"There's something happening across Western Sydney"

On 23 April, Powerhouse Youth Theatre premieres Hard Daze with the Mixed Abilities Ensemble.

Hard Daze looks at the exploitation and inequitable conditions faced by young people with and without disabilities in the workplace. It explores mundanity and mechanization, romance and revolution. Against a gritty, industrial, urban design by Kate Shanahan, the mixed-ability ensemble exposes the private underbelly of the modern workplace.  Hard Daze is accompanied by ominous sound scapes, designed by Peter Condello, that are punctuated by revolutionary pop track interruptions. Hard Daze takes place in an urban warehouse space in Clyde, Western Sydney.

Hard Daze represents the culmination of six months of work for the mixed abilities ensemble, who began performance training 12 months ago. Director Craig Anderson describes his experience with the show.

“My relationship with the group began last year when I was astounded by the performance training show. My excitement in directing this show is only matched by my disappointment that I can’t be on stage.”

Producer and Powerhouse Youth Theatre Artistic Director Claudia Chidiac has been researching the material for the show over eighteen months.

“Equitable working rights and access to employment is a huge issue for youth, whether they’re living with disabilities or not,” says Chidiac. “Here in Western Sydney, youth unemployment is almost 30%. Against that background, there are an overwhelming number of experiences that have gone unnoticed, and individual experiences of exploitation and hardship are washed over and silenced. Hard Daze is about young people, with and without disabilities, breaking that silence.”

When: Opens 23 April 2009, 7.30pm / 24 April: 11am and 7.30pm / 25 April: 2pm and 7.30pm.

Where: 2 Factory St, Clyde NSW

Cost: Tickets are $10/15, with carers receiving free entry. Bookings through www.moshtix.com.au

Access: Accessible venue & toilets.