Cebuano-Australian theatre artist Roman Berry produces the Australian Premiere of the One Act Opera entitled Before Breakfast. It will be showcased at the Sydney Fringe Festival on the 7th, 9th and 10th of September 2022 at the 107 Redfern – Performance Space.
Before Breakfast is based on Eugene O’Neill’s play of the same title, which has the haunting and intimate score by Thomas Pasatiere (American Beauty). Set in the 20’s and 30’s, the story revolves around the character of Charlotte whose emotional struggles are exposed while comically reminiscing her romantic past and unfulfilled dreams and aspirations.
Berry has collaborated with the three-time Green Room nominee and Opera Australia regular Soprano Jane Ede, Pianist and Vocal Coach Kate Johnson, Disability Arts Advocate Dan Graham and Stage Manager Pearl Junor. The 40-minute production is a part of the Sydney Fringe Festival for the inaugural Limitless, a micro-festival celebrating Deaf and Artists with Disability. A brief post-performance Q & A portion on access and opera with the artists and leading Disability Arts guests will follow suit.
“It’s the first time that a festival dedicated to access and artists with disability is being curated. I’m all for it. There might be a lot of Filipino Australian Artists with disability out there just needing to see real representation. Our director Dan Graham is neuro diverse and a disability advocate,” Berry explained.
All performances offer wheelchair access. The 9th of September will be Auslan signed, and the 10th of September will be sensory friendly. Before Breakfast is proudly funded by Create NSW and supported by Divergent Theatre Collective, Opera Australia, 107 Projects Redfern, Australian Chamber Orchestra and R & M Parkin.
“Before Breakfast deals with many complex issues and storylines but funny. I encourage our kababayans to appreciate opera and have fun with us.”, Berry added.
Performances will be as follows:
- 7 September, Wednesday 6.30 pm – 7.30 pm
- 9 September, Friday 6.30 pm – 7.30 pm
- 10 September, Saturday 8.30 pm – 9.30 pm
For bookings, please go to this link.
About Roman Berry
Roman Berry is a highly-trained and well-travelled artist who is currently the Artistic Director for Divergent Theatre Collective. He migrated to Ceduna, South Australia in the early ’80s with his entire family. His parents were both educators, and he trained at Flinders University Drama Centre (Acting) and Centre for Performing Arts (Dance). Berry formed his dance company called The Murat Bay Dancers at the age of 18. The Ceduna community acknowledged his works as its Young Australian of the Year in 1986. Berry was a cast member of the original Australian production of Miss Saigon as well Harry Miller’s Off Broadway production of Pageant. He served as the Artistic Director for the Opening and Closing Ceremony of the 2nd Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo. He also created, facilitated and conceptualised the Body and Mind, Wellness Workshops of The Voice of Domestic Workers in UK.
After ten years in London, he recently returned to Melbourne as a Director/ Movement Director on Off West End and Fringe theatre productions with companies like Get Over It Productions, The Bread & Roses Theatre, Goldsmiths University, The Hope Theatre, The Jack Studio Theatre, Arrows & Traps Theatre Company, etc. Also, he worked as an Associate Artist at The Bread & Roses Theatre, London, and later became its Production and Marketing Manager. Berry directed Lorna Wells’ sold-out season of It Tastes Like Home, The Musical (London). Whilst back in Melbourne, he directed Jamila Main’s Butterfly Kicks for the 2019 Queer Quickies Festival at Theatreworks, creatively advised Narre Warren South P12 College in its 2019 production of Hairspray The Musical, workshopped a development reading of DTC’s Illegals The Game Show at Multicultural Arts Victoria and directed Electric Dreams The Musical by Drew Lane, produced by Music Theatre Melbourne. Before Breakfast is Berry’s maiden production.
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