By Andrea James
Drama Currency PressSunshine Super Girl: The Evonne Goolagong Story

A young girl hits a ball against the tin wall of her family’s home. This is where it all began for Evonne Goolagong. Hers is a quintessentially Australian story about a girl from the bush who dared to dream, and with the support of an outback farming town, rose to become the No. 1 tennis player in the world and a household name by the age of 19.
Evonne Goolagong’s heartwarming story is a celebration of spirit and passion over adversity, and a tribute to a woman whose sporting prowess continues to inspire a nation, giving hope to thousands of young girls across the country. With its distinctively Australian sensibility and humour, Sunshine Super Girl asks us to consider our nation’s future and the part we can play for the next ‘Goolagong’ waiting in the wings.
Judges’ report
In Sunshine Supergirl, Andrea James balances with skill, respect and care, the conventions of dance theatre with the onerous task of documenting the life story of one of our most treasured sporting icons, Evonne Goolagong Cawley. The play marks a shift in Indigenous storytelling toward celebration and acknowledgement of the extraordinary achievements of First Nations Peoples in Australia. Cawley faces isolation from family and community as she is made an 'honorary white' so that she can play in South Africa, she confronts the usual racial slurs by focusing on her game and her brilliance at it. Lively, funny and poignant, this work about Australia’s first Indigenous tennis champion, and her determination and love of tennis is a story about being the best in spite of racism and political agendas.
Extract
An extract from Sunshine Super Girl: The Evonne Goolagong Story is available here.
The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards shortlist