo by Rene Vaile

Limelight

Victor Rodger FCC Productions

Wild Dogs Under My Skirt

By Tusiata Avia Directed by Anapela Polata’ivao

Brimming with humour and pure entertainment.

One of New Zealand’s most successful theatrical exports makes its way to Wollongong after touring across New Zealand, performing offBroadway in New York, and snapping up awards since 2016. This outstanding production breathes fierce life into poetry, womanhood and the unsettling challenge to tradition and conformity.

Adapted from Tusiata Avia’s poetry collection, Wild Dogs Under My Skirt is a provocative examination and celebration of the lives of Samoan women. Anapela Polata’ivao’s commanding direction introduces nuance, power and dramatic sophistication into Avia’s deeply personal view of Pacific Island life and its sometimes-uneasy collisions with New Zealand.

In the wake of this unending colonial earthquake, five Samoan characters make their lives between two cultures: playing, gossiping, enduring, enforcing the patriarchal status quo and carving out powerful new identities. Wild Dogs Under My Skirt is vivid, passionate, and compelling.

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10 ‒ 13 APR BRUCE GORDON THEATRE $45 – $55 Approx. 1 hr 15 mins (no interval) Post-Show Q&A Thu 11 Apr, 6.30pm Talking Point Sat 13 Apr, 15 mins after the matinee Recommended for ages 15+ Contains strong language Choreographer Mario Faumui Drummer Leki Jackson-Bourke Set Designer Jane Hakaraia with artwork motifs by Tyler Vaeau Lighting Designer Rachel Marlow Cast Anapela Polata’ivao, Stacey Leilua, Joanna Mika-Toloa, Petmal Lam, and Saane Vaipulu

Mainstage Season

“…moved me to tears of laughter and tears of sadness and even tears of fury…”

Original cast. Photo by Raymond Sagapolutele

Radio New Zealand

A Merrigong Theatre Company production

DEAR DIARY A play with songs

By Kay Proudlove

A soundtrack for what we were, what we are and what we will be.

After winning the hearts of Wollongong audiences with her MERRIGONGX debut in 2022, Kay Proudlove’s endearing comedy about the agony of growing up returns, now as part of a national tour.

Phenomenal South Coast singer-songwriter, Kay Proudlove, brings her formidable talent and infectious personality to the stage in Dear Diary, directed by Merrigong Theatre Company’s own Leland Kean. Dear Diary takes us on a journey into Kay’s teenage diaries through a collection of intimate and vulnerable stories and songs. From first kisses and Spice Girls, to lost gigs, found memories and frayed friendships, Dear Diary is a hilarious, sometimes painful revisiting of our teenage years, delving into the pressures and expectations of growing up.

With wry humour and confessional stories, Dear Diary asks us to look at what we hold onto in our lives and when it’s the right time to let them go, if ever.

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8 ‒ 11 MAY BRUCE GORDON THEATRE $39 – $49 Approx. 1 hr 25 mins (no interval) Post-Show Q&A Thu 9 May, 6.30pm Talking Point Sat 11 May, 15 mins after the matinee Recommended for ages 14+ Contains strong language and adult themes Writer and Performer Kay Proudlove Director Leland Kean Dramaturg Phil Spencer Costume Designer Katja Handt

Mainstage Season

“...whip-smart, hilarious and with the voice of an angel...”

Kay Proudlove. Photo by Ashleigh Bateman

ABC Illawarra

The Australian

Cast. Photo by Prudence Upton

“...burns with ferocious, life-affirming passion.”

A Marrugeku production

JURRUNGU NGAN-GA [STRAIGHT TALK]

By Dalisa Pigram and Rachael Swain, with Patrick Dodson and collaborators

Dance as resistance: Marrugeku tears down walls.

Challenging, joyful and deeply affecting, Jurrungu Ngan-ga [Straight Talk] is a dance, sound, and installation work that confronts Australia’s shameful fixation with incarceration.

Exceptionally talented dancers draw on cultural and community experience to move deftly between horror, truth-telling, and bodily resistance.

At the forefront of cultural expressive integrity, Marrugeku is an unparalleled presence in Australia today. Dedicated to Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians working together, they develop new dance languages that are restless, transformative and unwavering.

Designed by leading Western Australian visual artist Abdul-Rahman Abdullah, co-created with Yawuru leader Patrick Dodson, Kurdish-Iranian writer and former Manus Island detainee Behrouz Boochani, and Iranian-Australian scholar-activist Omid Tofighian, this is an exquisite work of great sophistication that throbs with sadness, anger and joy.

Brutally beautiful, it will arrest your attention, dare you to look away, and dream of the day we will know solidarity in difference.

Contains low-level strobe lighting, partial nudity, reference to self-harm, simulated violence and racial abuse.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander audiences are advised that this show contains the names of people who have passed away.

29 ‒ 31 AUG

IMB THEATRE $45 – $55 Approx. 1 hr 20 mins (no interval) Post-Show Q&A Thu 29 Aug, 6.30pm Talking Point Sat 31 Aug, 15 mins after the matinee Recommended for ages 15+ Director Rachael Swain Choreographer Dalisa Pigram with the performers Cultural Dramaturgy Behrouz Boochani, Patrick Dodson, Omid Tofighian Performance Dramaturgy Hildegarde de Vuyst Music Sam Serruys, Paul Charlier and Rhyan Clapham (aka DOBBY) Lyrics Beni Bjah Sound Designer Sam Serruys and Paul Charlier Designer Abdul-Rahman Abdullah Costume Designer Andrew Treloar Lighting Designer Damien Cooper Co-devising Performers Czack (Ses) Bero, Emmanuel James Brown, Chandler Connell, Luke Currie-Richardson, Issa el Assaad, Macon Escobal Riley, Bhenji Ra, Feras Shaheen and Miranda Wheen

Mainstage Season

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A John Frost For Crossroads Live and Shake & Stir Theatre Co production

Agatha Christie’s

The Mousetrap Don’t just see it... solve it.

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5 ‒ 15 SEP IMB THEATRE $89 – $119 Approx. 2 hrs 20 mins (incl. interval) Post-Show Q&A Thu 5 Sep, 6.30pm Talking Point Sat 7 Sep, 15 mins after the matinee Recommended for ages 14+ Director Robyn Nevin

Mainstage Season

Original cast: Anna O’Byrne and Alex Rathgeber. Photo by Brian Geach

For over 70 years, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap has kept millions of people from every corner of the globe on the edge of their seats. Directed

by Australian theatre royalty, Robyn Nevin, and starring a collection of some of Australia’s finest stage talent, this acclaimed new production wowed audiences on a national tour in 2022.

Now it’s Wollongong’s turn to indulge in the classic crime caper that has cemented Agatha Christie as the queen of her genre.

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?

“Even more thrilling than the plot is the atmosphere of shuddering suspense. No one brews it better than Agatha Christie.”

Daily Express

Akkshey Caplash and Idam Sondhi. Photo by Noni Carroll

“...touching, funny and potent...”

City Hub

A National Theatre of Parramatta production

Guards at the Taj Written by Rajiv Joseph Directed by Bali Padda

A lifelong friendship is tested when two ordinary men are ordered to do the unthinkable.

A wonderfully funny and moving exploration of beauty and power, autocracy and resistance, and conflicting loyalties. Guards at the Taj centres on a hilariously relatable friendship that is tested by extreme and brutal circumstances.

Humayun and Babur are best friends, and guards in Hindustani ruler Shah Jahan’s Imperial Army.

They bicker, reminisce about jungle escapades, and have the dubious privilege of standing guard over the Taj Mahal the night before it is revealed to the world as the most potent and powerful personification of beauty.

At the grand opening of the Taj Mahal, the Emperor decrees that nothing more beautiful shall ever be built again. To ensure this, he orders two imperial guards to perform a horrendous task.

National Theatre of Parramatta bring Rajiv Joseph’s script to new life in this new tour.

Guards at the Taj mixes witty black comedy with the bloodiest deeds of Greek tragedy.

19 ‒ 21 SEP BRUCE GORDON THEATRE $39 – $49 Approx. 1 hr 30 mins (no interval) Post-Show Q&A Thu 19 Sep, 6.30pm Talking Point Sat 21 Sep, 15 mins after the matinee Recommended for ages 14+ Contains strong language, the use of blood and simulated violence.

Production Designer James Browne Lighting Designer Kate Baldwin Sound Designer Me-Lee Hay Cast Akkshey Caplash and Idam Sondhi

Mainstage Season

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An Ensemble Theatre production

THE QUEEN’S NANNY

By Melanie Tait Directed by Priscilla Jackman

Tragic. Royal. Comedy.

Inspired by historical events, a royal scandal ignites a blistering fire between the steely Queen Mother and her children’s doting nanny in Melanie Tait’s new comedic drama, The Queen’s Nanny. The production comes to Wollongong direct from its world premiere season at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre.

Marion ‘Crawfie’ Crawford adored her job as governess to Princesses Lilibet and Margaret Rose… until she was ostracised, despite dedicating the best part of her life to raising, educating and caring for the young royals.

The reason? A tell-all memoir.

From the creative team behind the nation-wide success of The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race (now a feature film starring Claire Van De Boom), this black comedy imagines a series of pivotal moments between two strong-spirited women harbouring complicated resentment.

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The Queen’s Nanny was commissioned

by Ensemble Theatre through its Commissioners’ Circle

16 ‒ 19 OCT IMB THEATRE $59 – $89 Approx. 1 hr 30 mins (no interval) Post-Show Q&A Thu 17 Oct, 6.30pm Talking Point Sat 19 Oct, 15 mins after the matinee Recommended for ages 12+ Lighting Designer Morgan Moroney Cast includes Matthew Backer and Merridy Eastman

Mainstage Season

Merridy Eastman. Photo by Brett Boardman

“Tait is a playwright with a sharp eye for human foibles and how they play out between people.”

Stage Noise

MERRIGONGX is our annual artists’ program. It focuses on supporting artists to take creative risks.

MERRIGONGX places artists and their practice at the centre of our community.

From in-house creative developments to full-blown public presentations of new work, and everything in between, MERRIGONGX provides independent artists with financial, technical, marketing and artistic resources.

spot for You can reserve your when s ow sh MERRIGONGX Ticket, on as Se ur you book yo after l fee u yo at wh then pay . the show

A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen

or How To Make the Perfect One-Pot Chicken Curry

By Joshua Hinton

A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen fills the theatre with exotic smells as Josh attempts to make his grandmother’s chicken curry live on stage, while telling stories of his grandparents’ formative experiences, transporting the audience from the backstreets of Sri Lanka to a bustling city in India, from a schoolyard in Iran to a South African farm, and finally to Wollongong.

8 – 10 Aug, 7.30pm Bruce Gordon Theatre Approx. 1 hr (no interval) Recommended for ages 12+

Joshua Hinton. Photo by Children of the Revolution

Theatre-maker and singer-songwriter, Josh Hinton, weaves together childhood memories and family folklore passed down the generations, exploring how they’ve shaped his adult view of himself, and how we are all made of memories and stories.

Birdsong of Tomorrow

By Nathan Harrison

Nathan Harrison. Photo by Children of the Revolution

Every day in our gardens and streets, birds sing. They sing songs, passed down through generations, of a world that’s changing. Birds fill the planet with melody and colour... and a lot of them are chickens.

Birdsong of Tomorrow is a playful and heartfelt look at the birds around us, and what they might sing when we’re gone.

A nature documentary for the end of the world, this blend of science, storytelling, music and projection is from a MERRIGONGX all-star team of Nathan Harrison and Emma McManus (Sorry Sorry Sorry), Tom Hogan (Mount Hopeless) and Solomon Thomas (UFO, COIL).

22 – 24 Aug, 7.30pm Bruce Gordon Theatre Approx. 1 hr (no interval) Recommended for ages 14+

The Cardinal Rules

By Rose Maher, with Hurrah Hurrah Productions

Rose Maher. Photo by Luke Simmonds

A eulogy to the parochial parishioner; a nostalgic work of storytelling and a reckoning with an upbringing in the Australian Catholic Church circa 1990. Be transported into a suburban Canberra parish through the eyes of our dedicated eleven-year-old parishioner.

She questions, queries, and quite innocently mocks the church’s theatrical rituals with her child’s play.

Rose Maher leads an ambitious team, interrogating the broader question of the individual’s complicity in the proliferation of the power structures that dominate our lives.

31 Oct – 2 Nov, 7.30pm Bruce Gordon Theatre Approx. 1 hr (no interval) Recommended for ages 16+ Contains strong language and adult themes

A Jens Altheimer production

WHALEBONE

By Jens Altheimer

A tale full of magic.

Welcome to the ‘Depository’, a mysterious bureau that has seen better days. The last, rather whimsical worker continues an important task: with the help of some strange machinery, he extracts the stories that live in old, discarded objects and safeguards their memories in a magical place. But the arrival of an obsolete A.I. that is programmed to avoid being disconnected starts a gripping and humorous clash between the analogue and the digital.

Featuring dazzling video and computer animations, flying objects and a pinch of circus, this richly visual theatrical experience takes kids and adults on a roller-coaster ride.

Performed by the imaginative tinkerer and comedian, Jens Altheimer (winner of the Adelaide Fringe Award for ‘Best Production for Children’), physical reality turns virtual and back, in this quirky family show about what makes us human.

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19 ‒ 20 APR BRUCE GORDON THEATRE Tickets $29 Approx. 55 mins (no interval) Relaxed performance Sat 20 Apr, 10am Recommended for ages 6+ Deviser and performer Jens Altheimer

KIDS AND FAMILIES school holidays

Mathew Kelly and Richard Higgins. Photo by Andrew Wuttke

the listies:

MAKE SOME NOISE

Written and performed by Matthew Kelly and Richard Higgins

Turn up the LOLs. For over a decade, the award-winning Listies have toured the world doing shows for literally gazillions of kidults - that’s kids and their adults.

Now they’re bringing hilarious, fabulous, fun for the whole family back to Wollongong.

Make Some Noise is a comedy concert for humans aged 4 to 400. Join the maestros of mirth, Rich and Matt, as they belt out a bunch of songs with the LOLs turned up to 11.

Will they be in tune? Almost.

In time? Not quite.

In order? Definitely.

Can Rich dance? Let’s find out.

It’s a party for your ears and both of them are invited!

19 ‒ 20 JUL IMB THEATRE Tickets $29 Approx. 1 hr (no interval) Relaxed performance Sat 20 Jul, 10am Recommended for ages 4+ Music and Lyrics The Listies and Ryan Ritchie Lighting Designers Emma Valente and Rebecca Etchell Video Graphics Emma Valente Sound Design Iva Lottagas

KIDS AND FAMILIES school holidays

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The Gruffalo © Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler 1999 – Macmillan Children’s Books

A CDP Kids and Tall Stories production

THE Gruffalo Adapted from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s award-winning picture book

Take a walk with a very clever mouse!

After sell-out seasons across the world, including London’s West End and Broadway, The Gruffalo returns to delight audiences once again.

Join Mouse on a daring adventure through the deep, dark wood in this magical, musical adaptation of the classic picture book. Searching for hazelnuts, Mouse meets the cunning Fox, the eccentric old Owl and the party mad Snake.

Will the story of the terrifying Gruffalo save Mouse from ending up as dinner for these hungry woodland creatures? After all, there’s no such thing as a Gruffalo – is there?

Songs, laughs and scary fun abounds in this adored production.

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FRI 16 AUG IMB THEATRE Tickets $29 Approx. 55 mins (no interval) Recommended for ages 3+ Director Olivia Jacobs Creative Producer Toby Mitchell Musical Director Jon Fiber Designer Isla Shaw Original Lighting Design James Whiteside

KIDS AND FAMILIES school term 3

Original cast Edric Hong and John Gomez Goodway. Photo by Heidrun Lohr

A Monkey Baa Theatre Company production

THE PEASANT PRINCE Based on the book by Li Cunxin Illustrated by Anne Spudvilas Adapted for the stage by Eva Di Cesare, Sandie Eldridge and Tim McGarry

A true story to spark your aspirations.

The children’s version of Li Cunxin’s iconic autobiography, Mao’s Last Dancer, The Peasant Prince tells a remarkable true story of courage, resilience and unwavering hope.

Li, a 10-year-old peasant boy is plucked from his village in rural China and sent to a ballet academy in the big city. He leaves everything and everyone he loves, including his family.

Over years of gruelling training, he transforms from an impoverished peasant to a giant of the international dance scene. Li’s hope for a better life for himself and his family makes The Peasant Prince a story to ignite our own aspirations to be the best person we can be.

Monkey Baa’s extraordinary production won ‘Best Production’ at The Glugs and The Sydney Theatre Awards, and a Drover’s Award for the ‘Best Tour’ in 2016. Now it returns to Wollongong to enthral and inspire new young audiences.

3 ‒ 4 SEP BRUCE GORDON THEATRE Tickets $29 Approx. 1 hr (no interval) Recommended for ages 7+ Contains themes of racism and simulated violence Director Tim McGarry Remount Director Egan Sun-Bin Production Designer Michael Hankin Composer Daryl Wallis Movement Director Danielle Micich Remount Movement Director Lia Reutens Lighting Designer Sian James-Holland Author and Script Consultant Li Cunxin

KIDS AND FAMILIES school term 3

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A Junkyard Beats production in association with Merrigong Theatre Company

Photo by Max Roux

JUNKLANDIA

By Junkyard Beats

Learn the Junklandian ways of creative recycling and music.

Junkyards Beats took IPAC by storm in 2022 with their high energy, sustainable, fun The Box Show. Now they are back with more amazing junk percussion in JUNKLANDIA! This show is a spectacle of rhythm, dance, circus and comedy, guaranteed to blow your mind!

With an incredible ‘Junk Orchestra’ grand finale, everyone will be equipped with a recycled instrument, and come together to create a one-of-a-kind Junkyard Band! Uniting in rhythm, music, and movement, kids can experience the tangible power of collaboration and teamwork whilst having fun!

Join the dynamic adventure of these musical misfits as they repurpose the junk that the world has forgotten.

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11 ‒ 12 OCT BRUCE GORDON THEATRE All tickets $29 Approx. 1 hr 30 mins (no interval) Relaxed Performance Sat 12 Oct, 10am Recommended for ages 3+ Writers Oded Prior, Tom Fitzsimons and Kobe Bakonyi

KIDS AND FAMILIES school holidays

Merrigong Creativity Camp Popular interactive theatre, performance and design workshops.

SCHOOL HOLIDAY FUN!

Under the guidance and supervision of professional performing and teaching artists, children take a journey of creative exploration. Designed to activate kids’ imaginations and build self-confidence in a fun, educational environment, this is a great space for Campers to develop ongoing friendships with other like-minded children.

Photo by Tracey Leigh Images

WOLLONGONG TOWN HALL 9am-3pm (incl. lunch break) 15 - 19 APRIL

15 - 19 JULY

8 - 11 OCTOBER

$290 (5 days)

$290 (5 days)

$240 (4 days)

20% discount for additional siblings, or when booking all three camps.

For ages 5 – 12. Children will be placed into groups based on age and confidence.

KIDS AND FAMILIES school holidays

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Season Tickets... simplified The more you see, the more you’ll save SILVER

GOLD

Choose 4 or 5 Shows to unlock 20% off individual ticket prices

Choose 6 + Shows to unlock 30% off individual ticket prices

Season Ticket

Season Ticket

→

GET MORE WITH A SEASON TICKET When you choose a SILVER or GOLD Season Ticket you unlock access to brilliant benefits and exclusive offers.

An invitation to Merrigong’s Season 2025 Event Merrigong Loyalty Card The Best Seats While there isn’t a bad seat in the house, becoming a Season Ticket Holder means you get access to your pick of the bunch before tickets go onsale to the public 8 Dec 2023. Book early for the best selection.

Share with Family and Friends Treat your loved ones by purchasing unlimited discounted tickets to shows in our 2024 Mainstage Season. Must be purchased at the time of booking your Season Tickets.

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Real Flexibility Life happens, so we offer Season Ticket Holders a free ticket exchange for every show in your package. This is for any available Season 2024 performance.

(Where prices vary, the difference will be charged or refunded accordingly). Please contact us at least one working day before your booked performance.

Exclusive Food and Drink Discounts Enjoy 10% off at our bars and The Social café plus other special offers throughout the year.

Pay Half Now Half Later If paying by credit card you can choose to pay half upfront, and the remainder on or close to 16 Apr 2024.

Adult

Mainstage Season

Concession

SILVER

GOLD

OFF

OFF

SILVER

GOLD

OFF

OFF

Tickets

20%

$44.00

$38.50

$45.00

$36.00

$79.00

$63.20

$55.30

$69.00

Wild Dogs Under My Skirt

$55.00

$44.00

$38.50

Dear Diary

$49.00

$39.20

Jurrungu Ngan-Ga [Straight Talk]

$55.00

Agatha Christie’s

Guards at the Taj

Individual

Premium

(incl. Under 30s, Group 8+)

Tickets

20%

Send for Nellie

$55.00

RBG: Of Many, One

Individual

Individual

SILVER

GOLD

Tickets

20%

$31.50

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$55.20

$48.30

$99.00

$79.20

$69.30

$45.00

$36.00

$31.50

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—

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$34.30

$39.00

$31.20

$27.30

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—

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$44.00

$38.50

$45.00

$36.00

$31.50

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$99.00

$79.20

$69.30

$89.00

$71.20

$62.30

$119.00

$95.20

$83.30

$49.00

$39.20

$34.30

$39.00

$31.20

$27.30

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The Queen’s Nanny $69.00

$55.20

$48.30

$59.00

$47.20

$41.30

$89.00

$71.20

$62.30

The Mousetrap

30%

30%

OFF

30%

OFF

Remember you can also book in tickets to our KIDS AND FAMILIES shows for the flat ticket price of $29 and reserve your spot to our MERRIGONGX Shows and pay what you feel after the show.

Exclusive Offers Get discounted tickets to other selected shows throughout the year (up to two tickets per Season Ticket Holder).

10 %two OFF

up to tickets

Current offers

The Wharf Revue Pride in Prejudice 30 Jan – 3 Feb

Lost in Shanghai by jane hutcheon

Tue 5 Mar

Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow 18 – 19 May

PLUS MORE announced throughout the year!

Augustin Hadelich and The Sydney Symphony Orchestra Sat 17 Aug

Opera Australia La BohÈme by puccini

26 – 27 Aug

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HOW TO BOOK season tickets Choose at least 4 Mainstage Shows to be eligible for SILVER (20% off) or at least 6 Mainstage Shows for GOLD (30% off). The total cost of your package is determined by the shows you select.

Online

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Paper

Scan QR code or visit merrigong.com/ MerrigongSeason2024

or

A paper booking form is available at Box Office or as a printable PDF online. booking form

booking for

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We are here to help Call us 10am - 4pm weekdays on 02 4224 5999, email info@merrigong.com.au or drop into Box Office at IPAC.

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MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR THEATRE EXPERIENCE Join the conversation and enhance your experience with great opportunities to learn more about the theatre.

Post-show Q&As

Merrigong Talking Points

For most shows in our Mainstage Season, we offer at least one performance where the audience is invited to stay for a conversation with the cast, and sometimes show creatives too. This is a perfect opportunity to gain deeper insights into a show and how it was made.

Learn more about theatre, the arts and the world around us! Everyone is invited to join our eclectic and engaging series of talks, designed to complement our Season. Held after Saturday matinee performances of Mainstage Season shows, Merrigong Talking Points are free and run for approximately one hour. No bookings required. Check show pages for dates and times.

Free programs We provide a free program for most Mainstage Season shows. With insights into the people behind the work and its creation, programs are made available for download and as a hard copy at the performance.

Pre-show reminders To make sure you don’t miss a thing, we’ll send you a ticket reminder 1 — 2 days before your chosen performance. Please provide your email address when booking.

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schools and young people We believe that all young people should experience live theatre! We invite young people to explore our venues, experience professional, high-quality theatre and engage in a range of fun activities, workshops, backstage tours, and more.

Our Young People’s Program is made possible with the support of Peoplecare.

School Group Bookings A discounted school group price of $25 per student (for groups of eight or more) is available for all school day matinee and selected evening performances. For each group of eight or more students, a supervising teacher can attend for free.

Student Group Season Tickets Even bigger savings are available for groups of eight or more students seeing multiple shows.

Price per student: 3 Shows for $66 5 Shows for $95

Passport to Performance Substantial ticket subsidies are available through our Passport to Performance program, with tickets from as little as $6 per student (for groups of eight or more). Subsidies may be available for public schools with a high FOEI score, or for school groups with additional requirements.

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The Drama Studio IPAC is home to The Drama Studio, a dynamic drama school established in 1988, and run by Fiona Gabb-Finley.

The Drama Studio offers drama classes for school students from Kindergarten through to Year 12.

Young Playwrights’ Project A showcase of Wollongong’s youngest playwrights and performers, run in collaboration with The Drama Studio at IPAC. Young playwrights with a 10 – 15 minute play they would love to see on stage are invited to apply. Scripts are assessed by professional practitioners, and the playwrights selected will work with a mentor to develop their play, which is performed by young actors from The Drama Studio.

Work Experience A limited number of week-long work experience placements are made available each year for students to participate in and observe the different departments in operation at Merrigong.

For more information visit merrigong.com.au/communityeducation or email education@merrigong.com.au

Community is at the centre of everything we do Our goal is to build and sustain strong and meaningful relationships with individuals, groups and organisations across our local community, to meet our aims for inclusivity, diversity, access and opportunity. We work with a wide range of local organisations to develop specific arts-based programs and provide subsidised community rates and event support for the use of our spaces. These include: Proud community partners since 2006, The Disability Trust’s Sport and Recreation program offers participants the opportunity to regularly work with professional theatre artists and to present their bi-annual productions in our venues.

Merrigong supports Beyond Empathy’s team of artists, mentors, community workers and leaders with strong connections to First Nations communities, through a partnership that provides young people in need with access to the theatre.

Our partnership with Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation aims to raise the self-esteem, pride, motivation and dignity of Aboriginal people through culturally appropriate programs that strengthen Aboriginal identity and culture and encourage self-determination.

Merrigong works with Woolyungah Indigenous Centre to host interns from the University of Wollongong to improve student opportunities for career development and employment in the arts.

Merrigong has partnered with South Coast Writers’ Centre to provide venue support for their annual South Coast Writers’ Festival, Young Writers’ Program, and Live and Local, a satellite event of the Sydney Writers’ Festival, as well as the Merrigong & SCWC Playwrights’ Project.

Merrigong supports Wollongong Conservatorium of Music in connecting community and young people to music in our venues.

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SUPPORT MERRIGONG The performing arts enhances our lives in so many ways, from igniting inspiration and creativity to forging a more connected community. Your support guarantees the vitality of the arts community for all residents of the Illawarra. There are many ways you can support this work, from taxdeductible donations to corporate partnerships, to becoming part of our team of highly valued volunteers. As a not-for-profit organisation, all support plays an essential role in what we can achieve, both on and off the stage.

All contributions, big or small, make a huge difference.

Join our Inner Circle Make a tax-deductible donation of $250 or more and you’ll become part of our Inner Circle, and have the opportunity to attend exclusive events and connect with like-minded arts advocates.

Our Inner Circle donors are recognised at three levels of support:

Inner Circle Insider ($1,000+)

Inner Circle Collaborator ($500 – $999)

Inner Circle Supporter

($250 – $499)

How your support will make an impact • Develop new works – Helping the next generation of artists through MERRIGONGX, with creative developments, support for numerous emerging artists, and new commissions from Australian playwrights.

• Inspire young minds – Our Young People’s Program enables us to heavily subsidise tickets for schools and community groups to inspire our youth.

• Build inclusivity – with our partner, The Disability Trust, and our professional performance company, The Strangeways Ensemble, we can build on our work providing opportunities for people living with a disability.

All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

Donate by scanning the QR code, via our website at merrigong.com.au/support, visit or call our box office on 02 4224 5999.

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MERRIGONG’S INNER CIRCLE A heartfelt thank you.

Inner Circle Insiders ($1,000+) Bruce Walker George and Rada Millwood Hilton and Jan Bloomfield Leta Webb Liz Elliott and Kevin Marston Merri Sheppard

Michael Davies and Chris Gage Pauline and Rodney Doyle R McDonald Steve Andersen Warwick Shanks and Sharon Behl-Shanks

Inner Circle CollaboratorS ($500 – $999) Amy Harper Angela and Steve McCrea Ann Hinton Beth Dally Beverley Darby Chris and Jaqui McRobert Damien Leith Four Star Cleaning Jodie Parker and Robin D’Rozario John and Adrian Quilter Kevin and Sue Savage

Margaret Wolfe Marie Mitchell-Stanley Pamela and Harry Bassett Paul Jennings and Rhonni Garven Rosemary Mahon Shabnam and Simon Hinton Simon and Sharon Hodsden Wollongong Concrete Pumping Anonymous x 3

Inner Circle Supporters ($250 – $499) Alice and David Bell Angela Raymond Ann and Peter Robinson Barbara Cunningham Dana Freeman Dayna Parker Elen Seymour Elouera Home Support Graeme and Lisa McKay Hazel Flynn Jan Keith John Penney Leland Kean

Lynette Upton Margaret Schneider Marienne Shepherd Marlene Matthew Merilyn Pearson Michael Pennisi Monique Davis Paul Gashler Rachel Francis and Kim Buck Ron and Helen Jaray Terence Tierney Wayne Morris Anonymous x 5 35

Accessibility We’re committed to ensuring that everyone can enjoy theatre and live performance experiences with us. To organise accessible options, please contact us at the time of booking. Call (02) 4224 5999, email boxoffice@merrigong.com.au or visit in person 10am – 4pm weekdays and 1 hour prior to events.

Accessible Seating Options Both Illawarra Performing Arts Centre and Wollongong Town Hall are accessible venues. Our staff are available to help assist you in and around the venue. Selected seats in each theatre are held for patrons who use wheelchairs or have other mobility concerns. Please call us to talk about your access requirements including the type of wheelchair you use – we want to make sure we have the right space for you.

Hearing Assistance Wollongong Town Hall Main Auditorium, the IMB Theatre and Bruce Gordon Theatre have induction hearing loops compatible with T-switch hearing aids.

Live Captioning Select performances are captioned on our side-of-stage screens.

Mobile captioning is available via GoTheatrical! app. Please download the app prior to your performance or we can supply a device.

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Audio Description Select performances are Audio Described for the benefit of patrons with low or no vision. Actions, expressions and gestures are described by professional describers to bring out the true imagery in a performance. Patrons will hear the description through headsets. Please mention audio description when booking.

Tactile Tours Before Audio Described performances, patrons can participate in a 30-minute tactile tour. Being in the set establishes the scene and allows for a deeper theatrical experience for all patrons. Please mention Tactile Tour when booking.

Large-Print Program Large-print, plain text copies of the program for Mainstage Season shows are available on request at the Box Office on the day of performance.

Communication Boards Available at our on-site café and Box Office we have customised our own Communication Board with symbols that reflect our operations and services. This tool allows people to express themselves through a visual aid by either gesturing, pointing to, or blinking at the symbols represented on the board which our staff will then respond to accordingly.

Relaxed Performances

Companion Card

Select performances are designed to be sensory friendly for anyone who would benefit from a more relaxed performance environment. House lights are left on low, sound levels are lowered, and the theatre doors will remain open. You are welcome to move around, make noise, or come and go as you need. If you need assistance during the show, such as finding a quiet space, our ushers are here to help.

We accept Companion Cards. Seats for your companion can only be booked in person or by phoning the Box Office with Companion Cards to be sighted upon ticket collection.

Access Guides Each venue has a guide to help you best plan your visit and know what to expect.

For more information regarding accessibility visit merrigong.com/ access

Important Information Key Dates for your diary

Proof of concession

Season Tickets on sale Tue 28 Nov, 2023 Individual Tickets on sale Fri 8 Dec, 2023

Discounted ticket prices are available for Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, Australian Writers’ Guild and MEAA card holders, as well as full-time students and under 30s. Seniors’ Card holders may also book Season Ticket Packages at the concession price. Proof of concession will be requested on admission to the theatre.

Pay half now, half later If paying by credit card, you can choose to pay half of your Season package when booking. We’ll charge your card for the remaining 50% on or close to 16 April 2024 (a $9.20 handling fee applies.)

Transaction fees A per transaction fee of $6.95 applies to phone and internet bookings.

No transaction fees are payable for counter purchases, or for Season Ticket Packages.

Family of 4 tickets These tickets can be used for anyone under 30, not just children, and up to two adults (30+) in the group.

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Groups

Age recommendations

If you would like to be seated with friends, please make sure you submit your Season Ticket booking forms together (in the same email or envelope if possible). Please include the names and contact details of all people in the group.

While we provide age recommendations for shows, parental discretion is advised.

Exchanging tickets Season Ticket Holders can swap each ticket in their package once, for free, into another performance of the same show, or any other show in Merrigong’s 2024 Season.

Where performance prices vary, the difference will be charged or refunded accordingly. Please contact us at least 24 hours before your booked performance. Unlimited additional exchanges are permitted at an exchange fee of $4.80 per ticket, per exchange.

Refunds Tickets cannot be refunded after purchase except if an event is cancelled, rescheduled or significantly relocated as outlined in the Live Performance Australia Ticketing Code of Practice. For more details, visit liveperformance.com.au

Refundable Booking An external Refundable Booking Service is offered at the time of purchasing tickets. You can pay an additional cost* as an option to receive a refund if you are unable to attend an event due to unforeseen circumstances. Terms and conditions apply. * Calculated as 12% of the total cart value, including all fees, excluding standalone products and donations.

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Content warnings Productions may include smoke effects, strobe effects, nudity, strong language, loud sound effects, simulated violence or adult themes.

Where we have information about the production, we have included warnings in this brochure. However, at the time of performance we will also provide notice in the foyers of our theatres and on our website including any additional information.

Please speak with our Front of House staff if you have any concerns.

Blankets Everyone experiences air conditioning differently. If you get cold in the theatre, we have blankets on hand to make sure you keep warm and enjoy the experience. Please ask our friendly Front of House staff if you would like a blanket.

Cushions Seating in the IMB Theatre and Bruce Gordon Theatre is raked, providing excellent sight lines to the stage.

Seating in Wollongong Town Hall Main Auditorium is on the flat. We have booster cushions available on request, free of charge for all venues.

THANK YOU Merrigong Theatre Company Major Funding Partners Merrigong Theatre Company manages IPAC & Wollongong Town Hall on behalf of its major funding partner, Wollongong City Council.

Young People’s Program Partner

Season 2024 Supporters

MEDIA PARTNERS

ACCOMMODATION PARTNER

Supporters of shows in our 2024 season

RBG: Of Many, One, Dear Diary, Jurrungu Ngan-ga [Straight Talk], Guards at the Taj, The Peasant Prince, MERRIGONGX Artists’ Program

RBG: Of Many, One, Jurrungu Ngan-ga [Straight Talk], Guards at the Taj, Whalebone, The Peasant Prince, The Listies: Make Some Noise

Guards at the Taj, The Peasant Prince

Send For Nellie

Jurrungu Ngan-ga [Straight Talk]

Wild Dogs Under My Skirt

Whalebone

The Listies: Make Some Noise 39

year at a glance MAINSTAGE SEASON SEND FOR NELLIE Wed 14 Feb, 7.30pm Thu 15 Feb, 6.30pm Q&A Fri 16 Feb, 7.30pm Sat 17 Feb, 1.30pm AD, C, TT, TP Sat 17 Feb, 7.30pm

RBG: OF MANY, ONE Wed 3 Apr, 7.30pm Thu 4 Apr, 6.30pm Q&A Fri 5 Apr, 7.30pm Sat 6 Apr, 1.30pm AD, C, TT, TP Sat 6 Apr, 7.30pm

WILD DOGS UNDER MY SKIRT Wed 10 Apr, 7.30pm Thu 11 Apr, 6.30pm Q&A Fri 12 Apr, 7.30pm Sat 13 Apr, 1.30pm AD, C, TT, TP Sat 13 Apr, 7.30pm

DEAR DIARY Wed 8 May, 7.30pm Thu 9 May, 6.30pm Q&A Fri 10 May, 7.30pm Sat 11 May, 1.30pm AD, C, TT, TP Sat 11 May, 7.30pm

JURRUNGU NGAN-GA [STRAIGHT TALK] Thu 29 Aug, 6.30pm Q&A Fri 30 Aug, 11am Q&A Fri 30 Aug, 7.30pm Sat 31 Aug, 1.30pm AD, C, TT, TP Sat 31 Aug, 7.30pm

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S THE MOUSETRAP

THE LISTIES: MAKE SOME NOISE

Thu 5 Sep, 6.30pm Q&A Fri 6 Sep, 7.30pm Sat 7 Sep, 1.30pm AD, C, TT, TP Sat 7 Sep, 7.30pm Sun 8 Sep, 1pm Sun 8 Sep, 6pm Tue 10 Sep, 6.30pm Wed 11 Sep, 6.30pm Thu 12 Sep, 11am Thu 12 Sep, 6.30pm Fri 13 Sep, 7.30pm Sat 14 Sep, 1.30pm Sat 14 Sep, 7.30pm Sun 15 Sep, 1pm Sun 15 Sep, 6pm

Fri 19 Jul, 6pm Sat 20 Jul, 10am R Sat 20 Jul, 1pm

GUARDS AT THE TAJ Thu 19 Sep, 6.30pm Q&A Fri 20 Sep, 7.30pm Sat 21 Sep, 1.30pm AD, C, TT, TP Sat 21 Sep, 7.30pm

THE QUEEN’S NANNY Wed 16 Oct, 7.30pm Thu 17 Oct, 6.30pm Q&A Fri 18 Oct, 7.30pm Sat 19 Oct, 1.30pm AD, C, TT, TP Sat 19 Oct, 7.30pm

KIDS AND FAMILIES WHALEBONE Fri 19 Apr, 10am Fri 19 Apr, 12.30pm Sat 20 Apr, 10am R Sat 20 Apr, 12.30pm

THE GRUFFALO Fri 16 Aug, 10am Fri 16 Aug, 12.30pm

THE PEASANT PRINCE Tue 3 Sep, 6pm Wed 4 Sep, 10am Wed 4 Sep, 12.30pm

JUNKLANDIA Fri 11 Oct, 10am Fri 11 Oct, 12.30pm Sat 12 Oct, 10am R Sat 12 Oct, 12.30pm

MERRIGONG CREATIVITY CAMPS 15 – 19 Apr 15 – 19 Jul 8 – 11 Oct

MERRIGONGXX A PLACE IN THE SULTAN’S KITCHEN Thu 8 Aug, 7.30pm Fri 9 Aug, 7.30pm Sat 10 Aug, 7.30pm

BIRDSONG OF TOMORROW Thu 22 Aug, 7.30pm Fri 23 Aug, 7.30pm Sat 24 Aug, 7.30pm

THE CARDINAL RULES Thu 31 Oct, 7.30pm Fri 1 Nov, 7.30pm Sat 2 Nov, 7.30pm

Q&A Post-show Q&A AD Audio described for the benefit of patrons with low or no vision 40

TT Pre-show Tactile Tour available on request for the benefit of patrons with low or no vision

C Live Captioned R Relaxed Performance TP Merrigong Talking Point

merrigong.com.au 02 4224 5999 Illawarra Performing Arts Centre 32 Burelli St, PO Box 786, Wollongong, NSW 2500

Connect with us

@MerrigongTheatreCo

@Merrigong

@MerrigongTheatreCo

Merrigong Theatre Company is a trading name of Illawarra Performing Arts Centre Ltd. ABN: 87 590 935 138