Bald shine on stage

HAIR can be a symbol of self-expression, entailing constant concern, care, maintenance and manipulation.
Most spend time looking for the perfect hairdresser – someone you can trust and someone who understands how you want to be perceived.
So how do you untangle your sense of identity when your trusted hairdresser informs you that you are losing your hair?
Bald heads and blue stars is a premiere verbatim play by Toowoomba actor and academic Sarah Peters, exploring different women’s experiences of a condition resulting in hair loss – alopecia. Sarah has alopecia and has experienced hair loss since the age of three. Ironically, Sarah’s sister is a hairdresser.
“My play is a humorous journey about women’s experience of alopecia resulting in accepting who you are,” Sarah Peters said.
“This play shares some of my stories and also other women’s stories.”
“I interviewed 15 women from across QLD who have alopecia, travelling to Cairns, Mackay, Longreach, Roma, Boonah and Brisbane (just to name a few) to share stories about our experiences and asking the question ‘what does it mean to have alopecia?’.”
“I have gathered many verbatim stories from about being feminine, beautiful and desirable to public encounters with well-meaning strangers who make assumptions about your gender, sexual orientation and state of health.”
The stories shared with Sarah have led to the creation of this verbatim play, which follows the central story of Violet and her journey with alopecia. From heartbreak to hilarity, bald heads and blue stars brings audiences into the lives of this beautiful community of women.
Sarah is passionate about community stories, regional theatre and the empowering potential of performance. Bald heads and blue stars is directed by David Burton. David is best known for his award-winning theatrical work, including other verbatim plays.
Sarah was born in Roma and taught at St George before returning to the city recently to study at the University of Southern Queensland. David Burton and Sarah Peters are both graduates from the University of Southern Queensland.
The show is from Thursday 28 August to Saturday 30 August 2014 at USQ Arts Theatre, University of Southern Queensland (Toowoomba campus). Tickets are available via artsworx.com.au or 07 4631 1111 and cost: $28 Adult | $22 Conc/Group 10+ | $15 Student | $10 Child | $12 School Group $20 +. Teachers notes are available.