MTC Scenes | Edition 3 - 2019

EDITION 3 – 2019

Nakkiah Lui The powerhouse playwright

Benjamin Law A law unto himself

MTC Education Virtually unstoppable

Anna Ziegler Unlikely beginnings

Welcome This time of year is always filled with great anticipation for our impending season launch – that exciting moment when we share with you, our wonderful Subscribers, the next season of brilliant theatre. Our 2020 launch is on Tuesday 3 September at Hamer Hall, so put the date in your diary and make sure you RSVP to be the first in Melbourne to hear from some of the directors, actors and creatives involved in Season 2020.

Before then though, we see out 2019 with some truly fantastic shows that I, for one, have been looking forward to all year. Golden Shield, our first NEXT STAGE Original opens in the Sumner shortly, before Black is the New White arrives in October, and Kiss of the Spider Woman closes the season. Across at the Arts Centre, Photograph 51 plays in the Fairfax throughout November.

In this edition you’ll hear from Nakkiah Lui, the powerhouse writer, broadcaster and director behind some of the most talked about plays and TV shows in recent times including Black is the New White; playwright Anna Ziegler discusses writing Photograph 51 and the connection she felt with Rosalind Franklin in researching the play; and Choreographer Andrew Hallsworth talks about his long-time collaboration with MTC Associate Director Dean Bryant and his excitement about working on Kiss of the Spider Woman.

You’ll also hear from one of our Women in Theatre Program alumna and learn about one of our exciting education partnerships, working with Virtual School Victoria to deliver Year 8 Drama and VCE Drama and Theatre Studies courses. Our Education Department has long connected thousands of students across the state with outstanding resources, workshops, productions and arts experiences every year, and our partnership with Virtual School Victoria takes this to a whole new level.

Having worked together for the past two years, we’re thrilled to see the partnership develop further and have an even greater impact.

See you at the theatre.

Virginia Lovett Executive Director & Co-CEO

Prompt Corner We are excited to welcome Gig Clarke (Rake), Nicholas Denton (Wild) Paul Goddard (Top of the Lake), Yalin Ozucelik (Gallipoli) and Dan Spielman (Macbeth) who join Nadine Garner (Di and Viv and Rose) in the cast of Photograph 51.

Miranda Tapsell (Top End Wedding) stars as Charlotte Gibson in Black is the New White, with Geoff Morrell (Rake) and Tuuli Narkle (Stolen) also joining the cast.

And Kiss of the Spider Woman welcomes new cast members Jakob Ambrose (Priscilla: Queen of the Desert – The Musical), Blake Appelqvist (Dorian Gray Naked) and Joe Gaudion (Romper Stomper).

(From left) Dan Spielman, Miranda Tapsell, Geoff Morrell and Tuuli Narkle

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Your tax-deductible donation of $2,000 to dedicate a seat helps bring the transformative power of live storytelling to Melbourne.

In consideration of your generosity, a plaque with a personalised inscription will be placed on a seat that you select.* Take your seat and reserve your place in MTC’s history. You’ll be in great company.

Cover photography: Justin Ridler Photography throughout: Justin Ridler, Prudence Upton, Jacinta O’Keefe, Karin Farrell, Sarah Walker, Nick Tranter and Heath Warwick Scenes is a publication of Melbourne Theatre Company. All information was correct at the time of printing. Melbourne Theatre Company reserves the right to make changes.

MANAGING EDITOR Rosie Shepherdson-Cullen EDITOR and WRITER Sarah Corridon SUB EDITOR Georgia Fox ART DIRECTOR Emma Wagstaff GRAPHIC DESIGNER Helena Turinski

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The unstoppable Nakkiah Lui The powerhouse playwright discusses how a conversation with her cousin became the catalyst for writing her most successful play to date.

(above) Nakkiah Lui (right) Sydney Theatre Company’s cast of Black is the New White

Nakkiah Lui is a writer, actor and director with a lot on her plate. She is the co-writer and star of popular ABC TV shows Black Comedy and Kiki and Kitty, a regular columnist for the Australian Women’s Weekly, a podcast co-host for Buzzfeed’s Pretty for an Aboriginal, and is working on a novel for Allen & Unwin, as well as her first feature film.

In the last two years, Lui’s plays Blackie Blackie Brown and Black is the New White (which collected her the New South Wales Premier’s Literary Award) were staged in three states and she directed an Australian reimagining of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s play, An Octoroon. And this October, Black is the New White arrives in Melbourne after touring the country. Earlier this year, the world premiere of her play How to Rule the World opened in Sydney.

Lui is busy, to say the least.

Born in 1991, at a time when Australian TVs, cinema screens and stages rarely depicted the country’s First Nations population, Lui has been instrumental in amplifying the representation of First Nations people into popular culture throughout her career.

When Lui completed her law degree six years ago, she picked up the inaugural Dreaming Award from the Australia Council for the Arts, as well as the Balnaves Foundation Indigenous Playwright’s Award. Both prizes were worth $20,000, putting Lui in good stead to start her writing career. However, it was by answering an ad from the ABC’s then Head of Indigenous, Sally Riley, who was seeking writers for Black Comedy, that Lui’s network of creative collaborators broadened and her career began to flourish.

Her play Black is the New White opened to widespread acclaim at Sydney Theatre Company in 2017, demanding a second season for itself in 2018. It then went on to play in Brisbane, Wollongong, Parramatta and Canberra where it attracted more rave reviews and rapturous audiences.

In Lui’s play, there is a love story, a plethora of racial politics, and an overarching enquiry into how Aboriginal lives are portrayed in contemporary storytelling. Such is the success of Lui’s play that in 2019, it was awarded another three seasons, and will open to new audiences at Melbourne Theatre Company, Perth’s Black Swan State Theatre Company and the State Theatre Company of South Australia.

‘I wanted to write something that didn’t come from a place of sorrow or from death. This was actually about something that had hope and happiness in it.’

— NAKKIAH LUI

‘Black is the New White started as two separate conversations,’ Lui says. ‘I had a conversation with a cousin of mine who is this fabulous young Aboriginal woman, a gorgeous and great mum, and we were talking about her racial/political beliefs that were akin to black separatism. I didn’t agree with her, but I thought it was a really interesting conversation to be having with someone who, I would say, is part of this new emerging Aboriginal middle class.’ It was around this time Lui looked at the Census and discovered a surprising statistic: 74% of Aboriginal people who got married, married nonAboriginal people. ‘I found this really interesting … it intrigued me as to who this 74% are.’

It was a fact that led Lui to investigate how her own family had shifted over the last two generations, and how this had affected their definition of class. ‘I was really interested in how we identify ourselves in terms of our racial and cultural backgrounds. And how that intersects with class. What does it mean to be successful?

Especially as Aboriginal people when you come from a community that is so often politicised.’

‘I also wanted to present a family of Aboriginal people that hasn’t been seen before, I wouldn’t just say on stage, but within the Australian canon of work across different platforms; and that is an Aboriginal family who have money, who are not necessarily oppressed but are culturally quite strong. So I had that idea of wanting to put that family forth because for me, that was similar to what I’ve grown up with.’

Lui says she’s watched her parents transform into serious foodies over the last 10 years. ‘They’re really into their food and wine,’ she says, which inspired her to present a family of Aboriginal people drinking on stage in a way that wasn’t politicised. ‘I think that in and of itself becomes a statement. So I wanted to put that forward, and say “Here’s a family who are like you”. I wanted to write something that didn’t come from a place of sorrow, or from death, or from oppression; where you’d have to rehash that intergenerational trauma. This was actually about something that had hope and happiness in it.’

Black is the New White is indeed a play about class and race, but above all that, it’s just about people, Lui says.

‘It’s about people who are in flux and have to accept change in their lives.’

Words by Sarah Corridon

Black is the New White plays at Southbank Theatre, The Sumner from 2 October—6 November.

MEET THE CAST OF THIS BRILLIANT AUSTRALIAN COMEDY AT MTC.COM.AU/BACKSTAGE

A snapshot in time Anna Ziegler discusses her play’s explosion on the West End, and how her admiration for scientist Rosalind Franklin inspired her to tell this largely untold story.

‘When I wrote this play, I genuinely believed it would be seen by about one hundred people, so I wasn’t that concerned…which was probably a good thing, otherwise I would have been in my head too much.’ However, Ziegler admits she will think twice before writing characters about real-life historical figures again, especially when they share the same names. ‘It is a heavy burden. You know you’re not going to get it one hundred per cent right.

Even when you know a person, you can’t embody them and represent them fully. Of course you want to do them justice, so that was challenging.’

Rosalind Franklin’s family played a large role in bringing the production to life and have been incredibly supportive of Ziegler’s plight to tell their relative’s story. ‘Even if the character doesn’t completely capture who their aunt or sister was, there is an essence of her on stage and that’s appreciated.’

(above) Anna Ziegler (right) Nadine Garner stars as Rosalind Franklin in Photograph 51

Now, upwards of 30 different productions of Photograph 51 have been performed in the last five years, including premieres in the US, UK, Italy, Japan and, from this November, Australia. The story bares a universality that Ziegler didn’t initially recognize. One of those universal themes centres around the role religion plays in the life of a scientist, and how the philosophies of science and religion can support each other, rather than work in opposition of each other. ‘In my heart, I feel that they can and do co-exist’, Ziegler says. ‘I’m not sure I can explain it or put any logic behind it, but I think they go hand in hand in their attempt to find meaning in the world. They both represent the same curious quest to find answers.’

Photograph 51, Anna Ziegler’s biographical play, had unlikely beginnings when a small theatre company, Active Cultures, in Washington D.C, commissioned Ziegler – for the sum of $500 – to write a play about three leading female scientists.

As Ziegler recalls, her agent at the time said, ‘Do not accept this commission, you’ll do a crazy amount of work, and no one will ever see the play.’ However, the young playwright felt she had nothing to lose and started studying her three female protagonists. As her research began, Ziegler was drawn to the story of one British chemist in particular – Rosalind Franklin.

‘Rosalind definitely got under my skin,’ Ziegler says.

‘As fascinating as I think the science is, that’s not what drew me to her. It was her character that hooked me. I felt a kinship to her. Even though I’m not a science-minded person myself, her single-mindedness, ambition and desire to do the work, even though she might never get recognised for it, is incredibly noble to me.’

As Ziegler’s research evolved, she discovered Franklin made significant scientific discoveries between 1953 and 1958; most notably when she captured an image entitled Photograph 51, which proved the double-helix structure of DNA. Yet, in post-WWII Britain, the almost exclusively male world of the British academics at Kings College posed an ongoing challenge to the young Jewish chemist and her work was never properly recognised.

In 1962, Franklin’s colleagues Maurice Wilkins, Francis Crick and James Watson, collected the Nobel Prize ‘for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for information transfer in living material.’ If Wilkins and his team didn’t have access to the crucial Photograph 51, this might not have

been possible. However, by the time the award was announced, Franklin had passed away from ovarian cancer four years earlier, aged just 37.

Ziegler decided to focus her play exclusively on Franklin, balancing her journey towards that major discovery with her experience as a forthright, self-confident, sometimes prickly, but unwaveringly determined woman in a world dominated by men. ‘I loved that Franklin was this incredibly real person with all these flaws. She had all these obstacles, but she was also an obstacle to herself, as so many of us are.’

There are several parallels between Franklin’s efforts to be recognised as a scientist and Ziegler’s pursuit to become a successful playwright, and their worlds were more closely aligned than Ziegler would have first imagined. ‘I definitely had an ‘ah-ha’ moment early on while rehearsing the play. It’s about collaboration and how difficult it can be working with other people. What we do in life is so governed by our ability to work with people who are different to us.’

Since the play opened in 2015, it’s had an incredible trajectory, snagging some of the world’s leading ladies to fill the shoes of Franklin herself, including Miriam Margolyes and Nicole Kidman. ‘The path this play has taken is shocking to me. I never imagined that it would end up on the West End.’ Yet Ziegler says even years after her play premiered at theatres in New York and Washington D.C. she was terrified she’d be discovered for getting the science wrong. ‘I was desperately nervous,’ she stressed. ‘I had science advisors and we were making changes up until a few weeks before we opened. I desperately wanted to please the science community.’

Another unforseen outcome of Ziegler’s play, opening in commercial theatres around the world, was the strength of its feminist message that women in science are often overlooked by their male counterparts. Michael Billington of The Guardian wrote, ‘Anna Ziegler’s new play … asks: is science still sexist?’ Ziegler’s quick to explain that Rosalind Franklin did not think of herself as a feminist, ‘And I’ve been told she wouldn’t want to be thought of as a feminist icon’ she adds. ‘It’s hard for any of us to believe that she could have been so immune. I don’t think she truly was.’ But she was more focussed on getting the work done, Ziegler explains. ‘She didn’t want to be thought of as a woman in the lab, she just wanted to be recognised as a scientist.’

In regards to Wilkins, Watson and Crick taking the recognition for Franklin’s work, Ziegler thinks the case is complex. ‘I think there are a couple of complicated factors,’ she says. ‘There are probably very black and white cases of women’s work being stolen throughout history, but I don’t think this is one of those cases. It wasn’t ethical, but it also didn’t defy ethical terms of the time. For me, the play is less about righting a wrong and more about exploring a really interesting character.’

‘A lot of women have to fight to be remembered,’ Ziegler continues. ‘But it’s also ok to not stand out from the pack.

You can still have enormous impact without standing out.

‘In fact,’ the playwright reflects, ‘it’s quite noble to do something impactful and not demand attention for it.’

Words by Sarah Corridon

Photograph 51 plays at Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne from 1 November—14 December HEAR FROM ACTOR NADINE GARNER ABOUT PLAYING ROSALIND FRANKLIN AT MTC.COM.AU/BACKSTAGE

Kiss of the choreographer For choreographer Andrew Hallsworth, creating dance and movement sequences is his passion.

Collaborating with artists who happen to be great friends is an added bonus.

(above) Andrew Hallsworth (right) Caroline O’Connor stars as Spider Woman / Aurora in Kiss of the Spider Woman

Andrew Hallsworth’s relationship with Melbourne Theatre Company began in 2010, working on The Drowsy Chaperone. Although it was years earlier, in the rehearsal room of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, that Hallsworth met his future long-time collaborator and MTC Associate Director Dean Bryant. ‘Dean was Simon [Phillips]’s Assistant Director on Priscilla and I was Ross Coleman’s Assistant Choreographer. We became buddies on that show and have worked together as much as we can ever since.’

Together Bryant and Hallsworth went on to create the smash hit production of Sweet Charity at Sydney’s Hayes Theatre Company and both collected Helpmann Awards for their efforts. The show was widely praised and solidified the theatre-makers’ working relationship.

Since then, the two have collaborated on Anything Goes, Assassins, Little Shop of Horrors, and in 2011 for MTC, they joined forces on the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal. They also interpreted the wild imagination of Eddie Perfect for 2017’s Vivid White.

‘Our egos complement each other,’ Hallsworth says laughing. ‘Dean finishes my sentences in the rehearsal room … we just speak the same theatrical language and we both like to push the boundaries of what we can achieve … not to create anything grotesque, but we often say, “It’s nearly 2020 and musicals should be done with a fresh edge.” So we’re always looking to do things a little bit differently.’

When Bryant and Hallsworth created Anything Goes in 2015, Australian musical theatre icon Caroline O’Connor starred as the quirky nightclub singer, Reno Sweeney.

During rehearsals, Bryant casually asked O’Connor what her dream list of must-do productions included. As Kander and Ebb’s self-described ‘biggest fan that ever walked the earth’, O’Connor was desperate to take on the role of Aurora, who morphs into the titular role in Kiss of the Spider Woman. Having already appeared in West End, Broadway and Melbourne productions of Cabaret, The Rink and Chicago, O’Connor wanted to add this acclaimed musical to her mounting list of Kander and Ebb credits.

Fast-forward four years, and that dream will become a reality when the show premieres in November to wrap up MTC’s 2019 season. When Bryant called Hallsworth to see whether he’d come on board, he said, ‘Tell me when and where I need to be and I’ll be there.’ Working with O’Connor is a dream, Hallsworth gushes. ‘She’s such a pro. She loves rehearsing and brings such a good energy to the room. But mostly, she works so damn hard. She puts every part of her body and soul into everything she does. So you have to be on that level of professionalism with her. And I love that. She pushes you to do the best you can possibly do, but she also loves to have fun.

And she truly trusts Dean and I. She allows us to push her down some roads she might not explore otherwise.

It’s a great partnership.’

Kiss of the Spider Woman is not a new musical – it opened on the West End 27 years ago – but its themes are not only relevant today, they’re crucial. Set in an Argentinian prison last century, the story explores homophobia, transphobia, police brutality and political imprisonment.

‘You look at the world today, and there’s still a lot of torturing in prisons, especially in developing countries.’

Hallsworth says. ‘We still have issues with homosexuality.

But if you looked at the streets of New York on the weekend [during the annual Pride parade], there wasn’t any traffic on the roads because they were filled with people and rainbow flags. You think of 50 years ago when those streets were filled with blood from the bodies who protested for gay rights,’ he says reflecting on the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots.

It’s a piece that doesn’t shy away from its darker subject matter, and in preparing to bring Kiss of the Spider Woman’s pertinent ideas to the stage, Hallsworth has been inspired by various styles of movement. He’s been studying the world of martial arts and even breakdancing, looking at how they will sit alongside the characteristic frills of Hallsworth’s notable choreography. ‘I’m looking at creating this grimy, hard, dirty vibe in the prison, and then juxtaposing that with a lot of flamboyance and theatricality for the movie dream sequences.’

There’s a lot to look forward to come October when rehearsals commence and Bryant, Hallsworth and O’Connor are reunited, and joined by a roll-call of musical theatre stars, to bring this iconic and important musical to life. ‘We’ve got such a brilliant cast. I just want to get in front of them and start executing this vision, which is currently just a series of design sketches and a script.

I can’t wait.’

Words by Sarah Corridon

Kiss of the Spider Woman plays at Southbank Theatre, The Sumner from 18 November—28 December.

HEAR FROM ACTOR CAROLINE O’CONNOR AT MTC.COM.AU/BACKSTAGE

Confidence is key Katy Warner reflects on her year in MTC’s Women in Theatre Program.

Katy Warner (right) 2018 Women in Theatre Program participants

I almost didn’t apply for the Women in Theatre Program.

A mixture of application-fatigue and self-doubt very nearly stopped me from putting myself forward for the opportunity. Some amazing women talked me around and I am very grateful that they did.

It is probably quite obvious that I was really lacking in confidence. I’d had some plays on and been nominated for some awards and I was writing a book but, still, that imposter syndrome was wreaking havoc on me and my ability to feel worthy of opportunities. To put myself out there.

To take up room. To speak up. To call myself a playwright.

Being a part of the Women in Theatre Program helped me start to overcome that. There is something remarkable about being in a room with a group of creative, talented, smart women. It is something that many of us in theatre don’t get much of an opportunity to experience; especially for a somewhat introverted playwright such as myself. The networks made with this group will last long beyond our year together. They are a source of support, inspiration and motivation – something I had not expected to glean from the program whatsoever.

And, perhaps, one of the most vital elements.

On the first day of the program, we were asked to do a short presentation about ourselves. I was nervous.

I downplayed every single thing I’d achieved. I didn’t even show the PowerPoint I’d made. I was apologetic and really didn’t present myself well. It was ridiculous – I am a trained actor, I was a killer debater in my high school years, I had presented to groups in the past. But at that moment, I was completely unsure of myself. I thought Martina [Murray, MTC Producer and Women in Theatre Program curator] would be questioning her decision, and would maybe even ask me to leave the group. Sorry, Katy, I imagined her saying, you’re just not right for this program. She didn’t, of course. Instead, Martina and Karin [Farrell, MTC Development Program Producer] created a program that reinforced our right (and responsibility) to take up space as women in theatre.

The Women in Theatre Program gave me confidence.

It gave me the tools I was lacking to speak about my work, my creative practice, my achievements and goals.

There was something so important for me about learning

‘The Women in Theatre Program gave me confidence.

It gave me the tools I was lacking to speak about my work, my creative practice, my achievements and goals.’

not to be apologetic about the things I want, and to own my success. Sessions on Fearless Leadership and workshops in Negotiating and Pitching, as well as the insights from, and access to, people like Brett [Sheehy] and Virginia [Lovett] and the support of fellow women in the program all contributed to helping me grow in confidence.

When I think of how I presented in that first session and compare it with the pitching session we undertook on our final day, it sort of feels like I am two different people. In that final session, I used the PowerPoint I’d made. I spoke about my achievements. I outlined exactly what I wanted.

And I didn’t say sorry once.

Since undertaking the program I have seen a real shift in the way I not only speak about my work but also the opportunities I go for. Whereas once I would sit back and think I’m not ready or good enough, I am now pushing myself to put myself out there. Most recently I submitted the start of a new play to the The Lysicrates Prize. Once, I would have thought there was no way in the world I’d submit something I hadn’t finished, a work in progress.

But I did it. And I made the shortlist.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MTC’S WOMEN IN THEATRE PROGRAM AT MTC.COM.AU/WOMENINTHEATRE

A law unto himself Benjamin Law shares his fears and excitements about joining the fold of a theatre company he has long admired.

Benjamin Law at the reading of his play, Torch the Place, at MPavilion

You’ve written books, essays, columns, for TV, are a regular contributor to a number publications, co-host a radio show … the list goes on! Working with MTC is your first foray into playwriting though – is it something you always had an interest in?

I’ve always loved theatre – one of my native habitats is a theatre foyer – but always as an audience member.

However, I’ve always instinctively known there are some stories I want to tell that are far better suited for the stage – because of their immediacy, their batshit ideas, or theatre’s immediate ability to foster a sense of community and communion. It’s been helpful to have TV screenwriting experience up my sleeve – there are some similarities – but it’s been equally thrilling and intimidating (in a healthy way) to collaborate so much more intimately with actors and other key creatives, in a way screenwriters often aren’t afforded.

What have you enjoyed about the process of being commissioned with Melbourne Theatre Company as part of the NEXT STAGE Writers’ Program?

Look, even just being in the same room with my friend Ellen van Neerven alongside playwriting greats like Patricia Cornelius, Angus Cerini and Joanna Murray-Smith for our Day One photoshoot was surreal. But also being in the womb of the oldest Australian theatre company, in amongst all that history, and knowing you’re now part of it, is bloody intoxicating. And working alongside legends like Brett Sheehy, Chris Mead and Dean Bryant – you couldn’t ask for more.

getting onto a stage flustered, half dressed and with your balls half on display. However, what you also get – and what’s invaluable – is seeing and hearing audiences react to what’s working and not. Also getting the actors’ input on where they feel the story or characters are wobbly is so important.

Late last year your NEXT STAGE commission, Torch the Place, had a reading at MPavilion. What was is like having the play brought to life in public for the first time?

Your writing deftly moves between comedy and drama, how do you decide on a genre when you embark on a new project?

To be honest? Insanely exposing. In TV, actors usually read our scripts at the very end of the process, when the writers and producers have gone through every last line of action and dialogue with a fine-tooth comb and the scripts are more or less locked. Having actors brought in halfway through the writing process – when everyone is fully aware the play still isn’t quite finished – felt like

Actually, I’m not sure there’s that much separating the two. Even when I’ve written so-called serious longform journalism, there’s still dark humour to be found. I love seeing tragedies unfold in the midst of a celebration, and unintentionally hilarious things that pop up in the midst of grief. That’s how life works. It’s also good theatre.

‘I’m not religious, but going in to see a brilliant play is what I imagine going to church, the mosque or synagogue is like for believers.’

How do your real-life experiences or observations weave their way into your storytelling?

Coming from a non-fiction background especially, I’ve always been geared towards thinking of how to convey real-life stories to an audience or readership.

In the end, it’s still all about truth: sometimes it’s literal and factual truth; other times it’s about emotional and universal truths.

What do you most enjoy about the theatre experience as an audience member?

That sense of walking into the room as strangers and coming out as a community. I’m not religious, but going in to see a brilliant play is what I imagine going to church, the mosque or synagogue is like for believers.

What do you think the future looks like for Australian theatre?

‘Diversity’ is a buzzword that I think is starting to feel cosmetic for some people. What that conversation is really about is who is and isn’t included. Do we have enough women, disabled people, queer folks and non-Anglo people represented in both cast and crew?

It’s starting to change, and a show like Belvoir’s Counting and Cracking – one of the best things I’ve seen in years – is testament to that. I see writers and friends like Nakkiah Lui, Declan Greene, S.Shakthidharan, Tommy Murphy, my sister Michelle Law, Jean Tong, Michelle Lee, Disapol Savetsila and so many others absolutely slaying it. But it’s only a start. For instance, Asian-Australians are a bit over one in 10 of the population nowadays – roughly proportionate to how many black Americans there are in the US – so we’ve got a long way to go.

You always seem to have many projects on the go at once, what’s lined up for the year ahead?

Every week, I co-host the pop culture show Stop Everything with Beverley Wang on ABC Radio National, and I interview public people about private topics in the back page of Good Weekend. We’ve just finished a two-part major documentary for ABC TV about ChineseAustralian history called Waltzing the Dragon, where I go on road trip with my Mum and Dad across regional Australia, our major cities and across China, and discover Australian history has always been defined by a Chinese presence – centuries before the First Fleet arrived, in fact.

And I’ve also just finished editing the anthology Growing Up Queer in Australia, which comes out August.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MTC’S NEXT STAGE PROGRAM AT MTC.COM.AU/NEXTSTAGE

No boundaries on theatre education MTC and Virtual School Victoria are expanding the reach of arts education.

Making theatre has traditionally involved bringing performers, crew and audience together in one place; it’s the same for students of drama, participating in school productions and learning vital lessons in a group environment. However, what if you’re a kid who desperately wants to be involved in theatre, yet has no-one to act or make a play with or who can’t physically participate?

Reaching students with a passion for performing and stagecraft is not always easy. As well as those who can’t attend an actual school, some attend schools that are too small and poorly staffed to be able to provide Drama and Theatre Studies courses.

This is where Melbourne Theatre Company’s partnership with Virtual School Victoria (VSV) plays a vital role.

They’ve been working together since 2017 to bring drama to places and people who are left out of the loop, initially in Year 8, and from 2020 at VCE level as well.

Thornbury-based VSV, formerly known as Distance Education Centre Victoria, is the key provider of distance education statewide. It reaches over 4,000 pupils — more than any single school in the state — and offers around 135 courses. They enable students to achieve excellence by teaming up with first-class practitioners in a wide range of disciplines to deliver the curriculum.

The MTC/VSV partnership in 2017 was supported by Creative Victoria, which funded a pilot scheme for MTC’s involvement in the Year 8 online theatre course. It was a success, and VSV has since funded the venture for the past two years. The enrolments number around 60 for the Year 8 Drama course, and are anticipated to average at 50 for VCE participants.

Now in its third iteration, the course has featured high calibre theatre practitioners as teaching artists including co-Artistic Director of award-winning company The Rabble, Emma Valente, MTC Literary Associate Jennifer Medway and Set Designer Jacob Battista. This year’s teaching artists are Penny Harpham, Associate Director of Western Edge Youth Arts, and Sound Designer Darius Kedros (Hungry Ghosts).

‘It’s been a fantastic success and the kids love it,’ says John Bartley, VSV’s Head of Arts. ‘By having a partnership with a real, world-class organisation, we get great expertise,’ he adds.

Now the collaboration is stepping up to a new phase. In February, State Education Minister James Merlino launched the VCE Collaboration Fund, a $1.2 million investment that is part of a far bigger $22.6 million boost for the range and quality of VCE courses in regional and rural Victoria.

VSV plays a vital role in this promise; by 2021 it is committed to delivering every VCE subject, including Drama and Theatre Studies, and its collaboration with MTC is about to get more high-tech and interactive.

Together MTC and VSV are developing a virtual tour of MTC’s HQ where productions are created, as well as backstage and on stage at Southbank Theatre.

‘For many of these students, joining the MTC workshops is a big deal … they get to express themselves. Not all can participate physically but you end up with a multi-modal performance.’

‘We wanted interactive videos to illustrate key parts of the production process, how to build sets, how to direct, light, design sound. We needed resources that illustrate all this and MTC is creating it for us,’ says Bartley.

Because the tour is like a video game, says Jeremy Rice, MTCs Head of Education and Families, the format will be familiar to most students.

‘You don’t need the NBN, or a headset; it’s not virtual reality so you can just use your mobile. We have to be conscious that a lot of young people have limited access to technology [of that sort],’ he continues.

MTC has teamed up with local company RealTour3D to create these interactive tours. These walk-throughs emulate the popular real life HQ tours that the Company currently runs for school groups.

The animation, the result of integrating thousands of images, allows participants to click on buttons for more information and follow links to video and photo essays.

‘You’ll be backstage, then you’ll be looking at an empty stage, and then you’ll go on a tour of the locations in which a theatre production is made,’ explains Rice; ‘we’re looking at different platforms, and gaming provides some models.’

For the videos, podcasts and other resources, it is a team effort, utilising cast and crew from various productions.

Nick Tranter, MTC’s Education Coordinator is working with VSV to create this special content that meshes with the VCE Study Design and VSV curriculum. He presents a lot of content via live stream, plus online seminars with playwrights, directors and actors, says Rice.

‘Teachers are also online,’ he continues; ‘they will answer some questions. Nick will answer some and others will be answered by actors. There’s a lot of mediation and translation.’

This new content includes an “Approach to Acting” mini-documentary featuring actors Josh Price and Izabella Yena, stars of this year’s Education show The Violent Outburst that Drew Me to You by Finegan Kruckmeyer.

In 2020, VSV students enrolled in the VCE Theatre Studies course will also have the privilege of being the first audience to sample a live stream from Southbank Theatre of an MTC performance, says Rice. Working out what gets the best traction is a question of trial and error, he adds.

(Left) The audience explores an installation co-designed by students following a hybrid in-person/virtual performance at MTC HQ as part of the 2017 partnership; (opposite) Students performing alongside their online peers as part of the 2018 partnership

‘The format is a work in progress because it’s about how to get people working together on performance projects and about shared learning experiences.’

There’s a lot of testing the new course along the way, agrees Bartley. The main writers of the course are experienced VSV drama teachers Kelly Jackson and Catherine Mayer along with multimedia input from VSV’s Martin McSherry.

Rice is happy about the division of labour; ‘VSV will work out how to teach, while our core business is professional theatre and theatre education and giving access to theatre, he says. ‘So in all those conversations we focus on this – how you make theatre, then VSV will work out how to deliver.’

So who are the students typically taking these courses?

The two VSV/MTC collaborations – Year 8 Drama course and the VCE curriculum – reach quite different groups, says Bartley.

‘Our Year 8 students deal with a lot of mental or physical illness; they may be in hospital, suffer from Chronic Fatigue syndrome or have mental health issues.

For a variety of reasons they’ve struggled.’

The common perception that VSV caters for children in remote areas is only part of the picture, says Rice.

Up to Year 10, a majority – between 60-70 per cent – live in Melbourne or regional centres; they will live near an educational facility, but for health or social reasons are not at these physical schools.

The other 30 percent are split between ex-pat students who are temporarily outside Victoria – Rice says that last year there were two students, one based in Thailand, the other in Egypt, who participated in theatre projects – and students whose non-school commitments preclude a normal curriculum. Sports and dance students often fall into this category, part of an elite who train for more than 20 hours a week and don’t have time for a mainstream school experience.

‘They performed beautifully together and became friends,’ he says. ‘Her parents were in tears. It was thrilling for all of us and shows the power of art to express and change our relationship with the world.’

After Year 10, the mix of students changes radically, Rice continues; it’s then that the curriculum demands resources and group activities that many smaller schools can’t deliver.

But whether it’s devised virtually or physically, whether it’s a production that gets seen at a regional arts centre or on an MTC mainstage in Melbourne, the age-old verities of theatre remain the same.

That’s true for smaller schools in metropolitan areas as well as remote and regional Victoria. Many can’t offer specialist drama teaching and have the problem of not having enough Drama and Theatre Studies students to form the necessary community to make work collaboratively.

‘Some schools try and group with other schools but if there are fewer than 10 students then it’s hard. Many schools are stretched for resources, so that’s where VSV steps in; students can enrol in any subject and MTC is helping VSV solve how to teach an online experience that is communal and collaborative,’ he says.

The first year’s course ended up being a large groupdevised production. Most of the devisers of sets, costumes and sound and lighting design were participating remotely and the show required only two live performers, he explains.

As well as engaging students in a wide range of stage skills, both in front of and behind the stage, it has led to some lump-in-the-throat moments, says Rice.

Bartley agrees, ‘For many of these students, joining the MTC workshops is a big deal...they get to express themselves. Not all can participate physically but you end up with a multi-modal performance.’

‘We get a good clue that the curriculum is working when it asks students to consider the actor-audience relationship; that should be the defining characteristic of theatre,’ Rice says.

‘It’s all new and can be difficult. But it’s very exciting as well.’

Words by Fiona Gruber

LEARN MORE ABOUT MTC’S AWARDWINNING EDUCATION PROGRAM AT MTC.COM.AU/EDUCATION

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Philanthropy

Where are they now?

Alumni of the MTC Ambassadors Program continue to follow their passions.

The 2019 MTC Ambassadors on the Sumner stage

Working Finalist at The Actors Studio. It is incredible to consider where the exciting educational journeys that a passion for the arts can lead.

Happily for us, in some cases the program has led former participants back to MTC. 2015 Ambassador Jake Kirby returned to MTC as a Lighting Design Secondment on our 2017 production of John, and 2011 Ambassador Justin Gardam was a Sound Secondment on Abigail’s Party in 2018. From a chance to peek behind the curtain, to working on the mainstage productions which ignite the stage, these young theatre makers have achieved outstanding theatrical feats in our very own home.

Each year, the MTC Ambassadors program helps foster the next generation of theatre makers thanks to the support of the MTC Youth Ambassadors Giving Circle.

participants as they continue to develop the artistic passions that led them to, and were nurtured during, the program.

MTC’s Ambassadors program is a year-long extension program for exceptional Year 11 Drama students that offers insight into the world of professional theatre and Victoria’s state theatre company. Each month they attend an MTC production, meet with artists and staff, and share their experiences of theatre with like-minded peers.

2017 participant Olivia Di Grazia performed in Top Acts 2018, a special concert showcasing outstanding performances devised for VCE final examinations; and her fellow 2017 program peer, Hex Robinson, is currently studying design and production at the Victorian College of the Arts. Also at VCA are 2016 participant James, Walsh, who went on to study screenwriting, and 2015 participant Lachie Clarke who will soon complete his acting degree. From one creative city to another, 2010 Ambassador Casey Bradley graduated with an MFA from New York’s Actors Studio Drama School and is a current

Established in 2010, the program has supported over 145 young theatre lovers and encouraged many to pursue careers in the performing arts industry. We take a look at some of the inspiring and exciting achievements of former

‘The talks that we had with industry professionals was the thing that stuck with me the most, seeing the expertise and passion they had for their work made me want to be part of their world.’

The program has also fostered theatre practitioners who are making waves with original live performance of their own. 2012 participant Margot Tanjutco created musical comedy Vanity Fair Enough, which formed part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2019, and was nominated for the Golden Gibbo Award. Amelia Newman, who was an MTC Ambassador in 2014, recently became Resident Writer with Lonely Company. In 2017 Amelia wrote, produced and directed Younger and Smaller, which was a part of La Mama’s Explorations Season.

They also performed in Lovely Mess as part of the Festival of Live Art and Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2018.

MTC extends a heartfelt thank you to Lorrane Shwartz who established the Youth Ambassadors Giving Circle in 2015 and all the Donors who provide students with the opportunity to develop their theatrical capabilities through the MTC Ambassadors Program. From technical students to playwrights, MTC is proud to be a part of the artistic journeys of this diverse group of young theatre makers. The future of theatre is bright and we wish them all the best in their future creative endeavours.

To support the MTC Youth Ambassadors Giving Circle or to find out more, please contact Annual Giving Manager Chris Walters on 03 8688 0938 or c.walters@mtc.com.au

— JAKE KIRBY (2015 AMBASSADOR).

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Corporate Partnerships

A wonderful evening with MTC

Special Offers Ticket Offer Emerson String Quartet touring in September

While MTC is recognised as Melbourne’s home of theatre, not everyone knows that we are also leaders in creating special events for our family of Corporate Partners and Entertainers.

Our premium entertainment option, Backstage Experiences, offers special theatrical events tailored to evoke the experience of the play our Partners and their guests will be seeing. Mandy Jones, MTC’s Events Manager, designs each Backstage Experience down to the most meticulous detail, including themed table-settings and customised lighting designs. This ensures a seamless experience for our guests, whether they are enjoying cocktails and canapés before the show, or enjoying drinks and roving entrées with the cast before sitting down to a two-course meal after the show.

We spoke to Mandy about what makes a Backstage Experience at MTC so special. ‘Our events provide a truly unique opportunity for hosts to build rapport with their guests through the power of theatre as they share an emotional journey over the course of the evening. I adore the challenge of designing bespoke experiences for our guests, providing them private access to the stage, cast members, crew and props, as well as styling the event elements to complement the world of the play.’

Two of our Production Partners, The Little Group and The Langham Hotel, frequently host their clients and staff at our events. We asked them about their experiences with us, whether they be full Backstage Experiences or pre-show Cocktail Functions with an introduction from a member of MTC’s Artistic team.

Backstage Experience, Twelfth Night, 2018

Musica Viva present one of the most celebrated string quartets to emerge from the USA making their first Australian tour in over 19 years. Founded in 1976 and with only one personnel change since, they will perform two diverse programs at Melbourne Recital Centre on Saturday 14 September and Tuesday 17 September. Featuring music

by Mozart, Dvořák, Shostakovich, Haydn, Bartók and Beethoven, this rare appearance is not to be missed!

For your chance to win a double pass to see the Emerson String Quartet at Melbourne Recital Centre on Saturday 14 September, 7pm email offers@mtc.com.au with EMERSON in the subject line.

Film Offer Downton Abbey

The television series Downton Abbey followed the lives of the Crawley family and the servants who worked for them at the turn of the 20th century in an Edwardian English country house. After 6 seasons, the story continues on the big screen starring the original principal cast, including AcademyAward® winner Maggie Smith. In cinemas 12 September.

The Little Group

The Langham, Melbourne

The Little Group, with its diverse range of activities including philanthropy, Melbourne Aviation Precinct, Port Phillip Ferries, real estate and property development, prides itself on the success built on its creative partnerships.

A sanctuary nestled on the famous Southbank Promenade, The Langham, Melbourne, has enjoyed a close working relationship with Melbourne Theatre Company as a Production Partner for many years.

This is our fourth year as a Production Partner with MTC, and we particularly enjoy the excellent corporate entertaining options we receive within the partnership.

We regularly entertain staff and key stakeholders at MTC, and are always impressed by the premium experience MTC provides. As such, we were delighted and extremely proud to have partnered with Melbourne Theatre Company for the 2019 production of Louis Nowra’s Così, and enjoyed a wonderful evening of food, beverages and world-class theatre at the cocktail party we held during its production season.

– Paul Little ao, Chairman

For your chance to win a double pass to see Downton Abbey, email offers@mtc.com.au with DOWNTON ABBEY in the subject line.

Corporate Partners Southgate Melbourne

One of the key benefits of the partnership for us has been the unique client entertainment opportunities with MTC. This has included taking our top clients to first class theatre productions, complete with cocktails and canapés on arrival and coupled with “money can’t buy” experiences including behind the scenes tours and meet-and-greets with the cast of the shows. It is these elements of the partnership, which are very appealing to The Langham, as they provide opportunities to build memorable moments with our key clients, and go a long way to building closer working partnerships with our accounts.

– André Jacques, Director of Sales and Marketing

To treat your clients and staff to an evening with MTC, contact us at corporateevents@mtc.com.au

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ON STAGE FROM 12 AUG SOUTHBANK THEATRE

CAST NICHOLAS BELL, GABRIELLE CHAN, JING-XUAN CHAN, FIONA CHOI, YI JIN, JOSH McCONVILLE, SOPHIE ROSS, YUCHEN WANG DIRECTOR SARAH GOODES SET & COSTUME DESIGN THE SISTERS HAYES LIGHTING DESIGNER DAMIEN COOPER COMPOSER & SOUND DESIGNER LUKE SMILES VOICE & DIALECT COACH GERALDINE COOK-DAFNER ASSOCIATE DESIGNER KAT CHAN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ALICE QIN

MTC is a department of the University of Melbourne