After their capture months ago, holed up in PV Studios which progressively filled with Broken Biscuit, Donna and The Aspinauts’ Broken Biscuit album was finally released this week. Experience the surrealism for yourself.
{February 9, 2010}
Donna and The Aspinauts, released without charge
{January 3, 2010}
Aspinauts first album, Broken Biscuit, ready to hit the press
Well, with the magic of Paul Spears at PV Sounds we finally have the first Aspinauts album. Titled ‘Broken Biscuit’ it features 14 tracks (ten songs and four spoken word tracks). Expect a surreal odyssey, a satirical adventure, musical madness, intelligence and comedy, substance and sociology. We hope you find the songs infectious. Ear worms guaranteed. The tracks include: Read the rest of this entry »
{November 23, 2009}
From LA we take our Footsteps to theatre in Geelong
January 2010 is going to be a wild month for the Footsteps of a Nobody show. First it will go to Long Beach, then to Burbank, then to New Jersey, and finally land back in Australia, in Geelong West.
Produced by Aspinauts Players in Association with Walking Into Bars, FOOTSTEPS OF A NOBODY is a powerful one woman rock-musical both written and performed by Donna Williams, author of the international best seller, Nobody Nowhere; Autobiography of an Autistic Girl and musically backed by The Aspinauts. This is a unique opportunity to witness the author herself perform a story that has changed the lives of millions.
Through vibrant song, characterisations, gestural signing, evocative spoken word, and musically supported by the band, The Aspinauts, Donna takes us on a journey from a seemingly deaf, psychotic, ’feral’ child to life on the streets and ultimately on to her fight for equality among others.
REVIEWS OF DONNA WILLIAMS’ WRITING:
She allows us to understand our own perceptions as never before. NEW YORK TIMES
Evocative, poetic, compelling, shocking, gut wrenchingly moving. WEEKEND REVIEW
Deserves every superlative a reviewer can muster. THE GLOBE AND MAIL
Powerful enough to make one reassess what it means to be human. MODE
By turns fascinating and harrowing. PEOPLE MAGAZINE
23/01/2010 8:00 PM FOOTSTEPS OF A NOBODY @ The Woodbin Theatre 15 Coronation Street Geelong West, 3218
Cost: Adults:$22.00 | Concession:$20.00 | Students: $15.00
BUY TICKETS ONLINE HERE: http://www.donnawilliams.net/events0.0.html
ENQUIRIES: bookings@donnawilliams.net Show runs 8-9pm.
Disabled access is available.
Show is suitable for teens and adults.
Question time available after the show.
Donna Williams, Dip Ed, BA Hons.
Author, artist, singer-songwriter, screenwriter.
Autism consultant and public speaker.
{November 1, 2009}
3 upcoming US shows for Footsteps of a Nobody
FOOTSTEPS OF A NOBODY is a powerful one woman rock-musical both written and performed by Donna Williams, author of the international best seller, Nobody Nowhere; Autobiography of an Autistic Girl and musically backed by accomplished pianist, David Moscoe. This is a unique opportunity to witness the author herself perform a story that has changed the lives of millions. Through vibrant song, characterisations, gestural signing, evocative spoken word, Donna takes us on a journey from a seemingly deaf, psychotic, ’feral’ child to life on the streets and ultimately on to her fight for equality among others.
REVIEWS OF DONNA WILLIAMS’ WRITING:
She allows us to understand our own perceptions as never before. NEW YORK TIMES
Evocative, poetic, compelling, shocking, gut wrenchingly moving. WEEKEND REVIEW
Deserves every superlative a reviewer can muster. THE GLOBE AND MAIL
Powerful enough to make one reassess what it means to be human. MODE
By turns fascinating and harrowing. PEOPLE MAGAZINE.
UPDATE 7th Dec 2009.
It’s 4 weeks to the flight, a 16 hr flight to LA where I had autism lectures and two performances of Footsteps of a Nobody and a performance of Baloombawop. Then I was to be flying on to New Jersey to do another performance of Footsteps of a Nobody before a 25 hr flight back to Melbourne.
But it’s 7th Dec and after 3 months of Bronchitis, I’m still coughing yellow muck. I have only today and tomorrow before antibiotic course number 3 (this time for antibiotic resistant infections so its an end of the line antibiotic) runs out. The infections are presently all low level but the problem is that on a plane I’ll get more run down than 3 months with bronchitis has already made me, and be simultaneously exposed to 16 hrs of other passenger’s bugs going out and 25 hours of passenger’s bugs coming back. Plus I couldn’t get Swine Flu vaccination because I’ve been ill. I’ve been waiting to get better enough to get it. This Wednesday my blood tests will come back its fairly possible the blood tests will say I’m back in the lap of primary immune deficiencies again after an 8 year reprieve from the immune deficiencies I likely had since 6 months old.
I had to decide that I can’t fly. I feel I’d be risking further antibiotic resistant infections, possible pnuemonia and I’d be in a seriously at risk category for Swine Flu. Immune deficiency but essentially it makes the body a walk in for infections. Until it is again under control I’m meant to stay away from crowds, including off planes. It’s been really hard for me to accept. It’s been really bad news for me and I’m trying not to be too scared, just live a ‘normal’ life in between taking medication, coughing and sleeping and remember I’m still me, I’ll always still be me.
Sorry to let any of you down. I’ll still be making a wonderful video presentation of the talks I’d have given which I hope will air at the events and there’ll be DVD of a performance of Footsteps of a Nobody for the audiences to see.
For information about future shows please visit http://www.aspinauts.com
Thanks for understanding
Donna Williams
Author, artist, singer-songwriter, screenwriter.
Autism consultant and public speaker.
http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm
http://www.donnawilliams.net
http://www.aspinauts.com
Back from a most grueling tour throughout the UK and to Ireland, I’ve seen over thousands of faces in 15 days, stood on chairs and tables, recited poetry to gestural signing, taken questions, orated with passion and sang Broken Biscuit from the musical Footsteps of a Nobody whilst The Aspinauts appeared behind me, projected onto a screen and musical played through the audio system as I sang rigged up with a wireless mic.
The audiences loved it with people asking where they can get Broken Biscuit. Of course we’re working on it and hope to have it available soon on CD so watch this space. In the meantime, you can still catch the last Melbourne performance of Footsteps of a Nobody for 2009 and come and see Broken Biscuit performed in the show. In the meantime, here’s the slideshow.
warmly,
Donna Williams, Dip Ed, BA Hons.
Author, artist, singer-songwriter, screenwriter.
Autism consultant and public speaker.
http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm
http://www.donnawilliams.net
http://www.aspinauts.com
{September 22, 2009}
Photos of Donna Williams and The Aspinauts from Footsteps of a Nobody
I’ve made a slideshow from the photos from the shows of Footsteps of a Nobody. Hope you enjoy it.
Donna Williams, Dip Ed, BA Hons.
Author, artist, singer-songwriter, screenwriter.
Autism consultant and public speaker.
http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm
http://www.donnawilliams.net
http://www.aspinauts.com
{September 22, 2009}
Inter-arts, Wodonga, Wonderland and The Aspinauts
Just got back from doing the Footsteps of a Nobody show in Wodonga at the Wodonga Civic Centre. It was hosted by Cooinda who did an incredible job flying 5 musos from Melbourne to Wodonga, sorting out all the equipment, theatre, ticketting, accomodation, transport, food, hospitality. And the show was really well received with a good turnout. 
I performed the show on the stage but came down the central stairs and into the audience several times throughout the show, delivering the Shakesperian spoken word and songs directly amidst the audience. I spoke to participants after the show. There were men who had been crying. There were people gobsmacked having seen nothing like this in their lives. Mostly people were so enthused. I seem to hear again and again that whilst they’re deeply rocked by the show (pardon the pun) participants seem to feel they were watching their own lives being played out up on the stage. As a writer, actor, singer, performer, that is really nirvana, to take them to that space.
The Footsteps of a Nobody show is what is called inter-arts, or multi-arts, so it’s a really hard beast to label. It’s a mixture of signing that at times might resemble deaf theatre. It has characterisations of satire, comedy and Marcel Marceau, Shakespearian meter but the monologue shift into raps and break out into songs musically supported by The Aspinauts. It has story and acting akin to a play yet it leaps in time and place like a trip with Alice down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. The story takes people from surrealism to pathos, to comedy and a powerful shared humanity that seems to link up all present.
Donna Williams, Dip Ed, BA Hons.
Author, artist, singer-songwriter, screenwriter.
http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm
http://www.donnawilliams.net
http://www.aspinauts.com
{August 26, 2009}
Footsteps of A Nobody @ The Guild Theatre
FOOTSTEPS OF A NOBODY Sat 31st Oct, The Guild Theatre, first floor, Union House, Melbourne University, Carlton, Victoria 3010
Footsteps of a Nobody is a powerful one woman rock-musical from Donna Williams, author of the international bestseller, Nobody Nowhere; Autobiography of an Autistic Girl. Through characterisations, gestural signing, evocative spoken word and song it traces Donna’s pivotal experiences from a meaning deaf, meaning blind feral child to life on the streets and on to her ultimate fight to claim a place of equality among others.
REVIEWS OF DONNA WILLIAMS’ WRITING:
THE NEW YORK TIMES: She allows us to understand our own perceptions as never before. PEOPLE MAGAZINE: By turns fascinating and harrowing.
WEEKEND REVIEW: Evocative, poetic, compelling, shocking, gut-wrenchingly moving.
DAILY TELEGRAPH: Powerful and unique.
MODE: Powerful enough to make one reassess what it means to be human.
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING: Extraordinarily gripping.
THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Deserves every superlative a reviewer can muster.
BOOK ONLINE: http://union.unimelb.edu.au/theatre
INQUIRIES: bookings@donnawilliams.net
Disabled access is available.
Show is suitable for teens and adults
Show runs 8-9pm.
{August 18, 2009}
Upcoming musicals in Melbourne and regional Victoria
BALOOMBAWOP Sat 28th Jan 2010, 2:00 PM, @Altona Meadows Library, 2 Newham Way, Altona Meadows, Victoria 3028. Once upon tough time, there were Grumpy Gallumphies who didn’t like strangeness it made them quite grumpy. Then a magical train arrived from a dream and those who could dare, they had dared to get in. It was off to Baloomba-wop where they had purple rain, and a shop that even sold new replacement brains! They would meet Charlie Warmton whose best friend was a blanket, and the Brookenstein Fox who lives up on a shelf, and Bluster-McFluster with his technical gadgets and the Gimmety-Gimme with everything for herself. They’d meet Booger-Looger who picks his nose to perfection and the Whirly-twirl-girl who lacks any direction. And not to mention the Gadoodleborger who runs a magical shop which just happens to be where the train is to stop. But deep in Baloomba-wop, a Grumpy Gallumphy, the notorious Dame Grumpty- Doobee-the-Fourth, she doesn’t like strangeness at all so she wants to make everyone so very ’normal’ of course. She is looking to change Baloomba-wop for forever. She’s determined to make all these weirdoes quite plain. Will she be stopped before everything’s ’normal’, I wonder. Or succeed making all be exactly the same? Baloomba-wop, written and produced by Donna Williams and accompanied by The Aspinauts. Baloomba-wop is an interactive, off the wall, musical adventure for kids and kids at heart. It should appeal to fans of Dr Seuss, Lewis Carroll, Roald Dahl. The land of Baloomba-wop is magically brought to life through the complete dag-dom of The Aspinauts and the gestural signing and characterisations of their storyteller-lead singer, Donna Williams. It runs for an hour and audience members are invited to actively participate throughout. Show runs 2-3pm. Enquiries: 99323041. Cost: gold coin donation
.
FOOTSTEPS OF A NOBODY Sat 20th Feb 2010, 8:00 PM @ Doncaster Playhouse, 679 Doncaster Road, Doncaster, Victoria 3108. Produced by Aspinauts Players in Association with Walking Into Bars, FOOTSTEPS OF A NOBODY is a powerful one woman rock-musical both written and performed by Donna Williams, author of the international best seller, Nobody Nowhere; Autobiography of an Autistic Girl and musically backed by The Aspinauts. This is a unique opportunity to witness the author herself perform a story that has changed the lives of millions. Through vibrant song, characterisations, gestural signing, evocative spoken word, and musically supported by the band, The Aspinauts, Donna takes us on a journey from a seemingly deaf, psychotic, ’feral’ child to life on the streets and ultimately on to her fight for equality among others. 
Show runs 8-9pm.
REVIEWS OF DONNA WILLIAMS’ WRITING: She allows us to understand our own perceptions as never before. NEW YORK TIMES Evocative, poetic, compelling, shocking, gut wrenchingly moving. WEEKEND REVIEW Deserves every superlative a reviewer can muster. THE GLOBE AND MAIL Powerful enough to make one reassess what it means to be human. MODE By turns fascinating and harrowing. PEOPLE MAGAZINE… Disabled access is available. Show is suitable for teens and adults. Question time available after the show. Cost: Adults:$22.00 | Concession:$20.00 | Students: $15.00.
TICKETS :
TICKETS :ONLINE HERE: http://www.donnawilliams.net/theatre.0.html
OR AT THE DOOR
ENQUIRIES: bookings@donnawilliams.net
more info at:
http://www.aspinauts.com
{August 8, 2009}
Paul Spears is back with The Aspinauts
The Aspinauts have been absolutely chuffed to have Paul back with us as drummer. Every one of the Aspinauts is a unique character and Paul and his drumming were missed by the various Aspinauts who kept lamenting his absence. Whilst he was still producing our first album so still kind of hanging out now and then with us, it’s great to have him back with the team and just in time for two shows of Footsteps of a Nobody, the first at Spencers Live on Friday Aug 14th and the other at Wodonga Civic Centre on Saturday Sept 12th. Welcome back Paul. We’ll go easy on ya 
