Joseph Simons instinctively understands timing, the
real surprise, and the right humour - he is a kind of magician!” Anna
Volksland
100 Years of the
History of Dance
as told by one man in 60 minutes
with an Energetic Group
Finale
8pm SAT 14 SEPT 2019
one only performance
tix $29.50 | $25 conc | $20 child
Written and Performed
by Joseph Simons
Following up from his
hit solo show “First Things First” which toured Australia in 2015, dance and
comic maverick Joseph Simons returns with his next solo adventure exploring the
last century of developments in dance.
This one-man play
follows Jacob: a schoolboy challenged with presenting a school report on the
history of dance. Exploring the lives of influential choreographers including
Martha Graham, Merce
Cunningham, Bob Fosse, Rudolf Nureyev, Pina Bausch, Lloyd Newson, Gene
Kelly and Paula Abdul, Jacob
not only talks about them, but demonstrates their signature styles at the same
time!
Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop,
Modern and Contemporary dance are all addressed, as Jacob questions the
difference between ‘influence’ and ‘plagiarism’, and begins to question his own
legacy. Original music for the
show is composed by Italian film score composer Enrico Melozzi.
“Nicholas
Clark Management Pty Ltd is supported
by the Queensland Government through Arts
Queensland”
Produced by Joseph Simons and NCM
Commissioned by R. Martin Chavez
Development supported by Queensland Theatre and Mad Dance House
'This project has been assisted by the Australian
Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and
advisory body.'
Original music composed by Italian film score composer Enrico Melozzi
Biographies...
Joseph Simons
Since graduating Western Australian
Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in 2008, Joseph Simons has become one of
Australia’s busiest performers, and innovative young creators.
Touring extensively throughout USA,
UK, Asia and Australia, Joseph has worked for major dance companies including
Chunky Move (Connected, I Like This), Lucy Guerin Inc. (Structure and
Sadness, Untrained) and West Australian Ballet (soloist: Dolly, Suite
No. 2). He has also been in development casts for Force Majeure, Australian
Dance Theatre and DV8 Physical Theatre, London.
Joseph has choreographed for the West
Australian Ballet (Man Alive, Self Destruct), and developed Storm
for the Flying Fruit Fly Circus. He choreographed the opening of the Foundation
for Young Australians Unleashed Awards, and the 2012 McDonald’s Challenge
Ballet Scholarship finals (both at Sydney Opera House) and was choreographer
for Footlight Production’s Miss Saigon.
After winning the 2013 Tanja Liedtke
Fellowship (awarded to one Australian choreographer every two years) Joseph
travelled to Berlin to create his one-man-show First Things First, which
premiered in New York in 2014 and toured Australia in 2015.
Joseph was assistant director and
choreographer for Reception: The Musical, which received two Green Room
nominations before winning Best Cabaret in the 2014 Melbourne Fringe, and is
now studied by VCE Drama students. He was also assistant director for Gaybies,
presented by Brisbane Powerhouse.
He was involved in developments of
Lingua Franca’s Right Behind You and Play/Fight, and has
co-directed several productions for Dubbo Ballet Studio, including Fame,
Suessical and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
In recent years, he has directed
music videos for bands including Elisha Bones (Guts) and The Hounds
Homebound (Sandy). He also directed and choreographed STRING, a
short film which was a finalist in the International “Dance &” Film
Competition.
In musical theatre, Joseph has
performed in Cats, Spamalot (Harvest Rain) and the Australian premiere
of Nice Work If You Can Get It (The Production Company). He played
Malcolm in the world premiere of Collette F. Keen’s The Death of Kings,
touring Australia in 2014. Joseph was also featured in Victorian Opera’s Julius
Ceasar – choreographed by Steven Heathcote, Jack Production’s El Amour
Brujo and the title role in West Australian Ballet’s Pinocchio.
Joseph is probably best known
internationally for his work as a model, particularly for his collaboration
with renowned illustrator David Kawena in a series in New York’s Grand Central
Station, and for fashion designer Toni Maticevski’s 2016 Resort collection.
Emma Canalese
Emma Canalese is a graduate of The
Western Australian Academy of the Performing Arts and The Neighborhood
Playhouse, NY. Selected directorial and choreographic work include Einstein
and Mileva (World Premier at Theatre Row, NY), Hollywood,
Hollywood (Midtown International Theatre Festival, nominated for Best
Direction and Best Choreography), Yellowpants (SOLOCOM at The
Pit, NY), America (Downtown Urban Theatre Festival, winner of
Best Audience Award), The Tempest: Remixed (Teatro Heckscher, NY), A
Sense of Purpose On Sunday’s(IO Myers Theatre at UNSW, Aust) and Par
amnesia (Seymour Centre with One Extra Dance, Aust).
As a performer she has worked both as
an actor and dancer with many companies including Acme Physical Theatre,
Taiwan, Rogue Shakespeare Company @ Edinburgh Fringe Festival, UK and The
Godlight Theatre Company, NY. She is founder and co-artistic director of
Crosshatch Theatre Company based in New York City.
Emma has taught acting, dance, and
movement for actors at various institutions both in Australia and the USA
including The Neighborhood Playhouse, Talent Unlimited High School and
Stagecoach Theatre School, Brooklyn. She was involved in the extra curricular
drama classes at Norman Thomas High School through the Grand Street Program
aimed at bringing the arts to disadvantaged youth throughout New York City.
Enrico
Melozzi is an Italian composer, conductor,
cellist and discographic producer.
He is known for his extraordinary
capacity to adapt and feel totally at ease in contrasting music worlds; he has
in fact worked with some of the greatest living classical musicians as well as
pop singers, and he is regularly commissioned to write symphonic operas, film
music, ballets and theatre productions.
He founded his own independent record
label "Cinik" in 2007, and has since produced over 30 cds.
Enrico's bubbly personality has led
him to create some of the most unique ensembles in Europe, such as the
"100cellos" which he founded with Giovanni Sollima, and the
"Orchestra Notturna Clandestina" which gathers musicians together at
night time in an unoccupied theatre in Rome, where they rehearse and prepare
for professional concerts in exciting venues.
