WORLD PREMIERE - RIVERSIDE'S NATIONAL THEATRE OF PARRAMATTA Written by Peter Goldsworthy - Riverside Parramatta
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WORLD PREMIERE
RIVERSIDE’S NATIONAL THEATRE OF PARRAMATTA
Written by Peter Goldsworthy
Adapted by Steve Rodgers
Riverside Theatres, Parramatta | 18 – 27 October 2018
RIVERSIDE’S NATIONAL THEATRE OF PARRAMATTA PRESENTS JESUS WANTS ME FOR A SUNBEAM Written by Peter Goldsworthy Adapted by Steve Rodgers PERFORMERS Valerie Bader, Emma Jackson, Mark Lee, Liam Nunan, Justin Smith, Grace Truman CREATIVE TEAM Playwright Steve Rodgers Director Darren Yap Set and Costume Design Emma Vine Lighting Designer Verity Hampson Composition and Sound Design Max Lambert and Sean Peter Stage Manager Cara Woods Creative Futures Erin Taylor Chaperone Julie Money Set and Costume Design (intern) Natasha Sommer Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam opened Saturday October 20, 2018 at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta.
A NOTE FROM THE PLAYWRIGHT
Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam What’s remarkable about this
is about love and grief. Like all story is an identifiable family
great stories, it revels in the grey try to transcend life’s fleeting
areas of acceptability – what is too reality. And even if we don’t
much love and how do we recover accept their actions, there’s
from an idyllic family love when a moral confusion I’ve been
it’s cruelly and fatally interrupted? wrestling with since beginning
the adaption, which is something
I met Peter Goldsworthy’s novel close to trying to understand
when Darren Yap first brought it to them, me, and all of us.
me as a child in relationship to my
own parents, and now as a parent Steve Rodgers
in relationship to my own children.
It made me question life’s great
balancing act – how tightly do we
hold onto each other and how hard
it is to let go.
Photo by Chris Pavlich
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
‘But when the Gods fail us, religion Joanne Kee for programming
fails us, we’ve got to worship Sunbeam. My gratitude goes to
something right?’ (Dr Eve) Emma, Verity, Max, Sean, Erin and
Cara who have weaved such detail
In 1997, my friend, the late Nick and love into this production.
Enright, gave me a copy of Peter And my deepest respect to
Goldsworthy’s novella Jesus Wants Emma, Justin, Liam, Grace,
Me for a Sunbeam. Nick said it Valerie and Mark who brought
would make a great play. I was their souls and imagination to
deeply moved but disturbed by create this deeply moving story.
the story. And I never guessed the A story full of pain and full of
ending. Now, 21 years later, thanks love, where family is everything.
to Nick and my friend Stevie who
adapted this novella, you are about Darren Yap
to see this complex play. Stevie’s
adaptation is tender, confronting
and thrilling.
Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam is
Photo by Robert Catto
about family. Rick and Linda have
to make a decision to protect their
little girl Emma and their son Ben
has to deal with the consequences
of his parent’s decision. They
create a cocoon to protect their
children from a harmful world but,
as we know in life, it doesn’t work.
Sunbeam asks us – if there is a
God, why would he allow so much
suffering? And the bigger question
for me – to what lengths would a
parent go to protect their child?
We sometimes turn to the theatre
to explain ourselves to ourselves.
It’s neither a documentary nor an
essay, but a long form dialogue that
explores the value of life. Sunbeam
is a uniquely Australian play but its
themes are universal.
So thank you Robert Love and
Prize. Steve’s most recent play
BIOGRAPHIES King of Pigs was workshopped
at the 2016 National Playwrights’
Conference and premiered at The
Old Fitz Theatre in 2018. He has
STEVE also commenced co-writing a
RODGERS feature film for Liz Kearney with
PLAYWRIGHT Jub Clerc and has a new play
under commission for Belvoir.
Steve was born in Newcastle,
grew up in Tasmania and trained
as an actor at Theatre Nepean in
Western Sydney. He has worked
as an actor in film, theatre and
television for the last twenty
years. Steve’s play Ray’s Tempest DARREN YAP
was shortlisted for the Patrick DIRECTOR
White Playwrights’ Award and
Darren’s recently directed
nominated in the Best New
Ghost the Musical (Theatre
Australian Work category of
Creation) in Tokyo and in
the Sydney Theatre Awards
October will direct the world
following productions at both
premiere of All Out of Love (the
Belvoir and Melbourne Theatre
music of Air Supply) in Manila.
Company. His second work
Recent productions include
Savage River played at the Griffin
the national tour of Letters
Theatre Company, Melbourne
to Lindy (Merrigong Theatre
Theatre Company and the
Company) and Miracle City (The
Tasmanian Theatre Company
Theatre Division) at Sydney
and was also nominated for Best
Opera House which received
New Australian Work at the
a Glug award nomination for
Sydney Theatre Awards. Nothing
Outstanding Mainstage Musical
to Lose was Steve’s second
and Outstanding Mainstage
collaborative effort with Force
Production 2017, Diving for
Majeure following the successful
Pearls (also nominated for the
Belvoir co-production and tour
same award) which won him
of his play Food. In addition
the Broadway World Regional
to producing a group devised
Award for Best Director of a Play
feature film in 2014, he began
2017 and Ladies Day for Griffin
adapting his play Savage River for
Theatre Company, and The
film and completed adapting the
Serpent’s Table with Lee Lewis
Peter Goldsworthy novella Jesus
presented by CAAP and Sydney
Wants Me for a Sunbeam for
Festival at Carriageworks. Other
stage. The play was the winner
directing credits include the
in the 2015 Griffin Lysicrates
world premiere of The Great Were Here, the award-winning
Wall, One Woman’s Journey Black & White & Sex and Rip
(Glowsticks Productions) Tide which debuted at the
in Singapore, Miracle City 2017 Sydney Film Festival.
(Luckiest Productions) at the Television work includes The
Hayes Theatre and A Murder is Crew’s Ship, Devil’s Playground,
Announced (Louise Withers and Dead Lucky, The Let Down, The
Associates). In Singapore he Chuck In, All Saints, East of
has also directed The Admirals Everything, Come in Spinner,
Odyssey (Action Theatre), Man True Believers, Murder Call
of Letters and Pinocchio the and GP. Valerie has worked
Musical (Singapore Repertory for just about every main
Theatre) and I Love You, You’re stage theatre company in the
Perfect, Now Change (VizPro country appearing in numerous
International). He was Associate memorable productions for
Director of King Kong for Sydney Theatre Company,
(Global Creatures), Miss Saigon Melbourne Theatre Company,
(Cameron Mackintosh) in the Griffin Theatre Company, Bell
West End, Tokyo, Korea, Holland Shakespeare, Belvoir, Playbox
and Australia. Darren’s large and Nimrod theatre companies,
scale events include The City and garnering nominations for
of Sydney’s Chinese New Year Helpmann, Sydney Critics’ and
Parade for two years, Sponge Bob Glug awards along the way.
Parade Pants for Nickelodeon, Recent theatre credits include
Segment Director of the Closing Thomas Murray and the Upside
Ceremony of the 15th Asian Down River (Critical Stages),
Games in Qatar, and Artistic TALK and Children of the Sun
Festival Consultant for the (Sydney Theatre Company),
Opening of the National Gallery M Rock (Sydney Theatre
of Singapore’s celebrations. Company/Australian Theatre
for Young People), Australia Day
(Melbourne Theatre Company)
and The Floating World (Griffin
Theatre). Valerie is a proud
member of MEAA.
VALERIE BADER
GRANDMA /
DR EVE
Valerie’s extensive acting
career encompasses theatre,
film and television. Recent
screen appearances include
the feature film Wish You
(Enigma Machine), House of
Bond (Nine Network), The
Killing Field (Seven Network),
EMMA Crownies (ABC), Killing Time
JACKSON (Fremantle Media), The Alice and
LINDA Rescue (Southern Star). Emma
Emma’s career has spanned is a proud member of MEAA.
theatre, film and TV since her
graduation from NIDA. Theatre
credits include The Effect
(Red Line Productions), Vale
(State Theatre Company South
Australia), Sunset Strip and MARK LEE
Stoning Mary (Griffin Theatre GRANDPA /
Company), Once In Royal David PRIEST
City (Queensland Theatre Born in 1958 in Sydney, Mark
Company/Black Swan State has an impressive and extensive
Theatre Company, The Blind career spanning over thirty
Giant is Dancing (Belvoir), Food years. He is arguably most
(Force Majeure including the recognised from his role in
national tour), Fool for Love the 1981 classic film Gallipoli.
(B Sharp/Savage Productions), Debuting his directorial skills in
The Long Way Home (Sydney 2007 Australian film The Bet,
Theatre Company), Nothing he has gone on to direct several
Personal and Let the Sunshine screen and stage productions
(Ensemble Theatre), and Dead since. 2012 saw Mark reprise
Man’s Cell Phone (Melbourne his role in the one man show
Theatre Company). Emma won The Time Machine, adapted
the Marten Bequest Travelling from H.G. Wells’ classic at The
Scholarship in 2006 and Old 505 Theatre. In 2013/14,
relocated to New York to train he performed and toured in
with the SITI Company and the theatrical production of A
intern with The Wooster Group. Murder is Announced by Agatha
In the US, Emma appeared Christie. He currently goes
in The Bird, Reader, Windows between his long lasting passion
and Bed (One Year Lease for music and featuring in
Theatre Company) and C4 roles on Australian theatre and
The Chekhov Project (Prospect screens including Paper Giants:
Theatre). She also performed in Magazine Wars and A Place
Reasonable Doubt (Theatre Tours to Call Home. Mark is proud
International) in London and at member of MEAA.
the Edinburgh Festival. Screen
credits include The BeehiveAlice in Wonderland (Rapidfire
International Inc), Orphans
(Redline Productions) at the Old
Fitz, The Bald Soprano (Twisted
LIAM NUNAN Tree Theatre Company), Machina
BEN (La Boite Indie) MinusOneSister
Originally from Brisbane, Liam (Griffin Indie), Shivered (Mad
studied at The Actors Workshop March Hare Theatre Company),
before working as a children’s Keep Everything You Love and
television presenter for Network Titus Andronicus (Nash Theatre
Ten’s national preschool program, Company), as well as A Butcher
Puzzle Play and as a guest host of Distinction and Details
for Toasted TV. In 2009, he Unknown (Unhappen). Liam is
debuted in Queensland Theatre proud member of MEAA.
Company’s Queensland Premier
Drama award winning play,
25 Down by Richard Jordan.
In 2010, he began his studies
at the National Institute of
Dramatic Art acting in plays
Pool: No Water, Waiting for Lefty, JUSTIN SMITH
The Winter’s tale, Last Days of RICK
Judas Iscariot, Electronic City, Justin Smith has starred in
The Illusion, The Lieutenant of numerous stage productions
Inishmore and Caligula before most recently The Long Forgotten
graduating in 2013. He was Dream directed by Neil Armfield,
awarded an Artstart grant in A Flea in Her Ear and Arcadia
2014 and travelled to New York (Sydney Theatre Company), and
and studied at the Atlantic A Strategic Plan (Griffin Theatre
Acting School. Liam has worked Company). Previous theatre work
on Sydney Theatre Company’s includes Simon Stone’s Cat on a
production of Louie Nowra’s The Hot Tin Roof, Benedict Andrews’
Golden Age, and Sydney Theatre The Threepenny Opera and
Company and Malthouse Theatre Svetlana in Slingbacks (Belvoir),
Company’s co-production of The Winter’s Tale, Just Macbeth,
Michael Gow’s Away. Other The Servant of Two Masters
credits include feature films and Shakespeare’s R and J (Bell
Dartworth and Rise of The Shakespeare), The Floating
Tomboy, TV series k9, Miracle World, The New Electric Ballroom,
City (The Theatre Division) at Clark in Sarajevo (Griffin Theatre
Sydney Opera House, D.N.A Company), the Australian tour of
(Last One Standing) at Kings Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap,
Cross Theatre, a national tour of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?(Railway Street Theatre) and Marion Potts’ The Wonderful World of Dissocia, Howard Davies’ The Cherry Orchard and GRACE Andrew Upton’s Ruby Moon TRUMAN (Sydney Theatre Company). WOL (EMMA) Justin’s musical theatre credits Grace began her performing include Billy Elliot: The Musical, career before she was two, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent appearing in numerous Through and Tick Tick Boom. For TV the Windows films for ABC’s Justin recently appeared in Blue Play School. Her first theatre Murder: Killer Cop and currently role was in Blackbird at the can be seen on new Stan comedy Sydney Fringe Festival. She The Other Guy. Previous credits is the lead actress in the web include Foxtel’s Secret City with series amazing Grace as well Jacki Weaver and Alan Dale, as co-writer and songwriter. Deadline Gallipoli, Home and The series is about her life Away, Devil’s Playground, The and follows her as she grows Moodys, Underbelly: Badness, up. Her work in the series has Howzat! Kerry Packer’s War, been recognised internationally The Straits, Tricky Business, having been nominated for Best Spirited, My Place, Queen Kat Actress – Miami Web Fest, Best Carmel and St Jude, White Collar Rising Star – Asia Web Awards Blue, Backberner, Stingers and and Best Starlet — Seriesland Bastard Boys for which he was Bilbao. Jesus Wants Me for a nominated for an AFI Award Sunbeam is her professional for Best Guest or Supporting theatre debut. Actor in a Television Drama. He featured in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Other feature film credits include Fred Schepisi’s The Eye of the Storm, Around the Block, Sleeping Beauty, Burning Man, Being Venice and Angst. Justin is a Sydney Theatre Award winner and has been a proud member of Actors Equity since 1990.
Literati (Bell Shakespeare and
Griffin Theatre Company). His
MAX LAMBERT musical Darlinghurst Nights was
COMPOSITION critically acclaimed following a
AND SOUND season at the Hayes Theatre in
DESIGN January 2018.
Max is a composer and musical
director whose theatre credits
include work for the Sydney,
Melbourne and Queensland
SEAN PETER
Theatre Companies as well as
COMPOSITION
Sydney Dance Company and
AND SOUND
The Australian Ballet. Max has
DESIGN
recorded with Kate Ceberano,
Wendy Matthews, Grace Knight, Sean is a multi-award winning
Vince Jones, Renee Geyer, Paul composer and lyricist. His has
Kelly, Iva Davies and Icehouse. created words and music for
Feature film work includes Disney, Nickelodeon, the ABC
Happy Feet and The Last Days of and all of Australia’s commercial
Chez Nous and notable musical TV stations. He is the musician
theatre credits are Hot Shoe behind the current Play School
Shuffle (which he co-wrote) and titles, Giggle and Hoot, as well
The Boy from Oz. Max was the as music for both the US and
musical director on the Opening Australia’s So You Think You Can
and Closing Ceremonies of Dance amongst many others. His
The XXVII Olympiad, the original theatre works have been
Commonwealth Games (2002) performed around Australia, as
and the Asian Games (2006). well as in New York and London.
He was Musical Supervisor He has performed with Sydney
on Hairspray, Fame, King Kong Symphony Orchestra, The
Live and Strictly Ballroom – the Seekers and William Shatner.
Musical. The revival of Max’s
musical Miracle City was a
critical success in 2014 and
has just played at Sydney
Opera House prior to a national
tour. Recently Max composed
music (with Roger Lock) on the
critically acclaimed productions
Ladies’ Day and Diving for Pearls
(Griffin Theatre Company),
Letters to Lindy (Merrigong
Theatre Company), and TheCaesar (Bell Shakespeare); Faith
VERITY Healer (State Theatre Company
HAMPSON South Australia); Flight Paths
LIGHTING (Riverside’s National Theatre of
DESIGNER Parramatta) as well as a national
tour of The Bleeding Tree (Griffin
Verity is a lighting and projection Theatre Company). View Verity’s
designer for theatre, dance, opera designs at verityhampson.com.
and television. She has designed
over 120 productions working
with many of Australia’s leading
directors and choreographers.
Verity’s designs include Faith EMMA VINE
Healer, The Drover’s Wife, Ruby’s SET AND
Wish, The Blind Giant is Dancing, COSTUME
Ivanov, Is This Thing On?, DESIGNER
Small and Tired, The Business, Emma is a designer for theatre,
That Face and The Gates of opera, musical theatre, dance,
Egypt (Belvoir), Machinal and television and film. Emma’s
Little Mercy (Sydney Theatre stage credits include The Sugar
Company), The Boys, The House costume (Belvoir); The
Floating World, Angela’s Kitchen Maids design (Belvoir 25A);
(Griffin Theatre Company), A Turquoise Elephant costume,
Midsummer’s Night Dream (Bell Sunset Strip design (Griffin
Shakespeare), and The Literati Theatre Company); Only
(Griffin Theatre Company and Heaven Knows costume (Hayes
Bell Shakespeare). For television Theatre), The Mystery of Love
Verity was lighting director for and Sex design (Darlinghurst
ABC’s Live at the Basement and Theatre); Heathers: The Musical
The Roast. She was awarded set (national tour), The Waiting
the Mike Walsh Fellowship, Room and Water Angel design
which took her to Broadway to (Sydney Opera House), All
work with projection designers, Good Things: The Voices Project
59 Productions. Verity won a design (Australian Theatre for
Sydney Theatre Award for Best Young People), Three Sisters
Mainstage Lighting Design for costume, (Sport for Jove),
Machinal with Sydney Theatre Choreography and Khandahar
Company. This year her designs Gate costume (NIDA). Screen
include Sami in Paradise, An credits include Dead Lucky
Enemy of the People (Belvoir), (production design placement),
Blackie, Blackie Brown, Hamlet: Slam (art department), Quietus
Prince of Skidmark (Sydney (production design), The Fall
Theatre Company), Julius (costume design) and IntoMy Arms (production design). Australian Theatre for Young
Emma received Sydney Theatre People and The Very Hungry
Award nominations for best Caterpillar Show (Michael
costume design in both 2017 Sieders Presents).
and 2018 and was nominated
as Best Emerging Designer at
the 2017 Australian Production
Design Guild Awards. Emma is a
ERIN TAYLOR
NIDA graduate. Upcoming work
CREATIVE
includes set and costume design
FUTURES
for The Overcoat (25A Belvoir),
The Man with the Iron Neck Erin is a dramaturg, director
(Legs on the Wall) and Possum and theatre maker. In 2018,
Magic (Monkey Baa Theatre she directed Everything You
Company). Ever Wanted by Rachel Roberts
(Joan Sutherland Performing
Arts Centre) and A Girl is a
Half Formed Thing by Eimear
CARA WOODS McBride (Kings Cross Theatre).
STAGE In 2017, Erin was a mentee in
MANAGER Melbourne Theatre Company’s
Women in Theatre Program.
Cara attended the Actors Her directing credits include a
College of Theatre and sell-out return season of Slut
Television where she studied by Patricia Cornelius at The
an Advanced Diploma of Stage Old Fitz which was nominated
Management and has since for a Sydney Theatre Award
worked in theatre management and BU21 by Stuart Slade at
throughout Sydney. Cara’s Old 505 Theatre in 2016. As a
most recent shows include dramaturg Erin works regularly
Company Manager on Calamity with Playwriting Australia as
Jane, Stage Manager on Gypsy a script assessor and has read
at the Hayes Theatre, Alice for Sydney Theatre Company’s
in Wonderland with Sydney Patrick White Award. A
Festival, Diving for Pearls and Graduate of the University of
Ladies Day (Griffin Theatre Wollongong Faculty of Creative
Company), MAME (Neglected Arts, Erin established the arts
Musicals), Fawlty Towers Live Collective Rue de Rocket with
national tour, Leaves at Kings fellow graduates.
Cross Theatre, the regional
tour of The Shoe Horn Sonata,
Political Children atABOUT RIVERSIDE’S NATIONAL THEATRE OF PARRAMATTA Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta, based in Sydney’s geographical heart, launched in November 2015. It reflects the diversity of Australia today through contemporary and bold performance, education programs and its audiences. As the producing arm of Riverside Theatres, NTofP is raising the profile of performance and engaging the imagination and creative ideas of Western Sydney and beyond, across the nation and ultimately internationally and is Putting the nation on stage. As a principal arts organisation NTofP contributes to Western Sydney’s vibrant artistic community by fostering the creation of new works, building capacity in the arts, facilitating education and development through performance, and engaging audiences. THANK YOU TO Sämi Lightfoot Judy Tanner Isabel Hess Paul Miller Stephen Lightfoot Dr Martin Hocknell Dr Luce Dalla-Pozza, Maureen Dr Joyce Leong Taylor and the Doctors and Oncology team at Westmead Hospital Anne Maree Shane McNeil Karen Rodgers, Bill Harris, Gemma and Edie Kate Bradford Mary Benn and Howard Barry McGrath Xanon Murphy Alex Fensham
Photo by Robert Catto Photo by Rene Vaile Illustration by Aidan Roberts Illustration by Aidan Roberts
SEASON 2019 Quite fittingly as National Theatre of Parramatta finds its place in the world, in 2019 we are looking at identity, from physical versus virtual and the issues that fall from that, to mistaken identities and what defines us from the head to the heart. Our season of four plays run the gamut with comedy and sharp observations of actions motivated by sex, obsession and greed, yet they are counterbalanced by love and humanity. Along the way you can laugh and cry and be transported to other worlds. To kick off the year we explore the human psyche, and how love changes our perceptions. We tie into modern society and the unanticipated consequences of new technologies in our first multi-award winning play Grounded by George Brant. Stef Smith‘s Girl In The Machine explores the yearning for bliss and asks the ultimate question “Do you want to live forever? Is love enough in our brave new world?”. We explore a point in our world where a dystopian future is actually here. Yet within these scenarios, humanity plays its role uncovering strength from adversity, speaking to our history and our future, of resilience and hope. From there we jump to the sheer joy and craziness of life with a delightful adaptation of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors from Hilary Bell. Aimed at younger audiences, a gloriously funny theatrical experience for any age. We wrap up the year with our first co-production with Sydney Theatre Company White Pearl by Anchuli Felicia King. A sassy and bitingly hilarious piece focussing on an Asian multinational cosmetics corporation. Based in Singapore, this play looks at cultural identity, perceptions of beauty, power, money, social media with some sex and “eurotrash” thrown in for good measure. Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta proudly brings a premiere filled season to our stages. Once again, we look forward to sharing these stories with you and hope that they touch your heart and soul, as we continue to present work that resonates with the world around us. PUTTING THE NATION ON STAGE. nationaltheatreofparramatta.com.au
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EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, VOLUNTEER
NATIONAL THEATRE Arran Munro
OF PARRAMATTA
Joanne Kee ONLINE
nationaltheatreofparramatta.com.au
MARKETING &
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Jonathan Llewellyn Instagram ntofp
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