Griffith Regional Theatre and Griffith Regional Art Gallery have been recognised with a prestigious award for their work putting together "Sunshine Super Girl" last year.
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Griffith City Council was awarded the prestigious Leo Kelly AOM Arts and Culture Award, by Local Government NSW for the work involved in premiering the show last year.
The Arts and Culture Award celebrates outstanding achievement by local government organisations in 'strategic planning and delivery for arts and culture,' and this year recognised last year's successful production of Andrea James's 'Sunshine Super Girl.'
Ms James, a Yorta Yorta Gunakurnai writer, told the story of Evonne Goolagong and premiered the show in Griffith in October 2020. The theatre's technical team worked with production company Performing Lines to design and build the set, turning the Westend Basketball Stadium into a performance space for the show.
They were particularly commended for the work by judge Julie Griffiths, who said the judges were impressed with the transformation. "This would have taken significant Council commitment of funds and technical skills," she said.
She added that the judges were impressed with the work put in to securing the production and engaging with the local Wiradjuri community.
Acting Manager of Griffith Regional Theatre Margaret Andreazza said "Little did we know what a huge undertaking it was to become, from staging the play in a basketball stadium instead of the theatre, hiring all the seating and all the staging, to setting up a foyer in a marquee and selling out five shows, and then to have a pandemic thrown in on top of all that! It really was huge."
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The premiere featured a powerful welcome to country and a gala event featuring Indigenous foods. The staging also included a curated exhibition celebrating the life and achievements of Evonne Goolagong-Cawley.
The Yarruwala Wiradjuri cultural festival took place concurrently with the production with the goal of actively engaging local Wiradjuri artists and the community - it included dance and theatre workshops, artist talks, films, cultural tours and art exhibitions.
Griffith City Mayor, Councillor John Dal Broi said, "We are delighted to receive this award in recognition of what was an amazing series of events for our Community and I congratulate all involved."
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