Between Worlds - A New Australian Musical

Between Worlds is a powerful musical drama reimagining the cultural collision of first contact between navigator James Cook and the Hawaiians in 1779. The musical explores Cook's openness to Polynesian culture and his single-minded ambition to go ‘farther than it is possible for man to go’ in the quest for immortality.

Director Jason Langley writes -

“I was attracted to this new Australian work with strong female characters, a culturally diverse cast, a little-known story of the death of James Cook, an unexpected folk/rock score with Indigenous Hawaiian influences and a moral tale about the cost of overweening ambition… Between Worlds promises to be visually imaginative, emotionally and musically engaging and it has fantastic theatrical possibilities.”

DONATE

We welcome your support for the first public performance of Between Worlds on July 15 and 16 at Australian Theatre for Young People.
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Between worlds is excited to be approved by the Australian Cultural Fund, a​ Commonwealth Government initiative to support new works such as ours. All donations are tax deductable. We thank you for any assistance.
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With your donation, you take part in the creation of art. You help build a new work of cultural heritage illustrating the power of open-hearted understanding and love to transcend forces that divide world peoples.
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We seek support towards fees for our culturally diverse actors.

To offer a donation, please click the link below:

www.australianculturalfund.org.au/projects/between-worlds-a-new-australian-musical/

CREATIVES

Gareth Hudson - Composer
Composer Gareth Hudson (Newcastle Conservatorium, 2004) and librettist Nick Higginbotham (Cross-cultural Psychology, Hawai’i, 1979) have enjoyed a long creative partnership, writing three musicals and award winning songs for Indigenous artists Buddy Knox and Auriel Andrew. They co-wrote Auriel’s signature tune ‘Ghost Gums/Chumvale Run’ performed on her 2016 Buried Country National Tour.

Nick Higginbotham - Libretto
Nick and Gareth's 2006 rock opera Shining Isle premiered at Newcastle’s Civic Playhouse, winning an ABC music award. Gareth received a 2007 Arts Council SPARK award to initiate composing Between Worlds and won a 2009 City of Newcastle Drama Award performing with Jon English in his musical Buskers & Angels.

Jason Langley - Director
Renowned theatre makers Jason Langley (director) and Michael Tyack (musical director) have for decades created Australia’s top professional productions. Jason has made an immeasurable contribution to the performing arts broadly, his outstanding reputation for pursuing high-calibre, truthful work is second to none, as noted by the Green Room Award for Direction (Loving Repeating).

Michael Tyack - Musical Director
Michael brings to the project over 40 years as Sydney’s foremost musical director for shows running in Australia’s premiere theatres. His artistic achievements were recognized in Helpmann and Green Room Awards for the musical direction of the Disney/Cameron Mackintosh production of Mary Poppins. “We’ve attracted top Sydney artists to work with us in developing Between Worlds. Their enthusiasm and desire to stay on the journey to bring this project to fruition indicates its real promise as a bold, unique and exciting new musical.”

Kahi Wight - Hawaiian Cultural Adviser
Kahikāhealani Wight, Hawaiian Cultural and Language Advisor for Between Worlds, is a Native Hawaiian with over 30 years of experience researching and teaching Hawaiian language, literature and Oral Traditions within the University of Hawaii system. Kahi has worked with a number of Hawaiian songwriters and professional performers who use Hawaiian language and cultural traditions in their art. She has offered her cultural expertise to Between Worlds since it was first imagined in 2006.

CAST

Workshop Performance July 15-16, 2017
Australian Theatre For Young People, Sydney

Blake Erickson - Commander James Cook
Pippa Grandison - Elizabeth Cook
Phillip Lowe - Admiral Smith
Stephen Mahy - Master William Bligh
Maxwell Simon - Lt. King
Chloe Zuel - Princess Mahealani
​David Hooley - Watman
​Imraan Daniels - Isaac Jr.
Riley Sutton - Lt. Williamson
Nana Matapule - Tupaia/Keli'ikea
​Nicholas Starte - King Kalani'op'u
Marissa Saroca - Queen Kanakapolei
​Kuki Tipoki - Koa'a
​Julian Kuo - Mano
​Brendan Xavier - Prince Keoua
Kayla-Maree Spiteri - Ensemble
Matilda Moran - Ensemble