MTC's 2015 NEON Festival of Independent Theatre Begins 14 May

MTC Artistic Director Brett Sheehy announced today the highly anticipated program of MTC's 2015 NEON Festival of Independent Theatre.

From 14 May to 25 July this year, MKA: Theatre of New Writing, The Zoey Louise Moonbeam Dawson Shakespeare Company, Dirty Pretty Theatre, Dee & Cornelius and Elbow Room will commandeer the Lawler at Southbank Theatre

to each present a work of their choice for a ten-day season; Rawcus will take up the inaugural NEON Residency as the company embarks on the creative development of its next full-scale work; The Last Tuesday Society will host a special NEON

closing night event; and theatre makers and theatre lovers will come together for a broad range of workshops, readings, masterclasses and conversations as part of NEON EXTRA.

Brett Sheehy said, 'NEON is about supporting and celebrating the brilliant work of Melbourne's independent theatre artists. Across eleven weeks this year we will be treated to five more extraordinary works, special events and an extensive program of activities to enrich the Festival experience.'

MTC Producer Martina Murray said, 'Seeing new work from the exceptionally talented independent artists of Melbourne never ceases to amaze and excite me. It is thrilling to see Southbank Theatre come alive with the energy of independent

theatre and we're delighted to be yet again expanding the NEON program to offer more to the theatre making and theatre loving community.'

MKA: Theatre of New Writing open NEON 2015 with a riotous tirade, smashing together two new Australian plays in their world premiere MKA's Double Feature promising a night of edification and enjoyment. MKA's Double Feature comprises Lucky by Tobias Manderson-Galvin and Lord Willing and The Creek Don't Rise by Morgan Rose.

Feminist theatre maker and playwright Zoey Dawson explores one wild woman with two wildly different stories in the part musical, part western and part biography, Calamity.

Dirty Pretty Theatre presents The Lonely Wolf (or an incomplete guide for the unadvanced soul), an anarchic dancetheatre work about madness and love inspired by Herman Hesse's novel Steppenwolf and the writings of American philosopher and psychoanalyst James Hillman.

Long-time collaborators Susie Dee and Patricia Cornelius present SHIT, a new play about women and girls who defy gender demarcations and transgress the boundaries and restraints of social order and expectation.

And the final NEON production sees Elbow Room turn gender anxiety on its head in We Get It, a witty and playful evening that promises to ask only one serious question: have there ever been women in theatre?

During the last week of the Festival, Rawcus take up residency in the Lawler with its ensemble, artistic director and associate artists, plus specialists provided by MTC. While in residence Rawcus will begin the development process of its next major work and host a free masterclass for theatre makers and two open rehearsals as part of the 2015 NEON EXTRA program.

The Last Tuesday Society celebrate the closing night of NEON with Pimp My Play, a special event on Saturday 25 July that will take a beloved work from the canon and explode preconceptions of how it should be performed.

Across three Monday nights during the Festival, NEON Readings presents three brand new plays from some of Melbourne's most interesting new voices. Audiences will be treated to the first public readings of Yes Way, We Made Australia Home by Rani Pramesti, Ria Soemardjo and Shivanjani Lal, The Day I Left Home by Rashma N. Kalsie and Kids by Sean McIntyre.

Running throughout the eleven-week Festival, NEON EXTRA offers a varied and rich program of learning opportunities and chances to engage with fellow theatre makers and professionals working in the industry. NEON EXTRA encompasses the NEON CONVERSATIONS series providing in-depth discussions about the five NEON productions; the Rawcus masterclass and open rehearsals; and the Insights for Independents series of workshops and masterclasses.

'MTC is passionate about strengthening our ties with the independent theatre landscape and the artists that make it tick,' Mr Sheehy said. 'As we continue to seek ways to support and showcase their work we're excited to see NEON evolve in coming years. The previous two NEON Festivals have brought audiences works of great integrity and variety, and the discussion that ensued has been inspiring. I have no doubt NEON 2015 is going to do the same.'