Watersong by Shannon Jensen 2024

WATERSONG

by Shannon Jensen

An Amateur Production By Arrangement with ORiGiNTM Theatrical, on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. - A Concord Theatricals Company

22 - 30 Nov

The ClubHouse 22 Cottell St, Hyde Park

www.theatreinq.com

WATERSONG

by Shannon Jensen

A dry creek bed lies still, slowly dying, mirroring the fractured relationship of the Joinbee Family who grew up along its banks. Three generations, separated by secrets and shame, return home one last time.

And the Women are waiting.ir shoulders.

ing. m o c s p.” u ep t e s k o l r i lm G “Little that times a g me n i d n i Rem

TheatreiNQ acknowledges the Wulgurukaba of Gurambilbarra and Yunbenun, Bindal, Gugu Badhun and Nywaigi as the Traditional Owners of this land. We pay our respects to their cultures, their ancestors and their Elders, past and present - and all future generations.

This production is made possible by the Queensland State Government through Arts Queensland’s Arts Showcase Program and the Townsville City Council via the Regional Arts Development Fund.

Cast Lynette..........................................Shannon Jensen Tottie.............................................Marguerite Wesselinoff Deb................................................Penney Kay Joanie............................................Darylle Sam Little Girl........................................Harrie Dean Young Lynette.................................Alex Dean

Production Directors........................................Terri Brabon / Shannon Jensen Stage Manager...............................Fionn Baker Goodson Lighting Design/Operator................Daniel Lobley Set Design/Construction.................Brendan O’Connor AV/Sound Design............................Terri Brabon Sound Operator..............................Charlotte Davies Crew..............................................Sasha Lea-Rowell Costumes.......................................Kathy Brabon Production Assistants.................... George Abednego .................................................... Ally Armitage-Cosgrove .................................................... Lily Bartlett .................................................... Alyssandra Higgins .................................................... Kaden Ramm .................................................... Ava Saldana Lopez .................................................... Hunter Sams .................................................... Emma Smith .................................................... Faith Taylor .................................................... Aiva Tyrie Event Manager/Graphic Design.......Anne-Marie Smith Additional Artwork.........................Penney Kay Photography.. .................................Daniel Lobley

SHANNON JENSEN

MARGUERITE WESSELINOFF Tottie

Deb

Shannon is a proud descendant of the Gunggandji people of Yarrabah.

Marguerite is a direct descendant of the Pita Pita tribe in North-West Queensland.

Penney is a proud descendant of the Bundjalung people.

ENSEMBLE MEMBER SINCE 2020 THEATREiNQ: The Blood of Kings, The White Rose and the Red OTHER THEATRE: Tropic Sun Theatre: Sunrise by Louis Nowra, Orestes directed

by Jean-Pierre Voos OTHER: Moogahlin Performing Arts Yellamundie Festival, TheatreiNQ’s PlayGround Festival, JUTE Theatre Write Sparks, PlayLab Sparks, JUTE Theatre: Enter Stage Write Programme TRAINING: JCU Bachelor of Theatre (2003)

THEATREiNQ: PlayGround Writers Festival (2023 & 2024) OTHER THEATRE: Full Throttle Theatre Company; Townsville Little Theatre; PlayLab Theatre’s Sparks; Street Arts Theatre; Queensland Arts Council; Queensland Theatre; SBS Television TRAINING: QUT Bachelor of Arts (Drama)

THEATREiNQ: PlayGround Writers Festival (2023 & 2024) OTHER THEATRE: PlayLab Theatre Sparks Programme; Full Throttle Theatre Company: 3 Courses in Comedy; Townsville Little Theatre: Trust Me, I’m an Actor; Townsville Choral Society: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; North Queensland Opera and Music Theatre: School of Rock, Chess TRAINING: Vocal Training - Sarah Lane and The House of Voice

DARYLLE SAM

HARRIE DEAN

ALEX DEAN

Darylle is a descendant of the Bwgcolman people with Ancestral ties to the Kuku Yalanj traditional owner groups THEATREiNQ: This is Darylle’s first production with TheatreiNQ OTHER: Darylle is 16 years old and a student at St Margaret Marys College

Harrie is a descendant of the Gunggandji people of Yarrabah.

Alex is a descendant of the Gunggandji people of Yarrabah.

THEATREiNQ: This is Harrie’s first production with TheatreiNQ OTHER THEATRE: Kirwan State School Musicals - Beauty and the Best, Madagascar TRAINING: The Dance Collective

THEATREiNQ: This is Alex’s first production with TheatreiNQ OTHER THEATRE: Kirwan State School Musical - Beauty and the Beast TRAINING: The Dance Collective

Lynette/Writer/Co-Director

Joanie

Young Girl

PENNEY KAY

Young Girl

TERRI BRABON

FIONN BAKER GOODSON

DANIEL LOBLEY

FOUNDING ENSEMBLE MEMBER THEATREiNQ: Terri is the co-founder and Artistic Director of THEATREiNQ. PLAYWRIGHT/ADAPTATIONS: The Government Inspector, Bloody Mary, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, The Wars of the Roses Trilogy: The Blood of Kings/The White Rose and the Red/ Blood will have Blood, Alice Through the Looking Glass, First Born, Alice in Wonderland, Frankenstein OTHER: Founder & Mentor TheatreiNQ’s The Bridge Project; The Culture Club; MULKADEE Drama Coach (2012-14/2018) AWARDS: Order of Australia Medal (2024); TCC Jean-Pierre Voos Theatre Award (2012) TRAINING: Bachelor of Theatre

ENSEMBLE MEMBER SINCE 2022 THE BRIDGE PROJECT TECHNICAL THEATREiNQ: Sound Design/Operator: Punk Rock, Puffs; Sound/AV Operator: Measure for Measure, The Tempest, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui; Stage Manager: As You Like It; The Government Inspector, Bloody Mary, Xmas Krackers Crew: Orphans OTHER THEATRE: Props Youth Theatre OTHER: Woodenbong Fire Tribe; Aberdeen International Youth Arts Festival TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s The Bridge Project (Technical); Cajam Circus

ENSEMBLE MEMBER SINCE 2021 THEATREiNQ: Lighting Design: As You Like It, Punk Rock, The Government Inspector, Chewing Gum Dreams, Puffs, Bloody Mary, Xmas Krackers, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, The Performance Project 2022 Technical Team: Measure for Measure, The Tempest, Orphans, Blood Will Have Blood, The White Rose and the Red, Alice Through The Looking Glass OTHER THEATRE: Townsville Choral Society: Stage Manager: Singin’ in the Rain; Dancenorth: Technical Operator: Deeper Than Dancing OTHER: Technician: Dancenorth; Technician Assistant: Townsville Civic Theatre TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s The Bridge Project (Technical) AWARDS: Martin Gibson Medal (2022)

CHARLOTTE DAVIES

BRENDAN O’CONNOR

SASHA LEA-ROWELL

ENSEMBLE MEMBER SINCE 2021 THE BRIDGE PROJECT TECHNICAL THEATREiNQ: Technical Team: As You LIke It Actor: Measure for Measure, Puffs, Bloody Mary, The Tempest, Blood Will Have Blood, The White Rose and the Red, Alice Through the Looking Glass, The Merry Wives of Windsor; OTHER THEATRE: Full Throttle Theatre Company; Props Youth Theatre Company: TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s The Bridge Project

FOUNDING ENSEMBLE MEMBER THEATREiNQ: Brendan is the co-founder and leading actor of TheatreiNQ, featuring in over 40 roles. Behind the scenes, the multi-talented actor is also the Company Production Manager, Set Designer and Builder OTHER THEATRE: 18 years as leading actor with the Australian Shakespeare Company; founding Member of Tropic Line Theatre Company AWARDS: Townsville City Council Services to the Arts Award (2019), Townsville City Council Performance of the Year (2015), Townsville City Council Jean-Pierre Voos Theatre Award (2012), Jean-Pierre Award (2011) OTHER: Mentor TheatreiNQ’s The Bridge Project (Actor & Technical Strand); MULKADEE Drama Coach (2012-14/2018) TRAINING : Associate Diploma of Acting

THE BRIDGE PROJECT TECHNICAL THEATREiNQ: Technical Team: As You Like It, Punk Rock, The Government Inspector OTHER THEATRE: Props: NQOMT-The Addams Family (2024), Props, Set & Crew: Townsville Grammar School - Little Shop of Horrors (2023); Crew: Libretto Studios - Frozen Junior (2023); Acting: Townsville Grammar School - West Side Story (2021) OTHER: Dancer: Pace Live Entertainment Sydney: MICHAEL the Show (2019) TRAINING: TheatreiNQ’s The Bridge Project (Technical)

Co-Director/Dramaturg

Sound Operator

Stage Manager

Set Design/Construction

Lighting Design/Operator

Production Assistant/Crew

SURVEY Thank you for attending our production of WATERSONG by Shannon Jensen.

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Your positive feedback helps us receive funding and sponsorship which means that we can continue to deliver quality theatre to Townsville and North Queensland.

A Note from the Writer Creating Watersong was one of the most natural and fulfilling experiences I’ve had as a writer. I remember sitting by the creek in Giya country (Proserpine), thinking about the deep connection the First Peoples have with the water. It wasn’t until later that I discovered my Gran, Tottie, grew up in Kennedy, and her mob had a strong bond with the waterways there. That’s when I realized my ancestors were guiding me to tell this story.

When Terri asked me to co-direct, I had mixed feelings. Directing had never crossed my mind, and during the process there were moments when I felt like the task was way too big for me, but after one rehearsal, Terri opened up about her first experience co-directing with Jean-Pierre. Like me, she wanted everything to move faster, and he reassured her that directing is all about layering. That advice stuck with me—it helped me realize that bringing a play to life is a process, and sometimes you just have to let go (just a little) and trust that the characters and the story will develop on their own.

Being on stage with my daughters, and with such a passionate group of women who are just as committed to bringing our culture to life, has been an emotional rollercoaster in the best way. It’s sparked a fire in me and made me more determined than ever to see First Nations stories thrive on the Townsville stage.

I’ve learned so much from this experience and being part of this incredible team will stay with me long after the play is over.

Shannon Jensen WRITER/CO-DIRECTOR

Thank You Nita Vasilescu / John & Beth Honeycombe / Phillip Lambert / The Speckled Hen / JRNQ Production Aunty Fay Gee-hoy / Aunty Lily Shearer / Nicholas Rose / Lara Hodgson / Kiahna Culleton Wulgurukaba Walkabouts

www.theatreinq.com