First Born 2018

t s r i F n r Bo A TheatreiNQ Original Production Adapted and Directed by Terri Brabon Based on the Greek Tragedies of Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles

28 JUNE - 7 JULY DANCENORTH THEATRE

Synopsis

The play begins in the city of Argos, ten years after the return of King Agamemnon and his army from their victory over Troy. The sudden murder of the King upon his return has left Argos under the rule of his wife, Queen Clytemnestra and her new husband, Aegisthus.

Agamemnon is buried in an unmarked grave and all in Argos are forbidden by royal decree to mourn him.

Agamemnon and Clytemnestra’s children are displaced by these events; their young son Orestes banished with a price on his head while their daughter Electra remains within the city, living a life of squalor, fixated solely on her grief and her desire for justice.

When her brother Orestes returns, she is convinced the gods have sent her a sign that the time to act is nigh.

As memories resurface of the ghastly events that tore their young lives apart, Orestes and Electra set about righting the wrongs of their past, sealing their plot over their father’s lonely grave. They will not listen to any word of warning as all signs appear to drive them towards the path they have chosen.

But no choice comes without its consequence.

Cast

electra......................................................... EMILY EDWARDS orestes (her brother)......................................BYRON HOWELLS agamemnon (her father).........................BRENDAN O’CONNOR clytemnestra (her mother)................................ TERRI BRABON aegisthus (her stepfather/cousin).......................ROBERT STREET solinus.......................................................... JOHN GOODSON

slave girl............................................................ PARIS WALSH cassandra................................................. ANNA VELLA-SAMS chorus.................................................................FADUMA ALI

......................................................................EMMA BENSON

.................................................................MICHAEL GLEESON

..................................................................JACOB MCCARTHY

.......................................................................JAKE MUHLING

.............................................................................RITA NEALE

..................................................................... FINN NEWSWAY

........................................................................ ELYSE PHELAN

..........................................................................KEELY PRONK

........................................................................... SHAI REGAN

...................................................................... HARLEE TIMMS

Production director/sound & av design............................. TERRI BRABON

lighting and set design & construction...BRENDAN O’CONNOR stage manager/sound & av operator...... ARMINELLE FLEMING lighting operator................................................ CHRIS NOBILE crew.............................................................. HEATH ROBERTS ................................................... AMBA-CRYSTAL PUMMEROY costumes........................................................ KATHY BRABON jewellery....................................................... ANN O’CONNOR armoury............ARCH & BOB BRABON/BRENDAN O’CONNOR production assistants..............................THE BRIDGE PROJECT ..............................................................COMPANY ENSEMBLE event team..............................................ANNE-MARIE SMITH ..........................................................................KELLIE ESLING hairdresser.................................................KERRY SANTARIGA photographer.............................................CHRISSY MAGUIRE

Adapted from translations by GM Cookson, Sir Richard C. Jebb and Edward P. Coleridge

ThankYou

Yoshie Kenny Andre Reynaud Michael Doris Rachel Nutchey Emma Lamberton Emma Smith Nimisha Aithal Ashley Coppo Tristan Fleming Tina Porta Ethan Gibson Michelle Jones George Lummis Zi Hui Chen Michael Morrison The Speckled Hen John Robertson and JRNQ Productions Kyle Page and all the staff at Dancenorth

TheatreiNQ is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.

TheatreiNQ is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund. The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and the Townsville City Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

TheatreiNQ is a recipient of the Creative Presentation Platform Residency at Dancenorth Theatre. Dancenorth is supported with funding from Regional Arts Fund, An Australian Government program that is designed to benefit regional and remote arts practititoners, art workers, audiences and communities.

ed. d i v i d y l fami a ed. s s i r h u c c c a “Su ouse h eus a r t s i A f h c o u S t.” ouse s H r i e f h n t r s e bo n Such i o e h t e of And wo

Greek Theatre Greek Theatre began in the 6th Century BCE in Athens, as part of the celebrations of the annual festival in honour of the God Dionysus, the God of Wine. The festival, which lasted several days, culminated in a theatre competition designed to explore and venerate well known stories in Greek Mythology.

These could be explored through either the genre of Tragedy or Comedy.

Fun Facts • Ancient Greek plays always took place in real time, the action usually spanning a single day.

• Theatre was so important in Ancient Greece, the State would pay for poor people to attend performances.

• In a Greek Amphitheatre, the audience would be seated according to their rank in society (wealthiest up the front, poorest up the back), so you could literally see your social standing based on where you were seated.

• In Ancient Greece, characters did not die on stage.

• Ancient Greek audience members would stamp their feet to show their appreciation, rather than clapping their hands.

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Guest Professional EMILY EDWARDS....................................... Electra

THEATREiNQ: Romeo & Juliet, The Crucible, Last Post, King Lear OTHER THEATRE: NIDA: Twelfth Night, The Season at Sarsparilla, Euridike + Orpheus, Hello Again, The Show that Smells; SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY: The Removalists (Staged Reading); KINGS CROSS THEATRE: Kapowi GoGo (Staged Reading); OLD 505 THEATRE: When we get here (Staged Reading); NQOMT: Hair TRAINING: NIDA - Bachelor of Fine Arts(Acting); TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT (2014) ADVERTISING: Townsville Enterprise/TEQ - Townsville ‘Alive with Curiosity’

Company professionals BRENDAN O’CONNOR....................... Agamemnon

THEATREiNQ: Actor/Lighting & Set Designer: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Alice in Wonderland, Hamlet, One Man, Two Guvnors, Twelfth Night, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Private Ginger Mick at Gallipoli, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Sylvia, Romeo and Juliet, The Crucible, Macbeth, Last Post, The Importance of Being Earnest, King Lear, When the Rain Stops Falling, Cosi, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Richard III, Henry V & Love’s Labour’s Lost; Lighting & Set Design: Gert & Bess, Frankenstein, What is the Matter with Mary Jane?, The Shape of Things OTHER THEATRE: Founding Member of Tropic Line Theatre Company and Original cast of Shakespeare Under the Stars. AFCM & TheatreiNQ: Noye’s Fludde (God); Australian Shakespeare Company: 18 years as leading actor; JUTE: Summaris and Grace FILM & TV: Australia on Trial, City Homicide, Crash/Burn, Marshall Law, Ned Kelly, Neighbours, Stingers, Blue Heelers, Welcher & Welcher ADVERTISING: Mitre 10, RACQ, Campbells Soup, The Age, Beaurepaires, National Australia Bank, Mitsubishi, Cabots (USA), Origin Energy, Captain Snooze, Honda AWARDS: Jean-Pierre Award (2011), Townsville City Council Performance of the Year (2015) & Jean-Pierre Voos Theatre Award (2012) OTHER: Mentor TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT; MULKADEE Drama Specialist

TERRI BRABON................................. Clytemnestra

THEATREiNQ: Artistic Director / Sound & Costume Design: Gert & Bess, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Alice in Wonderland, Frankenstein, Hamlet, One Man, Two Guvnors, What is the Matter with Mary Jane?, Twelfth Night, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Private Ginger Mick at Gallipoli, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Sylvia, Romeo and Juliet, The Crucible, Last Post, The Shape of Things, Macbeth, The Importance of Being Earnest, King Lear, When the Rain Stops Falling, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Richard III, Cosi; Sound Design: Two Weeks With the Queen and X-Stacy OTHER THEATRE: Australian Shakespeare Company; La Mama; JUTE; Complete Works; Essential Theatre; Harvest Rain Theatre; AFCM Families Concert Director: Noye’s Fludde, Cinderella FILM & TV: Neighbours, Underbelly, John Doe ADVERTISING: Carlton Draught, Kraft, McDonalds OTHER: Mentor THE BRIDGE PROJECT; Theatre Coach THE CULTURE CLUB/ CREW; MULKADEE Drama Specialist AWARDS: Townsville City Council Arts Award - Jean-Pierre Award (2012)

Company apprentice PARIS WALSH...........................................Slave Girl

THEATREiNQ: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Alice in Wonderland, Frankenstein, Hamlet, One Man, Two Guvnors, What is the Matter with Mary Jane?, Twelfth Night, Les Liaisons Dangereuses OTHER: Bachelor of Education (JCU) TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT

Company actors BYRON HOWELLS..................................... Orestes

THEATREiNQ: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Alice in Wonderland, Frankenstein, Romeo & Juliet OTHER THEATRE: La Luna Youth Arts: The Witches; Pimlico State High School FOOAP: Rapunzel Uncut; Murrel Academy of Drama: The Night Before Christmas, Pimlico Presents: Steve and Norman TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT, Murrel Academy of Drama, La Luna Youth Arts

JOHN GOODSON........................................Solinus

THEATREiNQ: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Frankenstein, Hamlet, One Man, Two Guvnors, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, The Crucible, Macbeth, X-Stacy, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Richard III, Henry V, Love’s Labour’s Lost AWARDS: Jean Pierre Award (2011) OTHER: Teacher, puppeteer, author, director and musician; sound designer and composer; Performed in 11 Shakespeare Under The Stars; Music Coach THE CULTURE CLUB FILM: Departure Lounge for Lucky Country Productions

ROBERT STREET.................................. Aegisthus

THEATREiNQ: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, The Crucible, Macbeth OTHER THEATRE: various musicals for NQOMT & TCOS; Original Cast Member of Shakespeare Under the Stars DANCE: Professional Dancer - DanceNorth (1999-2005); Ulysses (2011-13) AWARDS: Jean-Pierre Legends Award 2016

ANNA VELLA-SAMS............................. Cassandra

THEATREiNQ: One Man,Two Guvnors, Twelfth Night OTHER THEATRE: La Boite: Emma Celebrazione!; On Giant’s Shoulders: The Owl and the Pussycat went to See; Trocadero Productions: Titus Andronicus, Henry the Fifth, Measure for Measure, The Seagull; Schonell Theatre: The Last Supper; Arts Theatre: Deadly Embrace; Groundlings: A Midsummer Night’s

Dream, TV: Medivac TRAINING: Bachelor of Theatre, JCU

FADUMA ALI................................................ Chorus

THEATREiNQ: Frankenstein, What is the Matter with Mary Jane?, Twelfth Night, Les Liaisons Dangereuses OTHER: Short & Sweet Festival: Apples TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT (2015)

MICHAEL GLEESON...................................Chorus

THEATREiNQ: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Alice in Wonderland, Frankenstein, Hamlet, One Man, Two Guvnors, Twelfth Night, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Private Ginger Mick at Gallipoli, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Romeo and Juliet, Last Post, King Lear Crew: What is the Matter with Mary Jane?

OTHER THEATRE: La Luna Youth Arts: Amelia Ellicott’s Garden; NQOMT: Sweeney Todd, Hair. Townsville Choral Society: Avenue Q, Spamalot, West Side Story and Chess AWARDS: TCC Performance of the Year (Chess, TCOS 2010); TTC - Best Supporting Actor 2014, 2013 & 2012 for performances in Romeo & Juliet, Last Post, Avenue Q OTHER: Music Coach THE CULTURE CREW (2016-2018) TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT

The Bridge Project JACOB McCARTHY.................................... Chorus

EMMA BENSON.......................................... Chorus

RITA NEALE................................................Chorus

JAKE MUHLING.......................................... Chorus

THEATREiNQ: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Alice in Wonderland, Frankenstein OTHER THEATRE: Kirwan High School’s ACE Actors Ensemble: The Phantom of the Music Hall, Wizard of Oz TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT, Kirwan State High School Drama

THEATREiNQ: Alice in Wonderland, Merry Wives of Windsor OTHER THEATRE: All That We Carry (2016-2017); Full Throttle Theatre: Oedipus the King (Japan Tour), Nocturnal A Dark Park Cabaret (2009 & 2010), 3 Blokes and Their Barbie’s; Charters Towers Players: Midsummer Night’s Dream (Makeup Artist); Little Dreambox Studio: The Bear; La Luna Youth Arts: Amelia Ellicott’s Garden (Puppeteer)

ELYSE PHELAN.......................................... Chorus

THEATREiNQ: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Alice in Wonderland, Frankenstein TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT; THiNQ ED Workshops; NIDA Short Courses

KEELY PRONK............................................Chorus

THEATREiNQ: Alice in Wonderland, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, X-Stacy OTHER THEATRE: Sleeping Star Productions: Truvia, Aladdin Jr, Mulan Jr; Props Youth Theatre: The Adventures of Goldilockpick and Little Red Riding Hoodlum, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Annie Jr. TRAINING: Victoria Stanborough Vocal Studio (2003-08), Susan Grinsell Singing Studio(2009-12)

SHAI REGAN...............................................Chorus

THEATREiNQ: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Alice in Wonderland, Frankenstein, Hamlet, One Man, Two Guvnors, What is the Matter with Mary Jane?, Twelfth Night, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Romeo and Juliet, The Crucible Crew: Gert & Bess, Private Ginger Mick at Gallipoli OTHER: Californian Fringe Festival (Playwright) AWARDS: TTC: Best Playwright 2015 TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT

THEATREiNQ: Alice in Wonderland OTHER THEATRE: St Margaret Mary’s combined School musical: What’s New Pussycat?

TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT; THiNQ ED Workshops; NIDA Open Courses AWARDS: St Margaret Mary’s College: Drama Subject Prize, Senior Drama Honour Award

THEATREiNQ: Alice in Wonderland OTHER THEATRE: Pimlico State High School: Check Please, Bad Auditions by Bad Actors, Pimlico Presents TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT; Theatre Residency Week:Shakespeare Core Workshop AWARDS: Festival of One Act Plays Best Performance by a Young Male Actor

FINN NEWSWAY.......................................... Chorus

THEATREiNQ: Alice in Wonderland OTHER THEATRE: Full Throttle Theatre: Summer of the Aliens; Townsville Grammar School: Beach:A Theatrical Fantasia, Ring Around the Moon, Servant of Two Masters TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT; TheatreiNQ’s THE CULTURE CREW; The Actors Gallery; NIDA 2-week residency; NIDA Open Courses; New York Film Academy 3-week program AWARDS: Townsville Grammar School Drama Subject Prize

HARLEE TIMMS.......................................... Chorus

THEATREiNQ: Alice in Wonderland OTHER THEATRE: Full Throttle Theatre: Displaced; Props Youth Theatre: Peter Pan, Fantastic Mr Fox; The Cathedral School: Twelfth Night, Grease, Spamalot; Qld Youth Shakespeare Festival: Much Ado About Nothing TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT; NIDA Open Courses; Zanii Theatrical

Studio; Cathedral School Drama AWARDS: QLD Youth Shakespeare Festival Duologue State Winner

HEATH ROBERTS...........................................Crew

THEATREiNQ: Crew: Alice in Wonderland 2017 & 2018, A Midsummer Night’s Dream OTHER THEATRE: Lighting: Townsville Little Theatre: A Bloody Murder; Crew: Pimlico Presents 2017 TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT (Technical)

Technical team ARMINELLE FLEMING........... SM/Sound & AV Operator

THEATREiNQ: Gert & Bess, Alice in Wonderland, Twelfth Night, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, King Lear, The Merry Wives of Windsor Director: Two Weeks With The Queen, X-Stacy Stage Manager: Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Crucible, The Importance of Being Earnest OTHER THEATRE: Actor, Director and Stage Manager for various companies in Brisbane and Townsville including La Luna, Zen Zen Zo, Matrix Theatre and The Queensland Ballet.

OTHER: Mentor TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT; Arts Lecturer at JCU TRAINING: QUT- BA (Drama/History); Shakespeare & Co (USA); Trinity College (UK); ACS (Scotland)

CHRIS NOBILE..................................Lighting Operator

THEATREiNQ: Stage Manager: A Midsummer Night Dream, Frankenstein, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Romeo & Juliet, Last Post, Macbeth, King Lear Technical Team: One Man, Two Guvnors, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Sylvia, Macbeth, King Lear, Merry Wives of Windsor, Richard III Lighting Operator: One Man Two Guvnors (Follow Spot Operator), OTHER: Townsville Choral Society: We Will Rock You, Annie, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Chicago; NQOMT: Rock of Ages, The Boy From OZ, Hair, Hairspray AWARDS: 2016 Jean-Pierre Voos Award, Townsville Theatre Community Production Member Award (2017).

TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s THE BRIDGE PROJECT (Technical)

WHO ARE WE? TheatreiNQ has been serving the Townsville community as a professionally driven theatre company for eight years led by leading actors Terri Brabon and Brendan O’Connor.

TheatreiNQ is committed to providing positive, professional and vibrant theatre experiences to regional Queensland through live productions, training opportunities and promotion of regional artists and works produced in the region.

THEATREiNQ ENSEMBLE Much like a dance company or orchestra, TheatreiNQ has a firm basis in the work of ensemble. We do not adopt the traditional theatrical meaning of this term, but instead, we look to the world of music, where an ensemble is “the degree of precision and unity exhibited by a group performing together.” It is this unity which we adhere to and strive for.

While most Australian Theatre Companies operate from project to project, hiring freelance directors and actors for each production, TheatreiNQ are programming seasons to both challenge and celebrate the strengths of our core and extended ensemble. The unity of the TheatreiNQ Ensemble extends to behind the scenes. Our 40 member strong ensemble includes Stage Management, Technical Crew, Designers and Administration. The company is joined each year by Guest Professsionals from Metropolitan cities as well as local guest performers. This is not a new idea, in fact it was the same principle of Shakespeare’s own company but it is very rare to find such a company in Australia.

Since launching as TheatreiNQ in 2010, the company has produced 33 full length productions, facilitated over 100 workshops and master classes, directed the Australian Festival of Chamber Music’s Families’ Concerts in 2013 and 2014 and were Drama Specialists for the Catholic Education Office’s Mulkadee Arts Festival from 2012 – 2014 and in 2018.

lude ould inc nies h s m a r ompa ts Prog ional Ar orkers and the ccal actors, g e R l a n ss nted lo g Natio l Arts w a thrivin actual Regionae foster our tale training, accege t a h t e v g a o We beliey contribution tt TheatreiNQ , w rough on-goin sional main st a healthilitate them. A technicians th nce on profes cal ort of loour that fac s, writers and als and experie p p u s s nerou u for y director stry profession o the ge nity. Thank yo t s u k d n in a h u t to e comm ons. urvives productiiNQ currently s y council and th Theatre ses, the local cit busines tonight. support

ATION R E N E G T X E N THE OJECT THE BRIDGE PR TheatreiNQ is committed to training and developing our local talent through our unique professional training programme THE BRIDGE PROJECT. Launched in 2012, The Bridge Project has achieved unprecendented success in giving young local talent a launching pad to professional careers, including paid Apprenticeship positions within the Company. Many have continued their training at reputable institutions all over the world, forging professional careers within the industry.

James Raggatt - NIDA/AD Manifesto Theatre Co/Belvoir/STCSA Brittany Santariga - WAAPA/Home and Away/Fighting Season (Foxtel) Badaidilaga Maftuh-Flynn - ACA /Silent Disco (New Theatre)/Cage (Old 505 Theatre) Cameron Hooper - WAAPA/Nathan Lloyd Casting Sarah Murr - Griffith/CryBaby (Hayes Theatre)/Qld Opera/ Les Miserables Joseph Raggatt - NIDA/Diplomacy (Ensemble Theatre) Thomas Roach - Dancenorth/Australian Shakespeare Company/Malthouse Meg Bowden - QSE (Matilda Award for Most Promising Actor)/Wheel of Fortune (Metro Arts) Emily Edwards - NIDA Graduate Samara Sutton-Baker - QUT Graduate Liliana Starck - AADA New York James Thomasson - WAAPA (Current) Lachlan Stevenson - WAAPA (Current) Finn Forde - WAAPA (Current) Lachlan Greenland - Griffith Conservatorium (Current) Madeline Hillam - VCA (Current) Rachel Nutchey - QUT (Current)

THiNQ ED TheatreiNQ en ga through our ed ges with young people and th ucation arm ThiNQ Ed. Trai e local theatre community • School Ho n ing arm includ lid es • The Culture ay Workshops (The Culture C lub/The Culture Company (work • The Open Crew) Programme (w shops for grades 11 & 12) orkshops for th • THiNQ ED e general public School Program ) me (school wo ThiNQ Ed is ru rkshops and p erformances) n by compan y members w professional p er ith experience focus on practi formance industry and the in both the cal skills devel training secto r, with a clear opment.

Along with th e community pro artistic program, The Bri dge Project, grams, Theatr ThiN eiNQ connects based people every year. with over 10,0 Q Ed and 00 regionally ThiNQ Theatre.

ThiNQ Educati on. ThiNQ Ed.

If you would like to become part of our ever growing family of local supporters, please visit www.theatreinq.com for information regarding sponsorship and donations.

presents Shakespeare Under The Stars 2018

THE

y d e cf o m o s r o er r

by William Shakespeare

taken is m f o e id r d e for a wil m ti in k c a b West! p d il Ste W d il W e identity in th

18-30 SEPTEMBER QUEENS GARDENS

BOOK IN GS OP EN 1 JULY

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Tickets - Adults $40/Conc $35/U18 $30 Group and Dining Options available

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