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‘a true and original gift for the rest of Australia and I hope very much that it enjoys the touring life nationally that it deserves – and the audiences of Australia deserve’.
Stephen Armstrong – Stephen writes this commendation as a Producer and Presenter of contemporary theatre. He is currently Chair of the Theatre Board, Australia Council. May, 2012
Key Dates:
Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney –
When: Evening Performances: 5.30-6.45 pm: March 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17; Matinee Performance: 11 am-12.15 pm: March 14 (Thurs) & 16 (Sat)
Where: Band Lawn – Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. We encourage you to bring a picnic rug or low beach chair as seating is not provided.
Entry via Woolloomooloo Gate, Mrs Macquaries Rd
Cost: Members Evening: $27.50, Matinee: $22.50; Non-members Evening: $32.50, Matinee: $27.50
Enquiries: 9231 8111
Bookings essential: Book online at Oztix
Alice Springs community Performance – Wednesday the 27th of February – Schools- 9:30pm – General Public – 5:30pm
Currency Press Synopsis
Olive Pink (1884 -1975) was a botanical illustrator, anthropologist, gardener and a trailblazing Aboriginal land rights activist and environmentalist. In October 1956, at the age of 72, Olive Pink set up her tent on the grounds of what is now the OlivePinkBotanic Gardenand from this tranquil location she vigorously lobbied Northern Territorypoliticians to establish a Flora Reserve to protect native flora and provide a site where locals could visit and learn about desert environments. The First Garden is her story. The story of a woman who took no prisoners in her quest to develop her life’s dream; it is also the story of how diverse cultures have valuable lessons for each other.
A Description of the work
The First Garden is a fictional work based on real characters and real events driven by Olive Pink’s vast correspondence with politicians, anthropologists, administrators, missionaries, pastoralists and her anthropological colleagues.
Set in the 1950’s, theFirstGardenexplores the harsh and oppressive conditions experienced by the indigenous people of centralAustralia. Not only is the play about Olive Pink, the woman who took no prisoners in her quest to develop her life’s dream, it is also about how diverse cultures have valuable lessons for each other. Olive Pink’s life and character is the narrative heart of this work, a brash, no-nonsense woman born before her time. Forty years before Amnesty International first raised the awareness of human rights, Olive Pink was deeply distressed by what she read and heard about the massacres and brutal treatment of the Warlpiri and Aranda people who live inCentral Australia. She sought to carry into reality her own idea of true equality for the tribal Aborigines of centralAustralia, a fairness firmly underpinned by full human rights and by cultural and economic independence.
After many years around Central Australia Olive Pink attempts to create a distinctive take on botanical gardens. She began with collecting all plants but became more specific over time, focusing on local plants and ecosystems. It is her relationship to the people who helped her succeed in her vision that is pivotal. Captain Harold Southern, her gardian angel who died on the slopes of Gallipoli, her Warlpiri friend Johnny Tjampatjimpa and the young Communist, Henry Wardlaw, guided a woman who wouldn’t be led, survived her sharp tongue and eccentricities, and allowed her to see her dream unfurl into reality.
Developed as a site specific production conceived for the Olive Pink Botanical Gardens, ‘The First Garden’ script tells a local story with universal elements. The play was performed twilight to dusk, accompanied by live music with three actors performing five characters.
The play has been conceptually developed to be performed in a graden but it could equally be brought into a theatre, the lighting and sound recreating the Central Australian bush, the live music could also be recorded for a touring production. The form of the play is adaptable to a budget in an inside or outside venue.
Dramaturgically coherent
The First Garden was written in development with renowned dramaturge Peter Matheson. We got to work with someone as experienced as Peter through the assistance of a grant from Arts NT and this was of great benefit. The script will be published by Currency Press in August 15, 2012.
Quote editor of currency press: ‘I’m happy to inform you both that we’ve decided to make an offer of publication for your beautiful, sensitive and extremely-well crafted and written play, The First Garden.’
Paul O’Beirne Senior Editor / Production Manager Currency Press
Biographies
Playwright Christopher Raja
Chris was co-guest consultant editor of Meanjin’s Australasian issue in 2004 and since then has been a regular contributor to Quadrant, Southerly and Art Monthly Australia. His short story ‘After the Wreck’ was
adapted for radio and broadcast on ABC Radio National’s Short Story Program in 2007. His play ‘Drew’s Seizure’ was performed at Araluen Arts Centre,Alice Springsin 2009. Chris worked as the NT Correspondent for Art Monthly Australia from 2010 to 2011 and he is currently a History and English teacher at St Philip’s College,Alice Springs. He and his actor wife Natasha co-wrote ‘The First Garden’ with the assistance of a grant from Arts NT. Chris has been selected for the Australian Society of Authors 2011/2012 mentorship program.
Director Steve Kidd
Steve is the Director of Performing Arts at St. Philip’s College,Alice Springs. A Graduate of N.I.D.A., he has combined the past thirty years of professional acting and directing with teaching of the craft. Theatre acting credits include the national tours of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Anything Goes, Bran Nue Dae, and I Do! I Do!, the world premiere of Only Heaven Knows and the Australian premiere of Assassins. He has also performed here in town as Johnny Skidd and in Nunsense, POW, The Perfect Christmas Lunch and A Close Shave. Directing credits include Bus Stop, Annie, Evita, Sleuth, Assassins, The Music Man, Chamber Music, A Streetcar Named Desire, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Accidental Death of
an Anarchist, Loot, A Chorus Line, Anything Goes, Tailleur pour Dames, Guys & Dolls, The Boyfriend, The Importance of Being Earnest, Burger Brain, The Mikado, Fiddler on the Roof, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Back to the 80’s, Johnny’s Christmas Wish, Frankenstein, Bye Bye Birdie, Get Johnny Backtherat, Jake’s Women, Hello Dolly, A Jubilee, Disco Inferno, The Odd Couple, Nunsense and Les Miserables (as well as creating the original concept of I Do! I Do!). Television and film credits include The Sullivans, Prisoner, The
Last Resort, Anzacs, Waterfront, Neighbours, Neil Lynne, Book Bug, TheAliceand Blue Heelers. Commercial C.D’s Bran Nue Dae and Paris, talking books of the Shadow and Brilliant Lies. Steve was the co-founder of the Playing Around Performing Arts Workshop For Young People inSydneyand previously taught acting atSwinburneUniversityinMelbourne.
Actors:
Natasha Raja as Miss Olive Pink and co-playwrite
In 1984 Natasha Raja was born in Port Adelaide and began performing shortly after. In 2000 Natasha moved toAlice Springsand continued to perform at local events. After matriculation, she spent five years looking after the elderly and disabled both in town and on remote communities in the APY lands and
Yuendumu. In 2007 the birth of her daughter Harper inspired Natasha to embark on a creative journey. She coordinatedAlice Springs’ first short play festival “Bite Sized Theatre” which she also played Eric, a precocious embryo. Natasha has been the dulcet voice of Wearable Arts for the past four years. In 2010 she was Jill
Tanner in the production “Butterflies Are Free”. More recently she has encouraged her husband Chris to get involved in theatre and together, whilst waiting for the arrival of their daughter Jala, they have written The First Garden.
Eshua Bolton as Johnny Tjampitjinpa and Tasman
Eshua is a 37 year old Murruwarri Man from Brewarina he started acting at the age of 5 and has had the acting bug ever since. He spent 17 years on stage performing in musicals, plays, rock eisteddfods and choirs. Eshua has a degree in psychology and majored in Indigenous Australian modern history. Eshua has
played leading roles in Romeo and Juliet (Mercutio), The King and I (The Krala Holm), Oliver Twist (Bill Sykes), The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Beedle Banford). Eshua is also an accomplished didgeridoo player and has performed locally and overseas, one highlight was playing for the opening of the Whale Dreamers (Documentary) at the Cannes Film Festival for Julian Lennon. Eshua particularly enjoys physical theatre a confrontational and evocative style of theatre that exposes the underbelly of society. Most recently he performed at the Deadly Funnies.
Scott Fraser as Captain Harold Southern and Henry Wardlaw
A born and bred Centralian, Scott was educated at St Philip’s and later studied at the Flinders University Drama Centre. After graduating in 2005, he performed in childrens’ theatre and original works for the Adelaide Fringe and Feast Festivals. In 2007-2008, a highlight of Scott’s career so far was a stint in possibly Australia’s
longest running play ‘the Ship That Never Was’ in Strahan, Tasmania. More recently he has become involved in tourism, working as a guide for young people in Paris in 2009 and currently for French-speaking visitors to the Red Centre. Scott is thrilled to be performing once again in Alice, in a production about one of its most formidable characters. Next year he will be moving interstate once again to study Drama Education and language teaching. Production Manager & Stage Manager
Technical Director Kallum Wilkinson
Born and bred in Alice Springs, Kallum began acting very early with the Araluen Youth Theatre. Graduated from NIDA in 2003. Moving on to Stage Manage and Teach at the University of Western Sydney. Kallum has had a diversity of roles in his career, working as a Production Manager, Stage Manager, Director, Technical
Manager, Lighting Designer for many companies throughout Australia. Some productions include ‘Emergence’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Twelfth Night’, ‘Duchess of Malfi’, ‘Long Voyage Home’, ‘Playing with Fire’, ‘Waiting for Lefty’ and ‘Riders to the Sea’. He has recently Directed ‘Butterflies are Free’ and ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’ at the Totem Theatre with recent performances in ‘Harvey’ and ‘Three Bags Full’.
Production Designer Kristina Kidd
Kristina started her working life as a dancer/singer treading the boards for Tommy Steele and in such musicals as They’re Playing Our Song and Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. She worked for a number of years as a freelance dancer with highlights including sharing the stage with people such as Peter Allen and June Bronhill; playing to British Royalty (Charles and Diana) in a Royal Gala performance was quite a thrill too. Once the dancing bug left her system she turned her talents to singing, studying classical singing at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melba Conservatorium and the Sydney Conservatorium. She has performed in operas such as Madame Butterfly, The Merry Widow and Rigoletto. Kristina completed her Diploma of Teaching at Sydney College of Advanced Education. Her artistic hobbies have allowed her to be involved in set and costume design. She has designed sets for musicals in Melbourne, Darwin and here in Alice for St Philips College and F-Troupe. The largest set she designed were the sets for Les Miserables for the Darwin based musical company, Superstar Productions. Since moving to Alice, Kristina has put her singing skills to use, teaching Voice at St Philip’s College. In 2009 she took on the role of Music Tuition Co-ordinator, administering the College’s instrumental music program.
Musical Director Christopher Brocklebank
He describes himself as a community musician. He has played in several groups, including a Greek bank, South American band and the duo “A Bed for Katrina’. He studied at the Conservatorium of Music, Adelaide University, where he completed Honours in Ethnomusicology (Music of other cultures). He lives with his family in Alice Springs.
2nd Musician Bill Pechey came to Central Australia in 1987 and spent 5 years teaching in the Papunya region. He’s lived in Alice Springs since, and now has a family of five plus garden, dogs and chooks. He’s played in the occasional band and likes best to unwind learning new riffs on guitar.
3rd Musician Isabelle Kirkbride
Born in Gippsland, Victoria, Isabelle comes from a musical family and was classically trained, playing the cello since she was 8 years old. Since moving to live in Alice Springs in 1998 she has been collaborating, composing and performing music for theatre, cabaret, opera, folk rock bands and ambient musical performances.
Brief Tech Specs OUTDOOR
Stage size: 10m x 17m Outdoor
Bump in: 3 hour Tech, 3 hour Dress. 8 hours (1 Day) Plot and Set
Bump out: 4 hours. Venue staff to accommodate the Production/Stage manager and 2 tech crew supplied by venue.
Venue: – Power to musicians
– Seating and raised seating
– Hessian Prompt side opposite side return
– Green room
Provided by Company: Musician equipment
This is an outdoor production which relies on natural light and acoustic sound, show finishing as the sun sets.
Brief Tech Spech Indoor
Bump in: 3 hour Tech, 3 hour Dress. 8 hours (1 Day) Plot and Set
Bump out: 4 hours. Venue staff to accommodate the Production/Stage manager and 2 tech crew supplied by venue.
Lighting: Recreate twilight fading to dusk over the duration of the show.