About the show
This bold new adaptation of The Red Shoes reimagines the classic tale through a contemporary, queer lens.
After losing his mother, an orphaned boy is taken in by a wealthy widow who offers him shelter, fine clothes, and a striking pair of red shoes from a local shoemaker. The shoes awaken something within him, becoming a powerful symbol of his true self and his unspoken desire.
When he dances in the red shoes, the boy discovers freedom, passion and love, sharing a tender moment with a young soldier that changes everything. But in a town ruled by fear and tradition, his joy is met with judgement. Rejected by the church and shunned by the community, he is forced to choose between conformity and authenticity.
Defiant and determined, the boy steps into his future, dancing toward a life shaped by courage, identity and self-expression.
Jason Forrest
Jason Forrest has spent 30 years working as a performing artist and educator across a variety of sectors internationally, interstate and locally. Prior to completing a Bachelor of Educational Theatre and a Graduate Diploma in Education in Adelaide, Jason was a member of touring acapella choir Before You Were Blonde and featured in several theatre productions including Caryl Churchill’s Cloud 9. During this time, Jason also worked as a freelance dancer, touring shows locally and interstate.
As an experienced Drama and Media Studies teacher and educational leader, Jason has worked with primary and secondary school students in Adelaide, Melbourne, Japan, China, and United Kingdom to develop their expressive skills as performers and cultivate their aesthetic as emerging artists in film and theatre.
Jason has directed and produced numerous theatrical productions and events with young people and their respective communities for a wide range of purposes. Most recently, Jason completed his Graduate Certificate in Journalism and has continued to explore his interest in media studies through the completion of various radio, film and podcasting courses.
Jason’s long and storied career in the Arts is testament to his creative drive, versatility and commitment to all aspects of theatre and filmmaking.
– Jason Forrest
TBA
The Company
CAST (in order of appearance)
Lydia: Jennifer Roache
Storyteller B: Rashie Kase
Storyteller C: Giani Fenech
Based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen
Poems written by Anna Maria Murphy
Adapted by Emma Rice
Music by Stu Barker
Director: Jason Forrest
Costume Designer: Brooke Bostock
Set & Props: Ed John
Lighting Designer: Lila Browning
Sound Designer: Shevon McCormack-Edwards
Stage Manager: Jay Cairns
Costume Supervisor: Jackson Lorrigan
Key
*Guest Artist
** NIDA Staff