Bernadette Fam – Creative Futures
March 30, 2020
We spoke to Bernadette Fam who was involved in our Creative Futures program on our production of Lady Tabouli. earlier in the year. Bernadette was assistant director to director, Dino Dimitriadis.
Tell us about your Creative Futures experience?
My experience with Creative Futures was invaluable. Being able to observe and collaborate on a professional production from start to finish through directorial eyes was an experience that not only did I learn a lot from, but also had a blast doing. (Life is pretty great when you turn up to a rehearsal room with all the Lebanese sweets and treats waiting for you). This experience working as Assistant Director, under the guidance of Dino, has solidified for me that pursuing a path as a director is one that is in my future. I also can’t complain about the fact that the Lady Tabouli family is one I know I will have for a long time.
What was it like working with Dino?
Dino was wonderful to work under. Not only does he display a deep care and empathy for all the artists in a room, but also his profound ability to intricately tie the design elements of a performance into the storytelling from the get go is one I aspire to work towards. And don’t get me started on our shared love for hoop earrings and baklava…
Why is Creative Futures an important program?
The Creative Futures program is essential as it provides emerging Western Sydney artists with an opportunity to experience the inner workings of a professional rehearsal room and production first hand. It allowed me to work on a professional production in a capacity that I had always been interested in but never had an opportunity to try out prior – which is rare but so so valuable in the active upskilling of emerging artists. It is through Creative Futures that I have also been able to build a network and support system of emerging, mid-career and established artists who I know I can always turn to for guidance as I navigate my way through my artistic career.
What do you have coming up next?
Coming up next I will be directing a kickass youth artist project for Q Theatre’s St Marys Kid.
Bernadette is an interdisciplinary theatre maker, writer, director, and creative producer from Western Sydney. As a director she has worked as assistant director to Dino Dimitriadis on Lady Tabouli (National Theatre of Parramatta and Sydney Festival) and is currently directing the Youth Artist Project for Q Theatre’s St Marys Kid. As a writer and theatremaker, Bernadette is passionate about exploring the intricacies of identity, belonging and cultural connection in Australia’s current socio-economic landscape. Bernadette’s recent credits include: Mother (Commission for the Annual Youth Theatre Festival – Q Theatre), Fight or Flight (Intersection: Beat – ATYP) and tutaj/ هناك) here/there) (BATCH Festival 2020/Green Door Theatre Company). Bernadette was also awarded the 2019 Create NSW Young Creative Leaders Fellowship where she developed and created Middle Where?: An exploration of Arabic-Australian life in Western Sydney. Bernadette is currently the 2020 Artist in Residence at PYT, Fairfield and the Associate Creative Producer of Green Door Theatre Company.
Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta is committed to capacity building in Western Sydney and has launched a Creative Futures Program for creatives, production and back stage opportunities. The scheme provides on the job learning and networking opportunities, enabling each participant to advance their careers within their nominated field.