Shorter+Sweeter 2008 by Short+Sweet Sydney

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The best of the biggest 10 minute play festival in the world 2008 program

ProgrAM DETAILS Upwardly written by :

Mark Cleary Directed by : Mark Cleary cast : Sophie Cook (Girl)

Moving Fast written by :

Adam Gelin Adam Gelin cast : Olivia Solomon (Susan) Alan Flower (Roger)

The Keys to the Mystic Halls of Time written by :

Matt Casarino Adam Gelin cast : Heath Wilder (Scott), Johann Walraven (Tom), Olivia Solomons (Annie), Alan Flower (Dan) Directed by :

Directed by :

The Example written by :

This Bitch Called Home written by :

Catherine Cresswell Catherine Cresswell cast : Sophie Cook (Louie), Christine Greenough (Betty)

Tom Taylor Felicity Burke cast : Alan Flower (Chris), Sophie Cook (Sam) Directed by :

Directed by :

Relics written by :

Borys the Rottweiler written by :

Christopher Johnson Mark Cleary cast : Heath Wilder (Borys) Directed by :

Saturday Night Newtown, Sunday Morning Enmore written by :

Alex Broun Alex Galeazzi cast : Johann Walraven (Matthew), Sophie Cook (Claire) Directed by :

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Iain Triffitt + Brett Danalake Alex Galeazzi cast : Christine Greenough (Mathilde), Heath Wilder (Tom), Johann Walraven (Danny) Directed by :

Paradise written by :

Steven Hopley Alex Galeazzi cast : Alan Flower (Adam), Olivia Solomons (Eve) Directed by :

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A message from the ARTISTIC Director of short+sweet Something for everyone in 10 minutes! Comedy, romance and betrayal. Sex, murder and true love. And that’s just for starters. SHORTER+SWEETER is on tour with the world’s tastiest tiny theatrical treats! Short+Sweet is ‘the biggest little play festival in the world’. An original Australian product that has spread to national and international theatres with festivals in Sydney, Melbourne, Malaysia and Singapore. It gathers the most talented young directors and actors to produce the best local and international fresh new short plays (“10 minutes max”) from more than a thousand entries each year. Shorter+Sweeter showcases a selection of the very best works gathered from the most recent festivals written by Australia’s hottest writers including Steven Hopley, Christopher Johnson, Catherine Cresswell, Adam Gelin, Tom Taylor and Alex Broun. Presented by some of Sydney’s finest directors and starring Sophie Cook, Alan Flower, Christine Greenough, Olivia Solomons, Johann Walraven and Heath Wilder, the selection features the controversial, the rib-tickling, the absurd and the sexy in a unique 10-minute formula that is bound to please every taste. Shorter+Sweeter is an exciting showcase for new Australian writers and takes the ten minute play to a whole new audience around the country. The Key to the Mystic Halls of Time was the popular audience finalist in 2005, won Best New Talent for director Adam Gelin. It tells of an obsessed on-line gamer and his teetering relationships. Paradise is delightful re-telling of the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden which won best director for its young writer Steven Hopley in 2005. The Example is a funny and provocative play about what happens when two strangers discover a suspicious suitcase at a station ... exposing their prejudices despite their best intentions. Borys is a funny and surprisingly moving monologue by a dog, begging for understanding. Relics is a chilling meeting of between an old woman and two neo-Nazi souvenir hunters; while Saturday Night Newtown, Sunday Morning Enmore is a brilliant and sexy new take on ‘the morning after’! For more information about the plays, the writers, directors and actors contact the local theatre at the details below or check us out on the web at www.shortandsweet.org Mark Cleary Artistic Director – Short+Sweet Organsiation

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“There is no better vehicle to tap our greatest natural resource – our writers!” – Bryce Courtenay

“To taste the state of Australian theatre, try Short+Sweet!” – Sydney Morning Herald

“Short+Sweet is the most valuable venture to be seen on the Australian stage.” – George Ogilvie AM

“A first-class concept with enormous appeal … exciting and entertaining theatre.” – David Atkins OAM

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credits Shorter+Sweeter Tour Stage Manager » Kelly Ukena Company Manager » Michael Huxley

Short+Sweet Organisation is supported by

Thanks Penny Miles, Heather Dransfield and all at Arts on Tour, all at M&G NSW, Leigh Russell, Alex Broun Short+Sweet Organisation Artistic Director » Mark Cleary Artistic Coordinator » Alex Broun Associate Producer » Miki Oikawa Education Advisor » Michael Huxley Publicity+Promotions » Geoff Sirmai Administrator » Leigh Russell Postal Address PO BOX 462 Newtown NS W 2042 T: +61 2 9519 5081 E: info@shortandsweet.org www.shortandsweet.org The Australian Government is proud to be associated with this tour through the national performing arts touring program, Playing Australia, which gives Australians across the country the opportunity to see some of our best performing arts.

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» CampbellBarnett

BIOS

Alex Broun – Writer Born in Sydney,Australia, Alex has enjoyed considerable success in theatre, TV and film as a writer, actor and director. As a writer he has had many plays performed in the USA, South Africa, Singapore, England, the Philippines and Australia. He has also twice received funding from the Australian Film Commission as well as recently having two short screenplays filmed. A specialist in ten minute plays, in recent years he has had over 30 short plays produced in over 100 productions across the globe. He is currently the Artistic Coordinator of Short+Sweet, the largest ten minute play festival in the world that currently plays in Sydney, Melbourne and Singapore. Alex lives in Melbourne, Australia. He has also recently launched a new website – www.alexbroun.com – where you can access and download many of his plays free of charge.

Matt Casarino – Writer Matt Casarino’s plays have been produced in 49 states and eleven countries. Five of his plays are published with Playscripts, Inc., and his full-length comedy “The PornoZombies” was recently published by Original Works after runs in Chicago and San Jose. His “Larry Gets the Call” appears in the latest Smith & Kraus Best American Plays anthology. In 2005, Matt was awarded an Established Artist Fellowship by the Delaware Division of the Arts. Other awards include the L.W. Thomas Award and the Alan Minieri Playwriting Award. Matt is a member of The Dramatists Guild, Emerging Artists Theater, and First Draft Theatre. He lives in Delaware, US.

Mark Cleary – Writer/Director Mark Cleary is the founder and Artistic Director of both Newtown Theatre and Short+Sweet. He is also the creator of the Newtown Entertainment Precinct, and the highly successful dance series Bodies. As an independent theatre writer, director and producer he has been instrumental in dozens of productions at Newtown Theatre over the past decade.

Felicity Burke – Director Felicity has directed for many theatre and film companies. In February 2008 she directed “Silvertop Ash” (New Mardi Gras in association with Riverside Theatres and Tunks Productions). Some directorial highlights include: “Nasty Little Secrets” (Paddoe Productions), “Trade and Notification” (Short and Sweet Prize winners), “The Real Inspector Hound”, Black Comedy (Riverside Lyric), “One Flew Over The Cuckoos’ Nest”; “Arsenic and Old Lace” (CTG Inc), “A Sleeping Beauty Pantomime for Grown Ups” (Fractured Fairytailz Productions; also writer and performer). Film: “Inside A” (Pope Productions); “Allergic to New Lambton” (Shoot Out – also writer and performer); “The Long and Short of IT” (Blake Productions) and was festival Director of the Short Fuse FilmFest from 2004–2007. Felicity also writes and acts and will be directing in the UK in 2009 for Barking Dog Productions.

Sophie Cook – Actor Sophie began her career in dance only to spring a leak in her early 20s. She ended up touring a play to the Edinburgh festival in 2001 and realised acting was the next best thing! Having graduated from the Actors Centre in 2004, she’s gone on to star in many a commercial and short

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film and survived a tour with Bell Shakespeare called Actors at Work that entertains the youth of regional Australia. Thrilled to be performing for grown ups, her most significant debut on TV happened recently on a new soap called “Packed to The Rafters”. Stay tuned for that later this year.

Catherine Cresswell – Writer/ Director Catherine Cresswell is a writer/producer working in film and theatre. She completed a BA (Performing Arts) at UWS Nepean and a Masters in Communication Management at UTS. Catherine has worked extensively as a director and facilitator in community theatre and has held senior positions in advertising and pay TV. Her short plays have been performed in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Tasmania and screened on ABC TV. She has worked as a Producer at SBS Radio and in the Royal Blind Society’s audio unit where she produced talking books for children. She was Associate Producer on the awarding winning documentary film A Breath which screened at Cannes Film Festival and SBS TV. In 2007 she produced the documentary film “In Our Name” which had its international premier at the Sydney Film Festival and will screen on ABC TV in 2008. Currently Catherine is mentor on a one hour documentary “Queer As Tango” and is developing several documentary and theatre projects.

In The Web.Com”, “You Are Here”, “Hot For Frida”, “Sci Fi Fo Fum”, “Invasion From A Planet With No Special Effects” and “King Of The Castle”. With Iain Triffitt he has co-written eight plays selected for the Short+Sweet short play festivals in Sydney and Melbourne. They have also written two FBi Live Radio Plays – “With This Ring, I Thee Dead” in 2004 and “Sit On My Facets” in 2005 performed at the Sydney Opera House and the full length play “Gone Bush”. And he’s single, girls. So, don’t be afraid to ask.

Alan Flower – Actor Alan trained UNSW and the Ensemble Studios. Theatre includes “Peribanez and Rays Tempest” (Company B). “Stag” (STC). “A View from the Bridge” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” (Ensemble Theatre). “Jesus Hopped the A Train”, “Frozen” and “La Ronde “(B Sharp). “Road”, “The Disposal”, “Fidelity”, and “Cross Sections” (Tamarama Rock Surfers), “Blue Heart” (Stables), “The Woolgatherer” and “Portia Coughlan” (Darlinghurst Theatre). “That Eye The Sky”, (Burning House Theatre Co), “Summer of the Seventeenth Doll” (New Theatre), “Macquarie” (Government House), “Criminals in Love”, “Young Mo”, and “Wuthering Heights “(Cross Roads Theatre). TV includes: “The Silence”, “The Alice”, “Home and Away”, “All Saints” (Morris the Florist), “Bad Cop Bad Cop”, “Love Is A Four Letter Word”, “Farscape”, “Backberner”, “Flipper”, “Above the Law”, “Water Rats”, “G.P”, “A Country Practise”, “Big Sky”, “Roar” and “Family and Friends”. Feature film credits include “The Venus Factory”, “A Wreck a Tangle”, “When Good Ghouls Go Bad”, “Danny Deckchair”, “Fat Pizza”, “Jewboy”, and “Gabriel”. Alan has also featured in 4 Trop Fest finalists and is a presenter/comedian on the Fox Music Country channel.

Brett Danalake – Writer Brett’s birth came as a surprise to his parents who were only expecting a new car. But he had good mileage and needed few repairs so, they kept him. Since 1998 he has worked with Ferknerkle Productions writing (and sometimes directing and acting in) plays with such interesting sounding titles as “Caught

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BIOS

Alex Galeazzi – Director Alex Galeazzi, a Bachelor of Performing Arts, UWS Nepean and graduate of NIDA Director’s Course, has directed numerous theatre productions including: “The Boys” (Griffin Theatre Company), “The Prince of Brunswick East” (After Party Productions), “Relics” & “Saturday Night Newtown/Sunday Morning Enmore” (Shorter & Sweeter Tour ’06), “Pozieres” (NIDA Theatre), “Nijinski” (Theatre Up North) & the premier of Alana Valentine’s “Singing the Lonely Heart” (New Theatre). Between 1992–1997 for the Sydney Theatre Company Alex assisted and toured David Williamson’s “Dead White Males”, re-staged Michael Gow’s “Away” at Parramatta Riverside Theatres and assisted on the productions of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along”, Williamson’s “Third World Blues” and the London premier of Gow’s “On Top of the World”. In 1994 as resident director for Opera Australia he opened the Melbourne season of “Cavalleria Rusticana / I Pagliacci”. Alex’s creative producing skills developed over his last three years at STC with his work on the extraordinary Foundation Fundraisers: “Mediaeval Mayhem”, “A Fabulous Night at the Trocadero” and “I’ll take Manhattan into the Next Millenium”. Between 1997–2004, in collaboration with Jeremy Garling of Great Southern E-vents, Alex moved into the corporate sector as a Creative Director crediting: IMAX, Sydney Film Festival, Foxtel, Austereo, Mardi Gras, Australia Day Council, Bell Shakespeare Company and Opera Australia amongst their clients. In 2004, as associate producer of the Luna Park Opening Events, Alex had the honour of directing the inaugural comedy night in the Big Top titled “Bandage”, hosted by Wendy Harmer. In 2005 Alex directed “Relics” for the Short+Sweet Festival and the Opening Night of the Mardi Gras Film Festival at the State Theatre. Most recently he directed the Sydney Festival’s First Night “Weddings” on Macquarie Street. He is currently in pre-production for “Ball Game”, Darlinghurst Theatre. In 1991 Alex was the recipient of The Sydney Theatre Critics Circle Award for Freelance Direction.

Adam Gelin – Writer/Director Adam first participated in Short+Sweet in 2003, acting in “Shakespeare’s Sellout”. At Short+Sweet 2004, he acted in two plays, “Pancake Tuesday” and the monologue “In Transit”. For Short+Sweet 2005, he acted in “Squeaky Clean Hotel”, wrote “Tangled Net” and directed “The Key to the Mystic Halls of Time” which was audience-voted into the final where he was awarded “Best New Talent”. Short+Sweet 2006 saw Adam acting in “Something to Crowe About”, scripting “Moving Fast” and directing “10,000 Cigarettes”. He was then appointed Artistic Coordinator for the Shorter+Sweeter tour of 2006, after which he became Festival Director of Short+Sweet Sydney 2007. So Adam is fairly familiar with the celebration that is Short+Sweet. But he does have a life on the outside; his fulllength directing experiences include “Trivia” by Brisbanite Stephen Vagg (premiered at Newtown Theatre, 2006), the British play Damages by Steve Thompson (New Theatre, 2007), Sydneysider Alex Lykos’ Better Man (premiered at Sidetrack Theatre, 2007) and “Implausible People” by Wollongong Patrick Lenton (premiered at The Old Fitzroy Theatre, 2008). In addition, he has written and/or directed numerous short plays, acts and sings and improvises when opportunity allows, and he and his wife have recently had their first child.

Christine Greenough – Actor This is Christine’s second tour with Shorter+Sweeter. Her many theatre appearances include: “Losing Your Marbles”, “A Mothers Love”, “The Second Cuppa”, “Relics”, “The Rodent”, “Ready-to-fit Pergola Kit”, “This Bitch called Home” for Short+Sweet. “Vicious Streaks” for Roar Theatre Company; “Navigating”, “Life after George” for New

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Theatre; “Hungarian Sunday”, “A Touch of Paradise”, “Two Doses of Moliere” for Company 2A; “The Importance of Being Earnest”, “Cosi”, “Away” and “Pygmalion”, for Nomad Repertory Theatre. Christine won Best Actress and Best Actress Runner Up for Short+Sweet. Some of her recent TV appearances have been in the ABC documentary “Over My Dead Body”, “Home and Away”, and “All Saints”. Films include: “Last Days of Connie Hayes”, “Tan Lines”, and “Score”. Directing credits include “Bordeaux”, “In Shelia’s Case”, “2 Doses of Moliere”, “Haiku”, “The Killing of Sister George”. A professional storyteller, Christine co-founded the storytelling company “The Talespinners”. They tell not only to children but have devised “I remember when …” storytelling programs for Seniors and the Aged. The Talespinners have toured throughout Australia, Asia, UK and USA. Christine is a proud member of Equity since 1972.

Stephen Hopley – Writer In 2005 Steve won Best Director at Short+Sweet for his own play “Paradise”, played Christian in “Cyrano de Bergerac” in Newcastle, had an original work performed by the Central Coast Symphony Orchestra, been involved in the making of several short films, continued his annual Twelfth Night in Twelfth Night festival at The Entrance Waterfront and directed and produced an epic production of Macbeth on Terrigal Beach featuring a cast of 35 actors, with his group, The Central Coast Shakespeare Company.

Christopher Johnson – Writer Christopher’s latest play “La La Land” will have its world premiere at Sydney’s Darlinghurst Theatre in May 2008. His play “The Young Tycoons” sold out two seasons

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at the Darlinghurst Theatre in 2005/6. His previous plays at the Darlinghurst include “Backpacker!” (short-listed for the Phillip Parsons Young Playwright of the Year Award in 2004); “Barnesy, The Harbour and You” (2003, return season in 2004) and The Dog Logs (2001, return season in 2002), which went on to multiple productions around the country and ultimately an Australian tour. Christopher came second on Project Greenlight Australia 2006. His screenplay “The Guests” was shortlisted for the 2006 inaugural TropFest Feature Program. He was assistant director to Gale Edwards on The “White Devil” (STC), Richard Wherrett on “Cabaret” (Gordon/Frost) and has directed “Romeo and Juliet”, “Macbeth”, “Othello”, “The Conduct of Life” and “American Buffalo” among others. He graduated the NIDA Directing Course in 1997.

Olivia Solomons – Actor Some described it as ‘captivating’, others said ‘spectacular.’ Whatever it was, Olivia’s performance in “Magic Possum” in pre school was the beginning of something extraordinary. She has been performing ever since. Olivia has trained at various acting institutions in Sydney under many industry professionals including Kate Gaul, Kate Woods, Michael Carson, Malcolm Frawley, Tom McSweeney, John Higgins and Denise Roberts. She also completed a BA Degree majoring in Film, Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of NSW last year. Olivia has built up an array of credits on the stage and in short and feature films, some which have gained international recognition. Most recently she finished a season of “The Wind in the Willows” playing multiple roles and has completed a significant role in the Australian feature, horror film, “The 7th Hunt”. She has two other features “I Wish I Were Stephanie V and Grit” in post production. Having participated in the Sydney Short+Sweet Festival for three years in plays for Ferknerkle Productions, Olivia is absolutely delighted to now be on tour with the best of Short+Sweet.

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BIOS

Tom Taylor – Writer Performing and writing for theatre and musicals since the age of fourteen, Tom Taylor is fast becoming one of the busiest short play writers in Australia. Since 2005, Tom has had over ten different works produced in more than twenty productions across four continents, winning a number of awards and accolades along the way. In Australia, his work has been performed everywhere from The Melbourne Arts Centre to The Athenaeum and from The Seymour Centre to the Sydney Opera House. He also spent several years eating fire and juggling knives for a living… but that’s another story. In addition to theatre, Tom writes for print media, film and television.

Iain Triffitt - Writer Iain Triffitt has written for stage, television, radio and print but seldom for money. With Brett Danalake he has had two radio plays for FBi produced, as well as eight plays for Short+Sweet including “The Entrée Was Death” which won Best Independent Theatre Company for Ferknerkle Productions in 2007. In 2007 Ferknerkle produced their first full-length play “Gone Bush”. Iain has had short stories publishing in the anthologies: “Agog: Smashing Stories” and “Daikaiju” and the magazine “Fables and Reflections”. He is devoutly married but, ladies, send him your details anyway so he can check that you’re good enough for Brett.

Kelly Ukena graduated from Charles Sturt University with a Bachelor of Arts in Design for Theatre and Television. With a focus on management, since graduating she has worked in both theatre and television as a stage manager and as an assistant director. Her stage management credits include 2007 and 2008 Short+Sweet Theatre Festivals and Gala Finals (Short+Sweet Organisation), “Hi-5 Party Street Stage show” (Hi-5 Productions) and “Trivia” (Bunker Productions.) Her television credits include Script Coordinator and Second Assistant Director for Series 10 of “Hi-5” (Hi-5 Productions).

Johann Walraven – Actor Since graduating from NIDA in 2003 Johann has appeared as Vincent Van Gogh in “Vincent in Brixton” (Ensemble), Rot in “Features of Blown Youth” and numerous roles in “The Man Who” (New Theatre), Ethelred in “Silence”, and Jack in “Checklist for an Armed Robber” (B Sharp) and Mike in “Dinner” (Griffin) amongst other things. Other roles include performances in “Fireflies”, “Home and Away”, “All Saints”, the U.S feature film “Stealth”, numerous short films & music videos. Johann was most recently seen as the title role in “Hamlet” at the New Theatre.

Kelly Ukena – Stage Manager

Heath Wilder – Actor Since graduating from UWS Nepean in 2001 Heath has had a diverse and fruitful performance career, in theatre, film, TV and stand-up comedy. TV highlights include two seasons of the AFI award winning of Double the Fist for ABC TV, and Cult Sci-Fi show “Farscape”; in Theatre as lead actor in the acclaimed “Metropolitan Opera’s” and “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” for 4th Floor productions, and the Short+Sweet festival finalist “Prime Angus Buttock”; Film highlights include the award winning “Acheron” for Chaotic Pictures and the comedy series “Salvatore’s Love Palace” which he also wrote.

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Shorter+Sweeter 2008 National Tour Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, N.T. 30 April / 1 May 2008 Darwin Entertainment Centre, N.T. 3 May 2008 Cairns Civic Theatre QLD. 6 May 2008 Riverway Arts Centre Thuringowa, QLD. 8 May 2008 Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton Performing Arts Centre QLD. 10 May 2008 Brisbane Powerhouse QLD. 13–17 May 2008 Jetty Memorial Theatre, Coffs Harbour, NSW. 20–21 May 2008 The Little Theatre, Woy Woy NSW. 23–24 May 2008 The Drum Theatre, Dandenong, VIC. 27 May 2008 Frankston Arts Centre, VIC. 29 May 2008 Warrnambool Regional Performing Arts Centre, VIC. 31 May 2008 Canberra Theatre Centre, ACT. 3–7 June 2008

Back cover photographs courtesy Geoff Sirmai

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The Keys to the Mystic Halls of Time

The Example

Paradise

Moving Fast

Relics Saturday Night Newtown, Sunday Morning Enmore