Season Backbone by Gravity & Other Myths. Photographer: Darcy Grant Contents A message from the Lord Mayor of Newcastle 5 Welcome 6 Subscribe to Season 2020 7 Bennelong 8 Mixed Bill 10 Grace Under Pressure 12 Gordon Koang Presents Unity 14 Echoes of the Jazz Age 16 Backbone 18 The Gospel According to Paul 20 The Gruffalo’s Child 22 The Sapphires 24 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow 26 The 91-Storey Treehouse 28 Man with the Iron Neck 30 Mother & Son 32 Do Your Parents Know You’re Straight 34 The Wharf Revue 2020: Good Night and Good Luck 36 Animal Farm 38 Bizet’s Carmen 40 Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase 42 Being Sellers 44 Planning Your Visit 48 Beyond the Stage 49 Booking Form 53 Civic Theatre Newcastle acknowledges the Season 2020 program takes place on the traditional country of the Awabakal people. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs, continuing relationship with the land and their Elders, past, present and future. A message from the Lord Mayor of Newcastle Local Government plays a vital role in Season utilises both destinations to preserving, shaping and delivering cultural present an outstanding body of work. assets and services to our wonderful city. Live theatre in our vibrant city is vital as Season 2020 is as diverse as our our city reshapes and evolves. Our cultural ever-growing theatre audiences and is identity – long appreciated by our visitors sure to be a highlight of the 2020 cultural and locals alike is integral to the city’s calendar. My thanks go to the dedicated social fabric and economic future. Civic Theatre team who work so hard to curate these quality offerings year after year. The City of Newcastle boasts an enviable array of outstanding cultural facilities and The City of Newcastle is proud to support the magnificent Civic Theatre has proudly and develop our thriving creative culture – held its place at the heart of the city for it is how we tell our story and share our 90 years. In fact, today’s launch marks 90 identity. Whether a creator or audience years to the day since this superb theatre member, the opportunity to participate was opened on 12 December 1929. We are in live performance is one of life’s great grateful for the vision of our forebears to joys. I look forward to seeing you at shows invest in such a remarkable facility. It is one throughout the coming year. of Australia’s great, iconic theatres and serves as a major drawcard for national and international performers. Man With The Iron Neck This grand dame’s little sister, the by Legs On The Wall. Photographer: Aaron Walker Playhouse, continues to provide an invaluable platform, particularly for Nuatali Nelmes thriving local companies to present their LORD MAYOR original works. The 2020 Subscription OF NEWCASTLE Welcome to Season 2020 How to subscribe It gives me great pleasure to welcome you We’re particularly proud to showcase local CHOOSE FOUR OR MORE SHOWS TO ACCESS: to the Civic Theatre Subscription Season drama companies Stray Dogs and Bearfoot 2020. Since starting in the role of Theatre Theatre, as well as contemporary Newcastle Manager in August, time has flown as I’ve dance company, Catapult. After two decades Big Savings got to know our team at the Civic and the of keeping audiences entertained and Significant ticket discounts for subscribers plus you pay remarkably dynamic Newcastle theatre politicians nervous, in 2020 we bid farewell only one booking fee when you choose a minimum community. Thanks to all for the warmest to the magic that is The Wharf Revue. of four or more Season 2020 shows. of welcomes to this vibrant hub of cultural We’re delighted to announce the return of activity. With the support of both our team The Gospel According to Paul and welcome Hospitality and the greater creative community, I’m back Melbourne and Sydney Comedy Receive discounted drinks pre-show at the hugely enthusiastic about the future for Festivals, and Bangarra Dance Theatre, to Civic Bar. You can also bring family members performing arts in this city. name just a few. We are excited to bring you a program packed with talent and diversity, and friends to see shows at discounted prices. As Newcastle grows and becomes a leading there truly is something for every theatre lover! lifestyle city, it is crucial the Civic Theatre Best Seats continues its key role in the city as a cultural This season would not have been possible You have the opportunity to book early focal point, showcasing the best of local without our dedicated sponsors and I’d and secure the best seats in the house. talent and national and international like to thank them for their invaluable touring product. The Civic Theatre, City Hall, commitment to live performance. The Civic Playhouse and Wheeler Place are owned Theatre would simply not exist without the Free Parking by the City of Newcastle for the people ongoing support of the City of Newcastle Subscribers receive free parking in the of Newcastle. They form a key destination and they should be commended for Civic West Parking Station for all Season recognising the major significance of where everyone is welcome and new 2020 evening and weekend performances. connections and lifelong memories are performance in the evolution of our city. Further details and carpark access codes formed. In 2020, we look forward to evolving And finally, the season would have no will be sent with your Subscriber Card. the precinct as an even more integral reason to be if it weren’t for our valued Parking must be booked online. component of the cultural fabric of the city, subscribers. Thank you for your ongoing as we deliver a program “Beyond the Stage” faith in the product we present, I look to further increase accessibility for all. forward to welcoming you to our wonderful Deferred Payment season of shows and extend our sincere First show plus booking fee will be Programming a successful subscription thanks for your support from everyone here deducted at time of subscription. Payment season requires a monumental team effort at the Civic Theatre. for additional shows can be deferred and I am grateful for the dedicated team until three weeks before each show. we have here at the Civic and proud of the season we present to you today. Flexibility In 2020, we are delighted to offer a diverse Plans change; pending ticket availability range of shows which we hope will challenge, Leonie Wallace you can swap performance times and entertain and delight our audiences. shows at no charge. THEATRE MANAGER BANGARRA DANCE THEATRE 8 CIVIC THEATRE CIVIC an extraordinarily powerful work … a benchmark in Australian dance creativity 2019 WINNER Sydney Morning Herald Best Regional Touring Production 2018 WINNER Best Dance Production Best Choreography Best Male Dancer Best Lighting Design Fri 28 Feb Bennelong is Bangarra at its best. Best New Australian Work 7.30pm Best Scenic Design Sat 29 Feb Created by Artistic Director Stephen Page, Bennelong explores the life of one of history’s most iconic Aboriginal figures. 7.30pm Woollarawarre Bennelong was a senior man of the Eora, who led his community to survive a clash of cultures. Through striking dance language, soul-stirring soundscapes and exquisite design, Bangarra unpacks Bennelong’s legacy and its reverberation through contemporary Australian life. Duration 75mins (no interval) Suitable for ages 12+ Bennelong will leave you in awe of Australia’s history – Contains haze and theatrical smoke Lockout applies and its power to repeat. Don’t miss this extraordinary work. BROUGHT TO NEWCASTLE BY PHOTO BY VISHAL PANDEY CATAPULT DANCE CHOREOGRAPHIC HUB 10 CIVIC THEATRE CIVIC Fri 6 Mar Anyone who says sunshine brings 7.30pm happiness has never danced in the rain. Sat 7 Mar 7.30pm Australia’s hottest contemporary dance company, Newcastle’s Catapult, showcases some of the nation’s most sought-after contemporary choreographers. Curator Under the curation of visionary choreographic artist, CADI MCCARTHY Cadi McCarthy, comes the world-premiere of four powerful and evocative new works. Choreographers KRISTINA CHAN OMER BACKLEY-ASTRACHAN Experience an evening that promises bold, refreshing, CRAIG BARY original dance which is poetic, provocative, thoughtful, ADAM BLANCH wild, joyous, sexy and very, very human. Contemporary dance at its best. Composers JAMES HAZEL ZACKARI WATT Duration 100mins (inc. interval) PHOTO BY ASHLEY DE PRAZER AN ALTERNATIVE FACTS PRODUCTION 12 A deeply CIVIC THEATRE CIVIC moving work that is both hopeful and compelling Arts Review Fri 13 Mar The hidden stories of our health care 7.30pm professionals. Sat 14 Mar 2pm & 7.30pm Health professionals are with us when we’re born and they’re with us when we die. They devote their lives to caring for us, but how do we care for them? Can a doctor or nurse give a patient the best possible care if he or she hasn’t slept for days? What if they are also being bullied or sexually harassed at work? What if they complain Writers DAVID WILLIAMS about having to work excessive hours but are told to PAUL DWYER stop whinging and suck it up? How do they cope with the pressure? In collaboration with SYDNEY ARTS & HEALTH COLLECTIVE Based on hours of in-depth interviews with doctors and nurses about their experiences of training and working in Director hospitals, Grace Under Pressure is a surprising, intimate, DAVID WILLIAMS and deeply moving theatre experience that reveals these Dramaturg hidden stories of health professionals in their own words. PAUL DWYER Ranging from wildly funny to utterly heartbreaking, the stories within Grace Under Pressure will leave no audience Duration member unaffected.