Waltzing the Wilarra

Last updated

Waltzing the Wilarra is an Australian musical play written and composed by David Milroy, set in a mixed-race dance club in post-World War II Perth.

Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company premiered the work, which performed from 3 February to 6 March 2011 at the Subiaco Arts Centre as part of the Perth International Arts Festival. [1]

Waltzing the Wilarra was very well received. [2] [3] The West Australian called it "a terrific production" with "a powerful, charismatic cast" and that "the music throughout is instantly memorable". [4] PerthNow called it "a landmark production". [5]

The production received three 2011 WA Equity Guild Awards from nine nominations, including Best New Play and Best Design for its composition/music. [6] It was also nominated for three national Helpmann Awards in 2011 including Best Original Score.

Related Research Articles

<i>A Little Night Music</i> 1973 musical

A Little Night Music is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the 1955 Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Its title is a literal English translation of the German name for Mozart's Serenade No. 13, K. 525, Eine kleine Nachtmusik. The musical includes the popular song "Send In the Clowns", written for Glynis Johns.

Sally Jane Morgan is an Australian Aboriginal author, dramatist, and artist. Her works are on display in numerous private and public collections in Australia and around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theatre of Australia</span> Overview of theatre in Australia

Theatre of Australia refers to the history of the live performing arts in Australia: performed, written or produced by Australians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yirra Yaakin</span> Aboriginal theatre company in Perth, W.A.

The Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company, also known as Yirra Yaakin Noongar Theatre, is an Aboriginal Australian theatre company, based in Perth, Western Australia in the heart of the Noongar Nation, a cultural group from the South West of Western Australia.

Mixed Relations were an Australian band formed by Bart Willoughby. They played a mixture of reggae rock, pop, and jazz. Mixed Relations toured Aboriginal communities, Australian cities, Pacific Islands, New Zealand, United States, Europe, Canada ,and Hong Kong. Their track, "Aboriginal Woman", was listed at No. 89 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 1993.

Kylie Bracknell, formerly Kylie Farmer and also known as Kaarljilba Kaardn, is an Aboriginal Australian writer, director and actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina Actors Studio Theatre</span> Theatre company in Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.

Carolina Actors Studio Theatre (CAST) was an independent non-profit theatre company located at 2424 North Davidson Street in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was founded in 1992 by Charlotte acting instructor Ed Gilweit as an actor's teaching school. In 2000 Gilweit's company partnered with a video and stage production company run by Michael Simmons called Victory Pictures, Inc., and then with the fledgling theatre group Another Roadside Performance Company run by Robert Lee Simmons, Michael Simmons' son. Through this series of mergers, Gilweit and the Simmons' became the founders of the Carolina Actors Studio Theatre. After Gilweit's death in 2002, Michael Simmons became the Managing Artistic Director.

Nathan Tysen is a Grammy-nominated American songwriter whose musicals have appeared on Broadway and the West End. Musicals with composer Chris Miller include Tuck Everlasting, The Burnt Part Boys, Fugitive Songs, Revival,Dreamland, and The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. He also collaborated with songwriter Daniel Messé of the band Hem on lyrics for the Broadway musical Amélie starring Phillipa Soo, and the reworked Olivier-nominated original London cast production starring Audrey Brisson. Television work includes songs for Sesame Street, Elmo's World, and the Electric Company. He also wrote lyrics for the digital murder mystery A Killer Party.

Kelton Pell is a Noongar Aboriginal Australian stage, TV and film actor, best known for his role as the court liaison officer, Sam Wallan, in the SBS legal drama The Circuit set in north-western Australia. Pell is from Western Australia.

Dallas Winmar is a Western Australian writer who first worked with Company B in 2001 on the staging of her play Aliwa!. This play was first showcased in Perth by Yirra Yaakin Noongar Theatre and developed at the Australian National Playwrights Conference in 1999 and 2000.

The Cake Man is a 1975 play by Aboriginal Australian writer Bob Merritt, notable for being the first play written by an Indigenous Australian person to be published, televised and to tour out of Australia. A telemovie was made of a 1977 performance of the play. The Aboriginal Theatre Company was formed by Bob Merritt and Brian Syron especially to produce the play for a tour to the United States in 1982.

Suzie Mathers is a Scottish-Australian actress and theatre performer best known for her role as Glinda the Good Witch in the Australian, Asian tour, and London productions of Wicked as well Sophie in the 10th Anniversary Australian tour of Mamma Mia! the Musical. Spouse: Laura Francis (7/3/2019)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miranda Tapsell</span> Australian actress (born 1987)

Miranda Tapsell is a Larrakia Aboriginal Australian actress of both stage and screen, best known for her role as Cynthia in the Wayne Blair film The Sapphires and her 2015 performance as Martha Tennant in the Nine Network drama series Love Child. In 2016, she portrayed Fatima in the Stan series Wolf Creek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karla Hart</span> Australian radio presenter

Karla Hart is a writer, film-maker, dancer, actress and director and has been the event coordinator for Wardarnji Festival 2011- 2015. She is currently the drive time presenter for Noongar Radio, which broadcasts in Perth, Western Australia.

The Rabbits is a music theatre work with music by Kate Miller-Heidke and libretto by Lally Katz, based on the book by John Marsden illustrated by Shaun Tan. As per the original book, it is an allegory for the colonisation of Australia, depicting an invasion of rabbits described as alien, harsh and greedy, as they destroy the land and lives of the native marsupials.

Anna O'Byrne is an Australian actress and soprano singer best known for her portrayal of Christine Daaé in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera and the original Australian production of Lloyd Webber's sequel, Love Never Dies, for which she was nominated for a Green Room Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elise McCann</span>

Elise McCann is an Australian actress and musical theatre performer most well known for originating the role of Miss Honey in the Australian production of Matilda the Musical and as Lucille Ball in Everybody Loves Lucy.

Della Rae Morrison is an Aboriginal actress, songwriter and activist of the Bibulman Noongar people.

Lynette Narkle, is an Indigenous Australian theatre and film actor and director.

Panawathi Girl is an Australian musical by David Milroy. Set in 1969, the musical concerns a young Aboriginal woman Molly Chubb returning from university studies in Perth to Chubb Springs, her small country hometown in the northwest of Western Australia, to connect with her family and culture.

References

  1. Rimrod, Fran (2011-02-07). "A stellar cast explodes under the wilarra". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  2. Laurie, Victoria (10 February 2011). "Waltzing the Wilarra - Australian Broadcasting Corporation". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  3. "Waltzing the Wilarra | Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company". www.australianstage.com.au. 2011-02-07. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  4. Zampatti, David (2011-02-07). "Theatre Review: Waltzing the Wilarra by David Milroy". The West Australian. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  5. Craddock, David (2011-02-04). "Waltzing the Wilarra lives up to the hype". PerthNow. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  6. Yeoman, William (2011-11-08). "Winners centrestage". The West Australian. Retrieved 2023-10-01.