I AM EORA... 2012 Sydney Festival

MEDIA RELEASE: NOVEMBER 2, 2011

WORLD PREMIERE

BLACK CAPITAL

Sydney Festival in association with The Balnaves Foundation present

I Am Eora

Australia

Carriageworks, January 8-14

Director & Co-Writer Wesley Enoch

Co-Writer Anita Heiss

Music Director Cameron Bruce  Designer Stephen Curtis  Lighting Designer Trent Suidgeest          Sound Designer Paul Tilley Associate Director Yolande Brown Associate Music Director Nardi Simpson Associate Designer Ruby Langton-Batty

With Jack Charles, Wilma Reading, Frank Yamma, Stiff Gins, Radical Son, and many more

Three legends.  One epic story.

I Am Eora is a theatre/music/film event that tells the stories of Sydney's Aboriginal cultural continuity, celebrating its heroes and embracing the sacred heart of our city.  Close to fifty Aboriginal musicians, performers and creative artists from across the country will come together for one of the most thrilling collaborations ever commissioned by Sydney Festival.

Director Wesley Enoch, co-writer Anita Heiss and their team create a dynamic fusion of storytelling, dance, performance and film featuring a cast of iconic and emerging performers including Jack Charles, Wilma Reading, Frank Yamma, Stiff Gins, Radical Son and a rockin’ live band.

At the centre of the work are three heroes of Aboriginal Sydney whose enduring spirits still inspire: the protest and resistance of the warrior Pemulwuy; the female embodiment of resilience, Barangaroo; and her controversial husband Bennelong, the gifted interpreter who sought reconciliation.

I Am Eora (“I am of this place”) breaks new ground in contemporary Australian performance.  Provocative, inspiring and spectacular – I Am Eora will be a powerful journey through Sydney’s past, present and future.

I Am Eora will leave a lasting legacy upon which emerging Aboriginal artists can build for future creative projects: creative partnerships forged, new material and performance skills developed, new talent discovered and established voices celebrated.

One of the most challenging and vital commitments Sydney Festival makes each year is to the development and presentation of new Australian works.  Over the decades this has created an enduring legacy of iconic Australian theatre works from Cloudstreet to Smoke & Mirrors.  For Australian theatre artists a World Premiere season at Sydney Festival is a powerful international showcase.

In June 2011, Sydney Festival put out the call for people to contribute funds toward the production budget.  These new-found friends of the project, dubbed Associate Producers, including individuals, businesses and foundations, have become part of I Am Eora’s treasured team of Producers, with behind-the-scenes insights and select opportunities as the production comes to fruition.

I Am Eora is a project that is possible due to the consultation and assistance from many people and organisations including:

Active Advisory Committee members: Sonny Dallas Law, Lily Shearer, Melodie Gibson, Fred Copperwaite, Liza-Mare Syron, Brooke Pettit, Darrell Sibosado, Paul Morris, Larissa Behrendt, Wendy Blacklock, Lisa Havilah and Lisa Ffrench.

Other Advisory Committee members Susan Moylan Coombes, Chris Bonney, Aunty Millie Ingram, Aunty Beryl Van-Oploo, Ricky Lyons, Lindy Hume, Josephine Ridge, Jill Colvin, Loretta Busby and Erica McCalman

Organisations Metro Land Council, Gadigal Information Services, NITV Services (Media and community partner), Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning and National Centre of Indigenous Excellence.

Produced by Wendy Blacklock, Performing Lines.

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/eora

Intro to I Am Eora http://www.youtube.com/sydneyfestival#p/search/2/nWso3vVn1B8

Where	Carriageworks 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh
When	January 8, 14 at 5pm; January 10-14 at 8.30pm
Duration	1hr 20mins
Price	A reserve $59 / $54 B reserve $49 / $44
Bookings	Ticketmaster  1300 723 038 Sydney Festival: 1300 668 812

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Sarah Wilson, Publicity Manager (02) 8248 6523 / 0405 364 643 sarah.wilson@sydneyfestival.org.au

Charlotte Greig, Publicist (02) 8248 6532 / 0404 111 919 charlotte.greig@sydneyfestival.org.au

Jane Davis, Publicist (02) 8248 6524 / 0411 562 131 jane.davis@sydneyfestival.org.au