FOLD LINE Country Arts SA and State Theatre Company South Australia present Australia South Company Theatre State and SA Arts Country April2021 30 —June 15 SA REGIONALSA TOUR B y E m i l y S t e l At Country Arts SA, we live and create on the lands of the First Nations peoples of South Australia and pay our respects to Elders past and present.

We embrace the principle of ‘First Nations First’ and are committed to working together to safeguard, celebrate and present our First Nations’ living cultures.

Euphoria was written in consultation with South Australian regional communities and people with a lived experience of mental illness.

We deeply appreciate the generosity of the people and communities who welcomed Emily Steel and the creative team into their lives and shared their rich and heartfelt stories that are the basis of Euphoria.

Country Arts SA transforms the way the arts are made and engaged with in regional South Australia. Cast & Playwright...... Emily Steel Creative Director...... Nescha Jelk Set & Costume Designer...... Meg Wilson

Team Lighting Designer...... Nic Mollison

Composer & Sound Designer...... Andrew Howard

Assistant Director...... Emma Richardson

Meg...... Ashton Malcolm

Ethan...... James Smith

Stage Manager...... Bridget Samuel

Mental Health Professional ...... Adan Richards

Production Manager...... Gabrielle Hornhardt

Tour Technician...... Abigail Heuer

Creative Producer...... Alison Howard

Creative Communities Programmer...... Tammy Hall

Executive Programmer...... Louisa Norman

Euphoria by Emily Steel

A Country Arts SA and State Theatre Company South Australia production.

Original concept and commission by Country Arts SA through the Arts and Health and Shows on the Road programs.

Euphoria was written in consultation with South Australian regional communities and people with a lived experience of mental illness and we’d like to thank everyone for their contribution.

Duration: approx. 80mins, plus post-show Q&A. Suitable for ages 15+

Warning: Contains coarse language and adult themes referencing mental illness and suicide. Writer’s note

I travelled all over South Australia with Country Arts SA, doing research for Euphoria. We met lots of people in lots of country towns, at town halls and libraries, cafes and shops, pubs and museums, in aged care homes and men’s groups and youth groups, on farms and in schools and in acute mental health units. Wherever we went, we would ask, “What’s the best thing about living here?” And so many times, the answer we got was, “Well, everyone knows each other, so there’s always someone there if you need help.” And then we would ask, “What’s the worst thing about living here?” And so many times, the answer came back, “Well, everyone knows each other, so it’s impossible to have any privacy.”

That double-edged sword of community life became the core of the play. Yes, Euphoria is about mental health, but it’s not just about mental health, and it’s not about “psych wards” (though those were nothing like the padded cells we so often see in films). It’s about mental health out in the world, in a community, how that community can support the people within it and can also weigh them down. There are ways in which living in a country town is very different from living in a city, and ways in which it’s not so different at all. There are ways in which living in regional SA is surprisingly similar to growing up, as I did, in a village in (old) South Wales, where everyone knows everyone’s business, and there’s no getting away from each other because your mum is the school dinner lady and your sister is married to the vicar’s son…

The town in Euphoria is not based on any one town, but has aspects of many. The characters are not based on specific people, but some details of their lives have been inspired by the conversations we had. It was a great privilege to meet so many people in so many communities, and to hear about their experiences. Euphoria is fictional, but I hope that, thanks to all those who helped with the research and development, its story will feel real.

Thanks, to Country Arts SA and State Theatre Company South Australia, for making this happen after a year in COVID-19 limbo. Thanks to the cast, creatives and production team, for bringing the script to life and finding things in it that I didn’t know were there. And thanks to Chris, Frank and Ivor, for being brilliant. Playwright Emily Steel

Emily Steel is originally from Wales and has lived in She also runs The Itch, a scratch night for SA theatre since 2010. makers. She has taught playwriting at the University of Adelaide and Adelaide College of the Arts, mentored Her stage plays include 19 weeks (Jill Blewett young writers for ATYP/Carclew and through the Playwright’s Award, Fringe Tour Ready Helpmann Academy, led writing workshops in schools Award, Best Show - ATG Curtain Call Awards 2018 and for Riverland Youth Theatre and worked with Country Best Theatre Award Adelaide Fringe 2017), Impersonal Arts SA in regional communities. Space with Company AT (DreamBIG), Rabbits (State Theatre Company South Australia Umbrella She trained as an actor at the Oxford School of Drama production), Sepia (Melbourne Fringe Tour Ready and completed the Writers Programme at the Royal Award - Adelaide Fringe 2012), Rocket Town (Adelaide Court Theatre, London. She is currently working on Festival Centre inSpace Development Award - new plays for State Theatre Company South Australia Adelaide Fringe 2011), and Station and Six for Sherman and Theatre Republic. Cymru Theatre (Wales).

Her audio plays include 19 weeks (Audio Award, AWGIES 2019), Frank and the Bear, Bite and Boom Boom (BBC Radio 4) and an audio version of Rabbits, released as a podcast by Theatre Republic. She came up with the original concept for State Theatre Company South Australia/ActNow’s Decameron 2.0, and was one of the core writers on that project. She directed a filmed version of 19 weeks, recently screened by ArtPower at UC San Diego, and was a participant in the first Spark TV Development Workshop (Matchbox Pictures and Epic Films, supported by SAFC). Director’s note

This play, from the first creative development through to rehearsals, has been made with deepest respect for the experiences of South Australians living regionally. Because 80% of the creative team and cast grew up in regional towns, we felt we already personally knew many of the characters and experiences that Emily has laid out so vividly in this work.

While Euphoria focuses on a fictional regional community, the ideas and questions within it are universal: how do we tackle mental health? What is our responsibility here to ourselves, our loved ones and our community? What is their responsibility to us?

Euphoria is not trying to ‘solve’ mental health, nor is it a judgement on any of the characters’ actions, thoughts or decisions. Instead, it is an acknowledgement that we are only at the cusp of understanding the human brain and its emotions. It is an acknowledgement of the immense and complex tapestry of feelings that influence each and every one of us on a daily basis. It acknowledges that we all travel our own rocky journey towards finding mental wellbeing or mental health - whatever those terms mean to each of us individually.

A lot of love and hard work has been put into this project by many from its inception in 2017. Thank you to Emily Steel for writing this exceptional play. Thank you to the actors who made invaluable contributions in the early creative developments: Eliza Lovell, Rory Walker, James Smith, Ashton Malcolm and Jonathan Darby. And a big thank you to the entire team that has brought this together, from the cast, creatives, and crew to everyone at Country Arts SA and State Theatre Company South Australia. Director Nescha Jelk

Nescha graduated from the Flinders University Drama Centre directing course in 2010 with First Class Honours and a University Medal.

For State Theatre Company South Australia, Nescha has directed Jasper Jones, Terrestrial, Switzerland, Straight White Men (co-production with La Boite), Gorgon, Volpone, Krapp’s Last Tape in the Beckett Triptych, , Jesikah and Random.

Other directing credits include Sepia (RiAus/Emily Steel), Hamlet (Actors Folio), Alice and Peter Grow Up (Milk Theatre Collective), Deluge and As One (Tiny Bricks) and Yerma (Foul Play/RUMPUS).

She is one-half of Tiny Bricks, a creative partnership with playwright Phillip Kavanagh and is Co-Executive Director of RUMPUS, an artist-run venue in Bowden. Set & Costume Designer Lighting Designer Meg Wilson Nic Mollison

Meg is a South Australian-based interdisciplinary Nic has been working as a freelance lighting and artist and designer who works predominantly with projection designer for 24 years and has worked in large-scale and often site-specific installation and opera, theatre, dance and youth arts locally, nationally performance. and internationally. Nic has designed the lighting and projections for concerts, festivals, nightclubs and Meg has designed set and costume for Terrestrial visual art installations. (State Theatre Company South Australia) and Amphibian (Windmill Theatre Co). She debuted as set Nic’s lighting design credits for State Theatre and lighting designer in 2019 for Rebecca Meston’s Company South Australia include Gaslight, Maestro, Drive (Theatre Works VIC), and works extensively with Waiting for Godot, Lion Pig Lion and Honk If you are Vitalstatistix, Patch Theatre (The Lighthouse, Adelaide Jesus. Festival 2020) and Restless Dance, for whom she designed productions of Intimate Recent lighting design credits include Impersonal Space (2018) and Guttered (2021). She has been Space (Company AT and Tutti Arts) and Yo Diddle largely involved with the establishment of RUMPUS Diddle (). He also worked Theatre for which she was venue designer. on set, lighting and projection design for 10 Minutes To Midnight, a 360 immersive video installation Meg premiered performance work SQUASH! with Arts presented nationally as part of The Nuclear Futures House during the Festival of Live Art (FOLA, 2018) Arts Program. and has exhibited independently with Contemporary Art Centre SA, BLINDSIDE, VIC; Constance ARI, Other credits include video designs for When The Rain TAS; Nexus Arts and FELTspace. She has created Stops Falling (Brink Productions), Superheroes (Stone- public projects for FELTspace (2014), Open Space Castro) and lighting design for Vesalius Requiem, Contemporary Arts (OSCA) (2017), and curated a Instructions For An Imaginary Man, The Shouting public program for ACE Open (2019). Fence and Daughter of the Sea (Various People Inc), Mixed Doubles, Seven, Wanderlust and Breathe Meg was awarded the 2019 Green Room Award (Leigh Warren and Dancers), Min-min, Soaring, for Contemporary and Experimental Performance Crossing Paths, Of The Future, Knowledge Keys and (Innovation in Durational Performance), for SQUASH! Panpapanpalya (Kurruru Youth Performing Arts), and was a finalist in the 2018 Midsumma Australia Sonic Landscapes (Adelaide Symphony Orchestra) Post Art Prize with Team Trampoline which she and OnEgo, So…I Killed a Few People, Norway.Today performed at No Vacancy QV Gallery (VIC). In and Dogfall (TheimaGen). 2018 she was a resident artist with Urban Theatre Projects (NSW), hand-weaving trampolines for Nic has lectured in lighting at Adelaide College of the production Right Here. Right Now. Arts and University of South Australia. Sound Designer Assistant Director Andrew Howard Emma Richardson

Andrew is State Theatre Company South Australia’s Emma Richardson is a regional writer and theatre Resident Sound Designer. maker. They joined Carclew’s Expressway Arts ensemble in 2014 as a writer/actor for Run, Zombie, His sound design credits for State Theatre Company Run! In 2017 Emma was a writer/actor for Losing Faith include The Boy Who Talked to Dogs (with Slingsby in Unicorns. Both shows were nominated for Ruby Theatre), Dance Nation, Jasper Jones, End of the Awards. Rainbow, Animal Farm, The Gods Of Strangers, That Eye, The Sky, Terrestrial, After Dinner, In The Club, Vale, Emma was involved in Carclew/Country Arts SA’s Macbeth, A Doll’s House, 1984 (Australian Associate Writing Place residency for young regional writers Sound Designer), Sista Girl, Machu Picchu, This Is (2019), where their monologue It’s Not a Bad Word Where We Live, Kryptonite, Maggie Stone, Babyteeth, was selected to be published in This Was Urgent Random, The Kreutzer Sonata, Romeo and Juliet, Yesterday (2020, Currency Press). Knives in Hens and Attempts On Her Life. In 2020 Emma was co-director and contributing writer His other theatre credits as Sound Designer and/or for Lockdown, the radio play (Dream Big Festival). This Composer include Ripcord (State Theatre Company was followed by Lockdown, the stage play (for which South Australia), Helly’s Magic Cup, Grug, Nyuntu Emma was assistant director, writer and actor) at the Ngali, Fugitive, School Dance, The Story Thieves and 2021 Adelaide Fringe. Girl Asleep (Windmill Theatre Co), Rumpelstiltskin and Pinocchio (State Theatre Company South Australia/Windmill Theatre Co), Despoiled Shore, Medeamaterial, Landscape with Argonauts, The War, Please Go Hop!, Highway Rock 'n' Roll Disaster, Trouble On Planet Earth and Disappearance (The Border Project), One Long Night in The Land of Nod and The Homecoming (Floogle), The Birthday Party and Blackbird (Flying Penguin Productions), Boxing Day Test (Junglebean) and Little Green Tractor (Patch Theatre). Meg Ethan Ashton Malcolm James Smith

Ashton is a theatre-maker based in Adelaide. She Since graduating from Flinders Drama Centre in 2013, graduated from Flinders University Drama Centre in James has been involved in various stage and screen 2009 with First Class Honours, the Drama Prize and productions. a University Medal and has studied intensively with Shakespeare and Company in the USA. Credits include Neighbourhood Watch, Othello, This is Where We Live, Volpone, Gorgon, Vale and Jasper Her credits include Othello (State Theatre Company Jones (State Theatre Company South Australia), Limit South Australia), Rumpelstiltskin (State Theatre (State Theatre Company South Australia Umbrella Company South Australia and Windmill Theatre program), Emily Loves to Bounce (Patch Theatre), Co) The Lighthouse and Yo Diddle Diddle (Patch The Aspirations of Daise Morrow (Brink) and Deluge Theatre Company), Guttered and Intimate Space (Tiny Bricks, 2016 Adelaide Festival), Lines (Theatre (Restless Dance Theatre), Grug and the Rainbow Republic) and The Young King (Slingsby). (Windmill Theatre Co), Deluge (Tiny Bricks and Brink Productions), Cutaway: A Ceremony (Vitalstatistix) and James was involved with the development and Quiet Faith (Vitalstatistix and HotHouse Theatre). production of Stories in the Dark a 2017 Fringe In Space award-winning show. James also appears in She is a member of RUMPUS, an artist-led Shawn Seet’s 2019 film Storm Boy. In 2014 James was independent theatre venue in Bowden, and has awarded the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank award. featured in RUMPUS seasons of The Wolves and How To Kill Your Hamster. As a theatremaker and performance artist, Ashton frequently collaborates with Meg Wilson and Josephine Fitzgerald. Stage Manager Tour Technician Bridget Samuel Abigail Heuer

Bridget graduated from Adelaide College of the Arts in Abigail graduated from Adelaide College of the 2008. Her Stage Management credits for State Theatre Arts in 2015 with an Advanced Diploma of Stage Company South Australia include After Dinner, The Management and a Certificate III in Live Production Comedy Of Errors, In The Next Room or the vibrator - Theatre and Events. Since graduating, Abigail has play, Top Girls, The Glass Menagerie, The Ham Funeral worked with Adelaide Festival, Adelaide Fringe and and The Misanthrope, and Assistant Stage Manager on several festivals. for Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) and She’s also worked with State Theatre Company South Maestro. Bridget was also the props buyer for State Australia/ Windmill Theatre Co on Rumpelstiltskin, Theatre Company South Australia’s The Memory of and with State Theatre Company South Australia on Water and Entertaining Mr Sloane. Gaslight, Sense and Sensibility, A Doll’s House and the tour of The Popular Mechanicals. In 2019 she was the Bridget toured nationally with Henry V, Hamlet, Stage Manager for its education show, Animal Farm. Othello, The Merchant of Venice, Julius Caesar and Much Ado about Nothing (). She Abigail has also completed several international tours has also been part of the stage management team with Windmill Theatre Co and Patch Theatre Company for Moby Dick, La Sonnambula, Carmen, Hansel and including tours of the United States, Canada and Gretel, Pearl Fishers, Aida, Tales of Hoffman, Flying China with Windmill Theatre Co’s Beep and Patch’s Dutchman, Girl of the Golden West, and Rigoletto Emily Loves to Bounce. (State Opera South Australia), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mozart’s Requiem, Breaking the Waves, Two Feet, Zizanie, Le Grand Macabre and Mahler 8 (Adelaide Festival) and Thursday (Brink Productions). Mental health resources

Mental Health Professional Adan Richards

Adan is a peer support worker at Neami International. If Euphoria raises any concerns for you following the performance, Lifeline offers a 24 hour counselling He has previously worked for youth mental health service and can be reached at 13 11 14. Additional organisation Batyr and national youth mental health information can be found on their website, foundation Headspace, and been a representative www.lifeline.org.au on the South Australian Mental Health Commission's Youth Advisory Group. Other services which may be of assistance include mental health advocacy organisation, Beyond He holds a Bachelor’s Degree (Honours) in Blue (www.beyondblue.org.au, 1300 223 636), Psychology. and youth mental health foundation, Headspace (www.headspace.org.au). You may also consider speaking to a trusted source or engaging your local GP.

The Support Act Wellbeing Helpline is a free, confidential phone counselling service, available 24/7 to anyone anywhere in Australia who works in the performing arts, or other creative industries (1800 959 500).

If you require urgent mental health assistance, please call the mental health triage service (Rural and Remote Service) 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 13 14 65. Country Arts SA in partnership with State Theatre Company South Australia

At Country Arts SA we often say that it’s our job to Euphoria started with playwright Emily Steel meeting make art that no one else can make. We recognise with regional communities to share experiences and that we are in the privileged position to bring unpick the joys and challenges of country life. From together local artists and local stories to create arts Streaky Bay to Bordertown, she had hundreds of experiences, be they visual art, film, dance, music, conversations in pop up tea rooms where talk turned literature or theatre that illuminates the lives and times to family, friendships, community, resilience, love and of regional South Australians. new beginnings. And from that, this beautiful play was fashioned. Euphoria is one such play that’s especially close to our hearts. It was developed over years, taking guidance Deeply human and sharply funny, Emily has written and inspiration from the many chats we had with a giant hug of a play that explores the highs and lows numerous regional South Australians over a cup of of community and the responsibilities we have toward tea. In 2019 we presented excerpts of this hilarious and each other. Tackling difficult conversations in a gentle sensitive script to locals around the state checking to and entertaining way, this is theatre that will remain make sure the story was real. in your memory.

Working with our cast and crew, many who have As the state’s premier theatre company, our mission strong connections to or grew up in regional is to bring phenomenal, transformative and inclusive communities, and our producing partner State Theatre theatre experiences to all South Australians. To have Company South Australia we think we’ve re-created Euphoria premiere in Renmark ahead of its Adelaide a slice of regional life that rings true. season feels particularly special.

I would like to offer a very sincere thanks to everyone Following a year when live theatre was put on hold, who gave their time to take part in the process. or on Zoom, we can’t wait to start Euphoria's 2021 tour We hope you enjoy seeing the story come to life. to regional South Australian towns and Adelaide. To finally bring this beautiful play back to regional Anthony Peluso SA is a real privilege, and we’re thrilled to be co- Chief Executive/Executive Director producing this with Country Arts SA, which plays Country Arts SA such an integral role in bringing world-class work to regional audiences.

Mitchell Butel Artistic Director State Theatre Company South Australia Background to Euphoria

Euphoria was developed through a socially engaged Crucially this additional time back in community arts practice over two years in consultation with ensured the development of the script was driven communities across regional South Australia. by the real stories and experiences of people living in regional Australia, bringing authentic voices to Emily Steel spent time in eight regional towns the fore. connecting with communities through workshops, pop up shops, community meetings, supper events Euphoria has been produced through the Arts and and school visits. The Shows On the Road Community Health program which seeks to increase opportunities Presenter Groups in Bordertown, Lameroo, Burra, for social connection using arts and culture as a Port Augusta, Port Lincoln and Streaky Bay helped means to improve health and wellbeing. facilitate conversations that have contributed to the work. Country Arts SA’s Arts Centres also participated With sufficient evidence to demonstrate that arts in areas of the creative process. participation benefits the health of individuals in community, Euphoria aims to help raise awareness Emily spent time in the acute mental health units and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness in Whyalla, Berri and Mount Gambier, meeting with and suicide in regional communities. clients, clinicians and peer support staff, gaining a deeper understanding of mental health in rural and Euphoria is touring around the state through the remote areas. Shows On the Road program which works with a volunteer network of very generous and enthusiastic From this initial engagement, Emily wrote a first draft. regional Community Presenter groups committed After a period of creative development there was to hosting live performances in their communities. a public reading in Adelaide with community, arts Their ongoing support for this project is what makes it industry and the mental health sector who provided possible to take Euphoria to so many places. further feedback and valuable critique. Given the themes explored in Euphoria, mental Country Arts SA also undertook the unusual step health professional Adan Richards will tour with of taking the script back to those communities who the production supporting post show discussions. inspired the work to hear their thoughts before the We hope this offers an opportunity to champion the final draft was complete. This was the litmus test that importance of mental health support for creatives on confirmed this regional tale, although fictional, was tour and also opens up a conversation for audiences. authentic and true to the communities it represented. STATE THEATRE COMPANY SOUTH AUSTRALIA PRESENTS

BY MELANIE TAIT

4 JUN - 19 JUN ROYALTY THEATRE BOOK NOW AT STATETHEATRECOMPANY.COM.AU 2021 EUPHORIA TOUR Renmark • Adelaide • Mount Gambier • Bordertown • Kingscote Murray Bridge • Lameroo • Burra • Port Pirie • Port Augusta • Whyalla Port Lincoln • Streaky Bay • Goolwa • Tanunda • Noarlunga

countryarts.org.au