Lansy Feng is back with a brand new script exploring love, loss, family and community. Join Wit Incorporated this November for a development playread concert of ‘Dear Mama, there’s something maybe I should tell you…’
aka 親愛的媽媽, 有些事我可能應該要跟你說...
When Li-Ting escapes from Taiwan to arrive in Melbourne, she’s expecting to find love, career, and maybe a new beginning.
She stumbles into so much more.
Dear Mama follows Li-Ting and her eclectic crew of misfit mates on a messy and hilarious journey to find new community, new stories, new lingo, and a whole new love of beer.
It's a wild ride complete with a big sharehouse full of friendship, gossip, jilted lovers, VB, BBQs, Britney Spears and more.
Join us to find out what it is Li-Ting is hiding from her Mama…
Dear Mama is a work of theatre with regular musical interludes, including original songs.
Told in English, with some moments of Mandarin and French language.
This is a development playread concert, with full production coming next year!
Play by Lansy Feng
Directed by Ellen O’Connor
Produced by Wit Incorporated
With support from Maribyrnong Arts and Culture
Duration: approximately 120 minutes
(with interval)
Contains adult themes and occasional coarse language. For audiences aged 15+.
11 - 23 November 2021
Showings at Bluestone Church Arts Space on 11 and 12 November, 7.30-10pm
Streaming online 23 November, 7-9.30pm
(with captions in English)
Bookings essential.
Both live shows and online stream are free or pay as you can, but any donations to support our 2022 season will be gratefully received.
CAST
Lansy Feng as Li-Ting | Aimee Marich as Alex | Anthony Pontonio as Charles |
James Lau as Sam | Madeleine Magee Carr as Ash | Michael Chan as Fiancé/Thief |
Sasha Leong as Frankie | Sonia Marcon - as Jordan
Production Manager El Boydell | Designer and Technical Manager Nathan Santamaria
The Artists
El Boydell is an arts manager and creative producer with a passion for interdisciplinary live and performance art driven by an engaged audience. She has produced work with Wit Incorporated, Women’s Circus, Emerging Writers’ Festival, Boutique Theatre, Memetica and more, alongside work in the creative industries, higher education and family violence sectors. She’s great at organising teams and loves bringing creative visions to life. El is a training and performance member with Women’s Circus, specialising in partner acro, and since 2020 has also been a member of the Board.
El joined Wit Incorporated in 2019.
I’m Michael Chan, 38 years old and living in Geelong. In 2016 I joined Back-to-Back Theatre through Writing & Acting for Film & TV Project as an Artist in Residence and then made my theatrical debut in the GSODA’s production of Chess: The Musical in 2016. In June 2019 I was appointed as a guest artist with the Ensemble to act as an understudy before landed a leading role for the work The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes. I've been recognised through ABC’s TV ‘The Mix’ where interviewed about the show and my Member Profile appeared on the Arts Access Australia (AAA) website whilst applied for Travel Grant to attend 2019 Meeting Place held in Canberra. Last year I undertook an My Story project through the City of Greater Geelong. With exemplary achievements for all success in the field of area and/or interest I've been an recipient of the 2020 Geelong Awards for People with a Disability, under the Achievement category. Early this year I performed La Mama’s production of Breeders, where I played multiple roles within the ensemble such as shadow ministers and doctors who cared for a mother who give birth to a child who diagnosed with autism. Recently, my writing piece has appeared on the Writing Place '21 magazine as part of the Arts Access Australia's Meeting Place 2021 conference.
Lansy Feng is a Taiwanese-Australian actor, singer, writer, and theatre-maker based in Melbourne. A Green Room Award nominee for Leading Role in Independant Musical Thetare (Hidden Tunes by Small Ripple Theatre), she trained at the National Theatre Drama School and the Howard Fine Acting Studio. Alongside numerous theatre and screen credits, Lansy creates multilingual works that celebrate cultural identity, including her acclaimed solo cabaret How I Met My Dead Husband and the original play Dear Mama, There’s Something Maybe I Should Tell You. She is thrilled to present the bold and provocative Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again with this wonderful team.
James is a Chinese-Australian Actor & Creative born in Hong Kong and raised in Melbourne, Australia. James is a Graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) and completed a BFA in Acting & Theatre Practice in 2017. He has since appeared on stage and on screen professionally, with TV credits including supporting roles on 'Glitch' (ABC/Netflix) as Wey Yun in 2019 and 'New Gold Mountain' (SBS) as Ah Chua - Opium Seller in 2021. Most recently in 2022 James worked with Wit Inc. on stage and played Sam in ‘Dear Mama..." (Wit Incorporated), followed up by playing the lead character and role of Ken in ‘Ken’s Quest’ (La Mama Theatre).
Sasha Leong is a Malaysian Chinese actor, represented by Who Artists. Sasha has worked on-screen and theatre/live performance for more than nine years. Since moving to Melbourne, she has trained with the faculty at Howard Fine Acting Studios, Katherine Beck, The Rehearsal Room, and The Australian Film and Television Academy (TAFTA).
Sasha worked on independent shorts Match Point (2021), Rocks (2021), Burger with the Lot (2014) and the award-winning, Full Disclosure (2017). She was also an ensemble member in Ghost and The Interview for Snatches 2020. Past productions in Malaysia include Trick or Treat: A Halloween Musical (2014), The Betrayal (shortlisted as a Finalist) in the Short & Sweet Theatre Festival 2012, Kleting Kuning and the Giant Crab (2012) playing both roles of Nyai Rondo and Yuyu Kangkang the Giant Crab, Chow Kit Road: The Musical (2013), ‘Showdown: The Movie’(2016), and infomercial ‘Bisikan Hati’ (2011).
In addition to acting, Sasha is a strong advocate for diverse representation and inclusion in the creative industries. She is excited to work with Wit Incorporated, a theatre company which shares similar values in creating accessible theatre for and by the community. Previous projects and collaborations available at www.sashaleong.com.
Sonia Marcon has always had an obsession for performing. She grew up in Perth and after realising her love for the stage from a young age she began her formal training with a four-year Theatre & Drama degree from Murdoch University. During this time, she was heavily involved in the Perth theatre scene as an actor, singer and dancer. She knew this was her calling when she found she could walk through the city and get recognised by strangers who had seen her in various productions including Beatrice in Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”; a Spanish-dancing Death in Lorca’s “Bodas de Sangre (Blood Wedding”); Kate in Pinter’s “Old Times” and Eponine in “Les Misérables”.
Sonia was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis four years into her performing life but that did not slow her down. From then she starred as Julie in the Australian comedy “Cosi”, the monologue-heavy role of Chorus in Shakespeare’s “Henry V” plus leading roles in the Guild Equity Trust Award-nominated original thriller “Serpentine” and the Guild Equity Trust Award-winning original drama “Cry Havoc”. She didn’t even let her relocation from Perth to Melbourne get in the way of her performing career. In fact, this move was a highlight regarding her love of inclusive theatre where difference could be embraced with open arms.
Since the move Sonia feels that her obsession for performance has hit an all-time high. She starred as Sicinius in Heartstring’s acclaimed all-female production of Shakespeare’s “Coriolanus”, the hugely successful production of The Regina Monologues by 24 Carrot Productions as well as original theatre shows for La Mama and Owl & Cat Theatre. She has performed at the Malthouse Theatre, the Melba Spiegeltent and ACMI (Australian Centre of the Moving Image) and enjoyed performing in the Melbourne Fringe Festival, the ButohOUT Festival, Midsummer Festival and AustenCon. Her experience also spans to film, television and radio plays. On the latter, she provided voiceover for an animation produced by MS Australia that was viewed by more than 500,000 people in over thirty countries. Sonia is a proud performer with disability and is excited about where her years of experience and professional training will take her.
Aimee Marich is originally from outside Washington DC and has been living in Melbourne for about 3 years. She studied acting and dance at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Some acting credits include: Mr. Marmalade, Edison (Edinburgh Fringe), Ophelia Thinks Harder (Wit Inc), The Grant, and The Party Bus. Aimee also works as a Romana’s Pilates instructor in Hawthorne. She is thrilled to be back on stage with Wit Incorporated.
Ellen O’Connor is an independent artist with a multidisciplinary practice incorporating writing, directing, producing and acting. Within their practice they are interested in carving out space for artists to make work that is essential to them, and for audiences to have access to fresh, new theatre. Throughout their career they have predominantly worked with new writing including comedy, drama and musicals. Ellen has a BA in English and Cultural Studies from the University of Western Australia, and studied the Meisner technique under Scott Williams with Impulse Company London. Credits: as director: Softly, Softly (Quiet Roar, 2021), When God Met Satan (Perth International Comedy Festival, 2013), Pity (Fringeworld, 2013). As writer: Burning Woman (R&D, 2018), Fire (WA Youth Theatre Company, 2013), Soho Young Writers’ Programme (Soho Theatre, 2014). As actor: Flooded (earth, Lyric Hammersmith 2017), phroot sahlad (Lyric Evolution, Lyric Hammersmith, 2017), Who Cares (Royal Court, 2015).
Anthony is a 23 year old performer who has trained in performance (acting and singing) for nearly a decade, and has had professional dance training for over 4 years. He has over 200 on stage performances under his belt and has been in productions of shows such as ‘Les Misérables’, ‘Wicked’, ‘Cats’, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and more. He has trained with with many teachers and coaches for voice, acting and dance including Michael Cormick, Cara Dinley, David Butler, Jacqui Green, Andrew Strano, James Simpson and more. He has also worked with Myles Tankle training in movement and stage combat. Anthony is a passionate Story Teller and is currently exploring many areas of the arts. From composing and writing original music, some of his work being featured in the indie game ‘Cotton Stuffed Nightmares’, to performing in live theatre. He is also in the process of creating and writing a novel. « I believe that music and art and our stories can help us to heal the world. We can connect with each other on such a deep level with art and I look forward to stepping into that role and responsibility. To sharing my passion, love and my light with the world and to having fun along the way.
Nathan Santamaria is an audio engineer, production manager and sound designer, working across many genres of music and live performance. His involvement with music has seen him work with some of the best musicians and artists in Melbourne as well as international artists. In 2019, Nathan worked with Live Nation Touring on the Red Hot Chili Peppers tour in Melbourne, supported by George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic. Nathan’s theatre credits include Technical Operator for Das Rheingold (Melbourne Opera), Production Manager and Sound Designer for The Boy, George (One Eyed Man Productions), Sound Operator for Extinction (Sarah Tierney Productions), Technical Manager for the premier production of Swim Between The Flags (VCA Theatre), Sound Designer for On The Town (VCA Music Theatre), Sound Designer and Composer for F###ING A (VCA Theatre), Sound Design Consultant for POST: A New Musical (Something Blue Productions) and Technical Supervisor for Delilah (Left of Centre Theatre Company). Nathan worked with award-winning sound designer and composer Kelly Ryall as an intern on the productions of A View From The Bridge (Melbourne Theatre Company), You Animal, You (Force Majeure) and SIMULCAST (Chunky Move). In 2016, Nathan started his own technical production company, SAVi Studios, and in 2019 he graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production).
- Posted in Main Stage Season, Australian Theatre
- Tagged women in theatre, Bluestone Church Arts Space, 2021
Madeleine graduated in 2018 with a dip. in Musical Theatre from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She joined Wit Incorporated in 2020, running their Wit Kids drama program and as a company member. With Wit, she has previously played Meg in ‘Every Second’ (dir. Emma Drysdale, 2021), Hen in ‘Bleached’ by Laura Collins (dir. Ruby Rees, 2023) and Rdeca in ‘First Love is the Revolution’ by Rita Kalnejais (dir. Emma Drysdale, 2024). She was awarded best actress at Canberra Short Film Festival (2021) for her performance as Jacquie in multi award winning ‘This River’ (dir. Naomi Fryer) which can be streamed on ABC iview. She can currently be seen on the festival circuit in ‘Hold Still’ by Emily Dynes, which won ‘Best Short Film’ at MQFF.