Tasmania Performs presents the Tasmanian Theatre Company production of

The remarkable true story of Charlotte and her escape from persecution during the Second World War will leave you breathless! The only one–person play ever to win a by Pulitzer Prize Starring Robert Jarman

Tasmania Performs proudly presents the Tasmanian Theatre Company Production ofI Am My Own Wife in partnership with...

Arts Deloraine The Great Lake Community

Out On A Limb Regional Arts Brighton Council

Palais Theatre, Franklin The Rotary Club of Scottsdale

Channel Regional Arts Group Great Oyster Bay Regional Arts about about bout tasmania at this tasmania performs a note from the director the tasmanian performs thanks performance proudly presents annette downs theatre company

Tasmania Performs is a State Many thanks to our Tasmania The Tasmania Performs The Tasmanian Theatre A few years ago Robert Jarman The Tasmanian Theatre Company Government initiative that works Performs Presenting Partners and passed me a small envelope… is a professional theatre company Production of in partnership with artists and their volunteers, we couldn’t do for all Tasmanians. It produces In it was the script for this play and regional communities to present it without you, and if we did… it contemporary Australian theatre I Am My Own Wife I Am My Own Wife a note — he wanted to perform it, the best Tasmanian performances wouldn’t be nearly as much fun! and focuses on telling Tasmanian By Doug Wright By Doug Wright he wanted me to direct it, he didn’t across the state. stories and promoting the work of • Brighton Post Office, Brighton have any money for either but he By arrangement with Hal Leonard Tasmanian artists. Tonight’s production of I Am My Own Council and Cathy Harper thought it was an extraordinary Touring team: Australia Pty Ltd Wife is touring to nine communities play and that we should do it The Company operates three major • The Rotary Club of Scottsdale, across Tasmania. Cast: Robert Jarman On behalf of Dramatists Play anyway! programs: Jan Hughes, Scottsdale Services, Inc DHS, Pamella Krushka, Tour Manager: Jill Munro I read the script and was The Professional Producing Program Grant Morrison and Roses immediately swept into Charlotte’s which includes public seasons Tasmania Performs Technical Manager: Jessica Smithett Newsagents world, with her astounding of plays, commissioning and Director: Annette Downs Mechanist Assistant Tour Manager: Producer: Annette Downs • In St Helens: John McCallum, tales of survival and the myriad developing new work, a training Mark Nicholson Cast: Robert Jarman of contradictions surrounding program, an annual playreading Management: Performing Lines Ltd Carol Liefting from Choc-A- them. Fortunately, in mid-2008 series of 10 new Tasmanian Lolly and Elaine Sullivan from Designer: Rachel Lang Graphic Design: Sarah Owen Design Purple Possum Wholefoods, the Tasmanian Theatre Company plays, partnering with other arts • There will be one interval of 20 Sound Designer: Matthew Dewey Star FM, Heidi Howe, Judy decided to program I Am My Own organisations and regular touring minutes Spilsbury, Kay Barraclough and Stage Manager: Jill Munro Wife for their subscription season, throughout the state. If you would like to discuss the especially Tony Lawson-Brown, • Photography and video are not making this fully professional possibility of hosting a performance Set Builder: Mark Nicholson The Aurora Energy Community permitted treatment possible and allowing for your organisation or wish to • Viv at Bear Cottage Crafts and Enrichment Program is a state- Costume Maker: Nicole Ottrey us the time and resources to do the the hardworking committee of • This venue is strictly non- wide program which includes send feedback on the production play justice. Doug Wright’s script Great Oyster Bay Regional Arts smoking Lighting Technician: Jessica Smithett programs for and with indigenous please contact: is a magnificently crafted, award- performers, emerging artists, young • Palais Management • Patrons are advised that this winning work and his subject Annette Downs people, elderly people, prisoners Tasmania Performs Committee, Charles Zuber, production contains adult completely intriguing. This production opened May 6, Earl and performers with a disability. David Sales, Loris and Alan themes and the occasional use [email protected] Arts Centre, Launceston for Theatre All of you watching this Patman, Deb Coombes, of strong language The Theatre Royal Backspace is North’s 2009 Subscription Season, performance are in for a treat. The 03 6233 5935 Merlene Abbot, and David Sales the performance home of the transferring to the Backspace play requires an incredible actor to Tasmanian Theatre Company. We love to hear your from you. • Channel Regional Arts Group, Theatre, Hobart, running May bring nearly 40 characters to life The Backspace offers a curated Paul and Belinda Sangha 14–23 2009. It was remounted for a and Robert rises to the task. He support program for independent (Kettering Central Shop) tour in 2011 which opened at The has captured the spirit of Charlotte Tasmanian theatre artists. In 2012 Whitehorse Centre, Nunawading, von Mahlsdorf and allows her to • The Great lakes Community a new program: Creative Coalitions Victoria on April 27, 2011 and until sparkle. The production has enjoyed Centre Inc, Community will be made available to artists July 15, 2011. a recent successful tour to Victoria Rural Alive and Well, Central from around Tasmania. Highlands Council, Central and the ACT and following this Highlands Lodge. return season in Hobart, Tasmania Visit tastheatre.com for the latest The Broadway Production Of I Am My Performs will present the show Tasmanian Theatre Company news, • The various businesses that Own Wife was produced by in nine regional areas across production information, online provided ticketing outlets Tasmania. bookings and email updates. across the State Delphi Productions: David Richenthal

• Tasmania Performs would like President; Anthony D Marshall to thank Jen Cramer and Julie Chairman; Charlene T Marshall Waddington. Executive Vice President

Tasmania Performs is supported by Annette Downs Tasmania’s Minister for the Arts through Arts Tasmania Director playwright director cast designer sound designer stage manager doug wright annette downs robert jarman rachel lang matthew dewey jill munro

Doug Wright won an Obie Award Previously for The Tasmanian Theatre A freelance theatre artist, Robert is a Rachel is a graduate of the National Matthew is a Tasmanian born Jill has worked as Stage Manager for Outstanding Achievement in Company, Annette has directed I Am director, performer, writer, designer Institute of Dramatic Art, in Set composer and sound designer. or Assistant Stage Manager on Playwriting and the Kesselring My Own Wife (2009) and Andrew Corder and teacher. and Costume Design. During His compositional work includes every Tasmanian Theatre Company Award for Best New American Play Thinks Twice (2010). her time in Sydney she worked four chamber operas: A Priest’s production. She has worked Previously for the Tasmanian from the National Arts Club for his for Belvoir Street Theatre, Griffin Passion, The Death of Chatterton, 15 on several other large Hobart Annette is currently the Producer Theatre Company, Robert performed play Quills. Theatre, Tuggeranong Theatre Years on Hold and The Buzz of the Sea; productions including Miss Saigon, of Tasmanian Performs, an Arts in Poxed (2011) directed and designed (Canberra), SBS television, and an array of concert music, scores Dido and Aeneus, and The Wizard of He went on to write the screenplay Tasmania initiative supporting Sex, Death and a Cup of Tea (2010), was employed as a designer for the and sound designs for numerous Oz. Jill is also a qualified Floral adaptation, making his motion product and market development for directed Bombshells (2008), starred Australian Museum. theatrical productions including Designer and Interior Designer. picture debut. The film was named the performing arts. in I Am My Own Wife (2009), and underwhere, Con Artists and Macbeth. She has a varied background in Best Picture by the National Board designed Andrew Corder Thinks Twice Rachel moved to Tasmania in Originally trained as a dancer, costume design, puppet making of Review and nominated for three (2010). 1998 and during her time in Matthew’s compositions have been Annette has worked as a university and prop construction. She studied Academy Awards with Geoffrey Rush Hobart has been raising her three commissioned and performed by lecturer, performer, artistic director, Robert’s performance credits and worked in Sydney making going on to win his first Oscar for beautiful children and studying groups including: The New York general manager and producer. She are extensive: over a hundred and designing costumes and Best Performance Quills. a Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring Miniaturist Ensemble, IHOS Music came to Tasmania to work with the productions, mainly in Tasmania, props for television and stage, for in painting and installation art. Theatre laboratory, the Seymour His screenplay was nominated for a Salamanca Theatre Company in Sydney and North Queensland, and companies such as The Wiggles, Rachel has maintained her love Group (Sydney), Hobart Chamber Golden Globe Award and received the 1991. From 1992-99 she was Artistic national touring. He has created a Raggs Club, The Simpsons, the NRL for theatre working as a designer Orchestra, Terrapin Puppet Theatre Paul Selvin Award from the Writers Director of Terrapin Puppet Theatre. series of eight solo shows; the most and AFL, and New MacDonald’s for Salamanca Theatre Company, and by musicians including Jean Guild of America. recent, The Spectre of the Rose, was Farm. As a floral designer she won Annette is a Churchill Fellow and Terrapin Puppet Theatre, IHOS Louis Forestier (Conductor), Joshua invited for presentation (its third several national and international Doug’s stage work has been produced the 1998 Telstra Tasmanian Business Opera, The Old Nick Company, Rubin (Clarinetist – International season) in the 2007 Ten Days on the awards and has created sculptural at New York Theatre Workshop, Woman of the Year. She has served Directions Theatre and Tasmania Contemporary Music Ensemble) and Island Festival. installations for window displays, Lincoln Center, WPA Theater, on numerous Boards including the Performs. She has also undertaken Harry Spaarnay (Bass Clarinet). functions and promotions. Jill is Geffen Playhouse, Wilma, Woolly Australian National Playwrights Robert has been an occasional the role of Art Director for The Matthew’s first symphony currently designing The Boy with the Mammoth, McCarter Theater Centre, Tasdance, Salamanca lecturer in Performance and Promising, a short film funded was recorded by the Russian Longest Shadow for the Tasmanian and La Jolla. Titles include The Arts Centre, Tasmanian State Communications, Movement, by Screen Tasmania, and aims to Philharmonic Orchestra in 2009. Theatre Company. Stonewater Rapture, Interrogating the Development Board, Tasmanian Music-Theatre, Opera and Cabaret continue her career as a practicing For more information, please visit Nude, watbanaland, Buzzsaw Berkeley and Arts Advisory Board, The Federal for the Tasmanian Conservatorium designer and artist. Matthew’s website at Unwrap Your Candy. Governments Playing Australia of Music, and in Modern Drama for www.matthewdewey.com Committee and the Australia the Department of English, UTAS. Doug has been published three Councils Theatre Board. Annette is He has also tutored at Al Quds times in The Best Short Plays series currently member of the Theatre University (Abu Dis), and Birzeit and his work has appeared in The Royal Management Board. University Ashtar Theatre Company Paris Review. (Ramallah), and is an associate He’s a member of the Dramatists member of the General Union of Guild, the Writers Guild of Palestinian Artists. America, the Society of Stage In 2002, Robert was awarded the Directors and Choreographers and Centenary of Federation Medal for serves on the board of the New York services to the performing arts and Theatre Workshop. in 2009 was one of eight nominees, drawn from across all art forms, for the inaugural Distinguished Tasmanian Artist Award. the the state within the state

The Ministerium für East Germans collaborated with employed about 480,000 full-time Staatssicherheit (German for the Stasi, one of the highest agents to oversee a nation of 280 Ministry for State Security), penetrations of any society by million, which means there was commonly known by the an organization. When the East one agent per 5,830 citizens. Using Charlotte von Mahlsdorf (Formerly Lothar Berfelde) abbreviation Stasi, was the Germany government fell, the final Wiesenthal’s figures for the Nazi main security (secret police) and figure for all political prosecutions Gestapo, there was one officer for intelligence organization of the was somewhere around 300,000. 2,000 people. The ratio for the Stasi “I am an optimist. I believe in the triumph of goodness even if it German Democratic Republic (East In every case, the Stasi was was one secret policeman per 166 is sometimes slow in coming. That idea has often kept me alive. Germany). Widely regarded as one involved either in the initial East Germans. When the regular of the most effective intelligence arrest or in pretrial interrogations informers are added, these ratios Eventually the city will inherit everything, since we can’t agencies in the world, it was during which “confessions” were become much higher. In the Stasi’s take anything with us into the cold grave — the last garment modeled on the Soviet KGB. The usually extracted by physical or case, there would have been at has no pockets. Stasi’s influence over almost psychological torture, particularly least one spy watching every 66 every aspect of life in the German between the mid-1940s and the citizens! When one adds in the The city of has, in this house and this museum, Democratic Republic cannot be mid-1960s. estimated numbers of part-time a golden egg. It only needs a bit of cleaning up. overestimated. Until the mid-1980s, Excerpted from: the full-length article from snoops, the result is nothing short Wikipedia: As long as I’m alive, naturally, I’ll take care of it.” a civilian network of informants of monstrous: one informer per 6.5 www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stasi (Inoffizielle Mitarbeiter (IMs), citizens. It would not have been

Charlotte Von Mahlsdorf or unofficial collaborator) grew To ensure that the people would unreasonable to assume that at I Am My Own Woman within Germany, East and West. become and remain submissive, least one Stasi informer was present By the East German collapse in East German communist leaders in any party of ten or 12 dinner 1989, it is estimated that the Stasi saturated their realm with guests. had 91,000 full-time employees more spies than had any other and 300,000 informants. This totalitarian government in recent

means approximately one in 50 history. The Soviet Union’s KGB

Excerpted from: Stasi: The Untold Story of the East German Secret Police by John O. Koehler. Oxford: Westview Press, 1999. www.nvtimes.comlbooks/firsVklkoehler- stasi.html

“These Stasi-Johns behaved like big shots… ‘we have the power and you are zero’ was their message. Their puffed up masquerade simply amused me.”

Charlotte Von Mahlsdorf I Am My Own Woman selected United States chronology production credits I Am My Own Wife was originally 1770-1952 Founding and flourishing of Mulack-Ritze Cabaret in Berlin. produced on Broadway by Delphi 1877 Thomas Edison invents the phonograph. Emile Berliner invents the Productions and David Richenthal.

gramophone. Playwrights Horizons, Inc., New 1911 Magnus Hirschfeld publishes “Die Transvestiten.” York City, produced the World Premiere Off-Broadway in 2003. 1920 Adolf Hitler organizes National Socialist German Worker’s Party (NAZI). This play was written with support Mar 18, 1928 Lothar Berfelde (later Charlotte von Mahlsdorf) is born. from Playwrights Horizons, Jan 1933 Adolf Hitler appointed Chancellor. Article 48 of Weimar Constitution made possible in part by funds granted to the author through denies civil liberties in time of national emergency. Federal police agencies, a program sponsored by Amblin SA (Storm Troops) and SS (Special Security), are created. Entertainment, Inc. 1933-45 Gays deported to concentration camps. A workshop of the play was 1934 Lothar begins collecting phonograph records and clocks. presented by La Jolla Playhouse; Des McAnuff, Artistic Director, Terrence 1935 The Nazi Party passes the Nuremberg Laws, persecuting the German Jews. Dwyer, Managing Director. The lover of Lothar’s Tante Luise is murdered in Nazi’s euthanasia program Developed in part with the support 1937 Participation in becomes mandatory. of the Sundance Theatre Laboratory.

Nov 9, 1938 Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), A workshop was also presented Nazis burn synagogues and homes of Jews. by the About Face Theatre (Eric 1939 World War II begins. Rosen, Artistic Director) in association with the Museum of 1942 Lothar and family evacuate Berlin and move to Bischofsburg. He receives Contemporary Art. Grunderzeit furnishings from Tante Luise. 1943 Lothar’s father, Max Berfelde, dies.

Apr 26, 1945 Liberation of Berlin by Allied Forces. 1945-49 Resurgence of gay life in Berlin.

1949 Founding of German Democratic Republic. 1952-63 Communists close gay and lesbian bars, including the Mulack-Ritze.

1959 Lothar takes possession of Hultschiner Damm 333 and begins restoration. 1960 Gründerzeit Museum (formerly Hultschiner Damm 333) opens.

1961 Berlin Wall, symbol of the Cold War, erected. 1963 Mulack-Ritze Cabaret is resurrected in the basement of the Gründerzeit Museum. 1971 Lothar permanently assumes the identity of “Charlotte von Mahlsdorf.”

1989 Berlin Wall falls. 1990 East and unite. Charlotte receives the country’s Federal Service Cross for her restoration efforts. 1991 Charlotte moves to Sweden

30 Apr, 2002 Charlotte passes away in Berlin. 5 Dec, 2003 I Am My Own Wife by Doug Wright opens on Broadway to stellar reviews.

Timeline source: www.iammyownwife.com