Categories: News

Darlinghurst Theatre Company presents STILL, I RISE: A NIGHT OF MUSIC AND STORIES

From Wednesday 5 – Sunday 9 May, actor and singer Shakira Clanton takes to the stage at Darlinghurst Theatre to share stories from her extraordinary life in Still, I Rise, a memorable evening of live music, yarning and laughs.

Still, I Rise traverses a range of Clanton’s life experiences; from the racism and sexism she’s faced as a woman of colour in the creative industry, the lessons her single mother tried to impart on her as a teenager, to getting hitched in 2019 and spending the first year of marriage in lockdown with her new husband. Underscored by Jeremi Campese’s astounding skill on the cello, the work is all at once honest, hilarious and thoroughly human.

The title of the show, Still, I Rise, is in reference to the famous poem by Maya Angelou, which speaks of overcoming situations with confidence. “This work is a celebration of the resilience of marginalized people in the face of oppression,” said Clanton.

As a woman of colour, I know what it’s like to live in a society not built for me. When that society keeps knocking you down, you have to keep rising.Still, I Rise is a look into my life, navigating its lessons and the moments where I’ve had to forge ahead.

Born in Perth to Aboriginal Australian and African American parents, Clanton honed her craft at both the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA). Her impressive list of theatre credits include Barbara and the Camp Dogs (Belvoir /Queensland Theatre). Henrietta Baird’s The Weekend (Sydney Festival/Moogahlin), and I’m With Her (Darlinghurst Theatre Company).


For tickets and further information visit www.darlinghursttheatre.com

Gabi Bergman

Gabi Bergman (she/her) is a Melbourne-based performer and educator, and the current Deputy Editor-in-Chief of AussieTheatre.com. She holds a double degree in Theatre Studies and Film/Screen Studies, along with a Master of Teaching (Secondary Education). A passionate advocate for inclusion and diversity in the arts, Gabi brings her deep love of storytelling to the stage, the page, and the classroom. A lifelong lover of theatre, she spends more on tickets than she’d like to admit. Her most prized possession is her ever-growing collection of theatre programs.

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