CROSSING THE DIVIDE
Arts Market
Information
In this play we meet Liam (played by Benjin Maza), a scholarship student from the Torres Strait, on his high school History excursion - a trek across the Great Dividing Range, learning about the 1813 expedition by Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson.
As the trek guide draws attention to events left out of the history books, tensions mount when Liam's friend Max refuses to see how European settlement created anything but a pathway to progress for a newly forming nation.
Tempers flare around the camp fire and Liam becomes lost - in time and place - as he's suddenly staring down the barrel of a shotgun held by an equally startled and confused Gregory Blaxland.
A cast of three performers depict 13 characters in this fast-paced story featuring original live music, rifts in the space-time continuum, and some of history's hard truths. This play, with humour and heart asks audiences "Can we find a path to a more unified Australia? When and how will we cross the divide?"
Company
Shock Therapy Arts
Company / Artist Bio
Shock Therapy Arts (STA) create 'Transformative Arts Experiences' across a diverse range of genres: New Australian text-based plays, dance and physical theatre, large scale spectacle/site-specific/immersive placemaking experiences, issue-based youth theatre & children's theatre.
Founded by Sam Foster and Hayden Jones, STA is a Not for Profit Social Enterprise based on the Gold Coast (Yugambeh Language Region) celebrating its 10 year anniversary in 2025. Our work has been commissioned/programed in festivals such as BLEACH, SYDNEY FESTIVAL, SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS, and the COMMONWEALTH GAMES FESTIVAL 2018. Our education program travels from Cairns to the Blue Mountains annually. Four of our 13 original production texts have been published, and we have 18 productions currently in repertoire.
We collaborate with others, driven by our 'EPIC' values to Engage, Provoke, Inspire, and Connect, creating arts experiences that have positive social, economic, environmental and cultural impact. STA is proudly supported by the City of Gold Coast, with project and touring support from Arts Queensland.
Location
QLD
Audience
Adults - General
Venue suitability
Black boxProscenium archSpiegeltent / temporary venue
Reviews
"Love the work you do!! Challenging, entertaining and engaging!"
"Fantastic show. As a History teacher, I can see direct links with year 9 and 11 curriculum, specifically."
"Sincerity abounds. 5 stars"
Trailer
Duration
60 minutes no interval
Touring Party
4 (3 performers + 1 tour technician)
Previous Seasons
2024:
Far North Queensland education tour.
South East Queensland education tour.
2025:
Gold Coast (HOTA)
Logan (Kingston Butter Factory).
Gympie (Perseverance Street Theatre)
Ipswich (Ipswich Civic Centre)
NSW education tour presented by Riverside Theatre Parramatta.
Estimated Remount Cost
$5 - 10k
Weekly Sell-Off Fee
$10 - 15k
Royalty %
14% (comprised of 10% writers, 2% composer, 1% lighting design, 1% First Nations restoration fund)
Availability
20262027
Instagram
@shocktherapyarts
Facebook
@shockthearpyarts
Contact Name
Shari Indriani Irwin
Contact Phone
0414646224
Contact Email
shari@shocktherapyarts.com
Technical Specifications
Community Engagement Pack
Additional Documentation
Program information
Presentation date
Tuesday 12 August 2025
Presentation type
Pitch