Doctor Tulp is a new Australian production company.
Doctor Tulp is artistic director, John Rodgers and creative producer, Leah Cotterell, working and collaborating with music ensembles and artists toward the creation and presentation of new performance works with an emphasis on storytelling through song and music.

Doctor Tulp cuts to the heart of things through the uniquely black art of songwriting, where language, music, and their performers react in ways that, like ourselves, may never be completely understood.

Our first show Little Birung (originally Blackbird) was written for Megan Sarmardin, a wonderful young Indigenous performer, about her family story, and our next project 8000 Balustrades is John's flamenco rich telling of the stories of two Spanish emigres in North Queensland.

To tell these stories we choose to work with a small consistent collective of performers; singers like Pearly Black and Megan Sarmardin, musicians like Erkki Veltheim, Marc Hannaford, Jamie Clark, Genevieve Lacey, Richard Tedesco, and Manolo Varela.

'Little Birung' album launched
Megan and Jamie recorded in September, the album was mixed in October and went on sale at the JWCoCA in November, launched at the opening night party of 'Little Birung'. Listen to the title track...contact us if you would like to mail order a copy.

The album project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

'8000 Balustrades' receives Arts Queensland creative development funding
In 2012 John Rodgers and film maker Randall Woods will travel to beautiful Paronella Park to capture images for projection in the performance of 8000 Balustrades.

The trip will be funded by Arts Queensland and sponsored by the owners of Paronella Park, Mark and Judy Evans.

Little Birung Showreel 2011
Excerpts from Little Birung recorded at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts November 2011. Performed by Megan Sarmardin and Jamie Clark on guitar and mandolin. Includes narration by Sean Mee, Director, Leah Cotterell, Producer, Dixie Sarmardin, Megan's mother, Seamus Mee, Consulting Producer, and John Rodgers, Writer. Read more

Listen to 'Little Birung'
'Little Birung' performed by Megan Sarmardin and Jamie Clark 2011, written by John Rodgers and Megan Sarmardin 2006 Read more

Listen to 'Love Sweet Love' recorded 2009
Love Sweet Love performed by Pearly Black, John Rodgers, Erkki Veltheim, from The Uncaring Wind 2011 Read more

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