Essential stories of life as we know it

AN evening of insight, creativity and connection presented by NORPA and Southern Cross University will take place at the Northern Rivers Conservatorium on November 27.

Essential Stories: Creativity, Community and Collective Identity is a live conversation exploring how art, storytelling and shared experiences shape the human experience and how communities live together.

Bringing together some of the country’s leading creative minds, the panel includes internationally acclaimed playwright Suzie Miller, award-winning theatre director, artist and academic Jeanti St Clair, First Nations theatre director and actor Fred Copperwaite and theatre director and NORPA artistic director Julian Louis.

Louis said Essential Stories was about coming together to listen, reflect and celebrate the stories that defined us.

“Art has a unique ability to help us make sense of the world, and of each other,” he said.

“This event is a chance to reflect on the role of story in an increasingly busy and chaotic life.”

The hour-long session will explore ideas, readings and reflections on the transformative power of storytelling and how creativity can illuminate truth, enrich and strengthen community, and help imagine the future.

Suzie Miller is an internationally acclaimed playwright, screenwriter and novelist, and her breakthrough play Prima Facie won Olivier and Tony awards and has been staged in London, Broadway and across the world.

Jeanti St Clair is NORPA’s inaugural research artist, crafting and sharing stories through text and audio. Her recent projects have focused on the impact of floods on communities in the Northern Rivers, including Lismore Flood Stories and Rescue: Stories and Portraits of Civilian Rescuers from the February 2022 Flood.

Bunuba man from the Kimberley, Fred Copperwaite’s career as an actor, director, dramaturg and acting teacher spans more than 45 years, and he is the founder and former artistic director of Moogahlin Performing Arts, NSW’s leading First Nations performing arts company.

Southern Cross University acting senior deputy vice-chancellor, Professor Renaud Joannes-Boyau, said the work reflected the powerful role creative expression played in helping communities process, recover, and rebuild after a crisis.

“We’re proud to support initiatives that empower local voices and foster deeper connections across the Northern Rivers,” Joannes-Boyau said.

For information and tickets, visit norpa.org.au/events/essential-stories