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I Love You by Janet Diane
Notes from Janet and Director
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About the project

Janet is a young woman with dreams. She loves to dance tango. She loves high heels. She loves to travel. But something happens to her, and in one defining moment, the world as she knows it changes forever. Janet finds herself lying in a hospital bed unable to walk, unable to talk... only able to mutter the words "I Love You".

This is a story of a young woman who defies expectations to pursue her own dreams.

Started in 2008, Powerhouse Youth Theatre (PYT) has been supporting Janet Diane to write her first performance based on her life experiences as a young woman who defies expectation to pursue her own dreams. This is the second stage of the projects creative development. It is envisaged that the project will be fully realised in 2010/2011.

 

About PYT

PYT is the leading youth theatre company in Western Sydney. By engaging with young people from across the region, PYT creates new, innovative and inclusive performing arts opportunities led by collaborative processes and participation.

PYT past projects include Hard Daze, a performance event set in a warehouse addressing working rights for young people with and without disabilities; Forever Ever, a performance about time and friendship by PYT’s 2009 PowerUp ensemble ; Shortcuts Film Festival; Mother Fish, a story about two sisters fleeing Vietnam by boat, written by Khoa Do and City Quest, a site specific game performance throughout the Fairfield CBD.


 

Janet's Notes

It’s important that people focus more on each person’s ability to do things rather than what they have lost through their disability.

The focus too often is tunneled to a person’s past profession or lifestyle and how their disability has affected that.

What I would like people to focus on is that, yes, we have a disability but we are still capable of doing if you put your mind to it, and you can do anything however in a different way. I want to express to the audience, you can do anything with your abilities. For example I have speech dysphasia, however when I learn the lines I can speak fluently.

What I am hoping to achieve is that people with or without a disability can do anything.

Director's Notes

Theatre is about storytelling. This is Janet’s story. Take pause, watch and listen, for hers is one that should be heard.

 


 

Janet Diane

Writer/Devisor/Performer

JANET DIANE is a performer, writer and a qualified bookeeper. She has participated in drama, acting and theatre workshops with PYT, Accessible Arts, NIDA and ATYP. Her performance credits include: Hard Daze (2009 PYT), I Love You (2008 PYT) , a reading as part of the Youth Engagement Showcase at STC; Craving (ATYP) Blackrock (Chullora Tafe), More than Water (Bangarra theatre). Janet has also worked as a facillitators assistant for people with a disability in Unlock Your Creativity. In 2008 she was a member of PYT’s mixed abilities ensemble.
 

Tanya Dickson

Director (2009 Stage Two Creative Development Showing)

TANYA DICKSON directing credits include Gordon Graham’s The Boy’s, (Arts Theatre UNE), C.S Lewis’s Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (NBYT), Ten Minutes in my Shoes (Short & Sweet) and Jonathan Ari Lander’s Measure (Brand Spanking New Festival - New Theatre). This year Tanya has worked as an Assistant Director on Cosi (New Theatre), No Man’s Island (Old Fitzroy Theatre), and Decadence (Tap Gallery), as well as working for Legs on the Wall’s Three Feet First emerging artist program. She is a proud member of MEAA. This is her first production with PYT.
 

Jo-Anna Sawle Meth

Sound & Lighting Designer (2009 Stage Two Creative Development Showing)

JO-ANNA SAWLE METH is thrilled to be a part of the ‘I Love You’ project and has enjoyed the challenge of designing the lights and sound. She will graduate from ACTT in 2010 with a Certificate III in Live Production, Theatre and events. While at ACTT she has gained experience in both lighting and sound operation and has worked on Hamlet Harlos Prodctions (Bondi Pavillion), Decadence (Tap gallery) and helped crew for ACTT’s inaugural IMAGINE FESTIVAL (Cleveland Street Theatre) in October this year.

Credits outside college: Sound design for Measure Brand Spanking New Festival (New Theatre).

Prior to attending ACTT she was heavily involved in Northern Beaches Youth theatre where she worked as a tutor and helped crew and stage manage many of their end of year productions.
 

Felicity Boath

Set & Costume Designer (2009 Stage Two Creative Development Showing)

FELICITY BOATH graduated at Sydney College of the Arts in 2008 with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Fine Arts) from the Sculpture, Performance and Installation studio. She then went on to study Design (For Entertainment and Events) at the Enmore Design Centre. She has exhibited wok in The Silverspoon Gellary, C-Space Gallery, SCA Galleries and The Enmore Design Centre Galleries, as well as working as a set and costime designer on productions including Louis Nowra’s Cosi earlier this year, at the New Theatre, Newtown.
 

Yamila Falcon

Performer/Devisor (2009 Stage Two Creative Development Showing)

YAMILA FALCON is a Tango dancer, teacher, and an ITIL trained Problem Manager. She competed in DanzAmerica interamerican dance competition in Argentina in 2002 reaching 2nd place. Yamila also participated in theatre productions in Sydney, Canberra and Buenos Aires (Argentina). Key performances in: Sudes Tango (Canberra Theatre for Canberra Festival and Angel Place Recital Hall), Tango Soul (Tom Mann Theatre), Tango Show with Gigi D’Angelis (Teatro Broadway, B.A., Argentina), as well as numerous local and overseas dance festivals and competitions. Her most recent involvement was with the Australian Tango Championships as judge for the prestigious Salon and Stage tango categories.

Yamila is currently teaching and working with her life long friend JANET DIANE to help realise her friend’s show ‘I Love You’.
 

Bao Huy Ho

Performer/Devisor (2009 Stage Two Creative Development Showing)

BAO HUY HO is a medical doctor, short-story writer and a dancer who is passionate about the art of the Argentinean Tango and Cuban Salsa. He has been travelling extensively for further development as a dancer. ‘I love you’ is his first performance with the PYT.

 

 

Lina Kastoumis

Writer/Devisor (2008)

LINA KASTOUMIS is a writer/devisor, performer and CCD artist working across theatre, music and digital media. She has an M.A. in Performance Studies (University of Sydney) and has directed and devised solo performances that include Body Anthem, Fish Wife, (1998), She’s a Machine (2000), and ensemble works, Fat/Sex (Carnivale 2003), with work appearing at Wollongong Arts Festival, Greek Festival of Sydney, Melbourne Comedy Festival, and The Dreaming – Indigenous Arts Festival. Lina is also an experienced director and trainer in comedy and improvisation working with youth theatre companies such as Shopfront, Powerhouse Youth Theatre and BYDS.

Craig Anderson

Writer/Devisor (2009)

CRAIG ANDERSON has spent many years in the theatre as a technician, performer and facilitator. He lectured for three years at UWS on ritual, comedy, and Australian Performance. He has created many mixed-media performances at spaces including- Q Theatre, PYT, Pact, TPS and Cockatoo Island. Craig has also extended his work to television as a co-creator of the adventure Comedy Double the Fist (ABC, 16x30), which won the AFI for Best Television Comedy (2004). Craig was also Associate Producer on Review: With Myles Barlow (ABC, 6x30) and is currently in development with ABC for an all female sketch comedy.

 


Credits

This project would not have been possible without the support of Accessible Arts who have funded the Stage Two Creative Development.

Photographer
Jorge Lombardo 

Photographer, Flyer/Programme
Aaron Woo

Lighting Operator
Andy Ko

Volunteer
Shirley Cai

PYT Artistic Director
Claudia Chidiac

PYT General Manager
Eleanor Winkler

Patron
Khoa Do

 

Article in Fairfield Advance
Media Release
Creative Development Showing Announcement