Antipodes Theatre Company
in association with Hayes Theatre Co
present a concert presentation of
RIBBONS IN OUR HAIR
THE NEW ALL-FEMALE PUNK ROCK MUSICAL
By MICHELE GOULD
Thursday September 19th 2024, 7.30pm
Part of Festival of New Work
Hayes Theatre Co, Potts Point NSW
Four girls meet on a hot summer morning, killing time and testing boundaries as they wait for the bus to come. Simultaneously, four women are reflecting on the joys and challenges of their youth. Oh, and they’re all members of a punk rock band.
Sick of stale stereotypes, Ribbons in Our Hair is a fun and fierce existential musical celebrating the resilience of our youth and the things we wish we could tell our younger selves. Brought to life by an entirely female/non-binary POC powerhouse ensemble and a pop-punk soundtrack that’s guaranteed to get stuck in your head, jump on board this exhilarating ride down the highway of friendship.
Featuring a powerhouse ensemble cast that includes Jenny Guigayoma (Imelda), Dindi Huckle-Moran (Australian Made), Ava Madon (Ride the Cyclone) and Marissa Saroca (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812).
This project was previously developed as part of Antipodes Theatre Company's 2021 Winter Lab, (prev. title 107)
Runtime: Approx. 75minutes
Recommended for audiences: 12+, parental discretion is advised.
Warnings: Coarse language and references to sexual abuse, racism and childhood trauma. Contains flashing lights, loud sounds and theatrical haze.
This is a script-in-hand presentation of the show’s current draft, with actors performing at mic stands. All performances of musicals during Hayes’s Festival of New Work are presentations, with no set or costumes, choreography, etc. The writer and/or composer will introduce the work at the start of the event.
Book, Music & Lyrics: MICHELE GOULD (they/she)
Director: NICOLE PINGON (she/they)
Musical Director & Performer ‘Olivia’: MARISSA SAROCA (they/she)
Dramaturg: VARUNA NAICKER (she/her)
Performer ‘Joy’: JENNY GUIGAYOMA (she/her)
Performer ‘Zoe’: DINDIMA VIOLET (she/her)
Performer ‘Charlotte’: AVA MADON (she/her)
Band: MICAELA ELLIS (she/her, Guitar), ISABEL RAKULJIC (she/they, Bass), LIBBY SCOTT (she/her, Drums) & MARISSA SAROCA (they/she, Keys)
Artistic Director & Lead Producer: BRANDON PAPE (he/him)
New Work Manager & Producer: CAMERON STEENS (they/them)
Associate Producer: LAURA CAMPBELL (she/her)
Biographies are available below.
Meet the Team
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Michele Gould
They/She
BOOK, MUSIC & LYRICS
Micheleis a multidisciplinary Thai-Australian storyteller inspired by the diverse heroes of today. Graduating with a Bachelor's in Biomedical Science, she debuted in playwriting with Intersection: Undercurrent and received scholarships for ATYP's National Studio and Fresh Ink mentorship playwriting programs. Michele premiered her first original musical PASSING in 2021 and then staged her new queer punk-rock musical 107 at The Blue Room Theatre in 2022. Beyond the stage, she's an independently published fantasy author, with her debut novel titledTapestries of a Kingdom. When not busy trying to take on the world, you can find her playing Dungeons and Dragons.
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Marisa Saroca
They/She
MUSICAL DIRECTOR, PERFORMER - 'OLIVIA' & KEYS
Marissa Saroca is a singer/musician/actor with an extensive recording, songwriting, coaching, and live performance career. They have released two original albums and was on Team Lea (Salonga) of The Voice of the Philippines. Acting highlights: Ensemble in Ghost and Shrek (Manila), Gabriella in High School Musical (Newcastle Entertainment Centre), Ensemble/Seasons Of Love' soloist/cover for Maureen & Joanne in Rent (Sydney Opera House), The Arbiter in Chess (Civic Theatre Newcastle), and the title character in Lizzie Hayes Theatre, Sydney). Photo by Keane Fletcher.
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Nicole Pingon
She/They
DIRECTOR
Nicole is a multidisciplinary artist, theatre maker, and artist facilitator working across live performance, installation and digital mediums. Nicole directed Little Eggs Collective's Moon Rabbit Rising (Belvoir 25A, winner three Sydney Theatre Awards). Other directing/co-directing highlights include: Blush Opera’s Chop Chef (Riverside), Songs of the Sirens (Bondi Festival), Shopfront Junior Ensemble's Mums Tell Dad Jokes Too. Associate Director: The Smeds and the Smoos (CDP). Assistant Director: Dracula, Into the Shimmering World, Oil (STC), Miss Peony 牡丹小姐, Opening Night (Belvoir). Nicole is a member and collaborator of the Little Eggs Collective and Ninefold Ensemble, and plays in the band Hennessy Rose.
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Varuna Naicker
She/Her
DRAMATURG
Varuna is a writer/director/dramaturge residing on Gadigal land. She is a writer for Sweatshop Literacy Movement and Storycasters, and has a Bachelor of Communications (majoring in Media Arts and Production/Social and Political Science) from the University of Technology, Sydney. Varuna was awarded a Shopfront Arts residency for the Western Sydney Artslab program to develop a new work, Dalo Chips and Imli Chutney, which was shown as part of Sydney Fringe Festival. She is a previous mentee in the ATYP Cultivate Program and is currently completing a residency with PYT to create a new work, Love, Another Drug.
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Brandon Pape
He/Him
ARTIST DIRECTOR & PRODUCER
Brandon is the Founding Artistic Director for Antipodes Theatre Company, where he directed Ghost Quartet (two 2020 Green Room Award Nominations, return seasons in 2021 and upcoming Sydney season in 2025) and co-directed with Trudy Dunn their immersive reimagining of Guys and Dolls (thirteen 2024 Green Room Award nominations). Other Antipodes credits include Sam I Am, And She Would Stand Like This, Passing Strange (five 2023 Green Room Award Nominations), Orlando, and the Winter Lab - an annual development program for new work and bold ideas.
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Cameron Steens
They/Them
NEW WORK MANAGER & PRODUCER
A Naarm based multidisciplinary theatre maker, WAAPA graduate and all-round creative. As Antipodes’ New Work Manager, they've produced numerous developments and networking programs (including Winter Labs 2020 - present, Festival of the Unseen 2023) in addition to the premiere of Orlando, Antipodes' first production originating from the Winter Lab. Other credits include: This is Living (Assoc Director, Gavin Roach), Guys & Dolls (Production Manager, Antipodes), Protein (Assist Director & Sound Design, Autonomous Inventions), MIMMA (dir. Adam Mitchell), JTC’s RENT (dir. Mark Taylor) & BSSTC’s Assassins (dir. Roger Hodgman). www.cameronsteens.com
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Laura Campbell
She/Her
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Laura is a producer, production manager, director and multidisciplinary artist based on Gadigal Land, about to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Theatre Studies at The University Of Sydney. Laura is currently Producing and Assistant Directing Kirsty Saville’s Truly Gone Fishing for the 2024 Sydney Fringe Festival, and served as Associate Producer for Darlinghurst Theatre Company where highlights include producing the 2023/24 national tour of Overflow by Travis Alabanza, Kala Gare’s One Night Only performance, co-producing the sold-out cabaret series Thirsty Thursdays and production assisting the Australian Premiere of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.
Meet the Cast
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Jenny Guigayoma
She/Her
PERFORMER - 'JOY'
Jenny is an emerging artist who is passionate about new works and the future of theatre. Currently in her second year of NIDA's BFA of Acting and a graduate of WAAPA's Diploma of Musical Theatre, she is keenly curious about the dynamic body of entertainment that is the Arts. Drama school credits include such boundary-pushing roles as MacBeth in MacBeth, Vanya in Uncle Vanya, and The Man in the Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone . Her professional credits include Imelda (Blue Room) and Time Capsule (UDS). She is so excited to be back with RIOH for its Sydney premiere at Hayes!
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Dindima Violet
She/Her
PERFORMER - 'ZOE'
Dindi is a proud Wiradjuri and Wongaibon woman, born and bred on Ngunnawal land (Canberra). A triple threat, Dindi has been performing and training from age 11, competing in eisteddfods and festivals across the country. In 2020, Dindi was accepted into Brent Street’s Diploma of Musical Theatre, and came into the public eye as a semi-finalist in the inaugural AOC Initiative. Dindi has performed with The People of Cabaret for Bloom Fest 2020, Darlinghurst Theatre Company, most recently making her Squabbalogic debut in Australian Made. This coming August, Dindi is set to feature in Burrundi Theatre's production Warengesda. Photo by Kate Williams.
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Ava Madon
She/Her
PERFORMER - 'CHARLOTTE'
Ava graduated from Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore. She was recently seen in Ride the Cyclone, The Lucky Country, Merrily We Roll Along (Hayes), I Hate People/Timon of Athens, Venus and Adonis, Macbeth, Othello (Sport for Jove), Titanic: In Concert (The Marrollo Project) and Cinderella in Into the Woods with both Belvoir and Watch This, for which she was nominated for a Green Room Award. Ava is also known for her television work as an actor and presenter for the ABC, including Mikki vs. the World, Definitely Not News, The Packdown, Stacked!, Ava's Kitchen, and Junior Eurovision.
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Marissa Saroca
They/She
PERFORMER - 'OLIVIA'', MUSICAL DIRECTOR & KEYS
Marissa Saroca is a singer/musician/actor with an extensive recording, songwriting, coaching, and live performance career. They have released two original albums and was on Team Lea (Salonga) of The Voice of the Philippines. Acting highlights: Ensemble in Ghost and Shrek (Manila), Gabriella in High School Musical (Newcastle Entertainment Centre), Ensemble/Seasons Of Love' soloist/cover for Maureen & Joanne in Rent (Sydney Opera House), The Arbiter in Chess (Civic Theatre Newcastle), and the title character in Lizzie Hayes Theatre, Sydney). Photo by Keane Fletcher.
Meet the Band
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Micaela Ellis
She/Her
GUITAR
Micaela is a devoted practitioner to performance and general theatre making. 2024 has been a year of developing and expanding her mindset as she has committed to training in Butoh, lucid body, voice and studying Carl Jung's active imagination. She's passionate about art being a communion, a place of connection and witness and continues to centre her career from this foundation. You can see her acting in shorts like Song and Fury or Songbird, hear her voice in a wide range of commercials and audiobooks, and hear her music (under alias Mickijoy) in feature films yet to be aired.
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Isabel Rakuljic
She/They
BASS
Isabel is a musician, educator and artist based in Eora, Sydney. In her final year at Sydney Conservatorium of Music she was awarded the John Cassim Creative Arts Award. As an educator, Isabel's passions lie in working with students of diverse cultural backgrounds and encouraging more young women to pick up instruments like bass, guitar and drums and to explore genres like punk and rock, which are often male-dominated spheres. Isabel is currently working as a key member of the event management team for Loud Women Fest AU, plays bass for ALIYA and is Band Manager/Bassist for Lady Lazarus.
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Marissa Saroca
They/She
KEYS, MUSICAL DIRECTOR & PERFORMER - 'OLIVIA'
Marissa Saroca is a singer/musician/actor with an extensive recording, songwriting, coaching, and live performance career. They have released two original albums and was on Team Lea (Salonga) of The Voice of the Philippines. Acting highlights: Ensemble in Ghost and Shrek (Manila), Gabriella in High School Musical (Newcastle Entertainment Centre), Ensemble/Seasons Of Love' soloist/cover for Maureen & Joanne in Rent (Sydney Opera House), The Arbiter in Chess (Civic Theatre Newcastle), and the title character in Lizzie Hayes Theatre, Sydney). Photo by Keane Fletcher.
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Libby Scott
She/Her
DRUMS
Libby is an accomplished session drummer endorsed by DW Drums. She has played at some of Australia’s most iconic festivals, including Splendour in the Grass, Laneway, Falls Festival, BigSound, Sydney WorldPride, and Groovin the Moo and studied under legendary drummers Shawn Pelton (SNL), Carter McLean, Camille Gainer, and Matt Vander Ende. Libby’s diverse career includes performances with ARIA-nominated KLP, PEPTALK at the FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup, and a national tour with bella amor supporting Lime Cordiale. As one-third of the band Pink Matter, she recently released their debut mixtape album GLOSS and performed as winners of the Future Fresh Smirnoff competition supporting Genesis Owusu.
Venue Information:
Hayes Theatre Co
19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point NSW 2011
A limited number of accessible seats are available in the front row of the theatre (A13-A15). These, as well as Companion seats, can be purchased over the phone with our box office team.
Please contact the Hayes Theatre box office on (02) 8065 7337 if you have any questions regarding our accessibility and to make your booking now.