Welcome To The Bleeding Tree Play Info Site!
Read About Our Journey & How To Make A Contribution Below!
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“It’s liberation through violence, it’s women as anti-heroes, and it’s thrillingly subversive and deeply affecting.” Time Out
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The Mission Of Our Project
Our journey to The Bleeding Tree, written by Award-Winning Australian Playwright Angus Cerini, began long before casting or rehearsals. Vanessa Beck, Clarissa Castro, and Grace Rose met during an intensive two-year actor training program, where they poured their full selves—heart, grit, and vulnerability—into the craft. Over countless scenes, rehearsals, and late-night reflections, a bond was forged not just as actors, but as collaborators.
Near the end of their training, the trio watched three alumni mount a powerful staging of Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit. Seeing their peers take bold creative initiative ignited something urgent and clear: they, too, were ready to take ownership of their artistry. Inspired to find a project that reflected their strength and depth as women and performers, they sought a play that was raw, relevant, and meaningful. The Bleeding Tree is a dark, fierce, and unforgettable revenge drama about complicity, secrecy and resilience.
The Bleeding Tree was first produced by Griffin Theatre Company, 7 August 2015 at the SBW Stables Theatre, Australia, directed by Lee Lewis, designed by Renée Mulder, with lighting design by Verity Hampson and music by Steve Toulmin. The cast were Paula Arundell, Airlie Dodds, Shari Sebbens.
You can find the Griffin Theater Company online at https://griffintheatre.com.au/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/griffintheatre/ 💗
Meet The Creatives
Vanessa Beck | Cast
Vanessa is an award-winning writer, director, and professionally-trained actress. Her short film Isobelle garnered 11 award wins, and 8 nominations in 2025 including; Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Cinematography. She began her career in film and television as an on-set production assistant working on several big-budget studio films. She is currently writing a feature titled "What Makes The Desert Beautiful," co-written with Johan Schueling.
Clarissa Castro | Cast
Clarissa is a formally trained actress and theater veteran. In addition to playing the lead in multiple productions including; Shakespeare's The Tempest, Thornton Wilder's Our Town, and Howard Ashman's and Little Shop Of Horrors, she portrayed Sister Helen Prejean, a Chaplain and spiritual advisor in Louisiana petitioning to end the death penalty. She created and produced Stop The Silence which gave voice to high-school youth affected by the educational budget crises.
Grace Rose | Cast
Grace is a an accomplished ballet dancer, with over 15 years of experience training at the highest levels. Her talent and discipline earned her a place in the prestigious American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive-the same training that shaped the career of the legendary Misty Copeland & Susan Jaffe. After training in New York, she joined the highly-respected LINES BALLET in San Francisco and accepted a teaching apprentice position. In 2023 she turned her focus to her passion of acting.
Angus Cerini | Playwright
Angus Cerini is a multi-award-winning writer, performer and theatre maker. His plays have been produced widely in Australia by companies including Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre Company, and Malthouse Theatre, and have toured extensively throughout Australia and internationally including in France, Germany, Ireland and England. The Bleeding Tree premiered to critical acclaim, earning Angus several Best Play awards.
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Venue Rental • Production Support Crew • Stage Manager • House Manager • Ushers • Box Office Staff • Lighting & Effects Technician
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'Girls, I think your father's dead. I knocked his knees out. I conked his head. I shot that house-clown in the neck.'
In a dirt-dry town in rural Australia, a shot shatters the still night. A mother and her daughters have just welcomed home the man of the house-with a crack in the shins and a bullet in the neck.
Triggered into thrilling motion by an act of revenge, The Bleeding Tree is rude, rhythmical and irreverently funny. Imagine a murder ballad blown up for the stage, set against a deceptively deadly Aussie backdrop, with three fierce females fighting back.
Please note: we earn a small commission on the sale of this item that directly contributes to production costs.
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The Bleeding Tree has won the following awards!
Winner Best New Australian Work, Sydney Theatre Awards
Winner Griffin Award, 2014, Winner Best Play, Helpmann Awards, 2016 Winner NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, 2016
Winner Excellence in Writing for Australian Theatre, Australian Writer’s Guild Awards, 2016
Winner Best Ensemble, Best Writing for the Australian Stage, Best Production, Best Director, Green Room Awards, 2019
Nominee Best Performer, Green Room Awards, 2019
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