Lights in the Park Program

21.04– 24.04.21

LIGHT– S IN THE PARK Playwright Alexander Lee–Rekers Winner!

2018 ATYP Foundation Commission 14–17 year olds

ATYP and Q Theatre present

21.04– 24.04.21

LIGHT– S IN THE PARK Playwright Alexander Lee–Rekers Director Lucy Clements Winner!

2018 ATYP Foundation Commission 14–17 year olds

Warnings — Some adult themes Drug and alcohol references Some coarse language Themes of grief Cover image supplied

THE STREET LIGHTS BEING OUT. IT IS KINDA MAGICAL...

–HAL

Writer's note —

Director's note —

We tend to do a lot of catastrophising when it

It has been such a privilege to play a part in

comes to young people - especially when we step in to tell their stories. With headstrong attitudes and naive passions, they are ripe for drama, in the tragic narratives we weave, where they pay hefty prices for their inexperience, and learn that the world (and the people in it) are uncaring and unfair. While this has made for some great entertainment, giving us everything from Romeo and Juliet to Degrassi, such stories often fail to explore the qualities that make young people so worthy of our respect. They are energetic, inspiring, compassionate human beings; they tackle uncertainty and increasing responsibility as it comes to them - weathering change with a resilience that is admirable, if not extraordinary. This generation, in particular, faces a frightening and uncertain future with courage - and without a tenth of the anger at their elders they rightly deserve to feel.

shaping this debut season of ATYP and Q Theatre's Lights in the Park by Alexander Lee-Rekers. I have spent six fantastic weeks working with 13 young performers leading up to this production. In this time, I have been overwhelmed by the talent and generosity that has constantly been displayed in the rehearsal room. Alex has done an impeccable job shaping his characters with voices that are modern, relevant and compassionate, and these performers have mastered the embodiment of them with great skill and respect.

Lights in the Park rejects catastrophe. It is a celebration of young people: showing them supporting one another and building communities. Its characters strive to do better and find bravery within themselves; they enjoy being the people that they are - not the potential of somebody they hope they'll one day be. Of course, they still face challenges, and not every choice they make in their world of unexpected darkness is the right one. But they are doing fine. They've got this. And it's something we can all stand to remind ourselves of and, most importantly, respect.

— Alexander Lee–Rekers

Our time leading up to this has not been without challenges. Lights in the Park was destined to take the stage in 2020, before being devastatingly cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When we were finally given the chance to step back onto a Sydney stage after almost a year without live performance, we were faced with a one-in-50-year weather event in our third week of rehearsals, with floods threatening Western Sydney. Still, the commitment and passion for the work has never faltered. As soon as it was deemed safe, we braved rain, cancelled trains and traffic mayhem to be here at the Q Theatre.

After facing these challenges, it has been especially rewarding to finally mount this beautiful premiere Australian work on the Q Theatre stage. I hope you enjoy this night back at the theatre, with a play that celebrates individualism, compassion, courage and young voices, brought to you by a creative team which has embraced these same qualities at every step of the way.

— Lucy Clements

Cast —

Denica Brillo — Ash Denica kicked off her acting career

Dean Alexander — Fuller Dean is a big fan of the theatre scene. His most recent show was Penrith Musical Comedy Company’s 2019 production of Oliver! The Musical, in which he performed as The Artful Dodger. Dean then took a course in TAFE and completed his Cert III in Community Dance, Theatre and Events late last year. He is ready to get back into the theatre and showcase his talents.

Scott Barton — R.J Scott is a 16-year-old student who has always been enthralled with acting, theatre, and drama. He believes that whilst theatre can give people new perspectives, it also serves as an escape from one's own troubles. Currently attending Blaxland High School, he is making his out-of-school debut with Lights in the Park.

Alexander Billett — Butler Alex is a 15-year-old who attends classes in singing, acting and all dance genres.

Having attained Grade 6 ballet at RAD last year, he is now preparing for his Intermediate Foundation exam. He first appeared on stage in The Book of Everything when he was in Year 5. At Riverstone High School he played the part of Rolf in The Sound of Music (2019) and is currently rehearsing for the role of Lewis in the school production of Cosi. In January 2020, Alex danced and sang in the ensemble for Harvest Rain’s arena production of The Wizard of Oz. Alex is excited about broadening his arts experience with ATYP.

with Captivate Drama After School Ensemble, which recently awarded her a scholarship to ATYP's film acting workshop. A singer-turnedactress with a fiery passion for performance, singing and theatre, Denica is making her on-stage debut with Lights in the Park.

Ben Buenen — Cal Ben is currently a student at Colo High School. Lights in the Park will be his first show with ATYP and he is very excited to be a part of this production. He has previously performed with Stage2Screen Studios, Studio Q, and the Penrith Conservatorium of Music.

Laila Chesterman — Bex Laila is a passionate actor and filmmaker from the Blue Mountains who has recently been cast as Miss Honey in her school’s production of Matilda. Currently a member of Sydney University Dramatic Society, she has featured in multiple local films, as well as directing and filming her own. She made her ATYP debut in the 2019 production of Bathory Begins, and is very excited to be working with ATYP again for Lights in the Park.

Robin Golka — Hal Robin is a 16-year-old girl attending Blaxland High School, and is passionate about all forms of art. Music has been a major role in her life since she was little, and she has been drawing and painting for close to five years. Theatre is the newest medium she is dabbling in, having recently joined the Year 11 drama class. Lights in the Park is her first production on stage.

Josephine Hill — Jules Currently in Year 10 at Blue Mountains Grammar School, Josephine is a 15-year-old living her dream. From a young age, Josie has always wanted to be a performer (being a qualified ballet teacher and dancer still wasn’t enough!). Entering the world of acting was the first step, by auditioning for L ​ ights In the Park​and getting into her first professional show.

Her next step will be auditioning for a Performing Arts Scholarship for Year ​11 ​and ​12.

Amélie James-Power — Cody Amélie is a student at Newtown High School of Performing Arts. She is in the School Drama Company and is studying Accelerated Drama and Entertainment Industry as part of her HSC. Her performance history really began when she was just nine and was cast as a swing for three orphan roles in the UK touring production of Annie. She went on to win the New Zealand Aria singing competition for her age group two years running, and performed in the children’s choir for Opera Australia’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci. This is Amélie’s third ATYP production, previously appearing in Wonder Fly (2017) and Bathory Begins (2019). She is also currently singing and performing in Salt, directed by Danielle O’Keefe with The House that Dan Built.

Eliza Marshall — Tay Eliza is a 16-year-old student currently attending Penrith Anglican College, taking on the role of Tay in Lights in the Park.

She has been in love with performing, acting and music from a young age and has performed in several school productions, aspiring to one day continue on to bigger productions of film and theatre.

Daisy Millpark — Amy Daisy is a 15-year-old actor, musician and activist who has starred in a number of ATYP productions including Charlie Pilgrim (or A Beginner’s Guide to Time Travel) (2018) and Wonder Fly (2017). They’ve trained with NIDA and ATYP and been involved in multimedia projects with the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Vivid Festival and State Library, as well as having received the Australian Directors Guild Award for Best Direction by a Child at Kidzflicks (2016). They’re passionate about the ways that telling stories can change minds, lives and the world.

Brayden Sim — Shan Brayden started acting in 2014, first performing in The Drawing at Blacktown Performing Arts Centre, followed by Beyond The Neck, and Jungle Book: The Musical at King Street Theatre. He has also performed in On Golden Pond, The Book of Everything and The Winslow Boy with Castle Hill Players, before making his ATYP debut in 2019 with Bathory Begins.

Cooper Soo — Em Cooper is a 13-year-old boy who attends The McDonald College, and has been doing drama since he was five. He started at ATYP, then transitioned into doing theatre at school, and has a passion for acting, drawing and singing. He made his onstage debut in the production of Our Town (Hunters Hill Theatre, 2019) and has performed in various school productions. Cooper has expanded his skills to musical theatre, film and TV. He believes that theatre is a great place to express yourself and to bring to light problems in today's society.

Creatives —

Lucy Clements — Director Lucy is the Founder and Artistic

Alexander Lee-Rekers — Writer Alexander is a Sydney-based writer, director and composer. Born into an acting family and encouraged to explore artistic pursuits, he began playing the violin at the age of four. He attended the Conservatorium High School, where he fell in (and out of) love with playing in an orchestra.

He pursued an interest in writing and filmmaking at AFTRS, undertaking their inaugural Foundation Diploma in 2009, and later at the University of Sydney, where he first began working on stage productions for the Arts Revue Society. After some years of freelance film work, he decided to continue his studies at NIDA as part of the 2016 Master of Fine Arts intake in Writing for Performance.

Since graduating, Alexander’s theatre credits include The Van De Maar Papers (presented first at Sydney Fringe in 2017 and again in 2019 at the Old 505), There Will Be A Climax (Red Line), Norm’s (KXTeethcutting) and The Witch In The Window from ATYP’s Intersection 2018: Chrysalis at Griffin. He was also the writer of the children’s television program Hanging With for Disney Channel, until the series ended in 2019.

In 2020, he became co-director of Eastern Suburbs-based drama school Bondi Kids Drama, alongside actor Olivia Pigeot. His latest play, The Linden Solution, will premiere in June 2021 at KXT.

Director of New Ghosts Theatre Company (NGTC) and Co-Founder of Jump StART Youth Theatre. In 2019 she also founded NGTC’s IGNITE Collective, a ground-breaking initiative that partners female playwrights and creatives, to create new work for young female performers. Recent directing credits include: Iphigenia in Splott (Flight Path Theatre), Blue Christmas (KXT), Paper Doll (Old Fitz & Blue Room), YEN (KXT), and The Wind in the Underground (Old Fitz & Blue Room). In 2021, Lucy looks forward to directing IGNITE Collective’s Hush at Flight Path Theatre, Sydney, and Brown’s Mart Theatre, Darwin.

Lucy is a graduate of WAAPA.

Jane FitzGerald — Dramaturg Jane is Resident Dramaturg at ATYP. Recent productions for ATYP include CUSP, Bathory Begins, April Aardvark and Intersection 2019: Arrival. Other recent work includes Black Cockatoo (Sydney Festival/ Ensemble), Lost Boys (Merrigong), The Big Dry (Ensemble/ATYP) and M.Rock (ATYP/STC).

Previously, Jane has been a Literary Manager at Ensemble Theatre (shared role). For STC she has been Literary Manager, Artistic Associate and administrator of the Patrick White Playwrights’ Award as well as a dramaturg on new writing and mainstage productions. She has worked as a script reader for the Royal Court London, PWA, ANPC and Playworks, and has worked extensively as a Mentor with Year 12 students on HSC creative writing projects.

Sorie Bangura — Production and Stage Manager

Some of her credits include graphic design and art department assistant on the feature film Swimming for Gold, released in September

Sorie has been with ATYP since 2002, attending many workshops in the process, and eventually making the shift to assisting and teaching. As a Stage Manager, Sorie has worked on ATYP productions CUSP (2020), Follow Me Home (2019), Intersection 2019: Arrival, Charlie Pilgrim (or A Beginner’s Guide to Time Travel) (2018), Dignity of Risk (2017), Fight With All Your Might the Zombies of Tonight (2016), War Crimes (2015), Rainbow's Ending (2011), Click (2011); and for the NSW State Public Schools Arts Unit with The Grandfathers (2012), The Miracle (2012), We Lost Elijah (2013), What Are They Like (2013), Cyberbile (2014), and DNA (2015); along with OnStage, Writers OnStage & the NSW State Drama Festival since 2012; and Pronoun (2015) with Bittersweet Productions. He was Production Assistant on Spring Awakening the Musical for ATYP (2016). Sorie has also worked as an actor in several productions, including the 2004 Sydney Festival and the 2006 Adelaide Fringe Festival.

2020. Liv was the production and costume designer for GENES' debut music video Super Single. As well as costume designer and coordinator for the 1940s' period short film Threads, which is due to be released in 2021.

He has also appeared onscreen in All Saints and the short film, Secrets of Seduction.

Liv Hutley — Designer Liv Hutley is a young emerging artist and designer based in Australia. She is a recent graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA), where she completed a BFA in Design for Performance in 2020.

Graduating as one of the youngest members of her cohort, Liv prides herself on her hardworking nature and passion for all things design. Her focuses as a performance designer include costume for stage and screen, digital illustration, musical theatre and screen design.

Liv's stage design credits include Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens, featured in The Festival of Emerging Artists at NIDA. With musical credits including the Holland Park State High production of The Addams Family: A New Musical and St John's Anglican College's production of The Little Mermaid.

Benjamin Turner — Lighting Designer Benjamin Turner is a lighting designer based in Sydney. Some of his design credits include How to Make a Happy Meal and Mouth of the River (Q Theatre's Originate Young Artist Project); Daisy Moon Was Born This Way, Yellow Yellow Sometimes Blue and The Ugliest Duckling (Q Theatre); Table for Two? (independent production); and Bathory Begins (ATYP).

Chrysoulla Markoulli — Sound Designer Chrysoulla is a Sydney-based award-winning screen and theatre composer.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Music (Honours)/Bachelor of Education from UNSW, receiving First Class Honours in Composition. She has worked with the Sydney theatre companies: Belvoir St Theatre, Griffin Theatre Company, ATYP, New Ghosts Theatre Company, Aya Productions, White Box Theatre and Millstone Productions, on the stage productions: Dead Skin (2021), Jali (2021), My Brilliant Career (2020), Iphigenia In Splott

(2020), Intersection 2019: Arrival (2019), YEN (2018), Impending Everyone (2018), Moth (2017), Oedipus Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (2017) and Fight With All Your Might the Zombies of Tonight (2016). Short film credits include ARACOURT Studio’s CNUT (2020), Jean-David Le Goullon's Barnacle Face (2020) and Mohamed Mebarek's The Shot (2019).

Chrysoulla’s music has been played in the Sydney Opera House, Art Gallery of NSW and Perth Concert Hall, and has been acknowledged in several competitions including the ScoreLive Competition (2020 Runner-up), Glories of the Score Student Screen Music Competition (2018 Winner), and Artology Fanfare Competition (2016 Winner).

Adam Stepfner — Content Producer Adam is an actor and theatremaker having performed in stage productions including Nick Enright's A Property of the Clan, James Graham's Bassett, ATYP's Intersection in 2017 and Impending Everyone in 2018, Cats Talk Back with New Theatre, as well as The White Album at the Roslyn Packer Theatre and Originate for Q Theatre. Adam was on the creative team for Rosaline at KXT in 2019 and in 2020, he assistant directed CUSP for ATYP, and Talk About The Passion for Chippen St Theatre. His screen credits include short films Book Store, Remember When, Bimbalo, Right Here, and the web series Here We Go Again.

He has done performance workshops with ATYP, NIDA, Q Theatre, Riverside Theatres in Parramatta, was an ambassador for Griffin Theatre Company in 2017 and is part of PYT's 2021 Ensemble.

Sacha Slip — Assistant Director Sacha Slip is a director, writer, and theatremaker mostly based in Sydney.

She has a background in youth circus and physical theatre, and is passionate about the development of new writing. She first worked with ATYP in 2018 as a participant at the National Studio, and in 2020 was one of ATYP’s Fresh Ink playwrights. Sacha is a founding artist of the theatre collective Assorted Tarts, and her work has been performed at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Sydney Fringe, and Crack X in Newcastle. In 2019 she was also a participant in the SITI Company Summer Intensive in New York, and studied under Anne Bogart and Company.

Kate Wooden — Rehearsal Assistant Kate is an emerging Sydney-based actor and director and is very excited to be a part of the process of creating this production.

Lights in the Park is beautifully written in the way it explores the relationships between characters whose experiences appear to be the complete opposite of one another, yet the way they see the world is undeniably the same.

She has thoroughly enjoyed working with wonderful creatives and is honoured to help translate these experiences of young people to the stage. She looks forward to continuing to do so in the future.

THE CLOCK IS TICKING, THE PRESSURE IS ON...

BUT THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT I COULD CREATE ARE ENDLESS. –AMY

ATYP —

Deputy Education Manager Monique Johnstone

Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) is the national youth theatre company. We exist to connect young people with the professional theatre industry locally, regionally and nationally. It’s the principle on which the company was founded in 1963. It’s what drives us today.

ATYP specialises in integrating professional theatre practice with supportive youth theatre process. We love working with all levels of the arts industry, from the most celebrated national companies to the smallest youth theatres. Our work supports young people from their first theatre experience to their first professional production.

Artistic Director/CEO Fraser Corfield General Manager Johanna Mulholland

Deputy Workshops Manager Claudene Shoesmith Company Accountant Steve Davidson Development Coordinator Meg Goodfellow Development and Events Coordinator Rebecca Clarke Marketing Coordinator Erica Penollar Resident Technologist Daniel Andrews Archivist Judith Seeff Administration Assistant

Finance and Operations Manager Chrissy Riley Head of Learning Jacqui Cowell Marketing and Communications Manager Lucy McNabb Resident Dramaturg Jane FitzGerald Production Manager Sorie Bangura Art Director Justin Stambouliah

Janine Lau Board of Directors Chris Puplick AM (Chair) Fraser Corfield Tasnim Hossain Janine Lapworth Gillian Larkins Mark Morrissey Daniel Selikowitz Nicole Webb Donna Worthington Board Observer Samara Hand

Penrith Performing & Visual Arts (Q Theatre, The Joan, Penrith Conservatorium, Penrith Regional Gallery) — Q Theatre has been making work for more than 50 years. Based at The Joan, Penrith we offer audiences a chance to see theatre that has been provoked, inspired or exploded out of our local context. We build pathways for established and early career artists to train, experiment and create.

Q Theatre is part of Penrith Performing & Visual Arts, which also includes the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith Conservatorium and Penrith Regional Gallery, and represents a diverse and dynamic blend of creative practice in the Western Sydney region.

Since our establishment back in 2006 we’ve worked to showcase creativity in all its forms to help improve people’s lives and make Penrith a great place to live, work and play.

Technician Tim Anikin Marketing Director Krissie Scudds Marketing Manager Malvina Tan Marketing Coordinator Fleur Wells PR Coordinator Lisa Finn Powell Ticketing Services Coordinator Angela Heckenberg Venue Manager Haydn Vredegoor Operations Director Dave Garner

Chief Executive Officer

Finance Manager

Hania Radvan

Shand Smith

Director, New Work Nick Atkins

Executive Producer, Performing Arts Cath Dadd

Producer, New Work Melissa Cannon

PP&VA Board Chairperson Alison McLaren

Theatre Programs Coordinator Ian Zammit Lighting Designer Benjamin Turner Technical Manager Geoff Turner

Thanks and acknowledgements —

Contact —

Clemence Williams.

Suite 302, 52-58 William St, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011

Tara Fletcher and the students from Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School: Giorgia Apap, Evelyn Barber, Brodie Hughes, Karyle Javines, Iesna Kumarasamy, Anna Moore, Ned Morgan and Lilian Petrovski.

Australian Theatre for Young People

02 9270 2400 hello@atyp.com.au atyp.com.au

Justin McCormick and Layla Darwich.

Co–Producer —

Penrith Performing & Visual Arts 597 High Street Penrith NSW 2750 02 4723 7600 ppandva.com.au

Production Partners —

— Our production of Lights in the Park was made possible by our generous supporters. If you enjoyed the show please consider a donation to ATYP's Production Support Fund (via the QR code below). Your donation will directly support our productions which launch the next generation of Australia’s professional artists.

#ATYP_LIGHTS #ATYP_theatre #QTheatre

Up next: 16.06– 03.07.21

FOL– LOW ME HOME Writer Lewis Treston On sale now! atyp.com.au