Pale Blue Dot is captivating comedy about aliens, alienation and the terrifying and comforting thought that we are not alone. Joel Pinkerton played by Hugh Parker (Gallipoli: Nine Network, The Killing Field: Seven Network, Sea Patrol: Nine Network) is an Insurance Fraud Investigator. Mr Pinkerton never gave much thought to the UFO abduction insurance introduced by his company as a publicity stunt a few years ago until Greta, an old German immigrant takes out a claim.

As he investigates the possibility of the alien abduction of 16-year-old schoolgirl Storm, played by Brisbane local Ashlee Lollback, he is not only drawn to conspiracy theories but to her, becoming alienated from his own wife, Holly and their newborn baby girl. Pale Blue Dot was written by Marquet during her time as a La Boite Playwright-in-Residence program.

A highlight of the production is the projection design by optikal bloc (Mountaintop: QTC, 1984: shake&stir theatre co & QPAC). The projections create a vivid visual world for the characters to inhabit. They also explore the extra-terrestrial realm of the play.

Original music has also been composed by Gordon Hamilton, Artistic Director of the world-beating The Australian Voices.

Venue Format
Theatre
Technical Rating
C
Touring Party
7
Considerations

The production bumps in, in 8 hours with an evening performance possible on the first day. The production is mainly rostra based with a number of level platforms. There is significant projection in the production. Projection positions become essential. The sound and lighting rigs can be modified for each particular venue.

Warnings: strobe lighting used in the production and coarse language.

La Boite's mission is to produce and present exhilarating theatre that is alive to the present, extends and inspires artists, and invigorates the hearts and minds of audiences. La Boite is one of Australia's leading theatre companies. La Boite's mainhouse seasons look to new Australian work, fresh international theatre, great texts of the past, and to collaborations with diverse artists and organisations from across the nation and beyond. We aim to converse with the times - to unwrap the past and scrutinise the present as a means of expressing our aspirations for the future. We include work for children and young people and regularly present works regionally and nationally.

Company Website
laboite.com.au

Unique Selling Point

Pale Blue Dot is the best of new Australian writing. It will appeal strongly to subscription audiences and schools audiences.

The marketing and community engagement highlights include:

  • Reviews attest to the production being both poignant and laugh-out loud funny.
  • New Australian writing, by a QLD local, set in regional QLD location
  • 100% QLD cast staring Hugh Parker (Gallipoli: Nine Network, The Killing Field: Seven Network, Sea Patrol: Nine Network).
  • Strong marketing materials and imagery
  • Exceptional quality of set and projection design (optikal bloc who designed shake and stir's 1984).

Marketing Materials

There are a huge range of marketing materials available for the production which have been developed by La Boite and it's media partners

  • Trailer (30 Sec cinema and online-ready trailer)
  • Exceptional print-quality free Production and Rehearsal photography
  • Poster, flyer and print advertisements
  • Social media posts and campaign material
  • Education pack with teacher background information, notes, cast and creative interviews and valuable pre, during and post activities
  • Published playtext (Playlab). Can be used for general public sale and schools distribution.
  • Media release with existing review quotes.

Community Engagement

See attached for full details:

  1. Post‐show Q&A with actors
  2. In‐schools workshops with actors, playwright and director
  3. Teacher’s Professional Development Program with director Michael Futcher (Directing Realism)
  4. Playwriting workshops with Kathryn Marquet