THE BIG DRY Opens in June at Ensemble Theatre

Imagine a world of dust. A future where water drips brown from the taps. Where dust storms reduce houses to rubble. Where a young boy, George (Rory Potter) and his younger brother, Beeper (played alternatively by Jack Andrew & Noah Sturzaker), fight to survive while waiting for their father to return home. And where a young rebellious girl, Emily (Sofia Nolan), won't take no for an answer. Imagine the future. Imagine The Big Dry.

A first time co-production with the extraordinary Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) and based on the best-selling novel by Tony Davis, the world premiere of The Big Dry promises to be an event not to be missed.

I read Tony Davis's exciting book, The Big Dry, in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. The idea of our children surviving the future in a crumbling world was at once shocking and compelling. ATYP's Fraser Corfield and I had talked about doing a stage project together for a few years and when I pitched the idea of adapting Tony's book for the stage he said, 'That's it!' We are very pleased to be bringing this funny, moving and exciting vision to the stage said Ensemble Artistic Director, Mark Kilmurry.

The Big Dry explores themes of food security, climate change, foreign aid, isolation, survival, values, separation from family, hope and grief. On his inspiration for writing the novel, author Tony Davis says "A few years ago I went through a stage of reading everything I could find on the American Dust Bowl of the 1930's. It was an era of extraordinary drought, dust storms and hardship which caused hundreds of thousands to leave their homes. A simple question stuck with me for a long time: what would happen if the same conditions returned to a modern Western city? Parallel to that I had planned to write a story about one sibling trying to protect a younger brother or sister against all the odds. Maybe it would be in a civil war, maybe in a time of great poverty...as I started to develop these characters I realised a modern dust bowl could be the perfect backdrop. My characters would not be among those who fled but those left behind. As the novel developed I would see how they changed and found their strengths in these appalling conditions".

ATYP Artistic Director Fraser Corfield is excited about directing this world premiere production and collaborating with the Ensemble Theatre. "This is a play for the imagination, reminiscent of the ground breaking Medea by Kate Mulvany and Anne-Louise Sarks. It's a tense thriller that is driven by the vulnerability of seeing very young actors in what is ostensibly a piece of adult theatre. It beautifully unpacks the resilience of children and the contradictions of human behaviour in a theatrical genre that is still very new for Australian audiences. As a result it will be a play you want to sit down and discuss hours after you have seen it."

"A clever, engaging work...tightly directed by Fraser Corfield." Daily Telegraph (for ATYP's A TOWN NAMED WARBOY)

"Corfield mentions in his notes that young people's theatre is for everyone, not just the young 'uns. He's absolutely correct. This is up there with the best indie theatre you'll see all year." Concrete Playground (for ATYP's SPUR OF THE MOMENT)

"Kilmurry has more than enough talent, insight and experience as writer, actor and director that Casanova really couldn't fail." Curtain Call (for CASANOVA)

"Mark Kilmurry has adapted a charming, perceptive comedy...funny, truthful...sweetly, poignantly moving...surprisingly resonant..." Stagenoise (for YOU TALKIN' TO ME? DIARY OF AN OLYMPIC CABBIE)

SEASON DETAILS: THE BIG DRY

VENUE: Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall St, Kirribilli, NSW, 2061

DATES: Previews from Sat 4 June, 2016, opening night Thurs 9 June 2016, playing to Sat 2nd July, 2016

PERFORMANCE TIMES: vary, check website for details http://ensemble.com.au/whats-on/plays/the-big-dry

PRICES: $66-$73 (booking charges may apply)

BOOKINGS: 02 9929 0644 or www.ensemble.com.au

RUNNING TIME: 75 minutes no interval

Recommended for ages 12+

FURTHER INFORMATION / INTERVIEWS / IMAGES please contact:

Susanne Briggs, susanne@articulatepr.com.au or 0412 268 320

Director Fraser Corfield

Fraser is the Artistic Director of the national youth theatre company Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP). He has been working in professional theatre for over 20 years and is recognised internationally for his collaborative process integrating young and established artists. As an Artistic Director Fraser has been an advocate for new work commissioning and producing over thirty new plays. Highlights include the award winning Sugarland by Rachael Coopes with Wayne Blair, A Town Named Warboy by Ross Mueller, M.Rock by Lachlan Philpott, Grounded by Alana Valentine (winner of 3 AWGIE Awards) and Australia's first major opera composed for young people, Dirty Apple (Backbone Youth Arts/Opera Queensland/Queensland Music Festival). He has directed productions for professional and youth theatre companies around Australia and internationally. For ATYP he has directed Patrice Balbina's Chance Encounter with the End of the World, Outsiders, A Town Named Warboy, Sugarland, M.Rock, Spur of the Moment, Max Remy Super Spy, The Tender Age (Co-directed with David Williams) The Laramie Project, Rio Saki and Other Falling Debris, Desiree Din and the Red Forest, and Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs.

The Cast

Jack Andrew

Jack has always loved dancing, singing and drama, making his stage debut at the age of 3. Jack's musical theatre highlights include roles in The Aristocats, Alice in Wonderland Jnr, Dr Doolittle Jnr, and ensemble in Oliver and Carmen. Jack has won many prizes at various dance and vocal eisteddfods, including winning the 12yrs classical song at the 2014 Sydney Eisteddfod. On television, Jack played a guest role on Underbelly Badness and has appeared in many television commercials and short films. Joining Opera Australia's children's chorus in 2016 Jack performed in their latest Sydney season of La Boheme. In 2015, Jack completed a 12 month tour playing the role of Joe in Kate Mulvany's Masquerade directed by Lee Lewis and Sam Strong, presented by Griffin Theatre Company and the State Theatre Company of South Australia as part of the Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne Festivals.

Sofia Nolan

Sofia Nolan is currently studying at the Hunter School of the Performing Arts, majoring in drama. She has studied drama & music theatre for 7 years with Pantseat and Hunter Drama. Sofia has completed all grade exams in Music theatre with Trinity College, London, with distinction and won the silver medal for the highest distinction for 2015. Her credits include Peter Pan, Fame Jr, Jesus Christ Superstar, Alice in Wonderland, Little Mermaid Jr, Aristocrats kids, The BFG, Bugsy Malone, 13 the Musical, A Christmas Carol, Oliver, Dear Edwina, The Joseph and Once on the Island at The National Theatre Company and Hunter Region Drama School, Pantseat Productions, & Opera Hunter. Sofia also appeared in Tropfest film Mr Right. She won Best Actress in 2015 at the Sharp Short Theatre Festival for The Elephant in the Room at the Riverside Theatre.The Big Dry is Sofia's professional theatre debut.

Rory Potter

Rory made his theatre debut in the critically acclaimed production of Medea directed by Anne-Louise Sarks for Belvoir and ATYP, for which he won the 2012 Sydney Theatre Award for Best Newcomer and was nominated for a 2013 Helpmann Award for Best Supporting Actor. He has also appeared in The Secret River (2013, 2016 remount & tour) directed by Neil Armfield and Waiting for Godot directed by Andrew Upton for Sydney Theatre Company, Storm Boy (2013, 2015 remount & tour) directed by John Sheedy for Sydney Theatre Company and Barking Gecko Theatre and The Winter's Tale directed by John Bell for Bell Shakespeare Co. At just 15 Rory approaches everything with an infectious enthusiasm. In 2014 he made his television debut in Devil's Playground directed by Rachel Ward and Tony Krawitz (Foxtel) and recently appeared in the AACTA award winning television adaptation of The Secret River directed by Daina Reid (ABC). Rory's feature film debut was The Dressmaker directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse.

Noah Sturzaker

Noah enjoys playing the role of the younger brother in The Big Dry. Noah has previously played John Helmer in Sport for Jove's production of a A Doll's House at the Seymour Centre and Jeremy Potts in State Artz Theatre Company's production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Glen Street Theatre. Most recently, Noah played the role of a Duster in Australian Theatre for Young People's production of The Trolleys; a role which prepared him well for a world of dust. Noah trains with Pat Whyman and Stage Artz Drama during the school term, and attends ATYP workshops in school holidays - because too much drama is never enough - except, of course, if it's cricket season...

Richard Sydenham

Richard will play Rabbit Man/Mr Carey in The Big Dry. Richard has had major roles in both theatre and television and has worked with Ensemble previously. He is currently in the ATYP musical production Spring Awakening. Recent work includes playing Prosecutor Paul Willows Home and Away Channel 7, Detective Asher Love Child (Mini-Series 3) Playmaker, Cess The Dapto Chaser Griffin Independent, Paul Absent Friends Ensemble Theatre, Sergeant Eric Waites Wonderland (series 2) Network Ten, Peter Hayes QC Gina v Rose: The House of Hancock Nine Network , Paul Willows Home and Away Channel 7, Russ/ Dan Clybourne Park Ensemble Productions, Paul Absent Friends Ensemble Productions, Adrian Deamer Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War Nine Network, Police Officer Wonderland Network ten, Father Blood Pulls a Gun Prodigy Films, Simon Finch Home and Away Channel 7, Prosecutor Paul Willows Home & Away Channel 7, and Jack Rake 2 ABC Television.

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