Support Needed To Launch Play About Cowra

IMAGE: The creative for Cowra local Lusi Austin’s play about Cowra, ‘Intertwined’..

Cowra local Lusi Austin is reaching out to local businesses for financial support to get her very own play, ‘Intertwined’, off the ground and on the stage.

Intertwined is a play Ms Austin has written, exploring the intersection of three different people’s lives who all have one thing in common: Cowra.

The play combines both Cowra’s culture and history, and portrays the town’s significance in these areas.

The play tells the story of three characters: Teen Girl, Australian Solider and Aboriginal Man.

“They are each a conglomeration of stories from lots of different people,” Ms Austin said.

“I was given special permission by Professor Peter Read to use some of the oral histories that he recorded with Erambie community members in 1979. He has since read the script and given me his written endorsement which has been really exciting.”

“I wanted to tell the stories of the Cowra Breakout, in particular, the aftermath of the Breakout in a new way. My play uses first-hand accounts, musical interludes and visual displays.”

To make her Cowra-based play a reality, Ms Austin is seeking sponsorship from the local business community to raise the $10,000 needed to get it on stage, which she is doing via the website ‘Kickstarter’.

“The idea of the Kickstarter is that the community invests in the play and we both get something if I reach the project’s target in pledges,” she said.

“So there are rewards for businesses and individuals if they partner with me but they only get those if we reach the goal by the assigned date. We currently have 40 more days (6th May) to reach the target!” Ms Austin will be presenting her concept to the Cowra M & D Society at their next meeting.

It will be performed at the Cowra Civic Centre to anchor the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the Cowra POW Breakout.

“I have letters of support also from the Office of the Mayor and from the Cowra Breakout Association. The funds raised will go towards hiring of the space, paying cast and crew as well as costume acquisition and prop hire/creation. My goal is to put on as professional a show as possible,” Ms Austin said.

To donate visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/interwinedtheplay/intertwined-1 For more about the play visit www.lusiaustin.com.