Highway of Lost Hearts, written by Darwin playwright Mary Anne Butler, explores the character of Mot [with her dog as her sole companion] as she ventures into the depths of Australia to discover her missing heart.

Mot will be portrayed by popular Bathurst actor and entertainer Dr Kate Smith, who described the production as a "road trip littered with recognisable Australian cultural references."

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"It's a wry, funny, sad and thought-provoking piece of theatre that will help audience members reconnect with conversations around who we are as Australians," Dr Smith said.

"People will recognise aspects of Australian identity and belonging within this piece, but at its core, it's simply a rollicking good tale."

The play is being produced as a collaboration between physical theatre company Lingua Franca and BMEC Local Stages.

And in a unique collaboration of local theatre and original music, popular Bathurst alt/country duo Smith & Jones [Abby Smith and Sophie Jones] have been brought on board to compose an original soundtrack to accompany the play.

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"The play wasn't originally written with music, but Adam Deusien [director and Lingua Franca co-founder] decided to bring Smith & Jones on board to craft a co-narrative using music," Dr Smith said.

"Their compositions bring a beautiful depth to the piece that will allow audience members forge a deeper connection with the narrative; think Paul Kelly's music, but it's Smith & Jones' music, which is even better."

Smith & Jones agreed the poetic nature of the play played a major role in enhancing the compositional process.

"The play is lyrical in nature; a lot of it sounds like its already been written into song, but it has been a unique experience for us in the sense we're responding to a set piece of theatre through music," Smith said.

"It's also nice that this play will be our first performance back post-lockdown. It's not a pub gig, rather an incredible theatre production with a host of creatives who have inspired us over the years, and we feel incredibly privileged that this will be our reintroduction to the stage," Jones added.

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Highway of Lost Hearts will be performed at BMEC across four sessions: Friday, November 19 [11am and 8pm] and Saturday, November 20 [2pm and 8pm].

Tickets cost $42 for adults, $37 for concession, $25 for students and $20 for matinee pensioners. For more information, visit www.bmec.com.au.

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