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Explore new horizons with Black Swan in 2017

5 February 2017

Insights from new Black Swan Artistic Director, Clare Watson (continued)

I am very excited to take on the artistic leadership at Black Swan in 2017. With my background in drama teaching, I completely appreciate the need to derive positive learning outcomes from your theatre experiences, and we can give you and your students the best of what this state has to offer. 

Black Swan, led by the vision of Andrew Ross, began as a theatre company that explored and celebrated West Australian stories. Looking across the 25-year history of the company, with works like Bran Nue Dae, Cloudstreet and The Sapphires, it is easy to see the huge contribution that Black Swan makes in defining the nation's identity and cultural voice. Each of these works, while beginning their performance life on our stages, have gone on to have life on screen, bringing West Australian stories to an international audience. We excel at delivering local stories and characters to an audience on a breathtakingly ambitious scale. No less in the company’s 2017 season, which continues to place the stories of (extra) ordinary people in the spotlight. It encourages us to reflect upon ourselves, our lives and all of the chaos, passion, pain, laughter and love that comes with living. 

The year commences with Australian playwright Michael Gow’s Once in Royal David’s City (a co-production with Queensland Theatre). Suitable for upper school students, it’s an intimate and sweeping exploration of love and loss, with fabulous monologues to inspire ATAR students of drama. 

The World Premiere of West Australian playwright Hellie Turner’s The Lighthouse Girl, is a gentle and moving ANZAC story suitable for students aged 10+. A cross-curricular text that covers English, History and Drama, it’s the perfect whole of year group excursion to finish off a great unit of study. 

We welcome back founding Artistic Director Andrew Ross, who will reunite with an all-Western Australian cast; Black Swan heroes Geoff Kelso (in his 22nd show for Black Swan), George Shevtsov, Caroline McKenzie and Kelton Pell, in Beckett’s absurdist classic Endgame. A rarely seen and engaging tragicomedy, Endgame is the term used to describe an ending in chess where the outcome is already known. Teachers have been requesting to see this rarely produced play and we are thrilled to present it on the Heath Ledger Theatre stage. 

Lally Katz’ The Eisteddfod is an exciting and disturbingly funny fantasy suitable for mature students, about the drama of growing up and the World Premiere Coma Land by West Australian playwright Will O’Mahony, is the magical and epic story celebrating gifted children, difference and the depths of parental love. 

Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith’s tense and furious psychological thriller, Switzerland starring theatre doyenne Jenny Davis, as the late great acerbic writer Patricia Highsmith, promises to have us on the edge of our seats. The incredible and provocative Pulitzer and Tony award winning Broadway biography, I am My Own Wife, will enthrall senior drama studentsOne actor playing over 30 different characters is sure to inspire students for their OSP’s. 

We finish the year with my Black Swan directorial debut, Let the Right One In, which I first encountered as a film and adored it. I found it heart-warming, unsettling and fantastically moody. Immediately, I thought it would make a perfect stage work but after some searching it seemed that the rights weren't available to create an adaptation. It turns out that The National Theatre of Scotland had beat me to it and their adaptation - by the team that also made Harry Potter and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - has played across Britain to rave reviews and full houses. Our production will be an Australian premiere. So as the city starts to sizzle you'll be able to join us in the stunning Heath Ledger Theatre where it will be snowing. We hope to see you there for this Romeo and Juliet with fangs! 

Take advantage of the savings on subscription student ticket prices as well as the FREE educator tickets: one free for every ten students booked. We also offer a free education resource for most productions, parent price tickets as part of your school group booking, artist talks, theatre tours and workshops. See you at the theatre, or even at your school, should you wish me to come out and speak to your students in the classroom. 

CLARE WATSON 

Clare_Watson_2016_headshot_small.jpg

Artistic Director 

Black Swan State Theatre Company 

Visit www.bsstc.com.au for more information or request a brochure on 6212 9300! 

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