First Love is the Revolution

Rita Kalnejais

15 - 17 March 2024

Directed by Michelle McAleer

This is a play about hunger and desire. It’s Romeo and Juliet pushed to deranged extremes, where the unlikely sweethearts are a 14-year-old boy and a young fox with brutal birthrights.

Rdeca’s whole family have fleas. Her mum is pushing her into making her first kill, a snivelling mole, before she’s ready.

Basti is being bullied at school by kids who call him a shrimp. His dad is too busy flirting with the neighbour to be of any real help.

Beneath the light of a full moon, Basti captures Rdeca, and so begins a starcross’d romance between hunter and prey.

BASTI

Rohan Gamble (he/him)
RDECA

Bella Remington (she/her)
SIMON, THOREAU & ROVIS

Zachery Bladwell (he/him)
GUSTINA, GEMMA & SMULAN

Hannah Cotton (she/they)
COCHINEAL & QUENTIN

Jane O’Sullivan (she/her)
GREGOR MOLE & BAILEY CHICKEN

Emmi Robinson (they/them)

MEET THE DIRECTOR

MICHELLE MCALEER

Michelle first tried her hand at directing with My Fair Lady for the Earle Page College Musical Society at the University of New England. Since then, she has worked in various roles in theatre, including technical director at Camp Wah-Nee in Connecticut, stagehand and production assistant at the Sydney Opera House, and performer in a number of stage shows – most recently Things I Know To Be True and The Almighty Sometimes for Bladwell Productions.

Michelle attended NIDA’s Directors and Writers Studio. As a teacher at Mulwaree High School she directed Bye Bye Birdie, The Children’s Hour, and Little Shop of Horrors. Michelle will co-direct Trinity Catholic College’s upcoming production of Mamma Mia! in May 2024.