RIVERSIDE AND YOU RIVERSIDEANDYOU WELCOME TO WINTER “THEBEAUTYOFTHEWORLDLIESINTHEDIVERSITYOFITSPEOPLE.”UNKNOWN The Eurovision theme this year was celebrating diversity. A message of inclusion, recognising difference and embracing it, honouring those differences and letting difference shine made for a very successful international competition. Riverside Theatres embraces this theme all year round through our programs, our audiences, our artists and our staff. The program of events during winter has enormous variety – Aboriginal theatre, Shakespeare, musical theatre, drama, comedy, family shows, the Arab Film Festival, cabaret, classical music, opera, country music, ballet …even singing and dancing Scouts and Girl Guides! A range of professional and community performers on stage reflect our audiences who come from all communities and backgrounds, with all sorts of interests. Riverside Theatres is a place for everyone. Our staff also reflect diversity and embrace it. Many people will know we have an ongoing, proactive approach to accessibility for people with disability. This includes relaxed performances, audio description, parking on site and online booking. The staff are always looking for ways to improve accessibility. Recently, a team member began learning Auslan (Australian Sign Language), unprompted and in his own time. Now he is able to welcome and engage with members of the deaf community who frequent cinema sessions with open captioning and live performances with Auslan interpretation. Riverside Theatres’ strength has always been diversity – to include so many all at once and bring them together through the shared experience of live performance or cinema.This is part of the magic of going out to the theatre – it’s a living experience you can’t have at home. Riverside reflects the diversity of the City of Parramatta local government area, as well as the larger region of Western Sydney. Located in Sydney’s Central City, Parramatta is a cultural destination with Riverside as its centrepiece. Parramatta is a vibrant, colourful, dynamic, evolving and responsive city and welcomes new faces every day. Our resident production company, Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta aims to produce work that resonates with and celebrates the people of Western Sydney. The upcoming production of The Incredible Here and Now is set in and around Parramatta and is a story of the people who live and work here. Don’t spend winter at home – embrace the opportunity to warm your soul with some incredible artists, stories and art forms in live performance and on screen. Check out the massive program of events across the next three months and celebrate the wealth of possibility and diversity at Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres. 3