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Mission of Flowers (Australia)

CW Productions and Animax Film Present

An enthralling true story of love, intrigue, adventure and loneliness, the hit of the Adelaide Fringe receives its US premiere at the Hollywood Fringe, June 17-27 (not 22nd). Thirteenth April, Nineteen Thirty-three and Bill Lancaster, one of Australia’s foremost aviation pioneers, is alone, fighting for his life in the blistering heat of the Sahara Desert. The wreckage of his plane, the Southern Cross Minor, his only shelter. Memories of the last sixteen years flash through his mind: from his tempestuous love affair with Jesse “Chubbie” Miller, to standing trial in one of the most notorious American murder cases of the 30s and, ultimately, hislife-long pursuit for recognition that brought him here.

An epic tale performed by Leof Kingsford-Smith, the grand nephew of legendary aviator Charles Kingsford-Smith, Mission of Flowers chronicles Lancaster’s journey from his 1927 flight from Britain to Australia and his promise to his mother to distribute pamphlets for “The Mission of Flowers” charity along the way, through to his 1933 purchase of Charles Kingsford-Smith’s renowned biplane in which Lancaster was to make his toughest and final flight. A beguiling true story of a digger in the trenches of World War One who rose to become one of the world’s celebrated pioneer aviators.

Leof Kingsford-Smith – “Near Flawless Acting” – Fringe Guru (UK), “Consummate Performance” – The List, (UK) – aptly captures the conflict between Lancaster’s quest for a place in history and his love for an equally ambitious woman,
in an “Engaging performance that will move you.” – Glam Adelaide (Australia). Written by Gerry Greenland (Glen Eira Award Winner, Awgie Nominee) and directed by Damien Lay (Astra Award Winner, ACS award Winner, Logie Award
Winner), Mission of Flowers was greeted with universal acclaim at the Adelaide Fringe 2010, praised as “Engrossing… deserves to be seen” – Adelaide Theatre Guide (Australia), “Gripping” – The Advertiser, Adelaide (Australia), and “Uplifting, intriguing theatre… Kingsford-Smith does a mighty job.” – Sunday Mail (Australia).

Mission of Flowers will receive its UK debut in London’s West End this July before transferring to the world’s largest
arts festival, The Edinburgh Festival Fringe August 4-30th and performing in the Sydney Fringe in September.
www.missionofflowers.com www.greenroompresents.com

LISTINGS INFORMATION:
Venue: Theatre Asylum, 6320 Santa Monica Blvd.
Dates/Times: June 17 at 2:30 PM; June 18, 24 at 4:00 PM
June 19, 20, 27 at 1:00 PM; June 21, 23 at 8:30 PM; June 25, 26 at 7:00 PM
Tickets: $20.00
Box Office: 866-811-4111 / www.hollywoodfringe.org

PRESS CONTACT
Stuart Martin, Green Room Presents. The Green Room Theatre, 45 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012.
T: 212 203 7530 ext 102 E: [email protected] W: www.greenroompresents.com

MISSION OF FLOWERS
Written by Gerry Greenland
Directed by Damien Lay
Starring Leof Kingsf0rd-Smith
“There are little gems that appear at every fringe and
this is one of them” – Glam Adelaide (Australia)
“Exceptional…Superb…Gripping”- Rip It Up (Australia)
“A tour de force performance by Leof Kingsford-Smith”
- The Weekender, Adelaide (Australia)

NOTES TO EDITORS
Leof Kingsford-Smith – Bill Lancaster
Leof Kingsford-Smith’s full CV reads like a roadmap to acting. Geographically it extends from London’s West End and
English repertory to the Sydney Opera House and a host of smaller Australian theatres. In almost four decades he has
played everything from Shakespeare to Ayckbourn, Emlyn Williams and David Williamson in roles ranging from the
tragic King Lear and Mark Antony to The Coroner and Rex in two of Australia’s hottest TV series; Underbelly11 and
Home and Away.
Since he graduated from training at the Independent Theatre (with further training at the Sydney Theatre School and
the Actors Studio) his career has also embraced a steady stream of film and television work.
A condensed list of Leof’s theatre roles includes:
New Theatre – Pantomime Midnite (Ogrady)
Edinburgh and Adelaide Festivals: Unit 46 (Tim)
Seymour Centre: The Shower, Six Minutes (Pollock)
Newtown Theatre: Dial L for Love (Archie);
Darlinghurst Theatre: Our Country’s Good (Governor Phillip).
Acting Factory: Twelfth Night (Antonio).
Shakespeare under the stars (Sydney Festival): Twelfth Night (Antonio & Valentine).
Seymour Centre (Sydney): King Lear (King Lear)
St George Theatre: Hamlet (Polonius & Grave Digger)
Star of The Sea Theatre: Mary Rose (Mr Amy)
Film & TV roles include:
Underbelly (Coroner) Home and Away (Rex), The Bondi Chronicles (Goldman), The 21 Conspiracy (Professor), The
Audition (Cleary), Natural Selection (Preston Brown), Captain Heroic (Captain Heroic – Lead), Trapped (Max – Best
Actor, runner up), Move (The man – Lead), The Lamp God (Sven – Lead), Once more (John – Lead), Misgiving
(George – Lead), Nine (Father – Lead), The Visit (Man – Lead), Sanctuary (Father – Lead), Drama School (Governor),
Nine and The Telegram Man (Gerry).
Gerry Greenland – Writer/Producer
Gerry has written a number of plays for radio and the theatre. His work The Visitor was nominated for an AWGIE and
Greeting Cards received the prestigious Glen Eira Award. His short plays are regularly performed at the Short & Sweet
Festivals around Australia. Prime Angus Buttock was a Sydney finalist, and Return to Sender was awarded Best Drama
Script. Gerry has also co-written television and radio comedies with his wife Jackie, Sydney Plantagenet’s Psychedelic
Quest was broadcast live from the Sydney Opera House. As a member of the Sydney arts collective Actors Anonymous
he has been involved as a writer and producer in Journey into Sin (2007) and Crime Scenes (2008). Waiting on Jamie
Oliver was performed at Sydney’s Newtown Theatre in 2007, and The Blood on Helmut Lange at the Fusebox Theatre
in 2009.
Damien Lay – Director
Director and Logie award winner Damien Lay has had a career in film and television industries spanning over twenty
years. The managing director of Animax Films, Damien has worked successfully in almost every facet of film and
television production and post-production. Awards for his work include three ASTRA awards, an ACS award and a
nomination for a second Logie. Damien has written, produced and directed numerous documentaries, the feature
film “The Lost Anzac” and animated series for The Comedy Channel Australia, Foxtel and Channel Nine.
His interest in Australia’s early flying history is well known, particularly the life and exploits of Charles Kingsford-
Smith. “The Lady Southern Cross”, a feature documentary about the story behind Charles Kingsford-Smith’s aircraft of
the same name was completed in 2008. Damien’s feature documentary “The Battle of Long Tan”, which he wrote,
produced and directed, is now ranked by TimeLife as one of Australia’s top 20 best selling DVD’s of all time. Recent
productions include “He’s Coming South” and “M24 – The last sunrise” Damien is currently planning a full length
feature film of the Mission of Flowers story. He is also leading the expeditionary work in Myanmar to locate the
wreckage of the Lady Southern Cross.
PRESS CONTACT
Stuart Martin, Green Room Presents. The Green Room Theatre, 45 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012.
T: 212 203 7530 ext 102 E: [email protected] W: www.greenroompresents.com