Night Sky Over Our Town Program

N ight Sky ver Our Town a reimagining of Thornton Wilder’s ‘Our Town’ written and directed by Elise Greig

Burke Street Studio Theatre 8 Burke Street, Woolloongabba

22 - 24 October, 2020

Welcome It gives me immense pleasure to welcome you to our production of Night Sky Over Our Town

by Elise Greig.

Developed over the year through class and workshop, Night Sky Over Our Town is a reimagining of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, and reminds us of the importance of living in the moment.

Night Sky Over Our Town showcases the amazing talents of our 2nd year Bachelor of Acting students. Leading up to this moment, the Acting students have worked tirelessly in class to gain techniques in acting, voice & speech, movement, Alexander Technique, Singing, Jazz dance and sight reading.

I would like to thank all of the staff who have helped the students to get to this exact point in their studies, especially to Jacqui Somerville, Senior Lecturer in Acting, for her leadership in this area.

Special thanks to Elise Greig for her dynamic support of the students and for creating this, our second commissioned New Australian Play. The students have worked incredibly hard to bring you this production and I would like to thank them for their commitment to the project.

Finally, I would like to thank you for joining us for what I’m sure will be a wonderful evening. As performers we need an audience, so please continue to support our students in future projects.

Professor Paul Sabey - Head of Performing Arts

Elise Greig – Writer & Director Elise is an actor/writer who has been recognized by the Matilda Awards on four occasions for her outstanding contribution to Queensland Theatre. During 2017 Elise received a CentreScreen Award for her performance in Good Girls. Her play, Magpie, was developed through Playlab, and had a critically successful season at Brisbane Powerhouse in 2019. Acting credits include: A Little Night Music, Spring Awakening, Poison, Swallow, Long Gone Lonesome Cowgirls, Explosions, Summer Rain, Modd Madame Butterfly and Hopelessly Devoted. Elise is the voice of Mrs. Kangaroo in Peppa Pig.

From The Director As actors, writers, directors, creative artists and audience members, we are always asking ourselves - what makes a good play? When approached to work on the New Australian Play at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, I wanted to explore this question by reimagining a great play – Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning, Our Town. Wilder’s precise, incisive and razor-sharp work is the stepping off point for Night Sky Over Our Town.

Not only is Wilder’s structure a masterclass in economy but the work also enables student actors to play characters close to their own ages (for the most part!), is inexpensive to mount and explores universal themes of life, love and death, under the watchful eye of the cosmos.

As a metatheatrical work, Night Sky Over Our Town, like the stimulus work, makes no apology for the fact that it is a play in a theatre. Quite the opposite. It reminds us that theatre is part of life and life is part of theatre. That the audience is ever-present and is invited to experience the play through the filter of their own life and imagination. The actors are required to connect with the present moment as well and to play it simply and sincerely, as they bring to life ordinary people who remind us the human race is worth preserving. That our life is, was and always will be important. That human beings matter. A timely reminder during what has been a very challenging year.

I’m forever grateful that I’ve been able to delve deeper into this timeless classic at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. I would like to thank Jacqui for asking me to create this work and for her sure and steady hand throughout the process. I would also like to thank Paul, Amy, Domi, Cathy and Tom for their wonderful support and bottomless energy. A new work requires lots of nurturing, time and care, and they have each supplied this by the bucketload.

To the delightful student actors, our year started in a rehearsal room, transitioned to an online environment and then returned to a strange, new socially-distanced reality and you have embraced each step of the journey with aplomb. Thanks for working indefatigably, passionately and bravely. I have thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with, writing for, and directing you in Night Sky Over Our Town.

So, to you, our intrepid audience, we’ve stripped the stage of fancy artifice and we’ve taken the theatrical experience back to the present moment, creating a simple story that puts the characters’ lives at the centre. May their lives speak to your life in some way and perhaps encourage you to value the smallest events and the preciousness of each moment. As Louisa May Alcott once said, “Say you were happy once. Say there was laughter. Say what is true.” May you enjoy the moment.

x e s i l E

The Cast George ........................................... (22 Oct @ 7.30 & 24 Oct @ 2.30) Liam Wallis (23 Oct @ 7.30 & 24 Oct @ 7.30)

Bailey Smith

Rebecca .......................................................................... Rachel Thomas Doc Gibson .................................................................. Dominic Graves Mrs Gibson ....................................................................... Natalie Ferris Emily .............................................. (22 Oct @ 7.30 & 24 Oct @ 2.30) Emily Crow (23 Oct @ 7.30 & 24 Oct @ 7.30)

Brigitte Freeme

Mrs West ...................................................................... Elizabeth Clarke Mr West ..................................................................................... Josh Bull Wally ....................................................................................... Charlie Baz Stinson .................................................................... Elizabeth Mahoney Jessie ........................................................................... Charlotte Hollett Avery .................................................................................... Kaitlin Evans Skylar .............................................. (22 Oct @ 7.30 & 24 Oct @ 2.30) James Tait (23 Oct @ 7.30 & 24 Oct @ 7.30)

Tallen Hall

Stage Manager 1 ............................................................ Alexia Swain Stage Manager 2 ................................................................. Adam Kay Stage Manager 3 ............................................................ Lucas Stokes

For The Production Director Stage Manager Lighting Designer Assistant Director Set

Lighting

Sound Costume Music Choregraphy Props Voice Captain Poster Design & Program COVID Safety Officer

Elise Greig Amy Hauser Tom Dodds Natalie Ferris Dominic Graves, Alexia Swain, Bailey Smith, Rachel Thomas, Lucas Stokes, Liam Wallis Brigitte Freeme, Dominic Graves, Tallen Hall, James Tait, Adam Kay Josh Bull, Charlotte Hollett, Bailey Smith Natalie Ferris, Emily Crow, Elizabeth Mahoney Charlie Baz, Natalie Ferris, Kaitlin Evans, Tallen Hall Brigitte Freeme, Kaitlin Evans, Charlotte Hollett, Elizabeth Clarke, Tallen Hall, Rachel Thomas Josh Bull Rachel Thomas, Dominique Fegan Bailey Smith

With Thanks David Walters Penny Challen Tony Byrne Dean Hall Sean Dowling

For The Conservatorium Acting Director Professor Gemma Carey Deputy Director Associate Professor Peter Morris (Engagement)

Head of Performing Arts Professor Paul Sabey Senior Lecturer in Acting Jacqui Somerville Business Manager Stuart Jones Performing Arts Administration Cathy Healy, Dominique Fegan Technical Officer Amy Hauser Front of House Operations Michael Hibbard

This performance runs for approx 85 mins (no interval)

Coming Soon LEGALLY BLONDE Burke Street Studio Theatre 10 - 14 November AWAY Burke Street Studio Theatre 24 - 28 November For further information please contact: The Performing Arts Department (07) 3735 3224 performing.arts@griffith.edu.au

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