Download Daffodils Program - Riverside Parramatta

Riverside Theatres presents
Bullet Heart Club’s
DAFFOFILS
[INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS]
By Rochelle Bright, Remixes by LIPS and Abraham Kunin
CAST
Colleen Davis
Todd Emerson
BAND
Stephanie Brown
Fen Ikner
Abraham Kunin
CREATIVES
PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILM
Garth Badger
LIGHTING DESIGN AND OPERATOR
Jane Hakaraia
SOUND ENGINEER
Emily Hakaraia
DIRECTION BY
Dena Kennedy and Bullet Heart Club
WRITTEN BY
Rochelle Bright
PRODUCED BY
Kitan Petkovski and Rochelle Bright
FEATURING SONGS BY
Crowded House - Bic Runga - Chris Knox - The Mint Chicks Dave Dobbyn - The Exponents - Darcy Clay - The Mutton Birds Th'Dudes - The Senators - LIPS - The Swingers - Blam Blam Blam
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Bullet Heart Club is an integrated creative company founded and
led by co-directors Kitan Petkovski (Melbourne) and Rochelle
Bright (Auckland). The company launched in 2014 with the award‐
winning indie cabaret Daffodils [Inspired by true events]. Focused
on creating unique experiences with the desire to bring a damn
good story to the stage, Bullet Heart Club produce works that
pierce straight through the heart. The company collaborates on a
range of works with trendsetting artists that push boundaries
across theatre, music, film and opera.
A NOTE FROM BULLET HEART CLUB
“This is my parents’ story.
Everything you’re about to hear is true – except for…”
Three years ago, we launched Bullet Heart Club with our debut
show Daffodils. At the time, we had no idea what the show would
be and all the places it would go. It’s been a dream of ours to bring
Daffodils to Australia. It’s an honour to share with you this personal
family story alongside the music we grew up to and love. We are
absolutely thrilled to be here.
Daffodils would not be possible without our extraordinary team of
performers, musicians and crew, for whom we are forever grateful.
It has been a perfect storm, thanks to the creative force of Abe,
Colleen, Todd, Steph, Fen, Jane, Garth, Erin, Em, Nils and Dena.
This work is dedicated to Graham and Mary.
Enjoy the show.
Kitan Petkovski and Rochelle Bright
Co-Creative Directors
BIOGRAPHIES
Colleen Davis
Rose
Trained at the New Zealand National Drama School: Toi Whakaari,
Colleen has appeared in numerous musicals for New Zealand's
premiere theatre institution, Auckland Theatre Company.
Highlights include playing, Fraulein Kost in Cabaret and Big Mama
in Chicago, both directed by Michael Hurst (Hercules) and Audrey
in Little Shop of Horrors. Most recently, Davis starred as Dusty
Springfield in the Auckland International Arts Festival show Dust to
Dusky. Davis has appeared in several television series, including
Spartacus (STARZ), The Almighty Johnsons (South Pacific
Pictures) and Brokenwood Mysteries (South Pacific Pictures). As a
singer, her debut LP Old Haunts was released on CD, vinyl and
digital last month.
Todd Emerson
Eric
Todd has been performing as a professional actor on stage and
screen for the last 20 years. He is currently a core cast member of
New Zealand’s hit TV drama Westside and recently co-created
and starred in the Silo Theatre hit stage show Hudson & Halls
Live! Stage credits include The Brave, Lungs, The Pitchfork Disney
and The History Boys. Films include The World’s Fastest Indian
and My Wedding and Other Secrets.
Stephanie Brown
Band
Stephanie is a composer and musician from Auckland, New
Zealand. After completing a degree in jazz performance at the
University of Auckland in 2002 she began performing and
recording as a keyboard player for some of New Zealand’s top
acts including Anika Moa, Che Fu, Nathan Haines, Hollie Smith. In
2007 she moved to New York City and formed two groups: LIPS
and Fredericks Brown.
Notable performances include playing at the Beacon Theater, New
York City alongside Patti Smith, Cyndi Lauper and Joan Osbourne.
As well as that she has toured the United States several times
opening for celebrated bluesman Taj Mahal, and opening up at BB
Kings in Times Square for Etta James. In 2012 she won New
Zealand’s most prestigious song writing award, the Silver Scroll,
for her composition Everything to Me, performed by LIPS. She has
since released two EPs as LIPS and her music has appeared in
television, documentaries and film soundtracks.
Fen Ikner
Band
Fen is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and engineer who has
performed with and recorded countless acts over the years. You
may have seen or heard him with artists including Calexico,
Johanna Samuels, Seashell Radio, Saint Maybe. LIPS is the
musical project of Stephanie Brown and Fen Ikner. The pair, who
originally formed in New York, divide their time between New
Zealand and the United States.
Abraham Kunin
Band
Abraham is an instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, engineer and
music director. His theatre credentials include; Daffodils (band
member, co-arranger), Brel (guitarist, band leader), Midsummer
(musical director), Jesus Christ Superstar (guitarist), Live Live
Cinema: Carnival of Souls and Dementia 13 (guitarist) and The
Deliberate Disappearance of My Friend, Jack Hartnett (composer,
musical director, band member). Recent music work includes
Esther Stephens & The Means, Home Brew, Noah Slee, Junelle,
Tourettes, Coach, Average Rap Band, and Third3ye. Abraham
represents the YGB artist collective, and is a proud endorsee for
Elixir Strings.
Rochelle Bright
Playwright and Co-Creative Director
Rochelle is a Kiwi playwright and screenwriter based in Auckland.
She was the 2015 University of Auckland Michael King Writer in
residency and is an alumni resident artist at the American Lyric
Theatre. She graduated from Tisch, New York University and has
received multiple awards for her work in Daffodils.
Recent works include Petrol Head! (a feature film in development),
The Deliberate Disappearance of My Friend, Jack Hartnett (with
composer Abraham Kunin), and On the Origin (with composer
Justine Chen).
Kitan Petkovski
Co-Creative Director
Kitan is a Macedonian-born creative director, marketing manager
and producer who grew up in New Zealand and resides in
Melbourne. Kitan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the
University of Auckland, specialising in media and employment
relations. Producing credits include The Brave (Massive
Company), Daffodils (A Play with Songs) and Bullet Heart Club’s
sophomore work The Deliberate Disappearance of My Friend,
Jack Hartnett. Kitan’s work in marketing spans across national and
international campaigns on behalf of Bullet Heart Club, theatre
venues and festival organisations.
Garth Badger
Film and Photography
Garth is heralded as one of New Zealand’s leading image makers
shooting across a broad range of subjects including advertising,
fashion, sports and music. A multidisciplinary artist, his visual
aesthetic blends seamlessly between still photography and motion
imagery. His work has aired on television across Australia and
New Zealand, launched music careers, opened fashion shows and
featured on websites worldwide. Central to his work is imagery that
captures people’s stories and tells it in the most powerful way.
DAFFODILS: SMALL BEGINNINGS TO ICONIC
INTERNATIONAL STAGE
Daffodils has been selected to feature at the prestigious Traverse
Theatre in the upcoming Edinburgh Festival Fringe - performing on
Scotland’s most iconic stage, the theatrical heart of the world’s
largest and most famous arts festival. Bullet Heart Club is the first
New Zealand company to be invited to perform at the Traverse
Theatre during the festival since 1999 and needs your help to get
there.
To find out how you might be able to support Daffodils with this
exciting new chapter, please get in touch with Kitan and Rochelle
via email [email protected] or phone +61 420 677044
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST
http://bit.ly/1O8ypn4
Daffodils [Inspired by true events] was written at the Robert Lord
Writers Cottage. Original development in 2013 was supported by
Auckland Live. The world premiere took place on 15 March 2014
presented in partnership with Q Theatre, Auckland, as part of Q
Presents.
SPECIAL THANKS
Mary Bright, Graham Bright, Shona Bright, Eileen and Keith
Harnett, Aileen and Eric Bright for being an inspiration for this
story.
Australasian Performing Right Association and all the songwriters,
who have granted us the license to showcase these iconic Kiwi
tracks. Anthony Healey, Jordan and Rita Luck.
The international team at Creative New Zealand.
Daniel, Ian and the team at Arts Projects Australia.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Presented by arrangement with Arts Projects Australia with
support from Creative New Zealand’s Touring Australia Initiative.
RIVERSIDE THEATRES
Director
Robert Love
Business Manager
Pamela Thornton
Marketing & Communications Manager
Jonathan Llewellyn
Operations Manager
Linda Taylor
Program Manager
Michelle Kotevski
Executive Producer, National Theatre of Parramatta
Joanne Kee
OUR PARTNERS
Parramatta City Council
Principal Partner (Government)
PARRAMATTA WE’RE BUILDING AUSTRALIA’S NEXT GREAT
CITY
Arts NSW
Partner (Government)
Crown Resorts and Packer Family Foundation
Major Partner
Novotel Sydney Parramatta
Partner (Hotel)