Aunty Ruth Steals The Show!

Former Murgon SHS student, playwright and director Leah Purcell with Aunty Ruth Hegarty during the Q&A

March 20, 2025

Two local superstars travelled back to the South Burnett this week for a very special event at Murgon State High School.

Award-winning actor / playwright / director Leah Purcell (born and raised in Murgon) joined award-winning author Dr Ruth Hegarty (grew up in Cherbourg) on stage before an audience of friends, relatives, students and visitors.

Leah was accompanied by actors Melodie Reynolds-Diarra and Shakira Clanton – and a supporting stage crew – fresh from sold-out performances of the play, “Is That You Ruthie?”, at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane.

The play, written by Leah, is based on the autobiographical books by Aunty Ruth: “Is That You Ruthie?” (published by the University of Queensland Press in 1999) and “Buthalangi: A Maranoa Woman” (published in 2022).

The books – and the play crafted by Leah from them – tell the stories of Ruthie (Munya) and her mother Ruby-Anne (Buthalangi).

Ruby’s parents voluntarily came to the then-Barambah Mission (now Cherbourg) during the Great Depression after her father’s business began to fail. It was supposed to be for a short stay … but Ruby and her baby Ruth, who had been born six months earlier in Mitchell, were immediately shunted off into the Dormitory system from which there was no escape.

And there was no language … Ruby was forbidden from speaking Gunggari to her little girl.

When Ruth was just old enough to start school, Ruby was sent out to work as a domestic servant and Ruth was left on her own in the Girls Dormitory – subject to the strict discipline of the time, and with only a band of close girlfriends to keep her going. It seems she was often in trouble, with the call “Is That You, Ruthie?” from the matron often echoing down the halls.

When she turned 14, Ruth, too, was sent out to work …

Aunty Ruth’s book, “Is That You Ruthie?”, won the David Unaipon Award in 1998.

It is filled with laughter and tears, and immediately inspired Leah Purcell to think about writing a stage version after she first read it.

But it was the continued urging from Aunty Ruth – now almost 96 – who pointed out she wasn’t getting any younger which prompted Leah to quickly finish the work.

“Is That Ruthie?” went on to win a Matilda Award last year after its initial run on stage in Brisbane.

Leah promised to bring her play home when she was guest speaker at last year’s Murgon State High School awards night, but there wasn’t enough time to organise a full production.

Instead, the actors staged a “reading”, delivering their lines with much enthusiasm while Leah explained the stage directions.

However, there was still some live action – including dancing and singing – by Melodie and Shakira.

At the end, the audience gave the performance, and Aunty Ruth Hegarty, a standing ovation.

Aunty Ruth then fielded questions from the floor in a short Q&A session.

Murgon SHS principal Craig Homer said it was an incredible opportunity and privilege for the school to host the performance.

“It is a rare opportunity for our school to share one of the critical stories for our young people, ” he said.

Fifty students also travelled to QPAC last week to view the live stage production.

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