New Works | Arts Education | Community Works
TESTAMENT
A Cross Generational Music Theatre Project and Concept Album
A celebration of our elders, sung by young people (and industry legends)
Every community has generations of unheard stories. A group of young artists between the ages of 13 and 19 interviewed important older people in their lives asking questions about growing up and growing old in Australia. They then transformed those stories passed down to them into 'Testament', an album that celebrates different generations through song.
Artists: iOTA (Smoke and Mirrors, Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Prinnie Stevens (The Voice, Hair), Abby Dobson (Leonardo’s Bride) and Kamahl alongside an ensemble of young people.
What is Testament?
To Testify is
To bear witness, affirm and declare truth
About the Project
The stories that inspired Testament
Wendy’s Story - inspired Fingerprints (Wendy’s Song)
Wendy is a community Elder, children’s book author, poet gramdmother. Her story is one of creativity and making everyday full of creativity. In her interview Wendy spoke of her family history, coming from an infamous colonial family and how the generations sit on ‘the fingerprints of those that built them’. Even in history we leave our marks on teh people and places we encounter. This is Wendy’s Story, This is Wendy’s Song.
Young Artist Amy chose to tell Wendy’s Story and sings the song on the album. She was mentored by industry legend Abby Dobson
Lyrics
Music & songs are in everything I write
People sing because they love
Singing is in our bloodlines
Dancing on our ancestors grave
Theatre was my cradle, Theatre was my craft
I’ve come to terms with my story, In this thing I play a part
Like carriages of trains
Cycles of forgotten history
I pay respects to those who made me
I’m an invincible optimist
Stories are the way we pass on
Fingerprints of everyone who built them, Come on
Everything you do comes from everything you are
For good or for bad
Everything happens for a reason
How you grow up is always with you
You have to be be brave to be heard
It’s important even on your last day
In the end you can’t hide
You try to catch time, But you can’t
Stories are the way we pass on
Fingerprints of everyone who built them
Dora’s Story - Inspired Run Dora Run
Dora was born in a small town in Italy, “on the boot” she called it. During the early 1940’s in facist Italy she described being 5 year old girl the day american bombers flew overhead, raining a ‘bad rain’ down on her family. After escaping the horrors of war she established a life in Australia, raised a family and now lives in a quiet cul-de-sac street in West Pymble. This is Dora’s story, This is Dora’s song.
Young person Grace chose to tell Dora’s story. Grace lives with her parents on the same street as Dora, although they had never connected until Testament.
Grace was mentored by artist Prinnie Stevens, who sings with her on the Album
It’s the story of my name
At the top of the hill In the old times,
An old monastery In the old times,
There was a girl She had a doll
the most beautiful little doll you can see
She opened the door For a piece of bread
I have no bread I have no bread
Image of war Image of love
Married in sound
A current of life
At the top of the hill In the olden times,
The war came The war came
Mother said run girl run
She said, Run girl run
We hid amongst the trees, as we heard the sound
Next thing we know water’s all around
American bombers Bombing the town
Bad rain, Raining down
Mother said run girl run
She said, Run girl run
After the war
We were still very poor
We stole the figs off the tree
We were starving
It’s the story of my name
It’s the story of my name
But when someone say thank you
We say prego
Like Liberace’s dog
We say prego
It’s the story of my name