Honesty and truth to unfold on stage

After its Mardi Gras success, Constellations is back for a season at the Seymour Centre. The coming of age story gives insight into a varied array of different cultures and experiences.

From belly dancers to soccer players, the character list is extraordinarily diverse.

Aboriginal actor and cast member Allan Clarke is one of the many people who tell their coming-out story as part of the show.

“The only shock I had was that my family was quite welcoming,” Clarke said. “Which is lucky as there are many taboos in Aboriginal culture about homosexuality.”

But Clarke isn’t the only one with an interesting tale to tell. Constellations has a cast of seven actors from an assortment of ethnic and sexual backgrounds. Each reveals their life journey as the production unfolds.

“The cast is mostly gay and lesbian,” Clarke said. “Ghassan Kassisieh is a gay Palestinian and also a belly dancer.

“He shares his story as well and gives the audience insight into how hard it is for Arab boys to come out because of the taboos and shame.

“There’s a girl who was raised in South Africa. She’s a lesbian and her culture didn’t embrace her sexuality. She speaks about how she had to sneak over to her girlfriend’s place.”

Directed by Karen Therese, the structure of the show was inspired by the novel The Sheltering Sky.

“The play is essentially an ensemble piece. It’s a combination of theatre and a documentary piece,” Clarke said.

“All the stories intertwine and lock with each other – it’s very raw and it’s a really good reproduction of the Sydney community.

“There’s a story that every gay person can relate to who’s struggled with identity culturally and sexually.”

Constellations runs till Saturday 15 September. Tickets start at $25. Bookings on 9351 7940 or at ticketmaster.com.au. Details: www.bite.net.au.