SWEAT
“breathtaking drama”
★★★★★ The Guardian
Lisa McCune and Paula Arundell star in Australian premiere of SWEAT
Stage and screen icons Paula Arundell and Lisa McCune are set to star in the Australian premiere of Lynn Nottage’s searing slice-of-life masterpiece, Sweat, when it opens at Wharf 1 Theatre on Friday 15 November.
Additional performances have already been added to the season due to overwhelming demand, with tickets now on sale for final shows through to Sunday 22 December.
Arundell and McCune lead an incredible cast featuring Gabriel Alvarado, Yure Covich, James Fraser, Deborah Galanos, Markus Hamilton and Tinashe Mangwana in this brand-new production helmed by powerhouse director Zindzi Okenyo (Is God Is).
Based on interviews with real-life residents of the rustbelt town, Reading, Pennsylvania, Sweat is considered a landmark of new American writing that earned Nottage her second Pulitzer Prize and garnered widespread acclaim from Broadway to the West End.
This compelling and touching drama tells the story of a group of factory workers trying to keep their heads above water as the American steel industry collapses around them. When Tracy (McCune) and Cynthia (Arundell) go for the same, long-fought-for promotion, deeply buried tensions begin to boil over.
Zindzi Okenyo said, “Sweat is extraordinary work that takes us deep into the lives of a community facing the cruelty of deindustrialisation and the underlying oppression of the American Dream. Nottage’s ability to give space and depth to each character’s joys and pains is immediately recognisable for our audience today, there is a deep humanity to her work that is undeniable. Brought to life by an exceptional cast, there is a particular energy that is incredibly exciting and they each bring an authenticity to their work that is very inspiring.”
The creative team includes STC Resident Director Ian Michael (Associate Director), Jeremy Allen (Designer), Verity Hampson (Lighting Designer), Brendon Boney (Composer & Sound Designer), Tim Dashwood (Fight Director), Bayley Turner (Consent Consultant & Intimacy Coordinator), and Rachel Finley (Dialect Coach).
Sweat plays Wharf 1 Theatre from 11 November 2024.
Sweat was originally to be directed by Shari Sebbens however due to a scheduling conflict, Shari has handed over to Zindzi Okenyo ahead of rehearsals commencing. Sebbens and Okenyo previously co-directed STC/MTC’s production of Is God Is in 2023, and Darlinghurst Theatre Company/Green Door Theatre Company’s seven methods of killing kylie jenner in 2021.
SWEAT
By Lynn Nottage
Directed by Zindzi Okenyo
Wharf 1 Theatre
Season 11 November – 21 December
Tickets via (02) 9250 1777 / sydneytheatre.com.au
Director Zindzi Okenyo
Designer Jeremy Allen
Lighting Designer Verity Hampson
Composer & Sound Designer Brendon Boney
Associate Director Ian Michael
Fight Director Tim Dashwood
Consent Consultant & Intimacy Coordinator Bayley Turner
Dialect Coach Rachel Finley
With
Gabriel Alvarado, Paula Arundell, Yure Covich, James Fraser, Deborah Galanos, Markus Hamilton, Tinashe Mangwana, Lisa McCune
