The Art House Presents
About
Evonne Goolagong’s heartwarming story is a celebration of spirit and passion over adversity, and a tribute to a woman whose sporting prowess continues to inspire a nation.
The Art House presents
Sunshine Super Girl by Andrea James
Produced by Performing Lines
A young girl hits a ball against the tin wall of her family’s home. This is where
it all began for Evonne Goolagong. Hers is a quintessentially Blak Australian
story about a girl from the bush who dared to dream, and with the support
of an outback farming town, rose to become the number one tennis player
in the world and a household name by the age of 19.
Evonne Goolagong’s heart-warming story is a celebration of spirit and
passion over adversity, and a tribute to a woman whose sporting prowess
continues to inspire a nation, giving hope to thousands of young girls across
the country. With its distinctively Australian sensibility and humour, and a unique blend of theatre with physical movement choreography, Sunshine Super Girl asks us to consider our nation’s future and the part we
can play for the next ‘Goolagong’ waiting in the wings.
This landmark new Australian work is written and directed by Yorta Yorta /
Gunaikurnai theatremaker Andrea James (Yanagai! Yanagai!)
Sunshine Super Girl is produced by Performing Lines and supported by the
Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts
funding and advisory body; the NSW Government through Create NSW; the
Seaborn Broughton & Walford Foundation; the Blake-Beckett Trust; Moogahlin
Performing Arts; Australian Plays Transform through its Playwrights’ Retreat
Program; and Production Co-Commissioners Griffith Regional Theatre,
Melbourne Theatre Company, QPAC and seven regional venue partners.
Production Co-Commissioners:
- The Art House Wyong
- Melbourne Theatre Company
- Queensland Performing Arts Centre
- Griffith Regional Theatre
- Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre
- Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre
- Bendigo Venues and Events
- Geelong Arts Centre
- Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre
- Country Arts SA
Cast and Creatives
2022 TOURING CREDITS
Tour Lighting Design Ben Anshaw
Production Manager Jason Thelwell
Stage Manager Madelaine Osborn (up to 17 September 2022)
Stage Manager Jess Keepence (from 19 September 2022)
Head of Lighting Steve Hendy
AV Technician Corey Wiles
CAST
Ella Ferris – Evonne
Katina Olsen – Barbara & Ensemble
Jacqueline Compton – Mum & Ensemble
Lincoln Elliott – Roger, Dad & Ensemble
Kirk Page – Larry, Mr Edwards & Ensemble
CREATIVES
Writer & Director Andrea James
Movement Director & Additional Choreography Katina Olsen
Original Choreographic Concept & Initial Movement Direction Vicki Van Hout
Set & Costume Design Romanie Harper
Lighting Design Karen Norris
Composition & Sound Design Gail Priest
Video Media Design Mic Gruchy
Dramaturg Louise Gough
Mentor Paige Rattray
Produced by Performing Lines
Sermsah Bin Saad – Larry, Mr Edwards & Ensemble (from 8 September – 15 October 2022)
Reviews
“Sunshine Super Girl is destined to become a legacy piece, one that celebrates our history, reflects on our struggle for equality, and shows how the spirit can overcome in spectacular ways.” The Conversation
“This is a play that educates and uplifts…” The Sydney Morning Herald
“The company, directed by James, embraces physical theatre and dance; it’s the language of all things tough to illustrate onstage – sports, love, liberation and loss. With a cast of five and generous doses of humour and warmth, Sunshine Super Girl is a play that could travel the country several times over, take up residence in schools and create new moments of connections for years. Through Evonne, we can find reflections of ourselves.” The Saturday Paper
“Written and directed by James, the work is a captivating study of not just the sporting icon, but also the environment in which all Indigenous women have to endure. Sunshine Super Girl‘s discussions of gender and race, although handled with a lightness of touch, does not shy away from the hard realities that women of colour deal with every day and everywhere.” Suzy Goes See
