Sketch comedy series “Americans in Oz” brings Australian diversity to the world
SEPTEMBER 06, 2018: Sydney – As the conversation around cross-cultural
understanding, value of diversity and identity continues, a new skit comedy series ‘Americans in Oz’ launches to help tackle the topic of culture clash and mixed cultural identity.
Starring two Sydney-based actors and mums – Nigerian-American-Australian Bolude Watson and Latina-American-Australian Michela Carattini, the 17-episode comedy series uses well written humour to bring to life an often multi-faceted topic.
“Our identities are littered with hyphens!” laughs Carattini, also the series co-creator. “As the world becomes more globalised, there are more of us that identify as mixedrace, mixed nationality, multiple cultural identity and third culture kids,” says Carattini, daughter of an Australian ballerina and a Panamanian-American Military Intelligence
Officer. “I really feel Australia is the ideal place to look at how people manage those multiple category identities, and we’re using American’s in Oz to do this!”
Directed by emerging female directors Penelope Berkemeier and Florence Florens, the series takes the viewer on a journey with a sassy, bisexual, mixed-race New Yorker, and her conservative African-American best friend as they navigate the perilous and hilarious territory of the land down under. Mixing cliché rites of passage such as
Vegemite and Drop Bears with lesser known aspects, such as exposure to roundabouts, rhyming slang and gay culture, each short episode unmasks a hilarious universe of cultural and linguistic differences.
With Australia now home to the sixth-largest American population in the world, and being the only country in the world to which more Americans migrate than vice-versa*, the short, quick-witted 30-90 second episodes deliver the humorous side of an American-Australian culture clash!
“But it’s not just Americans and Australians who’ll get it,” emphasises Carattini, “The series is about real people in real intercultural situations, so many of the jokes have wider appeal.”
“American’s in Oz” premieres on Facebook from, September 7th –
www.facebook.com/americansinoz
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‘Americans in Oz’
There’s no avoiding culture crash! Two American women navigate the perilous and hilarious territory of the land down under.
Sketch Comedy Web Series
17 Episodes, 30-90 seconds in length
Launching on Facebook and You Tube on Friday, September 7th, 2018 @ 5pm
Series Synopsis:
A sassy, bisexual, mixed-race New Yorker, and her conservative African-American best friend navigate the perilous and hilarious territory of the land down under. Carmen and Bolude get confused about “thongs” and “rubbers,” are seriously lost when it comes to “seppos” and “drop bears,” try vegemite, tim-tams slams, and learn about the poisonous American creature that beats all of Australia’s. Both character-driven and situation comedy, the series follows in the footsteps of “Inside Amy Schumer” and “Awkward Black Girl”, while being the first sketch comedy series to tackle the niche of Australian-American culture clash and mixed cultural identity. Written, directed, produced, and starring Australian women of diverse backgrounds, the series highlights lesser known locations and aspects of Australia, and reflects the current diversity of Australians, including everyone on the joke. The series more subtly promotes cross cultural understanding, value of diversity and identity globalization.
Michela Carattini Short Bio:
Michela Carattini is an international, award-winning actor, writer, producer and mother of two. She is a graduate of Columbia (BAPsych) and USYD (MCrim), currently appearing in Channel 9’s Bite Club, and a candidate for Best Supporting Actress at the 2018 AACTAs. More info at www.michelacarattini.com, Twitter & Instagram: @DivineMsMichela
For further information, contact:
Michela Carattini
E: [email protected]