Girls in Boys’ Cars

Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta presents
GIRLS IN BOYS’ CARS
World Premiere
by Felicity Castagna
Adapted and Directed by Priscilla Jackman

Two friends, an accidental road trip, and a whole lot of trouble.

Asheeka and Rosa are two funny, sharp, adventurous young women who refuse to be held back any longer.

When they end up on a Thelma and Louise-esque road trip in Western Sydney, a series of escalating events land Rosa in juvenile jail living her life through books and wondering about her best mate, who has disappeared.

Based on Western Sydney author Felicity Castagna’s award-winning novel.

“Priscilla Jackman has stayed true to Felicity Castagna’s characters and the Parramatta that she writes about so clearly and lovingly.  Rosa and Asheeka show how places like Parramatta are full of thousands of “complicated and contradictory stories” that are rich and exhilarating. Jackman and her creative cast and crew show how theatre can bring those complications and contradictions to the stage in a “pulsating and contemporary Australian work”. – Stage Whispers

The diverse casting of the play is a tribute to the vision of the creative team and National Theatre of Parramatta, which continues to cast in a way that reflects the community of Parramatta on stage and in the creative teams. – Artshub

Jackman has Suz Mawer, Ella Prince and Alex Stamell sharing some 20 other roles, and performing with an emphasis on physicality and such devices as unison line delivery. There’s an intensity in this ensemble work… – Sydney Morning Herald

GENERAL PUBLIC PERFORMANCES
Thursday 19 October 2023 at 8pm – Preview
Friday 20 October 2023 at 8pm – Preview
Saturday 21 October 2023 at 8pm – Opening Night 

Wednesday 25 October 2023 at 8pm
Thursday 26 October 2023 at 8pm PANEL DISCUSSION WITH FELICITY CASTAGNA AND MELINA MARCHETTA moderated by Joanne Kee more info
Friday 27 October 2023 at 8pm YOUTH EVENT curated by Olivia Xegas  more info
Saturday 28 October 2023 at 2:30pm
Saturday 28 October 2023 at 8pm

Wednesday 1 November 2023 at 7pm
Friday 3 November 2023 at 8pm

SCHOOL PERFORMANCES

Wednesday 1 November 2023 at 11am + Q&A
Wednesday 1 November 2023 at 7pm

Contains coarse language, violence, sexual themes & themes of domestic violence (not depicted) Please contact our box office for more information.

Writer Felicity Castagna
Director & Adapter Priscilla Jackman

Starring Ziggy Resnick, Nikita Waldron, Suz Mawer, Ella Prince, Alex Stamell
Associate Director Lucy Clements

Production Designer Melanie Liertz
Sound Designer Zac Saric
Lighting Designer Morgan Moroney
Multimedia Designer Mark Bolotin
Multimedia Programmer Daniel Herten
Dramaturg Brittanie Shipway
Production Associate Hannah Crane
Stage Manager Jaime Petersen
Fight Choreographer Tim Dashwood
Intimacy Coordinator Bayley Turner

Join Girls in Boys’ Cars author Felicity Castagna as she teams up with local writers for workshops in Storytelling and Scriptwriting.

WORKSHOP 1 – TUESDAY 31 OCTOBER 1:30PM

IN CONVERSATION – THURSDAY 26 OCTOBER from 6pm 

Join us on Thursday 26th October 6pm for a very special in conversation event with Felicity Castagna (Girls in Boys’ Cars) and Melina Marchetta (Looking for Alibrandi) at Riverside Theatres. This exciting panel will be moderated by NTofP’s Joanne Kee.

The panel discussion will explore the many lives of writers – stage, page and screen.
Your ticket to the Thursday 26 Oct GIBC performance will gain you access to this exclusive NTofP event.
BOOKINGS

Felicity Castagna has published four novels for adults and young adults including her most recent book, Girls In Boys’ Cars which received The Victorian and Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards and was a CBCA Honour book. Her previous novel, No More Boats was a finalist in the 2018 Miles Franklin Literary Award. Her novel The Incredible Here and Now received The Prime Minister’s Award for Young Adult Literature. She has worked with artists in many different fields to produce cross-artform collaborations, theatre and installation for major festivals.

Melina Marchetta is a bestselling author and script writer, published in more than twenty countries and eighteen languages. Her much-loved Australian classic, Looking for Alibrandi, swept the pool of literary awards when it was published in 1992, and was released as a 2000 film, adapted by Marchetta, winning an AFI Award amongst other awards.  In 2009 she won the prestigious Michael L. Printz Award from the American Library Association for Jellicoe Road. Her fantasy series, The Lumatere Chronicles, was highly acclaimed and award-winning, and her novel The Piper’s Son was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Award.

YOUTH EVENT – FRIDAY 27 OCTOBER from 6pm
curated by Olivia Xegas

Join us for a night of interactive fun celebrating art, music, and food from right here in Western Sydney and the rural towns featured in Girls in Boys’ Cars. The night will include live music from local R&B artist Charnel Rizk, a photo booth inspired by Asheeka and Rosa’s road trip, the opportunity to share your own road trip stories with an interactive Graffiti wall, and artworks showcased by community artists from the towns visited in the play. Goodie bags will also be given out to the first arrivals to our event, so be sure to make it in time for those!

The event has free entry and starts at 6pm, at the Riverside Theatres’ Courtyard. See you there!
Join us after the event for the performance of Girls in Boys’ Cars – access $25 tickets if you are 25 and under.
BOOKINGS