Longhouse: Authenticity

In this Longhouse, we’re interrogating the elusive A-word: Authenticity.

Join us in Parramatta on Thursday 26 September for a robust and engaging artist led discussion, that asks – what does authenticity really mean?

Artists often grapple with authenticity— in our personal lives and in our creative work, Authenticity is closely tied to our connection to community, self-knowledge, customs, language, and cultural understandings, not to mention our sense of self-worth!

Inspired by National Theatre of Parramatta’s upcoming production of Dipika Guha’s Yoga Play — a razor sharp comedy that skewers the Western search for peace and authenticity— we reflect on how these themes resonate with us as Asian Australian artists.

How do we stay true to ourselves in a sector desperate to fulfill its own agenda? Is the search for our stories a sordid search for an “authentic Asian” experience? And what do they really want when they ask you to tick the CaLD box?

This panel discussion, will be with director Mina Morita, Executive and Creative Producer Joanne Kee, and Director/Producer Bali Padda, facilitated by Contemporary Asian Australian Performance Artistic Director, Tessa Leong, followed by time to chat and mingle with food and drinks. In some traditional societies, the Longhouse is the meeting place where the village gathers to share stories and bond as a community. CAAP’s Longhouse Program combines talks, performances, masterclasses and workshops. All artists and arts workers interested in exploring Asian Australian themes through contemporary performance are welcome to attend.

Presented by Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta and Contemporary Asian Australian Performance.

Thursday 26 September 6.30pm
Riverside Theatres, Parramatta
Tickets: $15

NTofP is supported by City of Parramatta and  the NSW Government through Create NSW.
CAAP is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW, and assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.

Mina Morita

Mina Morita (she/her) is the Leader of Artistic Curation & Strategy at Crowded Fire Theater Company. A celebrated new plays director, her work includes: English (Berkeley Rep); Vietgone (The Guthrie); Today is My Birthday (Yale Rep); Crazy Wisdom (Berkeley Rep); The Chinese Lady (Magic Theatre); Sisters Matsumoto (Centre Rep) On Grace (Anna Deavere Smith); Both Your Houses (ACT’s MFA Program); Crowded Fire; Shotgun Players; Campo Santo; Ferocious Lotus; Just Theatre; Playwrights Foundation; Playwrights Centre; and Bay Area Children’s Theatre. OTHER Artistic Associate at Berkeley Repertory Theatre and its centre for the creation and development of new work, The Ground Floor; Board President of Shotgun Players; Interim Executive Director of Bay Area Children’s Theatre; Community Arts Panellist for Zellerbach Family Foundation; Guest Artist at UC Berkeley & Stanford University; and Playwriting Australia AWARDS YBCA100; FrontOffice Foundation’s Inaugural Mid-Career Director’s Award; Theater Bay Area Best Director; Theatre Bay Area’s Bay Area Impact; Beinecke Fellowship; Bret C. Harte Fellowship; and Lincoln Centre Director’s Lab. In 2015, Mina was honoured to share her story on TEDx, and in 2016, she was chosen as one of the YBCA100, for “asking questions and making provocations that will shape the future of culture.”

Joanne Kee

Joanne Kee (she/her) is responsible for the artistic and strategic pathway of the National Theatre of Parramatta. She was co-Artistic Director and founder of the Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival, Artistic Director at Sydney Improvised Music Association, General Manager of The Song Company, Business Manager of Programming Sydney Opera House, ran a national contemporary music touring project, Sound Travellers, set up creative development and performances residencies for artists and has also worked at the Arts Council of England and Carnivale, multicultural arts festival. As a producer she has toured internationally award winning work. She is on the Create NSW Theatre board and has been on the board of Music Australia, Sydney Fringe Festival, Glebe Chamber of Commerce and was Chair of Ausdance NSW and chair of the working group that set up Critical Path.

Tessa Leong

Tessa Leong (she/her) is the Artistic Director of Contemporary Asian Australian Performance. She is a theatre director, dramaturg and collaborator who has worked extensively across theatre, performance, dance theatre, live art and socially engaged projects. Her love of new work has led to collaborations with artists and companies across Australia, Europe and North America. She was Griffin Theatre Company’s inaugural Associate Artistic Director from 2020 until 2022 and is a founding member of Adelaide-based theatre company isthisyours?.

She most recently worked with Rainbow Chan on The Bridal Lament for the Liveworks and Oz Asia festivals and will remount Merlynn Tong’s Golden Blood for Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company in their 2024 seasons.

Bali Padda

Bali Padda (he/him) is a director, producer, actor, and development executive. Directing credits include iconic queer Bollywood drag theatre shows In the Space Between (Mardi Gras 2011) and Sunderella (Mardi Gras 2017). Performing credits include London shows Festa! (Young Vic UK) and STOMP’s Lost & Found Orchestra (Royal Festival Hall UK), and Sydney shows Jatinga (KXT & Bakehouse Theatre), Singled Out (Seymour Centre), The Lunch Hour (Siren Theatre Co & Darlinghurst Theatre). On screen include Over & Out, Rake, Top of the Lake: China Girl, Doctor Doctor, Legally Brown and more. Producing credits include Sunderella, Lighten Up (Griffin Theatre Co), Hats Off! Sydney, and In the Space Between. Bali was recently Industry Development Executive at Screen Australia and consults the screen and arts industries on creative projects, industry and business strategy, diversity equity and inclusion, and talent/artist development. He was born and raised on Darug Land and currently lives on Gadigal Land.