A Bee Story – Auckland Arts Festival 2023

A Bee Story

ARC CIRCUS & CLUSTER ARTS

CREATED BY ROBBIE CURTIS & LIZ M c RAE

Rangatira, Q Theatre & Regional Auckland 24–26 March 2023

CHARACTERS / PERFORMERS

Worker Bee is a helper by nature – he’s a happy bee, who loves his job collecting pollen, and gets disheartened when he can’t find enough flowers. He lives to serve Queen Bee, and always picks her up when she is down (literally and metaphorically)!

ROBBIE CURTIS is the Founder and Artistic Director of ARC Circus and is the creator and director of A Bee Story.

Curtis is an Australian performer and choreographer who has worked extensively for over ten years nationally and internationally, performing, teaching and choreographing. He has worked for companies including Cirque du Soleil, Circa, Circus Oz, Legs on the Wall, Cirque de Paname, Australian Ballet, Australian Opera, Theatre of Image, Shaun Parker Co., and Footnote Dance Company. He is internationally recognised for his unique style of mixing dance and circus and has been an artistic consultant at the National Institute of Circus Arts. He has performed in notable theatres around the world, and at every major Australian festival.

Queen Bee fancies herself as a very serious and important leader – much in the style of Elizabethan or Shakespearean monarchs. She is very proud and believes she can do anything, but actually can only succeed with the help of her support staff, especially Worker Bee!

LIZ Mc RAE is the co-creator of A Bee Story and is a musician and comedian. She has taught all levels of flute and plays piccolo and saxophone.

McRae is a juggler, clown, and also serves as General Manager of ARC Circus. She holds both a Bachelors and a Master’s degree from the University of Sydney, and she has worked in management all over the world, including Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Myanmar, Indonesia, Japan, the UK, and the USA. She is passionate about entertaining and empowering kids, and in between being the Queen Bee in A Bee Story, is currently the Executive Director of Iraqi Children Foundation.

ABOUT THE SHOW

A Bee Story is a uniquely Australian physical theatre show for children and families incorporating a kaleidoscope of circus, acrobatics, dance and live music. It tells the story of Queen Bee and Worker Bee who must work together to rebuild their hive after being destroyed by a bushfire. But things never quite go to plan...

Join the bees on their buzzy adventures and be enchanted by their pollen collecting skills, honeymaking abilities, and super-bee strength.

A Bee Story has themes of environmentalism, sustainability and community spirit.

Multi-talented acrobatic mavericks and circus storytellers bound together by art, invention and curiosity. ARC Circus was founded in 2020 by Robbie Curtis after an incredible decade of devising, performing and touring internationally with the world’s finest circus and dance companies. ARC Circus co. was born from the desire to create a unique high-level blend of circus, dance and theatre – narrative-driven works that are emotionally engaging, risk-taking, aesthetically beautiful and accessible.

A global conduit for Australian artists in circus and physical theatre based in Brisbane, Australia, Cluster Arts is an industry leader in arts management — the unsexy but important ‘backstage’ business that supports and nurtures exciting and unforgettable performances.

INSPIRATIONS

“We have been highly influenced by the 2019 Australian bushfires and the increasing impact of climate change on our environment, wildlife, and humans. Bees, and especially Australia’s native bees, are crucial to a functioning and thriving ecosystem and are being threatened by humans and climate change. We wanted to create a narrative that focuses on the importance of protecting our native bees, and how we will only be able to do it by working together for a common goal. Just like the bees, who must work together to rebuild both their home and community, we too must adjust and collaborate to combat climate change and its effects.”

—Robbie Curtis

45mins no interval · Suitable for all ages

IMAGES: Kai Leishman

SUPPORTED BY

WITH SUPPORT FROM

Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki / Auckland Arts Festival (AAF) champions change-making, the environment, ambitious ideas, powerful voices and unique experiences that open our eyes, our hearts and our minds.

The Festival takes place each March in New Zealand’s largest city, and reflects its contemporary, multicultural nature.

AAF challenges its community to be courageous, to be bold, and to explore new ways of reflecting the world around us.

Through the incredible work of artists here in Aotearoa and across the globe, we aim to unify, uplift and inspire our audiences – the people of Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa and all who visit.

Board of Trustees /

Te Poari Kaitiaki

John Judge (Chair)

Angela Clatworthy

Evan Davies

Eleshea D’Souza

Sarah Judkins

Graham Tipene

Fred Ward

Angela Watson

Chief Executive /

Kaiwhakahaere Matua