Project

I helped bring theatre studies to life. Curating the digital extension of Steve Hawke's play: on stage, behind the scenes and in production.

Jandamarra led one of the longest and most successful campaigns to defend Aboriginal country in Australian history, before being gunned down while still in his twenties.

The Jandamarra app seamlessly combined traditional storytelling, dance and song. In a culturally illuminating, emotionally stirring, and linguistically captivating extension of his story.

Talent / Budget

4mth / $35k

Audience

Theatre lovers looking for more from their scripts.

Vision

• An enhanced ebook layered with rich multimedia content.

• Curated content builds an immersive experience: interactive audio grabs can play in the background while you're reading — helping readers appreciate this masterpiece on a whole new level.

• Detailed analysis offering insights on the themes and motifs explored in the world of Jandamarra.

My Role: Digital Project Manager and Curator

• Curated the digital extension of Steve Hawke's play: on stage, behind the scenes and in production.

• Enriched every reader's connection to the play on stage. I sourced, selected and oversaw production of all content and app design. Managing post-production of all featured audio and video, too. Giving students and teachers access to visceral layers of content. That can't replace live theatre, but encourage connection through shared experience. Fostering deeper comprehension by making readers observers. Sort of. An audience, almost...

• Extended the magic of theatre. What better way to complement theatre studies than by humanising scripts via sound and vision? I sourced, selected and oversaw production of all embedded content. Layering the mix of audio, imagery and video in ways that told their own story but never overshadowed others.

On Stage, BTS & In Production

• The full play script.
• Twenty-eight images from the Windjana Gorge performance of Jandamarra in 2011.
• Video of ten key scenes from that performance, which chart Jandamarra's journey.
• Video interview with Steve Hawke and Phil Thomson, director of the Windjana Gorge performance, discussing the development of the play with journalist Vickie Laurie.
• Extensive teachers’ notes by Rachel Ford.

Beyond Scripts

What's the point of enhancing classic plays for the digital age? It's not as simple as making them available in an easy-to-read format you can access on your phone, tablet, or computer. Currency Press enhanced ebooks are easy to read, but they also come with bonus features like audio recordings from exclusive interviews with the cast and crew. Video, too. Elevating the work off the page so it can be experienced — as much as possible — with the kind of visceral lifeblood that makes live theatre magical...

Credits