NEW BEGINNINGS - PROGRAMME
Creative Development Showcase
Sunday, 4th May 2025 // 2:30PM
Midland Junction Arts Centre
blue joy theatre company was created and continues to operate on stolen land. We acknowledge the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation, the traditional custodians of the land on which we live, create, and perform. We pay our deepest respects to Elders past and present, and to the ongoing strength, resistance, and creativity of First Nations communities.
We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded. This always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land. As a company committed to diverse storytelling, we understand that meaningful representation and cultural respect begin with truth-telling and accountability.
New Beginnings is a dynamic creative development program dedicated to supporting and nurturing emerging artists as they explore and develop new works across diverse performance mediums. Designed as a platform for fresh voices, the program fosters collaboration, experimentation, and artistic growth, with a strong emphasis on partnerships between BIPOC and non-BIPOC creatives.
We recognize the systemic barriers that emerging BIPOC artists face in accessing opportunities for collaboration and creative expression. New Beginnings aims to dismantle these barriers by cultivating a vibrant, supportive community where diverse artists can connect, refine their practice, and share their work with broad audiences. With a focus on inclusion and cultural exchange, the program encourages artists to push boundaries and reimagine storytelling.
better late, than never.
By Mohammed ‘Ayo Busari’
Directed by Zoe Garciano
till we meet again.
By Mohammed ‘Ayo Busari’
Directed by Zoe Garciano
Cast
Stella Finn
Lilian Tran
Nathan Calvert
Creative Producer, Playwright & Sonic Designer
Mohammed ‘Ayo Busari’
Producer & Movement Director
Briannah Davis
Lighting Designer & Stage Manager
Simonne Matthews
Writing Mentor
Mararo Wangai
Directing Mentor
Gita Bezard
The running time for this production is approximately 65 minutes.
New Beginnings is proudly funded by Propel Youth Arts WA’s Creative Development Program – Launchpad, supporting Creative Producer and Emerging Playwright Mohammed ‘Ayo Busari’ as a recipient.
better late, than never.
Love, Friendship & Unspoken Truths
In the heart of Jack’s cozy studio apartment, emotions collide as he prepares to propose to his girlfriend, Frances. Joined by close friends Stella and Ali, the trio’s camaraderie is a mixture of playful banter, mutual support, and underlying tensions. As the morning unfolds, what begins as a simple gathering soon unravels the complex layers of their relationships, exposing hidden truths, unspoken feelings, and the delicate balance of love, loyalty, and friendship.
Through humor, heartache, and raw vulnerability, the play sheds light on the complexities of navigating relationships in young adulthood—where decisions are uncertain, and emotions are tangled. It offers a powerful exploration of the realities of friendship, love, and the transformative power of human connection
till we meet again.
Vulnerable, Intimate & Poetic.
Step into the dynamic world of young creatives in Perth with this heartwarming, poetic tale of love and artistic expression. Follow Rose, a talented singer-songwriter, as she navigates the delicate balance between her creative ambitions and the vulnerability that love brings. Her journey intertwines with Jaden, a soulful poet with a quiet intensity, who challenges Rose to explore her emotions in ways she never expected. Their connection blossoms through shared passions, late-night stargazing, and poetic flirtations, offering a profound exploration of what it means to truly see and be seen by someone else. Alongside them is Cameron, Rose’s loyal best friend, whose humor and unwavering support provide much-needed balance to the emotional rollercoaster. Join them as they discover the power of vulnerability, creativity, and the transformative beauty of love.
Artistic Director & Creative Producer’s Note
New Beginnings was born from questions I’ve carried with me for years: What would it feel like to have more time to create and develop work? What happens when we stop striving for perfection on the first try—and instead allow space to fail, reflect, and grow?
As a Nigerian-born, Boorloo-based multidisciplinary artist, I move between many creative and cultural identities—music, visual arts, poetry, community storytelling, theatre; Black, Muslim, African, Person of Colour, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, Yoruba. But I’ve also lived in the in-between—where I’ve felt visible and invisible, understood and misunderstood. Boxed in. This program is my response to that experience. A refusal. A reclamation. A quiet dream in motion. And it’s only the beginning.
I created New Beginnings for emerging artists—especially BIPOC creatives and our allies—who deserve the space to grow, experiment, and be messy. To be seen in their fullness, not just when the work is polished, but in the raw, unfinished, and deeply human. This program isn’t about presenting a final product. It’s about daring to begin. Showing up—imperfect, in progress, and powerful.
The works you’ll experience today—better late than never and till we meet again—come from a deeply personal place, shaped with immense heart by the brilliant creative team behind them. These are stories of timing, silence, connection, memory, and love. Stories of holding on and letting go, of the space between friendship and romance, grief and growth.
We invite you to treat this as a preview before the preview. With limited rehearsal time and script rewrites happening on the floor, you might notice the occasional missed line or cue—but that’s exactly what New Beginnings stands for: process, risk, discovery. Much of the magic you’ll witness today was forged in quiet writing hours, collaborative workshops, and spontaneous moments during rehearsals. We’re still learning from these works—and they’re still teaching us.
As Artistic Director and Creative Producer of blue joy theatre company, I’m committed to collaboration over competition—building spaces that centre care, truth-telling, and joy, especially for artists of colour. We know the barriers. We’ve lived them. This is one way we begin to break them.
To my phenomenal collaborators—Bri, Zoe & Sim—thank you for holding this process with generosity, clarity, and care. To Stella, Lilian, and Nathan, our extraordinary cast: thank you for trusting these stories and embodying them with such courage and heart. And to Mararo and Gita, your mentorship has been a gift to both Zoe and me—thank you for reminding us that our voices and visions matter.
And to you, our audience: thank you for being here, and for choosing to witness something still becoming. You’re not just watching a show—you’re helping shape a future. Our future.
With love, gratitude, and hope for what’s still to come, Mohammed ‘Ayo Busari’.
Creative Team
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Mohammed ‘Ayo Busari’
Playwright & Creative Producer
Mohammed ‘Ayo Busari’ (he/him) is a Nigerian-born, award-winning Creative Producer, Curator, Disability Support Worker, Writer, and Performer. Now based in Boorloo, he holds a BA in Journalism & Media from the University of Hertfordshire and an MArts in Screen Arts from Curtin University. Co-founding The Outsiders theatre group in 2021, Ayo has co-produced, written, and performed at numerous shows, including ’An Evening of African Poetry & Storytelling’ at The Blue Room Theatre (Nominated for Outstanding Overall Design at The Blue Room 2024 Awards). He also performs poetry and live music at festivals, including FRINGE WORLD 2025, Perth Festival 2025, St Kilda Festival 2024 and SXSW Sydney 2024. Ayo serves on the boards of WAYTCo and Regional Arts WA.
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Zoe Garciano
Director
Zoe Garciano is an award-winning Filipino theatre-artist based in Boorloo with a passion for performance and stage management. Zoe is trained under several institutions such WAYTCo under the direction of Amelia Burke, and Curtin University for the BCA in Theatre Arts.
Notably, Zoe has won PAWA’s Outstanding Newcomer Award in 2024 for their performance in Democracy Repair Services directed by Andrew Sutherland (TBRT, 2023). Other noteworthy works Zoe has been involved in include, devising and performing in IMELDA directed by Donita Cruz (TBRT, 2024) which has also received several PAWA nominations for 2025 (Outstanding New Work, Best Independent Production), and performing in Grace Chow’s The Comprehensive A-Z of Missing Persons Australia (WAYTCo, 2024).
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Briannah Davis
Producer & Movement Director
Briannah is a producer, dancer and choreographer based in Boorloo. Since graduating WAAPA (Bachelor of Arts Dance Honours, 2018), she has been a self-producing artist for independent dance & theatre productions working with The Blue Room Theatre (TBRT), Propel Youth Arts, STRUT Dance, Georgi Ivers, Noemie Huttner-Koros, stop drop + roll theatre, Squid Vicious & Renegade Productions. As a dancer and Teaching Artist, Briannah has worked with STRUT Dance, Co3 Dance, West Australian Ballet Company, The Stephanie Lake Company, Perth Festival, Bernadette Lewis, Scott Elstermann, WA Youth Orchestra and created her own works with her independent collective, Not Sold Separately.
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Lilian Tran
Performer
Lilian Tran graduated with a Bachelor of Theatre Arts from Curtin University and has been involved in many theatre experiences during her studies. She played a pivotal story telling role in the 2021 Perth Festival’s BESIDE; alongside other productions such as Ella Waterman's Green at The Hayman Theatre (2023), Michael Lew's Teenage Dick directed by Dan Graham at The Hayman Theatre (2022), and Sally Davies' I Met Christine James-Scott in a Shopping Centre Carpark directed by Clare Watson at The Blue Room Theatre (2021). Currently, she takes on her puppeteering skills with Constable Care, as well as creating forum theatre with youth around Western Australia surrounding topics prevalent to young people.
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Stella Finn
Performer
Stella is a young performing artist, model and writer, interested in telling stories and creating art that speaks to people. Drawing on his own experiences as a queer, trans, disabled person to achieve this, and their passion for active listening to people in diverse communities drives her desire to provide and support authentic voices. Stella has worked with the WA Youth Theatre Company since 2019. Most notably, they have performed and co-wrote for the 2020 Fringe Festival show Body Rights: Boxed In, the 2021 Perth Festival piece Beside ,the 2023 Perth Festival piece Seven Sisters. and performed in the collaborative work Ngalaka Daa with Waytco and Yirra Yarrkin Theatre Company in 2021. Stella has made their debut as an Assistant Director for WAYTCo’s 2024 performance of The Comprehensive A-Z of Missing Persons Australia.
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Nathan Calvert
Performer
Nathan is a Boorloo-based actor and performance maker, working across theatre, installation art, and music composition. Nathan completed his Bachelor of Performing Arts (Performance Making) in 2021, and in 2022 achieved a first-class Honours from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). As part of his Honours, Nathan conducted a series of performance research workshops culminating in Constellations (2022), a development piece exploring the application of visual and sound-based dramaturgies within a theatre practice. Nathan’s recent credits include Everything Flickers (2023), and ALL BOYS (2024), both presented at The Blue Room Theatre.
