New Indigenous Voices of Australia (2004)
New Indigenous Voices of Australia featured plays by Australian Aboriginal writers presented by AATI, Immigrants' Theatre Project, Playbox (Melbourne, Australia) and Ilbijerri Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Theatre Cooperative. Native American directors and actors worked with the visiting Aboriginal playwrights and actors who also conducted workshops at universities, colleges, high schools and theatre institutes. A Panel Discussion with the visiting and local indigenous artists and academics was presented on the theatrical portrayal of political issues affecting indigenous peoples.
Staged Readings
Including Post Show Discussions with the Playwrights
Crow Fire by Jadah Milroy (Palku), featuring Bryan Andy (Yorta Yorta), Directed by Kaipo Schwab (Native Hawaiian descent)
Dayna, an Aboriginal bureaucrat, undergoes a magical transformation to resolve the political and spiritual contradictions in her life.
Post Show Discussion with Ms. Milroy, Bryan Andy (Yorta Yorta), Jason Turner (Wampanoag), John Scott (Iningai)
Staged at the American Indian Community House. |
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Yanagai! Yanagai! by Andrea James (Yorta Yorta), featuring Louise Bennett (Yorta Yorta), Directed by Marcy Arlin
Through the Dreaming, Munarra and her faithful dingoes help Lyall struggle for land rights for his people.
Post Show Discussion with Ms. James, Lou Bennett (Yorta Yorta), Stephanie Betancourt (Seneca), John Scott (Iningai)
Staged at the New Dramatists. |
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Box The Pony by Scott Rankin & Leah Purcell (Goa-Gungarri-Wakka Wakka)
Purcell's one-woman show about growing up in a boxing family on the outskirts of an Aboriginal mission.
Post Show Discussion with Ms. Purcell, Vera & Hortensia Colorado (Chichimectomi), Fiona Foley (Badtjala).
Staged at the New Group. |
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Stolen by Jane Harrison (Muruwari), featuring Kylie Belling (Yorta Yorta), Directed by Karen Oughtred
Poignant portrayal of Aboriginal children forcibly removed from their parents & raised in a repressive children's home.
Post Show Discussion with Ms. Harrison, Kylie Belling (Yorta Yorta), Joe Cross (Caddo), John Scott (Iningai)
Staged at the Drama Book Shop. |
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Conversations with the Dead by Richard Frankland (Gunditjmara), featuring Aaron Pederson (Arrente), Directed by Muriel Miguel (Kuna/Rappahannock)
While battling his personal demons, Jack seeks justice for Aboriginal men who've died in police custody.
Post Show Discussion with Mr.Frankland, Aaron Pederson (Arrernte), George Stonefish (Delaware/Chippewa), John Scott (Iningai)
Staged at the United Nations Building. |
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Sponsored by the Smithsonian and the New York Council for the Humanities and held at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, this panel discussion included performed excerpts and covered several issues raised in the plays including:
- Forced removal
- Denial of land claims
- Separation of families
- Inequalities in the prison system from both an Aboriginal and Native American perspective
Panelists
- Jadah Milroy (Palku) playwright: Crow Fire
- Bryan Andy (Yorta Yorta)
- Russell Tall Chief (Osage)
- M. Cochise Anderson (Chickasaw/Choctaw) playwright: The Education of Benjamin Franklin, Braided Lives
- Dr. Wendy Darby
- John Scott (Iningai)
Moderator: Karen Oughtred
For images from the Symposium, click here!
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Playwrights' Biographies
Leah Purcell (Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka)
- filming
Ray Lawrence's Jindabyne.
- performing
in Neil Armfield's production of David Hare's Stuff Happens at Belvoir Street
(Sydney)
- researching
her 3rd book, Run Daisy Run
- 2004
Eisenhower Fellow
- 2003
Melbourne Arts Festival success with Beasty Girl, winning 3 Green
Room awards
- Winner
of 2002 Independent Film Maker Award for Direction of Black Chicks
Talking and premiered at Robert De Niro's Tribeca Film Festival
- Awarded
NSW & Qld Premier's Award for Literature and a 1999 Human Rights Art
Award for Box The Pony
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Jane Harrison (Muruwari)
- Ilbijerri
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Theatre Cooperative commissioned Rainbow's
End recently produced at Melbourne Museum Sidney Myer Amphitheatre
- working
on a musical adaptation of the film Walkabout
- co-winner
of the 2002 Kate Challis RAKA Award for Stolen
- Finalist
in the Lake Macquarie Drama Prize for On A
Park Bench
- Nominated
1999 AWGIE for Stolen
- Honorable
mention in CACS National Awards Individual Category for "An Outstanding
Contribution to Australian Culture" for Stolen
- Stolen
premiered at Playbox Theatre, Melbourne
1998, seasons each year since, toured internationally to UK, Hong Kong,
Tokyo.
- Contributed
one chapter to Many Voices, Reflections on experiences of Indigenous
child separation
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Jadah Milroy (Palku)
- Produced
a series of short stories for Radio National's Awaye program
- Plays
include:Jidja, Brisbane Festival 1998, musical drama The
Promise,VCA 1998 and ANCP 2000, cross disciplineJourney to
Adolescence, Osaka and Los Angeles tour, The Sand Crab,
Bayside Spring Festival and Touch the Air for Terrapin Puppetry
Company
- Shortlisted
for the 2002 Malcolm Robertson Prize, the Kate Challis Raka Award and the
2003 NSW Premier's Literary Award for Crow Fire
- International
ensemble member of "Full Circle" Native Performance Co., Canada
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Andrea James (Yorta Yorta)
- Collaborated
with John Bolton, Tammy Anderson, Hank Kerr and Pauline Whyman to create
the Indigenous clown troupe, The Oogadee Boogadees, toured Sydney
Festival of the Dreaming & MIFA
- Taught
and Directed at Swinbourne
University's
Indigenous Performing Arts course
- Artistic
Director Melbourne Workers' Theatre
- Wrote
and Directed Yanagai! Yanagai! Premiered 2003 at Playbox Theatre, Melbourne.
- Yanagai!
Yanagai! Touring to Wales
and UK 2005
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Leah Purcell (Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka)
- filming
Ray Lawrence's Jindabyne.
- performing
in Neil Armfield's production of David Hare's Stuff Happens at Belvoir Street
(Sydney)
- researching
her 3rd book, Run Daisy Run
- 2004
Eisenhower Fellow
- 2003
Melbourne Arts Festival success with Beasty Girl, winning 3 Green
Room awards
- Winner
of 2002 Independent Film Maker Award for Direction of Black Chicks
Talking and premiered at Robert De Niro's Tribeca Film Festival
- Awarded
NSW & Qld Premier's Award for Literature and a 1999 Human Rights Art
Award for Box The Pony
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Jane Harrison (Muruwari)
- Ilbijerri
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Theatre Cooperative commissioned Rainbow's
End recently produced at Melbourne Museum Sidney Myer Amphitheatre
- working
on a musical adaptation of the film Walkabout
- co-winner
of the 2002 Kate Challis RAKA Award for Stolen
- Finalist
in the Lake Macquarie Drama Prize for On A
Park Bench
- Nominated
1999 AWGIE for Stolen
- Honorable
mention in CACS National Awards Individual Category for "An Outstanding
Contribution to Australian Culture" for Stolen
- Stolen
premiered at Playbox Theatre, Melbourne
1998, seasons each year since, toured internationally to UK, Hong Kong,
Tokyo.
- Contributed
one chapter to Many Voices, Reflections on experiences of Indigenous
child separation
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Richard Frankland (Gunditjmara)
- Associate
Producer, co-script writer/presenter Who Killed Malcolm Smith? Won
1993 AFI Best Documentary
- Wrote
& Directed No Way To Forget in 1996 screened at Cannes
International Film Festival. Won Best New Director at St. Kilda Film
Festival, won 2 AFI Awards including Best Short Film
- Executive
Producer After Mabo, winning 1997 AFI Award Best Visual Design,
High Commendation Australian Human Rights Awards 1998.
- Wrote
& Directed Harry's War winning Best Short Film at Flickerfest
2000, Sydney, Best Short Film 2000 Hollywood Black Film Festival, Las
Angeles, USA, Best Australian Short Film Promoting Human Values at
Melbourne International Film Festival
- Conversations
With The Dead won lead Aaron Pederson a 2003 Green Room Award for Best
Actor
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AATI is grateful to the following organizations for their generosity during the New Indigenous Voices of Australia projec: Arts Victoria, Australia Council, Australian Consulate General, American Australian Association, New York Council for the Humanities, Advance, Immigrants' Theatre Project, Playbox, Ilbijerri Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Theatre Cooperative, AICH, The Sunburnt Cow, Commonwealth Bank, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Andrew Brennan, Westfield Garden State Plaza, The Common Ground, De Bortoli Wines, Leann J. Edwards, Currency Press, and Hodder Headline.
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