On what would have been her 90th birthday, we are thrilled to celebrate the notorious Ruth Bader Ginsburg. “RBG: OF MANY, ONE” playwright Suzie Miller will be in conversation with Michaela Kalowski as we journey behind the scenes in writing this story of Ginsburg’s life.

In 2022, award-winning playwright and lawyer, Suzie Miller brought to the Sydney Theatre Company stage her one woman show, RBG: OF MANY, ONE – a tour de force chronicling Ginsburg’s fascinating, fierce and trailblazing life. At this very special SJWF event, playwright Suzie Miller and actor Heather Mitchell will be in conversation with Michaela Kalowski as we journey behind the scenes in writing and performing this story of Ginsburg’s life.

There will also be a special performance by opera singer Elizabeth Cooper.

Suzie Miller is a contemporary international playwright, screenwriter and librettist, drawn to complex human stories often exploring injustice. Miller’s plays have been produced in over 40 productions around the world and won multiple prestigious awards. Her drama PRIMA FACIE won the 2020 AWGIE for Drama; the 2020 David Williamson Award for Outstanding Theatre Writing; the 2020 prestigious Major AWGIE; and the Griffin Award 2018. It has now been translated in 20+ languages. Most recently PRIMA FACIE enjoyed extraordinary acclaim marking Miller’s West End debut produced by Empire Street Productions and starring Jodie Comer. The production will transfer to Broadway in 2023. Both the Australian and the West End productions have won and been nominated for multiple prestigious awards. Two new commissioned plays of Miller’s premiered in 2022: ANNA K, for Malthouse Theatre; and RBG: OF MANY, ONE for Sydney Theatre Company. Other recent theatre credits include: PRIMA FACIE (Australian production) starring Sheridan Harbridge directed by Lee Lewis); CARESS/ACHE; SUNSET STRIP; DUST; THE MATHEMATICS OF LONGING, MEDEA; DRIVING INTO WALL; OneFiveZeroSeven and SNOW WHITE – adults only opera.

She is under commission for New Plays: Griffin Theatre, Neal Street Studios & Jonathan Church Productions UK, and London’s National Theatre UK. Film/TV: Original TV dramas with Matchbox Pictures; Synchronicity; an adaptation of Heather Rose’s novel BRUNY for Film Art Media; Working Title UK; and Film Nation. She is in development on film adaptations of her plays DUST, PRIMA FACIE, CARESS/ACHE; and ANNA K (with production companies including BUNYA Productions Australia, Participant Media US), and is developing an international original romance/comedy (with Hoodlum Entertainment).

Heather Mitchell AM is one of Australia’s most respected actresses across film, television and theatre.

Heather will next be seen in the second season of the acclaimed Binge series LOVE ME, alongside Hugo Weaving. Her performance in the first season earnt her the Silver Logie Award for Most Outstanding Supporting Actress and an AACTA Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama.

Heather recently starred as Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Sydney Theatre Company’s sold-out one-woman play RBG: OF MANY, ONE, which earnt her the 2022 Sydney Theatre Award for Best Performer in a Leading Role.

She has an impressive list of television credits including UPRIGHT, THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS, NBC’s YOUNG ROCK, DARBY AND JOAN, THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS, the ABC/BBC co-production WAKEFIELD, OPERATION BUFFALO, MS FISHER’S MODERN MURDER MYSTERIES, A PLACE TO CALL HOME, REEF BREAK, HARROW, RIOT, MOLLY, JACK IRISH: BLACK TIDE and POWER GAMES, for which she received a 2014 AACTA Award nomination for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama.

Heather’s feature credits include Del Kathryn Barton’s debut feature BLAZE, BOSCH & ROCKIT, PALM BEACH, PIMPED, THE GREAT GATSBY, THE EYE OF THE STORM, GRIFF THE INVISIBLE, THE WEDDING PARTY, THREE BLIND MICE, ROGUE, THANK GOD HE MET LIZZIE, MURIEL’S WEDDING, PROOF, IRRESISTIBLE alongside Susan Sarandon, BLACK & WHITE and CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION.

She received a Best Lead Actress Award at the 2011 and 2012 New York City International Film Festival for her performance in the short film, AFTERGLOW and Glenn Stewart’s THE RED VALENTINE.

Heather has worked extensively in the theatre and some highlights include PLAYING BEATIE BOW, HARP IN THE SOUTH, STILL POINT TURNING: THE CATHERINE MCGREGOR STORY, TOP GIRLS, CLOUD NINE, AWAY, HAY FEVER; Marion Potts’ HAMLET and THE WINTER’S TALE for the Bell Shakespeare Company; SCENES FROM A SEPARATION and UNCLE VANYA for the Melbourne Theatre Company; GHOSTS and PRIVATE LIVES for the State Theatre Company of South Australia; NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH and TENDER for Company B. Heather’s performance as Shirley Hastings in Baz Luhrmann’s production of STRICTLY BALLROOM THE MUSICAL won her the 2014 Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical and 2015 Green Room Award for Best Female in a Supporting Role (Musical Theatre).

In 2020, Heather was made a member of the Order of Australia at the Australia Day Honour’s “for significant service to the performing arts, and to the community.”

Elizabeth Cooper is a Sydney based Soprano with a strong passion for the stage and bringing people together through music. She is a 2022 and 2023 Young Artist with Pacific Opera and is described as a “young rising star to watch”. In the 2022 season with the company she performed the roles of Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Suor Genovieffa (Suor Angelica), Belinda (Dido and Aeneas) and Second Lady (Die Zauberflöte). She also performed with the charitable opera company The Cooperative as Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) and Soprano Soloist (Émilie). Elizabeth holds a Master of Music (Operatic Performance) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where she performed as Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Dorothée (Cendrillon) and was supported by the Olive Margaret Stewart Bequest. Elizabeth is passionate about Oratorio and has performed as a soloist in a number of works including Handel’s L’allegro, Vivaldi’s Magnficiat and Gloria, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Fauré’s Requiem. Other performance highlights include La Bohème & the Gypsies with Jane Rutter and John Martin as well as performing the role of First Lady (Die Zauberflöte) for the Lyric Opera Studio in Weimar.

Michaela Kalowski is an interviewer and moderator for writers and ideas festivals. Highlight interviews include Margaret Atwood, Amos Oz, David Mitchell, Etgar Keret, Trent Dalton, Colum McCann, Stan Grant, Holly Ringland, Charlotte Wood, Sarah Krasnostein and Laura Marling. She has conducted radio interviews for ABC Radio National’s The Music Show, Big Ideas, The Bookshelf, Big Weekend of Books, for ABC Classic and has presented programs on ABC Radio National and Local Radio. She is also a curator at writers and ideas festivals. She’s currently the curator for ABC RN’s on-air writers festival, Big Weekend of Books and is the curator of International Authors for Brisbane Writers Festival.

WHEN: 6:30pm, 15 March 2023

WHERE: The Millie Phillips Theatre, Emanuel School, 20 Stanley St Randwick

COST: $36

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With support from our venue partner: