NAIDOC Week Shines a Spotlight on Award Winning Talent at The Empire

This NAIDOC Week, The Empire shines a spotlight on the wealth of award-winning First Nations performances set to hit our stages featuring everything from musical theatre and ballroom dance, through to contemporary dance and incredible storytelling by some of the county’s most prestigious arts companies.

Heralded as a new landmark in Australian musicals, The Sunshine Club, written and directed by proud Noonuccal Nuugi man and acclaimed theatre creator, Wesley Enoch AM, is an energetic Matilda and Deadly award-winning production with music by John Rodgers.

Set in a 1940s Brisbane dance club, the play revolves around Aboriginal serviceman Frank Doyle who has come home from World War II to open The Sunshine Club, a place for both black and white to socialise and dance.

Enoch noted The Sunshine Club was written to bring people together, celebrating the stories of our history.

“I’m very excited about directing The Sunshine Club again twenty years on and the idea that plays can keep talking to their audiences year after year, creating classic stories through music theatre," he said.

It’s both an invitation for the audience to sit together – black and white – and also the way of celebrating more indigenous writing and more indigenous stories.
Wesley Enoch, AM

The Sunshine Club is on stage September 16.

World renowned ballroom dance company, Burn the Floor collaborate with Indigenous star Mitch Tambo to create a groundbreaking and inspirational show that embraces Indigenous culture and music, combining ballroom and Latin dance styles for Walanbaa Yulu-Gi: Burn the Floor on August 2.

Tambo’s passion for sharing his culture to wider audiences drives this performance, along with a soundtrack of Australian rock classics, Tambo’s own musical compositions and the energy of 20 dancers, vocalists and musicians.

First Nations dance powerhouse, Bangarra Dance Theatre bring the profound SandSong: Stories from the Great Sandy Desert to The Empire on November 8.

SandSong draws on the knowledge and memories of the past to present a journey into ancient story systems framed against the backdrop of changing government policy and the survival of people determined to hold strong to their culture.

SandSong was co-choregraphed by former Bangarra Artistic Director Stephen Page and current Artistic Director Frances Rings, created in consultation with Wangkatjungka/Walmajarri Elders from the Kimberley and Great Sandy Desert regions.

“SandSong is a glimpse into the world of the Walmajarri people from the Great Sandy Desert and their inspirational story of survival as they overcome adversity to defend their land, identity and cultural rights,” Page said.

For more information or to book ticket to any of these performances, please contact The Empire on 1300 655 299 or visit empiretheatre.com.au.