2024
FRESH, BOLD AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES
MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR
WELCOME TO RIVERSIDE’S NATIONAL THEATRE OF PARRAMATTA 2024 SEASON It’s my great pleasure to unveil the 2024 season of Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta, a tapestry of stories that will captivate hearts, challenge minds, and celebrate the rich diversity of our community. Our season is about inspiration, insight and empowerment, and features productions that explore the challenges of how we deal with each other’s humanity and look to make a better world. We invite you to join with us as we continue to support and foster Western Sydney’s extraordinary artists and creatives in a season of wonderful new works. Our mission is to create opportunities for our region’s talented young artists to bring stories to the stage that are provocative, relevant, and inspiring and that shine a light on the variety and complexities of our modern lives. Our commitment at Riverside Theatres, with the generous support of the City of Parramatta, is to continually adapt and innovate our programming to be relevant, engaging, at times provocative, and above all, entertaining. As we continue to invest in and help the thriving theatrical and artistic community in Western Sydney to grow, we look forward to challenging and entertaining you again in 2024 and beyond as Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta continues our own exciting growth story.
Craig McMaster
Director – Riverside Theatres and National Theatre of Parramatta
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MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE & CREATIVE PRO
WELCOME In a fragile world we often come back to our sense of purpose and connection. We look at who we are, where we fit in the world, our families, our friendships, what influences our decisions, what breaks our hearts and what gives us joy and peace and how we find hope and inspiration. This year we reflect on duty, the challenges this brings and how it can both inspire and destroy. The sense of fulfilment and peace one craves in times of conflict and sometimes the absurd lengths people will go to find their nirvana. We are thrilled to premiere Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World in Australia after a sold out London season which garnered five star reviews. National Theatre of Parramatta (NTofP) has joined forces with The Javaad Alipoor Company to create this exceptional work, using the life of Fereydoun Farrokhzad, a significant Iranian cultural icon who was forced into exile in 1979 as the starting point. Think pop culture, politics, identity, fame and the long arm of international espionage. Things Hidden also features the next generation Iranian pop star King Raam live on stage. Following on from the sold out successes of Queen Fatima and Lady Tabouli, NTofP commissioned Western Sydney playwright James Elazzi to write a new work Karim, an exploration of family ties, duty, love and beauty. Questioning where does one find hope when day to day survival is top of mind? This exceptional play presents 4
a different viewpoint of Australia from the outskirts of South West Sydney as as we experience the perspective of life from the lens of Lebanese immigrants. After a critically acclaimed season and debut by Director Bali Padda, Guards at the Taj by Rajiv Joseph returns to our stages as part of a national tour. For two friends, duty and idealism collide in an exploration of beauty and power, autocracy and resistance, amidst conflicting loyalties, heartbreakingly funny and relatable. Then to wind up the year, we bring you Yoga Play by Dipika Guha. Think cancellation and spirituality in this fast paced comedy of errors which takes you on a quest for enlightenment, led, of course, by a high end yoga wear company. Internationally acclaimed director Mina Morita joins us for this lighthearted romp that still manages to nail the serious questions of identity, spirituality, belonging, and the lengths some people will go to reverse cancellation. We are also proud to welcome Mina, Artistic Director of Crowded Fire in San Francisco, as our mentor for National Theatre of Parramatta’s second year of Staging the World with this year’s focus being Directors. Underlying the performances you see on stage, National Theatre of Parramatta is building a world of opportunity, finding pathways for creatives and driving a theatre industry in Parramatta in the true spirit of building equity, resilience and possibilities.
ODUCER
We look forward to welcoming you to our worlds and our community. Look out for special events that embrace the spirit of each of these productions as we celebrate place and share stories. Come and discover your own space and inner truth and join us for our season of inspiration, insight and empowerment, where we explore the challenges of how we define humanity and look to make a better world.
Joanne Kee Executive & Creative Producer National Theatre of Parramatta
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PUTTING THE NATION ON STAGE
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Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta (NTofP) creates, commissions, presents and tours performances that resonate with and reflect contemporary Australia’s place in the world. We are proud to be part of Riverside Theatres, Western Sydney’s leading performing arts centre and PAC’s 2023 Presenter of the Year. National Theatre of Parramatta is thrilled to be a leader at the forefront of building a vibrant artistic community, presenting shows where audiences can see themselves, their families and friends reflected on stage. We are creating work that speaks to our times, the heart of which is engagement and inclusivity. NTofP continues growing successful initiatives, assisting artists develop their careers with: Page to Stage, Playwrights of Parramatta and Directors of Parramatta, Open Table, Creative Futures, True West, Staging the World and more. With your support, National Theatre of Parramatta continues to grow and be recognised as a leading cultural organisation.
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AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE THE JAVAAD ALIPOOR COMPANY PRESENTED BY RIVERSIDE’S NATIONAL THEATRE OF PARRAMATTA AND SYDNEY FESTIVAL
THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD WRITTEN BY JAVAAD ALIPOOR WITH CHRIS THORPE DIRECTED BY JAVAAD ALIPOOR An investigation into the nature of investigation, with the unsolved murder of a pop icon at its centre… It’s the 1970s and Fereydoun Farrokhzad’s star is blazing bright – he’s a sex symbol and chart-topping pop singer – imagine an Iranian Tom Jones. A decade on and he’s living in political exile in Germany, though still performing to sold-out audiences in Europe. On 7 August 1992, he’s found brutally murdered. The neighbours said his dogs had been barking for two nights. Take a dive down the rabbit hole of Wikipedia and murder mystery podcasts. Performed by Javaad Alipoor and Asha Reid with live music from Me-Lee Hay and Raam Emami (King Raam), Iranian musician and global podcast sensation.
★★★★★
“Alipoor and his collaborators have the skill of turning mind-stretching ideas into theatrically thrilling performance.” - The Guardian, UK Co-commissioned by HOME, Manchester and National Theatre of Parramatta the
javaad alipoor
company
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FROM 19 JANUARY SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE
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WORLD PREMIERE
KARIM
NATIONAL THEATRE OF PARRAMATTA PRESENTS
BY JAMES ELAZZI DIRECTOR JAMES ELAZZI DIRECTOR SHANE ANTHONY Karim and his best friend, Layla, watch trains coming and going from the local station and dream of a life with a better future. On the rural outskirts of South West Sydney, Karim and his Dad, Joe, work as cucumber farmers. At night, they search trash for treasures to make ends meet. When Karim and Joe are evicted, their neighbour Abdul provides refuge. At his house, Karim discovers an oud, a traditional Middle Eastern instrument. Inspired by the beauty of its sound, Karim secretly begins playing the instrument, realising it might be the key to a new destiny. Karim explores families, duty and generational divides. Catch this bold new work by celebrated playwright James Elazzi, a threetime nominee playwright at the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards (Lady Tabouli, Queen Fatima and Son of Byblos). With Youssef Sabet as Karim.
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FROM 25 JULY
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NATIONAL TOUR NATIONAL THEATRE OF PARRAMATTA PRESENTS
GUARDS AT THE TAJ BY RAJIV JOSEPH DIRECTOR BALI PADDA
What happens to a life-long friendship when two ordinary men are ordered to do the unthinkable? Featuring a heartbreakingly funny friendship put to the ultimate test and existential banter reminiscent of Beckett and Stoppard, Guards at the Taj mixes witty black comedy with the bloodiest deeds of Greek tragedy. Guards at the Taj tours nationally in 2024 with a return season at Riverside Theatres from 12 September. With Akkshey Caplash and Idam Sondhi.
TOURING AUSTRALIA 2024
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FROM 12 SEPTEMBER
★★★★ ½
Sydney Morning Herald
★★★★ ArtsHub
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AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE NATIONAL THEATRE OF PARRAMATTA AND LA BOITE THEATRE PRESENT
YOGA PLAY BY DIPIKA GUHA DIRECTED BY MINA MORITA
A scathing and sassy takedown of cultural appropriation, exploitation, consumerism, fat shaming and yoga pants at any cost. Yoga is zen right? Then why is everyone at the world’s most exclusive athleisure wear company so stressed out? Jojomon have been cancelled after the BBC run an exposé about their sweatshops. Joan, the new CEO, is determined to turn this around and help unite their loyal customers, “The Family”. There’s only one way forward: hire a yogi and bring him from India. What could go wrong? Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta and La Boite Theatre are partnering to bring the Australian premiere production of Dipika Guha’s hilarious play, with renowned international director, Mina Morita. La Boite Theatre, Brisbane Season: 7 - 23 November
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FROM 17 OCTOBER
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13 MARCH
WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT BY NASSIM SOLEIMANPOUR No rehearsals. No director. No set. An actor reads the script cold for the first time at the performance. WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT has been translated into more than 30 different languages and been performed over 3000 times around the world. “Playful, enigmatic and haunting” - New York Times Presented as part of Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta’s True West program.
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STAGING THE WORLD STAGING THE WORLD is an intensive skills development program for artists to work with, and be mentored by, established international BIPOC artists. National Theatre of Parramatta is an essential hub for inclusivity, creative exploration, growth and empowerment. Our work and programs are critical in that we invest in careers and open doors for our artists, creating long-term opportunities. In its first year, playwrights (Challito Brown, James Elazzi, Moreblessing Maturure, Jules Orcullo, S. Shakthidharan) attended an intensive two week mentorship with one of the world’s leading playwrights, Academy Award Winner and Geffen Playhouse Artistic Director, Tarell Alvin McCraney. In 2024, renowned artist and director, Mina Morita, will be running an intensive mentorship focused on direction. For further information, scan the QR code for updates.
Staging the World is supported by the Girgensohn Foundation
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TRUE WEST ENGAGE WITH US True West is NTofP’s capacity building program that supports and shines a light on the fresh and vibrant voices of Western Sydney artists from creation to skills development and production. Based in the geographic heart of Sydney, we are amplifying these voices and adding their stories to our cultural landscape. With independent artists and companies being a critical component of the holistic makeup of a thriving arts sector, we are committed to providing pathways and platforms for new ideas and works to be nurtured and seen. True West supports the development of new ideas, showcases emerging artists, provides networking opportunities, presents play readings and delivers skills development programs such as Page to Stage, Creative Futures mentorships and open table sessions (which have led to main stage productions).
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SUPPORT US “I am always excited to engage writers and other artists in new work. I learn so much about the world and by offering what I know, I gain such insight and hope for the future.” – Tarell Alvin McCraney Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta nurtures creative communities that speak to a new wave of global theatre-making, where authentic, inclusive voices are welcoming new audiences and fresh voices to our future. Believing in the power of theatre, NTofP is nurturing talent through our many engagement and skills development opportunities by providing networks and platforms to create and present new stories from fresh perspectives. Our programs deliver access, visibility and infrastructure that supports and builds capacity for performance. We are proud to be a leader and part of the vibrant artistic community in Western Sydney.
For detailed information on our programs and how to support us, scan here.
Tax deductible donations for our Staging the World mentorship programs can be made via the Australian Cultural Fund.
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THE TEAM NATIONAL THEATRE OF PARRAMATTA Executive & Creative Producer Joanne Kee Producer Phil Spencer Company Coordinator Vanessa Hyde Project Officer Leigh Russell Associate Producer Emma White Casting Associate Daniel Cottier RIVERSIDE THEATRES LEADERSHIP TEAM Director Craig McMaster Acting Marketing & Communications Team Leader Samantha Attard Operations Manager Mike Brew Ticketing & Box Office Dave Fili Executive & Creative Producer, National Theatre of Parramatta Joanne Kee Business Manager Tanya Sampson Program Manager Catherine Swallow
RIVERSIDE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Cr Ange Humphries Cr Cameron MacLean Cr Georgina Valjak Jon Greig Keiasha Naidoo Dr Robert Lang
PR/Media: Kabuku PR Design: Leading Hand Design Information correct at time of print. 22
Vyvienne Abla Marwa Abouzeid Derrin Brown Cate Cunningham Jackie Emery John Moore
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PHOTOGRAPHY Cover Photo from The Life Cycle of Blanco by Dario Hardaker Community photos by Teniola Komolafe White Pearl photo by Phil Erbacher Things Hidden Since The Foundation of the World photo by Chris Payne Karim photo by Kathy Luu Guards at the Taj photo by Noni Carroll Yoga Play photo by Kathy Luu Staging the World photo by Justin Bettman / August True West photo by Dario Hardaker Support Us photo from Girls in Boys’ Cars by Phil Erbacher 23
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY We acknowledge the Dharug people, traditional custodians of the land where Riverside is now situated, and the Burramattagal people, a clan of the Dharug, who settled along the Parramatta River over 60,000 years ago. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and we acknowledge the culture and history of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.
Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta is proudly supported by City of Parramatta Council.