An hour of wild storytelling and music that reveals our true selves, ignites hilarity and wonder and inspires. Told in surprising spaces, Amplify weaves music and stories together in an intimate experience. In celebration of International Womens Day, the tour took in the regional NSW towns of Dubbo and Wagga Wagga on Wiradjuri Country and Goulburn on the shared country of 13 First Nations groups.
THE STORIES
Special Performance, by Kalina Davis: Whoa slow down, not yet. Before you go out there, there’s some things you need to know first.
What Was That? by Cheryl Penrith: Mum’s searching around in my garage and comes in with an old canvas, and asks me can I paint on this?
My Sister’s Shopping Experience, by Lorraine Cormack: Having queued up, patiently and socially distancing, as I neared the entrance to the supermarket a shop worker clipped a spring hook onto the belt loop of my jeans.
Royal Prisoner, by Kalina Davis: Who’s there? Oh honestly Bernard, I haven’t even reached the great hall yet! Have you been waiting on me?
Control, by Kalina Davis: Hi baby! You’re back, I missed you! You’re home late, where have you been?
Beryl Athalia Kennedy, by Victoria Kennedy: You left in fine company mum, escorted to the VIP room with Sydney Poitier also passing through, and to attend the birthday party of David Bowie and your beloved Elvis.
A Kaftan and Safari Suit, by Jocelyn Freeman: Are you telling me I should wear a kaftan?
Knickers in a Knot, by Val Clark: It’s hard to imagine unless you’ve lived in a family of five kids.
A Good Yarn, by Charle Malcyon: We like a good yarn in this country. One that weaves and wends through future, through past, through here, through now. Careful though – insight can get outside, turn us upside-down.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Voices of Women Artistic Director
Lliane Clarke: Lliane is a writer, editor, publisher, director, producer and communications professional. She created and has directed Voices of Women since 2018 and has directed two films, CLEARWAY and Entanglement. She is a senior journalist and published author with over 25 years in publishing and communications in the arts and community sector industry in both London and Sydney.
Voices of Women Composer in Residence
Elizabeth Jigalin: Elizabeth has created music for a variety of contexts in collaboration with festivals, ensembles, technologists, artists across disciplines and community groups. he has held several composer in residence positions for programs including Sydney Youth Orchestras (2014), Bundanon Trust (2019), Campbelltown Arts Centre (2020) and Voices of Women (2020-). Select commissioners of her work include Lost in Books, Gaudeamus Muziekweek, Moorambilla Voices, Kaldor Public Arts Projects and Ensemble Offspring. She is the founder and director of creative music collective The Music Box Project. In 2020, TMBP was awarded the APRA AMCOS Art Music Award for Excellence in Experimental Music.
Amplify Artists in Residence
Kalina Davis, Artist in Residence Dubbo, writer and performer
Kalina Davis is an emerging actor, singer and writer, who particularly enjoys writing short form works. Kalina’s interest in acting began at a young age, participating in school plays and musicals. A highlight was playing Little Inez in a high school production of “Hairspray” in the Orange Civic Theatre. Recently she has performed in an episode of a webs series, Mancala, for a Canadian producer and the short film 5 Days (to be released). She is also a featured vocalist on Whisperhead’s Paranoia and appears in the music video, as well as the short film 5 Days. Kalina has always enjoyed story telling, and has recently started publishing some of her work on Vocal. She hopes to develop her practices as a writer and performer as part of collaborative creative projects. https://vocal.media/authors/kalina-davis
Cheryl Penrith, Artist in Residence, Wagga Wagga, writer and performer
I am a connector, an influencer, I am spiritual,
I am a fashionista,
I wear many hats in my community, family is everything to me.
Cheryl Penrith is a Wiradjuri woman, who also has cultural connection to the Yuin and Wotjoboluk nations, and currently lives in Wagga Wagga. Cheryl comes from a large, proud, strong Koori family. She is the Mother of one and Ninny of five beautiful grandchildren. Cheryl is an Aboriginal business owner, a connector, a mentor and a coach. She has worked in the government, private and tertiary education spaces and has many areas of expertise to draw on. Her passion is the revival and re-invigoration of cultural practices such as-weaving, language, possum skin cloak making, and women’s cultural business.
Cheryl’s other passion is fashion and is well known nationwide and internationally as a fashionista through her blog. She has also just started a personal style business for “stylin’ up your physical, but also stylin’ up your spirit”. Cheryl wants to influence how First Nations people feel about themselves and deal with everyday life with dignity, pride and hope for an uncertain future.
Jocelyn Freeman, Artist in Residence Wagga Wagga, writer
Jocelyn Freeman is a writer based in Junee and member of the Booranga Writers Centre. She has spent much of her working life employed as a journalist and teacher, writing for publications both nationally and internationally, such as The Sydney Morning Herald and the Praque Post, Czech Republic, as well as teaching in Australian secondary schools. Jocelyn has been published for several years in Booranga Writer Centre’s annual anthology, 4W.
Amplify Writers
Val Clark: Val is the Dubbo-based President of the The Outback Writers’ Centre, committed to building a vibrant writing culture in the Orana Region. She is an award-winning story teller and visual artist. She’s addicted to reading, particularly YA, and writes across genres and ages. She loves teaching creative writing, chatting with fellow writers, and helping them achieve their dreams. She holds teaching qualifications in Fine Arts, a Masters in Creative writing, and is a self-confessed writing workshop junkie. She lives in rural NSW and, next to writing, she loves to travel.
Victoria Kennedy: Victoria is a proud member of the Wongaibon clan of south-west NSW, an actor and health professional. As an actor, she is known for Redfern Now (2012) and Bony (1992). She performed in a theatre production at the Weimar Kunst Festival Germany, and in Close to the Bone at Q Theatre. She is currently a Board member of Mooghalin Performing Arts, and continues to work within the arts community. Victoria is a Committee Member of Voices of Women Incorporated.
Charle Malcyon: Charle is an emerging Australian writer and critic. Her work has been published in Overland. She is currently co-editing the 35th Anniversary edition of the UTS Writer’s Anthology, which celebrates forty years of emerging Australian talent. Her work Sun in My Bones was performed in Entanglement.
Amplify Ensemble
Georgie Saunders: Georgie is an emerging Dubbo-based performer. She completed her HSC at St Johns College Dubbo and performs at Studio 138 Not A Dress Rehearsal
Di Bird: Di is a proud Gomeroi woman who is a singer/performer, grandmother and storyteller.
Victoria Kennedy: Victoria is a proud member of the Wongaibon clan of south-west NSW, an actor and health professional. As an actor, she is known for Redfern Now (2012) and Bony (1992). She performed in a theatre production at the Weimar Kunst Festival Germany, and in Close to the Bone at Q Theatre. She is currently a Board member of Mooghalin Performing Arts, and continues to work within the arts community. Victoria is a Committee Member of Voices of Women Incorporated.
