New Long Cloud Director Launches with Greek Myth Reimagined

NEW LONG CLOUD YOUTH THEATRE DIRECTOR LAUNCHES WITH GREEK MYTH REIMAGINED

For immediate release

LIVE ACTS ON STAGE by Michael Gow
Performed by Long Cloud Youth Theatre
Directed by Brett Adam
7pm, 15-18 July
Whitireia Performance Centre, 25-27 Vivian St

Wellington’s celebrated youth theatre company Long Cloud Youth Theatre launch their first theatrical production with new Artistic Director Brett Adam in July for a strictly limited season.

Originally hailing from Australia, Brett challenges the local cast with a play that has flavours of his Australian home as well as ancient Greece - Michael Gow’s Live Acts on Stage.

Live Acts on Stage is an exciting theatrical reimagining of the myth of Orpheus performed by a cast of 16 playing a total of 42 characters. Written by celebrated Australian playwright Michael Gow, the play is a poetic and sometimes savage comedy of love and renewal and in this Long Cloud production is told from the world of a child’s bedroom – where dreams and nightmares come alive. Live Acts on Stage is an orgy of ancient myths, and incorporates this mythology with contemporary language, showing us that Gods and history are destined to repeat themselves.

Originally hailing from Australia, Director Brett Adam was the Head of Directing at Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School from 2011 til 2014. Before that he worked in Australia as a freelance Director, dramaturg and acting teacher, working for companies such as La Mama, Melbourne Theatre Company, and directing shows presented at the Malthouse and Sydney Theatre Company. From 2000-2004 he held the position of Artistic Director of Melbourne’s St Martin’s Youth Arts Centre. During his time there he directed a number of productions for a younger ensemble, including Live Acts On Stage. The Long Cloud production promises however to be an entirely new staging, incorporating creative offers the Wellington cast have brought to the rehearsal room.

Brett has a passion for creating works with young people that push the boundaries of theatre, and are reflective of youth today: “The dominant voice in ‘Live Acts’ is one that challenges the status quo and authority. I believe that this is closely aligned with the role that young people play in society. They are the leaders of the future and through their questioning of the establishment they move us into a better and more positive future."

Continuing with the Australian partnership, later this year Brett and Long Cloud will present their major new collaboration with Australia’s Canberra Youth Theatre as part of this year’s BATS STAB commission. Called Dead Men’s Wars, it is a new play written by Bruce Mason award-winner Ralph McCubbin Howell that deals with the ANZAC war narrative and what it means to young people in 2015.

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