Festival of Emerging Artists 2022

WELCOME

I would like begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we learn and tell stories, the Bidjegal people, and pay our respects to Elders past and present. I also wish to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across this country’s sacred homelands, and in particular, students and other First Nations members of the NIDA community.

Welcome to the Festival of Emerging Artists, the culmination of practical training for NIDA’s Directing and Bachelor of Fine Arts (Design for Performance) students.

For each production, a director and the designers work in collaboration with creative leaders from every discipline at NIDA and through our extensive industry networks, to bring the wonder and awe of these productions to life.

This year, the Festival celebrates the work of MFA Directing students and BFA Designers, presenting seven productions. Most of these are new works, stretching across multi-sensory experiences, plays and adaptations, with several telling rich South Asian stories. The work of MFA Writing for Performance students is also featured.

These works bring you the artistry of NIDA’s current cohort of directors, set and costume designers, lighting designers, sound designers, video designers, costume supervisors, stage managers, make-up artists, props makers, construction managers, head electricians, technical assistants and video systems managers. NIDA acting alumni are often cast in these shows. The festive spirit of this season is also fuelled by external collaborations. The Directing students draw upon their extended networks to bring in actors, writers and other collaborators from the wider community. This shows just how much NIDA is a rich and potent, industry-connected creative hub in which emerging artists can bring to life truly meaningful, exciting new work.

NIDA prides itself on being a training ground for many of the most successful arts practitioners working in Australia and internationally. This Festival introduces the new generation of Australia’s leading directors and designers to watch out for. Many NIDA alumni immediately find employment across the entertainment industry as they are highly sought-after talent in theatre, screen and new media.

We are confident, in introducing these creatives to you, that you will be seeing their work in the wider world very soon.

We wouldn’t be able to present this Festival without the generous support from the Australian Government, as well as our corporate partners, trusts, foundations, supporters and donors. On behalf of our NIDA Board, the NIDA Foundation Trust Board, staff and students – thank you.

Liz Hughes CEO

DIRECTING

Master of Fine Arts (Directing)

2022 marks the 50th anniversary of NIDA’s directing course. We are thrilled to round off our golden year by presenting the second Festival of Emerging Artists this year. In their training, MFA Directing students work closely with artists across all courses and disciplines in the school. Many of their practice-led learning experiences also connect with external colleagues and industry partners such as the Actors Centre Australia, NAISDA dance college, triple j unearthed, and ABC’s ‘rage’. Through multiple live performances and multimedia projects, the directors spend the 15-month-long course honing their craft, creativity, and collaboration skills. This festival stands as the culmination of the practical component of training for the directors, a place to connect with contemporary audiences and express their unique directorial potential as they transition into the industry. The festival houses 7 short productions to be experienced across three different venues.

The Space Theatre houses Angus Cerini’s beguiling Seven Days of Silence, directed by Nick Bradshaw. This fascinating play teases out the complexity of the age-old masculine ‘rite of passage’ tradition with lashes of dark absurdism. Jess Ramsey then directs a contemporary adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s essay, The Decay of Lying where life and Art go head-to-head in a dance of text, cinema, and live music. Kali, written and directed by Pratha Nagpal, offers a contemporary cultural dance and movement work that speaks to experiences of women of colour and their connection to culture as a process of healing.

In the Studio Theatre, two brand new Australian plays make their debut. Sudip Sauden directs Leela, co-written with Grace Malouf (MFA Writing for Performance) – a deeply moving story that explores the impact of a difficult decision made by a Nepalese man and a choice to abandon his elderly mother. Ryan Whitworth then directs the premiere of How to Win a Plebiscite (and Tennis) by Lachlan Parry (MFA Writing for Performance).

And finally, The Reg Grundy Studio is home to another two premiere works. Emma Whitehead directs SOL. a devised participatory theatre experience exploring humanity’s continued space exploration juxtaposed against the decline of the Earth. Chinmaya Madan directs Prem Patr, a debut Australian Indian work where different forms of love unfold before us in a multisensory and immersive form.

A sincere thank you to the industry mentors who helped guide the directing students with their productions: Imara Savage, Jessica Arthur, Claudia Osbourne, Kenneth Moraleda, Alex Berlage, and James Dalton. A special thank you to Imara who worked closely alongside all directors throughout rehearsals providing invaluable creative support and insight. And to Dr. Priya Srinivasan who worked in the capacity of Cultural Consultant for Leela, Prem Patr and Kali.

These productions stand as a testament to the ambitious creative artists moving into a radically changing and evolving Arts climate. We’re thrilled to welcome you to the festival and thank you for playing the most crucial role: our audience.

Dr Benjamin Schostakowski Head of Directing, Course Leader

DESIGN

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Design for Performance)

I’m very pleased to welcome you to the Festival of Emerging Artists and introduce you to our accomplished and exciting graduating BFA Designers for 2022, Meg Anderson ,The Decay of Lying, Hailley Hunt, How to Win a Plebiscite (and Tennis), Ruby Jenkins, Seven Days of Silence, Benedict Janeczko-Taylor, SOL., Kathleen Kershaw, Prem Patr, Jade McElroy, Kali, and Lochie Odgers, Leela.

The Festival of Emerging Artists is a unique collaboration across many of the disciplines at NIDA. These seven new productions showcase the distinct visions and voices and the highly developed creative, collaborative, and technical skills of all the artists involved. It is an acknowledgement and celebration of the complexity and diversity of our extraordinary student body.

Perhaps though the most important collaboration is with you, the audience. In The Riddle of Poetry, Jorge Luis Borges quoted Bishop Berkley: “The taste of the apple does not reside in the mouth of the eater – neither is it in the apple itself. It requires the exchange between them.”

Each of these Festival productions is made with the hope and expectation that a connection will be made between artist and you, their audience, and that some necessary story or knowledge is shared. In the best theatre this sharing is mutual, and the makers and performers stand to learn as much from this shared experience as the audience.

Collaboration is the heart of NIDA’s educational and artistic culture. The Festival of Emerging Artists celebrates that culture and provides an incredible opportunity for Technical Theatre and Stage Management (TTSM) students to create, explore, express, and learn alongside peers from a wide range of disciplines.

The festival is an invaluable forum for TTSM students to expand and refine their Technical Theatre and Stage Management practice. Congratulations and thank you to the students involved as Lighting Designers, Sound Designers, Production Stage Managers, Deputy Stage Managers, Head Electricians, Video Systems Technicians and Laser Artists/Technicians across the season. Thank you, also, to the TTSM staff members who support our students. The guidance and expertise provided by our guest artists, professional mentors and TTSM tutors is deeply appreciated and continues to elevate our students’ practice to new heights.

Finally, a special mention and congratulations to the TTSM students who are completing final year assessments during this festival. Scott Cleggett, Lighting Designer for all three productions in the Space Theatre, and Maddison Craven, Sound Designer of Seven Days of Silence. Well done on your excellent work!

Bob Cousins

Course Leader Design for Performance

Graham Henstock

Course Leader Technical Theatre and Stage Management

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Technical Theatre and Stage Management)

Seven Days of Silence

The Decay of Lying

Written by Pratha Nagpal In her blue skin, Kali Maa carries the weight and darkness of her rage but also her boundless existential freedom to be – without seeking permission. Kali is a contemporary cultural dance work that tells the story of BIPOC anger. In a world where male violence is inflicted on BIPOC women, how does Community come together to heal? Cast

DIRECTOR

CHINMAYA MADAN

Theatre has been an important part of Chinmaya’s life since his childhood. He grew up in a theater family and spent all his early days in different rehearsal spaces, with hundreds of actors traveling to various cities. Chinmaya is an actor, deviser and director. He has worked with some of the best directors in India performing in more than 12 states. He was also the recipient of “Award of Scholarships to young artists in different cultural fields”, a scholarship awarded under the Scheme of Scholarship and Fellowship for Promotion of Art and Culture by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India in 2019. He is passionate about youth theater and has worked with kids for more than five years.

Chinmaya believes that theater provides him with the power of making a difference, his work will possess the ability to create emotion, make people feel, make them think, alter their thoughts, and this excites him. Whilst at NIDA Chinmaya’s highlights are directing The Way Out with Actors Centre Australia, directing Say it to my face by Gloomie in collaboration with Triple j unearthed and assistant directing David Berthold’s production of Falsettos. For the Festival of emerging artist Chinmaya directs Prem Patr, a multi-sensory experience that revolves around different stories and shades of love.

DIRECTOR EMMA WHITEHEAD

Emma is a director, creative producer, and performer from London, UK, grateful to be living and creating work on unceded Bidjigal land. She is the founder and artistic director of experimental company Lost Thought.

Emma has eclectic interests within theatre, dance, opera, contemporary art, interactive installation, and durational performance. Recently she has been bringing new writing to life on Australian stages, such as Brooke Robinson’s The Chocolate Roster at the New Theatre (2022).

Emma trained in multi-disciplinary performance making and devising at University of Warwick, UK, where she won The Lord Rootes Memorial Fund Major Award for her photography expedition to The Republic of Tajikistan. She holds BA (Hons) Theatre and Performance Studies and MA International Cultural Policy and Management. NIDA highlights include directing Shook by Samuel Bailey (NIDA x ACA), brand-new cabaret act Jono, and Charlene the Sex Doll, and music video Frogs by TEND1E ft. WheresCCINO (NIDA x Triple J x rage - bit.ly/3D3Okoi). Assistant Directing for Clemmie Williams on The Magic Flute (NIDA x Sydney Conservatorium), combined with a directing secondment at Opera Holland Park in London has cemented Emma’s continued interest in evolving opera in content and format for modern audiences.

Emma is the recipient of The Frank Thring Scholarship for skill, expertise and achievement.

lostthought.com

STUDIO THEATRE TEAM REG GRUNDY

A truly collaborative project, The Festival of Emerging Artists showcases the work of MFA Directing and BFA Design for Performance students in collaboration with students from BFA Costume, Technical Theatre and Stage Management, Scenic Construction and Technologies,

Properties and Objects, MFA Writing for Performance, Diploma of Live Productions and Technical Services, Diploma of Screen and Media (Specialist Make-up Services), working with casts of students and guest performers.

TEAM GRUNDY STUDIO

T EAM SPACE THEATRE

DIRECTOR

JESS RAMSEY

Jess Ramsey is a director, actor, artist, and a dedicated and passionate theatremaker. Being both neurodivergent and queer, Jess is driven by a desire to create new works written by and about diverse people. As a grapheme-colour synesthete, the use of music, movement, and colour is a vital part of their work. Jess’ multitudes of neurodivergence inspire abstract and conceptual thinking, and they are endlessly interested in philosophy and psychology.

Jess graduated in early 2019 with a Diploma of Music Theatre from the Australian Institute of Music. Since graduating, Jess has been involved in the creation of new works as a performer, writer, artist, and assistant director. In 2021 Jess directed her debut production ‘Alice’s Adventures’, a new Australian musical, and in 2022 they were involved in the development of two new musicals, which featured in the Hayes Showlab and the Sydney Fringe Festival.

This year at NIDA Jess’ highlights include directing a music video, ‘The Job I Took’, for Triple J Unearthed, ‘Not Enough Oxygen’ by Caryl Churchill, and assistant directing a live cinema adaption of ‘The Seagull’ in the June production season.

DIRECTOR NICK BRADSHAW

He has a passion for telling meaningful and engrossing stories, with an interest in darker themed material.

Nick completed his Bachelor of Film & Television at Bond University, graduating in 2019 and directing his comedy short-film Overtime. He also directed the music video for ‘HEADS AT A HUNDRED’ by Ken Paolo & The Space Cadets, which premiered on ABC Rage.

Before studying at NIDA, Nick worked as an Assistant Director in Live Broadcast Television for Discovery NZ (Auckland) and Channel 7 (Sydney).

His directing theatre credits include Vaclav & Amelia (Actors Centre Australia & NIDA), a musical number in Kabarett (NIDA), and Seven Days of Silence (NIDA), and he assistant directed the live-cinema adaptation of The Seagull (NIDA).

Nick Bradshaw is an emerging director with experience in film, television and theatre.

PRATHA NAGPAL

Pratha Nagpal is a director, writer, activist and a passionate theatremaker working on unceded Gadigal land. Pratha’s arts practice is deeply inspired by BIPOC stories and art. Being a first- generation immigrant, she deeply understands the need for art that centres BIPOC voices, in both the stories that are being told, and the process undertaken to tell these stories.

At NIDA, she has directed a short play in collaboration with ACA (Actors Centre Australia) named Ali by Daniel Keene. She has also directed Ghagra, a Bollywood piece for NIDA Kabarett 2022. In collaboration with Triple J, she recently directed a music video for emerging band, Coconut Cream, called What Kind of Music Do You Like To Listen To? In 2021/22, she wrote, directed, and devised her show Maa Ki Rasoi - (My Mother’s Kitchen) at 107 Projects under the ArtsLab residency program by ShopFront. In 2022, Maa Ki Rasoi - (My Mother’s Kitchen) was also a part of the Art in the Heart of Haymarket festival at 4A. In 2021, she also directed a sold-out season of Rice by Michelle Lee at Sydney University Dramatic Society (SUDS). Her previous credits include The Great Escape by Declan Coyle (at SUDS) and two rehearsed readings of Heroes by Katherine Sortini and Unthinkable Timescales by Zachary Sheridan for an ATYP collaboration with SUDS.

DIRECTOR

RYAN WHITWORTH

Ryan is a Sydney based, Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ identifying Director and Drama educator. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with Diploma of Education from Macquarie University and is currently studying an MFA in Directing at NIDA.

His directorial work includes Venus in Fur (Actors Centre Australia and NIDA), Cheats and Liars - Jawbreakers Music Video (Triple J), Desire a Kabarett (NIDA), I’m not Inspirational (PACT Residency) and How to Win a Plebiscite (and Tennis) as part of the Festival of Emerging Artists (NIDA).

Ryan’s Assistant Directing credits include Picnic at Hanging Rock (NIDA), The Job I took (Triple J), The Stratford Drama Arts Festival (UK) and co-collaborator on the Taming of the Shrew (Greater School’s Program, Globe Theatre UK). During his time as an education practitioner, Ryan was the Indigenous Liaison Officer for Drama NSW and the Head of Creative Arts in a Western Sydney school. He directed a number of High School productions including Romeo and Juliet, Antigone: An Immersive Experience, Connections and Oneness (an Indigenous Reading, Drama NSW).

DIRECTOR SUDIP SAUDEN

Sudip is a Sydney-based emerging director who takes inspiration from the beauty in everyday human life. His practices revolve around the complexity of human psychology with a nostalgic, vintage aesthetic.

He is an individual with unique lived experiences fashioned from two very distinct cultural contexts, moulding him into a person who exhibits the balance between Eastern and Western cultures. He seeks to create art that is challenging in both intricacy of realism and heightened artistic spectacle.

Currently, Sudip is co-writing and directing an original play ‘Leela’ for Festival of Emerging Artists. Other NIDA Productions I have worked on this year include: How I Learned to Drive – Assistant Director (written by Paula Vogel, adapted, and directed by Tasnim Hossian), I am what I am cabaret act – Director, choreographer, and production design (written by Shirley Bassey), The Lady of the Larkspur Lotion – Director and production design (written by Tennessee Williams).

During 2022, Sudip also directed a music video for Perth-based Indi pop singer and song writer Darcie Haven, for her Triple J award winning song I Wanna Be.

Sudip has also worked as an actor in several professional productions such as Michael Gow’s 2016 production of The Pearl Fishers (Opera Australia) and Gale Edwards’ 2019 production of Salome (Opera Australia).

DESIGNER BENEDICT JANECZKOTAYLOR

Benedict is a multidisciplinary designer and artist based on Gadigal land, Sydney. His artistic practice extends into exploring bold and ambitious works that strive to articulate contemporary ideologies and politics through a compelling and whimsical lens. His ambition is to work in stage, screen, visual and installation art to reach a wide range of audiences.

Highlights for Benedict at NIDA include hypothetical set & costume designs for Ham Funeral written by Patrick White, A Flea in Her Ear written by Andrew Upton, Scenes From An Execution written by Howard Barker, A Midsummer Night’s Dream written by William Shakespeare, Orlando written by Virginia Woolf, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui written by Bertolt Brecht, and Das Rhinegold composed by Richard Wagner. His credits include designing, composing and performing a durational art installation work titled Breathe, designing the set for the NIDA June Production Season musical Falsettos written by William Finn and James Lapine, directed by NIDA’s Artistic Director David Berthold, set and costume design and art direction the Cheats and Liars Triple J Unearthed Music Video performed by the The Jawbreakers, directed by Ryan WhitworthJones for Rage (ABC), co-creating, designing and costume making for the short film Kelly Directed by Kathleen Kershaw.

Recently, Benedict has worked as a Costume Assistant and Maker on Jekyll and Hyde for the Hayes Theatre Company, as a Costume Maker for Eternityland for Dancing Giant, and as a Costume Assistant on Whitefella Yella Tree for Griffin Theatre Company under Mason Browne.

Benedict is excited to continue to work closely with other artists to create direct and compelling works. He is ready to further delve into the world of the arts and is looking forward to what the future holds in Australia and abroad in 2023. benedictjt.com

DESIGNER HAILLEY HUNT

Inquisitive and exploratory, Hailley Hunt is an emerging multidisciplinary artist working across live performance and screen. Driven by conceptual analysis, she strives to create striking, thought-provoking images that explore text, structure, and form.

Her design credits include Set Designer for Picnic at Hanging Rock (2022) directed by Claudia Osborne; Co-Creator and Production Designer for Frogs by TEND1E (feat. wheresCCINO) for Triple J and Rage’s 2022 collaboration; Co-Director and CoProducer of the short film Prometheus (2022); Production Designer on Duncan Ragg and Heath Ramsay’s Mine, Mine, Mine (2022); and Art Director on We Have Me (2021) for Sydney Film Festival’s Screenability program.

Hailley is a deeply passionate, conceptual, and detailed designer eager to bring an original and thought-provoking contribution to the theatre, opera, event, and screen industries.

hailleyhunt.com

JADE McELROY

Jade McElroy is an Australian based, multi-disciplinary artist and designer who strives to create bold and energetic works. She is known for being a personable and honest collaborator, who looks for ways to realise playful stylized worlds.

Jade’s design credits include: Design Assistant A Pox on Both Your Houses, NIDA production (2020); Design Assistant Orlando, NIDA Play Season (2020); hypothetical set and costume designs achieved while studying at NIDA: Ham Funeral, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Orlando, and Das Rheingold; Set and Costume Design for How I Learned to Drive, NIDA Play Season (June 2022); Set and Costume Design for Kali, Festival of Emerging Artists NIDA (December 2022); Co-Creator student short film Prometheus (October 2022); Production Design for Heads at a Hundred for Triple J Unearthed and Rage (ABC 2022): Ken Paolo and The Space Cadets Band.

Jade looks forward to contributing to the rapidly changing creative industry with her lively, ambitious ideas.

DESIGNER KATHLEEN KERSHAW

Kathleen Kershaw is a set and costume designer living and working on Gadigal land in Sydney. Kathleen’s process is fluid and responsive, consistently featuring a hands-on approach to research and exploration. She is driven by a love of sharing stories and seeks to build emotive worlds that draw the audience and performers together.

During her time at the National Institute of Dramatic Art Kathleen has completed hypothetical set and costume designs for texts such as A Flea in her Ear by Georges Feydeau, Scenes from an Execution by Howard Barker, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare and Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner.

In 2022 Kathleen designed the costumes for NIDA’s production of Picnic at Hanging Rock, adapted by Tom Wright and directed by Claudia Osbourne. Kathleen worked as the production and costume designer in collaboration with director Jess Ramsey and Melbourne band Sophisticated Dingo on the music video for The Job I Took. Kathleen has also had the opportunity to take up the role of writer and director for Kelly, a short film created by the graduating design class.

In support of her studies Kathleen has completed workplace secondments in both TV and live performance. She spent time in the Art Department on Foxtel’s production of The Twelve and joined the internationally acclaimed company Gravity and Other Myths in Adelaide during the final stages of development on their recent production The Mirror for the Chameleon theatre in Berlin.

LOCHIE ODGERS

Designer, creative and storyteller, Lochie looks at every project from a unique perspective, one that challenges traditions. Currently practicing on Gadigal land as a multidisciplinary designer Lochie enjoys the rollercoaster ride of the creative process. What he brings to any project is an innovative but pragmatic approach whether it is taking theatre and infusing it with new bold forms or mixing his inventive design with practical building skills to create his functionally grounded artistry, he expresses his professional values of inventiveness, adaptability and a ‘get it done’ attitude in every project he undertakes. Having been surrounded by the creative industry all his life, whether in front of the camera or behind the scenes designing and finishing sets, Lochie is very at home amongst his creative community. Teamwork is a strong part of his approach which has been refined over countless projects through his training and experience in the industry. If he had a professional motto, it would be just two words. What if… What if there was no box to think outside of… the possibilities would be endless Lochie’s design credits include Design Centre Enmore TAFE: Set Designer the showcase ANARCHY (2019). National Institute of Dramatic Art: Set Designer for live cinema adaptation of The Seagull (dir. by Ben Schostakowski, 2022), Assistant Designer for Roundabout (dir. by Sean Stewart, 2020), Assistant Designer for Next to Normal (dir. by Darren Yap, 2020), Production and Costume Designer for I Wanna Be by Darcie Haven (Triple J unearthed 2022), and Props Master for short film Prometheus (2022). lochieodgers.com/design/

@lochieodgers (https://www.instagram.com/lochieodgers/)

DESIGNER MEG ANDERSON

Meg Anderson (She/Her) is an emerging multi-disciplinary artist and designer, whose collaborative and responsive practice underpins her work across live performance and screen.

Her work prioritises an emotional and intellectual understanding of the text which informs liminal and dynamic designs.

Her design credits include: Costume Designer for The Seagull (2022) directed by Ben Schostakowski; Production Designer for What Kind of Music Do You Like To Listen To? by Coconut Cream for Triple J and Rage’s 2022 collaboration; Co-Production Designer of the short film KELLY.

Meg is excited to work with other artists to create impactful experiences across live performance and screen.

DESIGNER

RUBY JENKINS

Ruby Jenkins is a multidisciplinary designer working across Adelaide and Sydney. Her practice is founded in a rigorous and sensitive collaborative process. Her designs bring together deep research and understanding with a witty, playful theatricality.

Her recent costume designs for the musical Falsettos (Directed by David Berthold) as part of NIDA’s 2022 June Production season showcased her knack for the whimsical. Other hypothetical design projects completed over the course of her degree such as Brett Dean’s Opera Bliss, Sarah Ruhl’s adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, and A Flea in Her Ear by Georges Feydeau also illustrate Ruby’s interest in conveying narratives dynamically through design.

Other major highlights at NIDA include designing a music video for Triple J Unearthed winner Gloomie for her song Say It To My Face (Directed by Chinmaya Madan), and most recently co-production design for short film Kelly (Directed by Kathleen Kershaw). Ruby has also undertaken screen industry placements on The Twelve in 2021 and Furiosa and a live performance industry placement with Patch Theatre in Adelaide in 2022.

Earlier this year Ruby worked with Adelaide-based company Famous Last Words as set and costume designer for the debut of Home Thoughts (Directed by James Watson), and for the Flinders University Performing Arts Society’s production of Almost, Maine presented at the Bakehouse Theatre in Adelaide (Directed by Alana Lymn). Ruby is excited to continue her collaboration with Famous Last Words in 2023 at Goodwood Studios as resident designer for the company.