ASIAN BUT BROWN
by Melissa Sripromma
Winner of the Best New Zealand Script in Short + Sweet 2018, Asian But Brown is a play in development which aims to explore the complex relationship surrounding racial identity in youths within multicultural New Zealand. Through the Creative New Zealand’s Toi Rangatahi Leadership fund this workshop intends to flesh out the characters in the original 10-minute solo play, written and performed by Melissa Sripromma. Besides creating a longer work, this workshop intends to explore the individual characters’ stories through working with a number of different performers.
Asian But Brown is told through Melissa’s unique lens given her mixed Thai/Cook Island-Māori/Tahitian/Kiwi identity through scenes set during her teenage years. The play follows Melissa’s exploration of identity through movement and dance, as we follow her journey and her desire to be accepted into a prestigious hip-hop group. We are skilfully introduced to a series of richly textured and intriguing characters in Melissa’s semi-autobiographical story.
Workshop July to September 2021
CREATIVES
SHARU DELILKAN
Since forming Sharu Loves Hats (2013) Sharu has produced Renee Liang and Jun Bin Lee’s Dominion Rd The Musical (2017 & 2019), Ryan Richards’ A Boy Wonder at The Basement (2015) and Central Otago/Southland Tour (2015), Newmarket Stage Company’s production, starring George Henare, of Educating Rita (2013) and Tuesdays with Morrie (2014), Dianna Fuemana’s Niuean-Kiwi play Birds at The Basement (2013) and the NZ Fringe Festival in Wellington (2014), as well as Amy Waller’s original Kiwi solo show Gloria at Orewa’s Centrestage Theatre (June/July 2013) and TAPAC, The Auckland Performing Arts Centre (Nov 2013). The Tour-Makers Award for Travelling Hero at Auckland Theatre Awards for touring A Boy Wonder in Central Otago/Southland (2015). ART (Arts Regional Trust) Venture awardee for year-long creative enterprise accelerator programme worth $30,000 (2016). Named one of three international Game Changers for her contribution to the arts (https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1732973003424446) (2018)
SHARU DELILKAN
Creative Producer
MELISSA SRIPROMMA
Melissa Sripromma, born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand comes from a multiracial background – Thai/Cook Island-Māori/Tahitian. Melissa is a Freelance dancer/ actor who graduated from the Pacific Institute of Performing Arts in 2015 and Bachelor of Dance Studies at the University of Auckland 2020. She is a current member of Freshman’s dance crew. She performed her solo at ‘Asian but Brown at Short + Sweet Theatre (2018) garnering best ‘New Zealand Script Award’ and Short + Sweet Dance ‘Standout Performer’ Awards. She has also participated in the Macau International Dance Festival in China with Manu Collective 2019. And has done various collaboration works with her dance friends from Auckland Uni for dance Shows. Her acting theatre productions include roles in Arabian Nights directed by Hera Dunleavy and Troy Tu’ua, Rhinoceros directed by Ben Crowder, Going Solo directed by Lauren Jackson, Havoc in the garden directed by Sam Scott & Max Palamo.
MELISSA SRIPROMMA
Writer
ANTONIA KAMU
ANTONIA KAMU
Director
SUNANDA SACHATRAKUL
Sunanda Sachatrakul is a Punjabi-Thai comedian, writer and producer raised in Bangkok, and currently based in Melbourne. She toured with Magner’s Intl Comedy Festival ‘17 after winning first place in the Big V stand up competition. Sunanda wrote for CBS diversity sketch showcase ‘17, and performed on sketch teams at several LA theaters. She won diversity scholarships at Upright Citizens Brigade and Groundlings. In LA, Sunanda studied clown with John Gilkey, a seasoned collaborator at Cirque De Soleil. In LA, she created, curated, and hosted “Indian Wedding” a variety show that was written up in LA Weekly. She has created and performed her solo show, “How Gay am I?” to some sold out audiences at both Melbourne Fringe ‘19 and Midsumma ‘20. Her show “Yes, We Tan!” was Broadsheet Melbourne’s top comedy pick for Melbourne Fringe ‘20. Sunanda began her career in comedy as a producer and has worked with Broad City. She has a B.A. from Columbia University and a M.A. from The New School University.
SUNANDA SACHATRAKUL
Thai Linguistic Adviser/Comedic Dramaturg
GOLF THANUPON YINDEE
GOLF THANUPON YINDEE
Thai Gestural Dance Teacher
LAUREN JACKSON
Lauren has written and directed two NZFC-funded short films which were selected for several international festivals and have been sold to television: I’m Going to Mum’s and Tree. Lauren wrote the 2020 Unitec graduation film and was on Pukeko Pictures’ writing teams for The Kiddets and Book Hungry Bears. She is regularly commissioned by Duffy Books in Homes and Life Education Trust to write educational school shows. She has 12 produced plays and two playwright awards to her name.
Lauren has directed several theatre productions and works as a dramaturg for Playmarket, LIMA Productions, Sharu Loves Hats, and Auckland Theatre Company. Lauren co-founded and co-directs Brickworks Drama School and was a drama tutor and Head of Acting at The Pacific Institute for Performing Arts for ten years.
LAUREN JACKSON
Dramaturg
ANKARAMY FEPULEAI
ANKARAMY FEPULEAI
Hip Hop Choreographer
ELIZABETH WHITING
ELIZABETH WHITING
Costume Designer Consultant
MELE TA'E'ILOA
Mele Taeiloa (32), New Zealand born Tongan. Mele has been dancing since the age of 5, training in various styles such as Ballet and Jazz, Pacific Contemporary dance and Hip Hop. In 2010 Mele received her Bachelor of Performing Arts (Maj. in Dance), then went on to teachers college where she received her Graduate Diploma in Teaching. She is now Head of Dance and one of four Dance teachers at Manurewa High School. She is a member of 2 dance companies ‘Ura Tabu Pacific Dance and Projekt Team, currently Street Dance New Zealand’s, National Champions. She has represented New Zealand at the International Youth Dance Festival in Macau, the World Hip Hop Dance Championships and World Bboy/Bgirl Battles in Las Vegas and Phoenix, Arizona, aswell as Battlegrounds Supremacy in Australia. Mele is an advocate for Street Dance in New Zealand providing opportunities and events for the community to learn and connect. Events such as Projekt Feel Good, Battle of the Schools, Long Live the Queen and #ProjektLockdown.
MELE TA’E’ILOA
Production Assistant
DOMINIKA MARCISZ
She uses her skills to create a fun and playful approach to dealing with difficult topics, such as anxiety, depression and wellness in society.
Dominika’s passion is wellbeing. Her business motto “Creativity is wellness and wellness leads to creativity”.
Her favourite clients include organisations with a strong slant to sustainability and contribution to New Zealand society like DRIVE (Counties Manukau Mental Health and Recovery Consumer Network), Mohawk Media, Drug Testing Foundation, Gender Equal NZ and New Zealand Green Building Council.
She has also been involved in the local arts community and has been awarded the Art Venture Award for her work in the sector.
DOMINIKA MARCISZ
Graphic Designer
ALEX PAGE
After graduating from SAE in 2019 Alex co-founded the film collective Untuck3d Films. Due to her own background in dance, Untuck3d Films specialises in filming and editing dance movement, with the mission of ‘capturing our community’. This has led Alex and the collective to create a variety of content including a promotional campaign for ‘Number One Shoes’, visual content for Paul Edward and Holly Finch for Tempo dance festival, and multiple music videos for artists JARNA and RAZÉ. Alex has also had her own short films featured on an DANZ online takeover.
ALEX PAGE
Videographer
TARA RANCHHOD
Tara Ranchhod is a theatre producer, photographer, and programme coordinator for Massive Theatre Company. In 2018, she graduated from The University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Arts. During this time, she worked with TEDxAuckland and NZ Fashion Week, assisting with social media marketing and photography. In 2020 & 2021 Tara produced a two-city tour show called ‘Dr Drama Makes a Show’ and ‘Dr Drama Makes A Show With You’ for Auckland & NZ Fringe, which garnered critical acclaim.
TARA RANCHHOD
Photographer
CAST
MELISSA SRIPROMMA
Melissa Sripromma, born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand comes from a multiracial background – Thai/Cook Island-Māori/Tahitian. Melissa is a Freelance dancer/ actor who graduated from the Pacific Institute of Performing Arts in 2015 and Bachelor of Dance Studies at the University of Auckland 2020. She is a current member of Freshman’s dance crew. She performed her solo at ‘Asian but Brown at Short + Sweet Theatre (2018) garnering best ‘New Zealand Script Award’ and Short + Sweet Dance ‘Standout Performer’ Awards. She has also participated in the Macau International Dance Festival in China with Manu Collective 2019. And has done various collaboration works with her dance friends from Auckland Uni for dance Shows. Her acting theatre productions include roles in Arabian Nights directed by Hera Dunleavy and Troy Tu’ua, Rhinoceros directed by Ben Crowder, Going Solo directed by Lauren Jackson, Havoc in the garden directed by Sam Scott & Max Palamo.
MELISSA SRIPROMMA
Actor
TUA TAITO
TUA TAITO
Actor
