SPIRITS OF THE NIGHT Box Jelly Theatre Co.

Cairns and District Family History Society and Cairns Regional Council

PRESENTER’S INFORMATION

Contents COMPANY PROFILE ....................................................................................... 3ABOUT THE SHOW ......................................................................................... 3PERFORMANCE SPECIFICS .......................................................................... 5AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT ............................................................................. 5MARKETING .................................................................................................... 6PRODUCTION DETAILS .................................................................................. 9CONTACTS .................................................................................................... 10

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COMPANY PROFILE Box Jelly Theatre Co. is a Cairns based theatre company, run by local NIDA acting graduates and teachers, Rachel and David Terry. They have worked professionally in Sydney for the last 20 years, appearing in television shows such as Blood Brothers, At Home With Julia, The Jesters, All Saints, White Collar Blue, Water Rats, Heartbreak High and Roar. They have produced, written, directed and acted in theatrical productions locally and nationally including The Anzac Project, Dealers Choice (National Tour) Dinner with Friends, Edmund, A Foetal Moment, After Dinner (Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Cairns Performing Arts Centre), New to the School (Cairns Regional Council, Cairns Children's Festival), and have developed and delivered yearly Christmas Pantomimes for Cairns Regional Council's outdoor event space, Munro Martin Parklands. Our intention is to connect our COMMUNITY through the magic of theatre. We approach this in several ways: -bringing quality theatrical productions to primary and high schools throughout FNQ -providing engaging and entertaining experiences for the Cairns public through our mainstage productions -mentoring, training and employing young local artists Box Jelly Theatre Co. creates theatre for local audiences of all ages. ABOUT THE SHOW SHOW SYNPOSIS Spirits of the Night are dramatized evening walks through the [insert your cemetery name here] Cemetery, bringing the night to life with haunting sounds and sights of those who reside beneath the crumbling headstones of present day. Be guided by a ghostly resident of the cemetery who will introduce you to the pioneers, the locals, traditional land owners, their stories, tragedies, mysteries, relationships and triumphs. Box Jelly Theatre Company will consult with your local community members, performing arts organisations and historical society to build a site specific tour taking in up to 12 diverse historical stories. The Company guides community participants in dramaturgy, writing, acting, costuming, choreography and singing to bring these untold vignettes to life. An acoustic, non technical presentation, the process is inclusive, non -threatening, fun and capacity building, allowing everyone an opportunity to work in a professional capacity, towards a professional outcome.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Director, text support, choreographer, producer Rachel Terry Musical director, text support, producer, Roz Pappalardo With thanks to: Cairns & District Family History Society Cairns Regional Council BIOGRAPHIES Rachel Terry has been a professional actress and director for over twenty years. She graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in acting and has spent the last two decades creating theatre and appearing on the screen in commercials, television and film. TV work has included Big Sky, Home and Away, Heartbreak High and Water Rats. Feature films include; Picture This and The Sugar Factory. Theatre work includes After Dinner and Europe for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Dinner with Friends for Fishy Productions, The Breast Project, The Impossible Dream and Paradise is Singing for JUTE. Directing work includes The Salt Remains for JUTE. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, A Cairns Christmas Carol, The Best Christms Pageant Ever, The Grumpiest Boy in the World, Luke Lloyd Alieniod and New to the School for Box Jelly Theatre Co. In 2016 Rachel started Box Jelly Theatre Co. which tours primary schools throughout FNQ, she also produces an annual Christmas show for the community. In 2019 the company opened the new studio space at Cairns Performing Arts Complex with Rachel producing, directing and acting in AFTER DINNER by Andrew Bovell. Roz Pappalardo is a musician, producer, presenter, programmer, facilitator currently based in Cairns. She consults on artist pathways for a variety of regional artists. She has written and toured two one woman musical plays, "Rosa" and "Banging on the Door" nationally and internationally, and has acted many in new works for JUTE Theatre Company. She commissioned and produced a new work for Cairns’ Festival 2018 (Commonwealth Games) - “Beginnings”, a 300 strong ensemble cast, and more recently "Woven", an 11 piece indigenous all female ensemble, new musical work (she also assistant directed). Roz is a long serving member on QMusic's board, is the regional engagement coordinator for the new Australian Women in Music Awards.

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PERFORMANCE SPECIFICS DURATION 60 mins SUITABLE VENUES Outdoors, cemeteries MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PERFORMANCES PER WEEK 2 per night, with one day off per week. MINIMUM BREAK BETWEEN PERFORMANCES 60 minutes LICENCING AGREEMENTS Written from historical records (images, prose, press clippings). APRA OBLIGATIONS All works will be written for the tour TOURING PERSONNEL The touring party consists of 2 people. Name Role Rachel Terry Artistic Director Box Jelly Theatre

Director, Text Support, Choreographer

Roz Pappalardo Producer, Writer, Text Support, Musical Director

PERFORMANCE HISTORY Year Venue Number of

performances 2019 Pioneer Cemetery

Cairns 8

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT OVERVIEW The entire project is completely embedded in community engagement. Box Jelly Theatre will engage with the community for one week, some months prior to the performance season as required, to consult, audition, cast and write the outline of 8 – 12 'ghostly' monologues WITH the community participants. The community will guide the historical research, the choice of

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stories told, and will ultimately be responsible for telling the stories. The Company is a professional resource upon which the community depends for pulling together the performance/s and providing a professional outcome. This process leaves authentic capacity in the region as the community have told their own story and is empowered to carry on the process for future opportunities and presentations. After the initial weeks’ engagement, monthly (or as needs) skype, phone, zoom or face to face meetings (dependent upon location) between the Company and the workshop participants will be held leading up to the public performance season to continue to refine the monologue and individual performance. The Company will return for one week prior to the beginning of the public performance for final rehearsals, 2 x dress rehearsals, and the public performances. DESCRIPTION / DETAILS Spirits of the Night is a community lead, dramatised tour of the local historical cemetery in the centre of your town. Box Jelly Theatre Company will consult with your local community members, performing arts organisations and historical society to build a site specific tour taking in up to 12 diverse historical stories. The company guides community participants in dramaturgy, writing, acting, costuming, choreography and singing to bring to life these untold vignettes. An acoustic, non technical presentation, the process is inclusive, non -threatening, fun and capacity building, allowing everyone an opportunity to work in professional capacity, towards a professional outcome. COST The presenter can be responsible for this decision, but experience suggests that the presenter carries the cost and encourages the broader community to be involved. TARGET AUDIENCE FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Mid teen to adult to senior Box Jelly Theatre will engage with the community for one week, some months prior to the performance season, to consult, audition, cast and write the outline of 8 – 12 'ghostly' monologues WITH the community participants. Box Jelly will consult with community performing arts organisations, historical organisations, youth organisations, community dance orgs and other leads this groups lead the Company to, and in doing so will work up 8 -12 stories of the local cemetery. The rest of the week’s engagement will revolve around developing the 12 local participants to work on the cemetery monologue. The company guides community participants in dramaturgy, writing, acting, costuming, choreography and singing to bring to life these untold vignettes. After the initial weeks’ engagement, monthly (or as needs and agreed) skype, phone, zoom or face to face meetings (dependent upon location) between

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the Company and the workshop participants will be held leading up to the public performance season to continue to refine the monologue and individual performance. The Company will return for one week prior to the beginning of the public performance for final rehearsals, 2 x dress rehearsals, and the public performances. MARKETING MARKETING COPY One line Fragments of the past, told through the voices of the living. Short Spirits of the Night are dramatized evening walks through the historical [insert your cemetery name here] Cemetery, bringing the night to life with haunting sounds and sights of those who reside beneath the crumbling headstones of present day. Be guided by a ghostly resident of the cemetery who will introduce you to the pioneers, the locals, traditional land owners, their stories, tragedies, mysteries, relationships and triumphs. Through the voices of the living, fragments of the past are told, whispering stories of personal lives and telling titillating stories which touch the spirit of the early 1900s – when our country was being forged by tough people in harsh times, living and dying by their dreams, loves and aspirations. MARKETING SUMMARY

• 30 sec and 2 min visual resources for facebook / socials / youtube / TV

• high resolution publicity images • synposis • printed outline of tools required to create a monologue to performance

ready status • professional photography of participants (the company engages and

pays a local photographer) • tour ready costume items to support local costumes • props (if any required).

AUDIENCE REVIEWS

“We had a wonderful time – it’s wonderful to see the history of Cairns being shared in such an easy, accessible and appropriate way”

“There was great variety and acknowledgment of Aboriginal people and diversity in early Cairns. Well done to the teenagers involved and lovely to see the young children. The costuming was beautiful, the sexton professionally kept everything together and everyone safe. Loved the touches and the helpers shining the way as we walked. Candles on the

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selected graves added to the atmosphere. The Cairns Brass Band was fantastic, great variety of music and not overbearing. Beautiful singing too. Oh yes and of course very informative about the history of Cairns”.

“I would just like to convey my thanks to the actors, actresses, band members and organisers for a most enjoyable and interesting evening. It is so important to keep history alive and relevant and this is a great way to achieve this. I look forward to the next one and will definitely be there! Thank you once again”

COLLEAGUE RECOMMENDATIONS Liz Buckley Cultural Planner Cairns Regional Council l.buckley@cairns.qld.gov.au VIDEO LINKS Available in July 2019 IMAGES Fresh images avail in July 2019 MARKETING MATERIALS

• 30 sec and 2 min visual resources for facebook / socials / youtube / TV

• high resolution publicity images • synposis • printed outline of tools required to create a monologue to performance

ready status • professional photography of participants (the company engages and

pays a local photographer) • tour ready costume items to support local costumes • props (if any required).

CONTENT WARNINGS / AUDIENCES TO AVOID Family Show The environment is dark and the actual performance can present with uneven ground – sturdy shoes are required. SPONSOR OR OTHER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Cairns Family History Society and Cairns Regional Council

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PRODUCTION DETAILS TECHNICAL SUMMARY Cast carry battery operated candles / torches / and acoustically provide the soundscape. EXAMPLE SCHEDULE 2 x dress rehearsals required at night Next night open. CREW REQUIRED FROM VENUE Cemetery / Council staff required to attend to the cemetery prior to engagement (mow, remove rubbish, audit for general safety). Please have Council provide security if required, or provide adequate CC TV camera coverage of the space. A security / duty staff member may be required dependant upon Council regulations. Please arrange a venue for initial consultations and rehearsals - lockable, running water, adequate light, enough seating, tea and coffee facilities. Will require a marquee on site for dressing (if a lockable venue is not close and appropriate), with adequate light, ventilation, seating, mirrors, running water, tea and coffee facilities). If ticketed please provide staff to manage Front of House. Please note, community participants will need to provide make up and basic costume (pants / shirt or one colour dress). The company will provide overlaying and identifying costume pieces. STAGE No stage required. Site specific work. Venue to supply Please arrange a venue for initial consultations and rehearsals - lockable, running water, adequate light, enough seating, tea and coffee facilities. Please provide a marquee on site for dressing (if a lockable venue is not close and appropriate), with adequate light, ventilation, seating, mirrors, running water, tea and coffee facilities). If ticketed please provide staff to manage Front of House. Please note, community participants will need to provide make up and basic costume (pants / shirt or one colour dress). The company will provide overlaying and identifying costume pieces. LIGHTING Battery operated candles, torches, battery operated hazer if required,

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Box Jelly Theatre Company to supply Battery operated candles, torches, battery operated hazer if required, Venue to supply Safe overhead lighting as provide by Parks team of Venue or Council SOUND None required Box Jelly Theatre Company will work with the participants to vocalise songs and poems as discovered to be the sound track. AV None required WARDROBE Community participants will need to provide make up and basic costume (pants / shirt or one colour dress). The company will provide overlaying and identifying costume pieces. Venue to supply Please arrange a venue for initial consultations and rehearsals - lockable, running water, adequate light, enough seating, tea and coffee facilities. Please provide a marquee on site for dressing (if a lockable venue is not close and appropriate), with adequate light, ventilation, seating, mirrors, running water, tea and coffee facilities). FREIGHT NOTES 12 basic costumes, 1 guitar (or banjo / mandolin / as required) – all can be transported with the crew / team. May need some storage at the venue for costumes in the lead up to the performance season. CRITICAL ISSUES The performance will occur in a site specific cemetery location. It is crucial the venue is maintain prior to dress rehearsals and performance in order to ensure broken equipment and safety lights are maintained to a satisfactory standard. CONTACTS

• Rachel Terry Artistic Director 0431 259 859 • Roz Pappalardo Producer 0408 730 551