★★★★ “An engrossing piece, directed with nuance.” The Sydney Morning Herald.
★★★★½ “A flawless ensemble of acting and writing.” ArtsHub.

Performed by an exceptional ensemble cast including Georgie Parker, writer Rebecca Gilman tackles the thorny issues head-on in this gripping drama exploring what it takes to protect a child — and whether it’s possible for someone to be completely healed from past trauma.

Overview

AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

When experienced social worker Caroline Cox is assigned to navigate the case of a neglected child, the question of who is best suited to look after baby Luna seems to have a simple answer. Her troubled 19-year-old parents appear incapable of even taking care of themselves, while her grandmother wants to raise her with the support of her church.

But will Caroline’s personal and professional history cloud her judgement? As she tangles herself in complex family dynamics, will she risk her career for the sake of a child?

Writer Rebecca Gilman tackles the thorny issues head-on in this gripping drama exploring what it takes to protect a child — and whether it’s possible for someone to be completely healed from past trauma. Performed by an exceptional ensemble cast including Georgie Parker (BAREFOOT IN THE PARK), LUNA GALE will have you on the edge of your seat.

LUNA GALE contains descriptions of past child sexual abuse that may be distressing to some audience members. Please contact Box Office for more information. If you or somebody you know needs support, 1800RESPECT or Lifeline can help.

Ticket Prices
2024 SINGLE TICKETSPREVIEWSIN SEASON
FULL PRICE$83$88
SENIOR CARD$80$85
PENSIONER$76$81
GROUP 10 - 19$76$81
GROUP 20+$71$76
30 OR UNDER$40$43
FULL-TIME STUDENT$40$43
MEAA/AWG$40$43
SCHOOL GROUPS$25$25
Reviews

★★★★ "An engrossing piece, directed with nuance by Susanna Dowling, about flawed people facing imperfect choices with life-long consequences for society's vulnerable children." The Sydney Morning Herald

★★★★½ "With a flawless ensemble of acting and writing... the force of this production is in its compassion, moral complexity and its exhortation to withhold judgement." ArtsHub

"Georgie Parker is absolutely heart-wrenching... a satisfying and captivating piece of theatre" Time Out Sydney

"Luna Gale is an exceptional production of a good play. The actors are captivating in their different ways; Georgie Parker is first among equals, and it’s a night to remember. Thoroughly recommended." Stage Noise

"Both emotional and thought-provoking, Gilman’s play is wonderfully engrossing, and thoroughly satisfying... Susanna Dowling’s persuasive direction ensures that we are wholly invested in Caroline’s ordeal, keeping us riveted and entertained for the entire duration of this thrilling production." Suzy Goes See

"A stimulating and thought-provoking play with a wonderful cast. Definitely worth seeing." Sydney Arts Guide

Cast & Creatives
Rebecca Gilman

Rebecca Gilman

Playwright

Rebecca Gilman’s plays include BOY GETS GIRL, SPINNING INTO BUTTER, BLUE SURGE, THE GLORY OF LIVING, THE SWEETEST SWING IN BASEBALL, THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER, DOLLHOUSE and THE CROWD YOU’RE IN WITH.

Among her many awards have been a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award, the Harper Lee Award, the Scott McPherson Award, the Prince Prize for Commissioning New Work, the Roger L. Stevens Award, the Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright, and the George Devine Award. BOY GETS GIRL received an Olivier nomination for Best New Play and she was a finalist for the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for The Glory of Living. She received her MFA in playwriting from the University of Iowa and is an associate professor of playwriting and screenwriting at Northwestern University. She is an Artistic Associate at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago, where LUNA GALE received its world premiere in 2014.

Susanna Dowling

Susanna Dowling

Director

Recent productions: Darlinghurst Theatre Company: HYSTERIA by Terry Johnson. Ensemble: TRIBES by Nina Raine. CDP Productions: SNUGGLEPOT & CUDDLEPIE (adapted by Monkey Baa). NIDA: TOP GIRLS by Caryl Churchill. Illuminate Educate: NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH by Lally Katz. Sport for Jove: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. City of Sydney: THE HUNGRY GHOST created with Mei Tsering. Bell Shakespeare Company: Resident Director 2014, INTIMATE LETTERS (AD), TARTUFFE (AD), HENRY V (AD). Sydney Theatre Company: THE LONG WAY HOME by Daniel Keene (Assistant/Tour Director), IN A HEART BEAT created with Jo Turner, Education Resident Artist 2012. Griffin Independent: GIRL IN TAN BOOTS, by Tahli Corin. Belvoir: SUMMER OF THE  SEVENTEENTH DOLL by Ray Lawler (Assistant Director), THE KISS by Anton Chekhov, Kate Chopin, Peter Goldsworthy and Guy de Maupassant, YELLOW MOON by David Greig. Graduate of Trinity College, Dublin (BA), UNSW (MA) and NIDA (Grad Dip in Directing).

Michelle Doake

Michelle Doake

Cast - Cindy

Since graduating from NIDA Michelle has worked extensively as an actor, singer and voice over artist.

She is well known on the Australian stage with theatre credits including ARCADIA, DEAD WHITE MALES, THE WHARF REVIEW, THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISSOCIA and AFTER DINNER for Sydney Theatre Company; A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC for Melbourne Theatre Company and IMG; THE WINTER’S TALE (1997 & 2014), A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, MEASURE FOR MEASURE, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, MACBETH and ROMEO AND JULIET for the Bell Shakespeare Company; JAPES, BIRTHRIGHTS, WARNING: EXPLICIT MATERIAL, CAMP, CRUISE CONTROL and ABSENT FRIENDS for Ensemble Theatre; Nine productions for Marian Street Theatre including MRS WARREN’S PROFESSION, SEPARATION, TALKING HEADS AND CRIMES OF THE HEART; STORIES FROM SUBURBAN ROAD and THE CORPORAL’S WIFE for Perth Theatre Company; MACK AND MABEL at the State Theatre and FALLING FROM GRACE for Playbox. Other productions include THE VENETIAN TWINS, ELEGIES, THE VILLAIN OF FLOWERS, FOLLIES IN CONCERT, LOUNGE ROOM CULTURE, THE KING OF LAUGHTER and AFTER DINNER for the Edinburgh Festival, THE ONE DAY OF THE YEAR, THE CAT LADY OF BEXLEY and SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE BABIES PROMS: MEETING MOZART for CDP and UAE and China tour, the Australian musical THE HATPIN for White Box/Neil Gooding Productions and THE HANSARD MONOLOGUES for the Seymour Centre.

Lucy Heffernan

Lucy Heffernan

Cast - Karlie

Lucy Heffernan trained at the University of Wollongong, graduating with a Bachelor of Performance. Her theatre credits include: SINGLE ASIAN FEMALE (Belvoir St/ La Boite Theatre Company), 4.48 PSYCHOSIS (Workhorse Theatre Company/ Redline Productions), BLACKROCK (White Box Theatre), ENCOUNTER (Woodcourt Art Theatre), the premiere production of MINUSONESISTER (Stories Like These/ Griffin Independent), A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, THE CRUCIBLE AND THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (Sport for Jove), AS I LAY DREAMING (Shopfront Theatre), THE REMOVALISTS (Rock Surfers Theatre Company), and MACHINE (Old 505). Her television credits include: DEADLY WOMEN and DOCTOR DOCTOR. Lucy is thrilled to be making her Ensemble Theatre debut playing the role of Karlie.

Georgie Parker

Georgie Parker

Cast - Caroline

With two gold Logies and five silver Logies to her name, Georgie Parker is one of Australia’s leading and most celebrated actors.

Her television credits include, A COUNTRY PRACTICE, GP, ALL SAINTS, THE SOCIETY MURDERS, STEP FATHER OF THE BRIDE, EMERALD FALLS, SCORCHED AND CITY HOMICIDE.

She appeared alongside Susan Sarandon in the international feature film IRRESISTABLE and was the voice of Mrs Poulmer in the animated feature film SANTA’S APPRENTICE.

Georgie’s musical theatre credits include THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER: ARENA SPECTACULAR, HIGH SOCIETY, CRAZY FOR YOU and THE THREEPENNY OPERA. Her theatre credits include SCENES FROM A SEPARATION, CHAPTER TWO, RABBIT HOLE, LET THE SUNSHINE, RHINESTONE REX AND MISS MONICA and RAPTURE BLISTER BURN.

Georgie returned to series television in 2010 when she joined the cast of Network Seven’s HOME AND AWAY.

Scott Sheridan

Scott Sheridan

Cast - Cliff

Scott Sheridan’s stage credits include Barking Gecko’s IN A DARK DARK WOOD; Griffin Theatre’s THE WITCHES; RUPERT for Melbourne Theatre Company; Critical Stages STONES IN HIS POCKET; THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, ARCADIA, WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM for Black Swan State Theatre Company; MACBETH, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, THE TEMPEST, CYRANO DE BERGERAC, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, LOVE’S LABOURS LOST, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, OTHELLO, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, for Sport for Jove Theatre; Bell Shakespeare’s HAMLET and ACTORS AT WORK program, and Darlinghurst Theatre’s DRAKE THE AMAZING;

Screen credits include PETER ALLEN: NOT THE BOY NEXT DOOR, CARELESS LOVE, MARLEY SOMEONE. Scott is a creative with General Legends, writing and featuring in festival short films UNDEADICATED (Austin Film Festival) and UNWANTED FRIEND (Tropfest). Scott is a WAAPA Graduate and has trained at the iO Theatre and The Second City in Chicago. Proud member of Equity.

Scott Sheridan

Scott Sheridan

Cast - Lourdes

Scott Sheridan’s stage credits include Barking Gecko’s IN A DARK DARK WOOD; Griffin Theatre’s THE WITCHES; RUPERT for Melbourne Theatre Company; Critical Stages STONES IN HIS POCKET; THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, ARCADIA, WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM for Black Swan State Theatre Company; MACBETH, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, THE TEMPEST, CYRANO DE BERGERAC, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, LOVE’S LABOURS LOST, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, OTHELLO, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, for Sport for Jove Theatre; Bell Shakespeare’s HAMLET and ACTORS AT WORK program, and Darlinghurst Theatre’s DRAKE THE AMAZING;

Screen credits include PETER ALLEN: NOT THE BOY NEXT DOOR, CARELESS LOVE, MARLEY SOMEONE. Scott is a creative with General Legends, writing and featuring in festival short films UNDEADICATED (Austin Film Festival) and UNWANTED FRIEND (Tropfest). Scott is a WAAPA Graduate and has trained at the iO Theatre and The Second City in Chicago. Proud member of Equity.

Jacob Warner

Jacob Warner

Cast - Peter

Jacob’s theatre credits include: PUSS IN BOOTS for the City Recital Hall, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE and ROMEO AND JULIET for Bell Shakespeare; ON THE SHORE OF THE WIDE WORLD for Griffin Theatre Company/Pantsguys; SNUGGLEPOT AND CUDDLEPIE for CDP Productions/Monkey Baa; ORFEO ET EURIDICE for Spectrum Festival; DAYLIGHT SAVING for Darlinghurst Theatre Company; and THE BLOCK UNIVERSE for Old 505. Screen credits include the feature film HACKSAW RIDGE and for television, DR FEELGOOD and SISTERS. In 2016 Jacob received a Best Actor nomination at the Sydney Theatre Awards. He is a proud member of MEAA.

David Whitney

David Whitney

Cast - Pastor Jay

David is a NIDA graduate with over 35 years’ experience on stage and screen.

Recent theatre includes: RELATIVELY SPEAKING (Ensemble); DRACULA, 1984 (Shake & Stir); MONKEY: JOURNEY TO THE WEST (Theatre of Image); HAMLET, HENRY 4, THE DUCHESS OF MALFI, THE ALCHEMIST, MACBETH, AS YOU LIKE IT, THE TEMPEST, ROMEO AND JULIET (Bell Shakespeare); SAINT JOAN, CYRANO DE BERGERAC, MRS WARREN’S PROFESSION, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, SUMMER RAIN, DARLINGHURST NIGHTS, WOMAN IN MIND (STC); THE POWER OF YES (Belvoir); CHO CHO (National Theatre of China). An accomplished music theatre performer, David credits include FUNNY GIRL IN CONCERT (SSO), THE MERRY WIDOW, MY FAIR LADY – directed by Dame Julie Andrews (Opera Australia), FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, ROCK OF AGES, DAMN YANKEES!, MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT, MAN OF LA MANCHA, SUNSET BOULEVARD, THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG, THE PRODUCERS, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, THE WIZARD OF OZ, CHESS and A CHORUS LINE.

TV appearances include: A PLACE TO CALL HOME, LOVE CHILD 3, WONDERLAND, FATAL HONEYMOON, HOME & AWAY, and MCLEOD’S DAUGHTERS. David’s is also a familiar voice to viewers of ABC TV’s MEDIA WATCH.

Simone Romaniuk

Simone Romaniuk

Set and Costume Designer

Simone Romaniuk is an award winning set, costume and festival designer who works between Australia and the UK. For Ensemble Theatre she has designed FRANKENSTEIN and CASANOVA.

Set and costume design credits include: Unicorn Theatre, London: THE HUNTING LODGE. RNCM, Manchester: LA VIE PARISIENNE. Queensland Theatre Company: MACBETH, VENUS IN FUR, KELLY, HEAD FULL OF LOVE, ELIZABETH: ALMOST BY CHANCE A WOMAN, BOMBSHELLS, FRACTIONS, THE REMOVALISTS, WAITING FOR GODOT, RUBY MOON, EATING ICE CREAM, BECKETT X 3, and THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED. Opera Queensland: THE MAGIC FLUTE, THE MERRY WIDOW, SPACE ENCOUNTERS and THE MIKADO. Sydney Theatre Company: THE CRUCIBLE and THYESTES.

Since 2015 Simone has been the designer for annual international arts festival OzAsia Festival at Adelaide Festival Centre. She was resident designer for Queensland Theatre Company across 2011- 2012 and was awarded Matilda Awards Outstanding achievement for Design in 2012 and 2014. She holds design degrees from NIDA and QCA.

www.simoneromaniuk.com

Nicholas Higgins

Nicholas Higgins

Lighting Designer

Nick has been an independent lighting designer since graduating from WAAPA in 1999. He has worked across all genres in all states and for most companies. Nick is not only a Lighting Designer, but a photographer and film-maker. He has worked extensively for Ensemble Theatre and was a nominee for the Best Lighting Design Award, Sydney Theatre Awards for his design for FRANKENSTEIN. Nick and his partner moved to Tasmania after working on a show and falling in love with the state. He just hopes that no-one else finds out how wonderful it is here!

Marty Jamieson

Marty Jamieson

Sound Designer

Marty is a composer and sound designer for the stage and screen. He graduated from AFTRS in 2011 where he studied Screen Music. As a composer and sound designer for theatre his credits include THE PRIDE, DEATHTRAP and CONSTELLATIONS (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS WITH ANIMALS I’VE FUCKED (UNHAPPEN), ON THE SHORE OF THE WIDE WORLD, SWEET NOTHINGS and THE KNOWLEDGE (Pantsguys Productions), COMPASS (ATYP), THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE (Griffin Independent), 4000 MILES (Mophead/Catnip Productions), GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS (seriousboys) and GREAT EXPECTATIONS (ATYP Under the Wharf). Marty also composes for film as well as trailers and documentaries for Belvoir, Griffin and Darlinghurst Theatre Company.

Rebecca Poulter

Rebecca Poulter

Stage Manager

Rebecca is a graduate of NIDA (Production).

As Stage Manager: For Ensemble Theatre: BUYER AND CELLAR, TWO, RELATIVELY SPEAKING, THE GOOD DOCTOR, MOTHERS AND SONS, EDUCATING RITA, DREAM HOME, BLUE/ORANGE, RICHARD III, CLYBOURNE PARK, CAMP; MY FIRST TIME (Kay & McLean Productions/SOH), SONGS FOR THE FALLEN (Arts Centre Melbourne/Critical Stages), THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW-SOH, Brisbane, Adelaide (Michael Sieders Presents), Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Performing Lines, The Hayloft Project/Critical Stages, Dead Puppet Society, Return Fire Productions, Sydney Chamber Opera, Red Line Productions, MKA, Milk Crate Theatre, Q Theatre, TRS. As Assistant Stage Manager; DANCE BETTER AT PARTIES, AUSTRALIA DAY, BLOOD WEDDING, ZEBRA!, TRUE WEST and THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (Sydney Theatre Company), INTERPLAY-International Tour, COUNTERMOVE (Sydney Dance Company), STRANGE INTERLUDE, THYESTES (Belvoir), BLOOD WEDDING (Malthouse Theatre). As Production Manager; CYRANO DE BERGERAC – IPAC & Seymour Centre (Sport for Jove), KAGE/Chunky Move/Adelaide Cabaret Festival, MTC Neon, fortyfivedownstairs, Little Ones Theatre, TheatreWorks, As Production Stage Manager: Griffin Theatre Company. As Technical Stage Manager MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL.

Renata Beslik

Renata Beslik

Costume Supervisor
Photo Gallery

Photography by Phil Erbacher

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