Following a critically acclaimed premiere at Griffin Theatre Company in 2022, Palawa playwright Dylan Van Den Berg's Whitefella Yella Tree returns to Sydney for an encore season at Sydney Theatre Company's Wharf 1 Theatre from September 19.
Pertame and Tiwi actor Joseph Althouse (The Visitors) will be joined by Barrd, Noongar, Yamatji, Bunuba and Ngadju actor Danny Howard, in his Sydney Theatre Company debut.
Sydney Theatre Company is thrilled to bring this "subtle, clever and straight to the heart" (ArtsHub) story to the Wharf 1 stage, with Griffin artistic director, Declan Greene and Wiradjuri and Worimi theatremaker Amy Sole at the helm.
A budding love story set on the edge of a world about to change, Whitefella Yella Treefollows two young Aboriginal men from neighboring clans, Ty (Althouse) and Ned (Howard), who meet under the branches of a lemon tree.
As their bond deepens, the world around them begins to shift under the shadow of colonisation.
Whitefella Yella Tree marks the inaugural Sydney Theatre Company production of a work by Van Den Berg. A former member of STC's Emerging Writers Group, Van Den Berg is fast establishing himself as one of Australia's most compelling new voices, with accolades including the Griffin Award, the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award, the David Williamson Prize and two NSW Premier's Literary Awards.
Discussing the upcoming season of Whitefella Yella Tree, Dylan said he is looking forward to introducing audience members to the productions new cast.
"I never dreamed two lovestruck boys under a lemon tree would have such long legs! I'm over the moon to see Whitefella Yella Tree return to the stage, once again under the sharp and generous direction of Amy Sole and Declan Greene," he said.
"And I'm equally excited for audiences to meet our dreamy new cast, Joseph Althouse and Danny Howard, who bring heart, heat and cheek to these boys. This story means a great deal to me, and I'm so proud to see it take root again at Sydney Theatre Company."
Whitefella Yella Tree plays at Sydney Theatre Company's Wharf 1 Theatre from the 19th of September.
Following the Sydney season, Whitefella Yella Tree will tour to La Boite Theatre from 23rd October – 8th of November and University of Melbourne Arts and Culture from 13th – 15th of November.
For more fashion, arts, culture and lifestyle news subscribe for free to the Style Up newsletter.