SPARK 2015

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Welcome to Stage Whispers' annual School Performing Arts Resource Kit (SPARK). The aim is to provide school teachers with more tools to spark a love of theatre in their students. Please click through to the section that is relevant to you.

We welcome feedback on this edition and any suggestions you have for us to improve it in future years. Leave your comments here

Front cover image Ben Russell and Cassie Vagliviello in Improvilicious.

Photo: Nelli Scarlet Photography.

Contents

Costuming, Props and Sets ...................................................................................... 4 Where to find them. How to make them Finding Musical and Play Scripts ............................................................................ 16 Tips on putting on a show Sound and Light ................................................................................................... 28 Many features including budget tips Ticketing, Seating, Curtains and Special Effects ...................................................... 51 Training ................................................................................................................ 56 Performances for Schools. Incursion and Excursion ................................................. 63 National................................................................................................................ 67 New South Wales & A.C.T. ..................................................................................... 70 Queensland .......................................................................................................... 77 South Australia ..................................................................................................... 79 Victoria ................................................................................................................. 80 Western Australia .................................................................................................. 84

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Costuming, Props & Sets

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Strictly Preposterous Costumes Quadruple Oscar winner Catherine Martin explains the philosophy behind the costumes in Strictly Ballroom the film and now the musical. David Spicer reports.

“The ballroom world is one of sartorial freedom where nothing is out of bounds.

“If this is set in any period, it is set in the 1980’s. But it is really set in its own world, the world of Strictly Ballroom, which is defined in the film.

“Baz Luhrmann said we needed to be true to the film but we needed to amplify the message for the stage, so details you see in a close up, you can’t see. We needed the message of the characters very clear. We chose to keep all the colour coding that we used in the film.

“We looked at Angus Strathie who designed the ballroom costume work in the film. It was about keeping that spirit; making sure it worked on stage. So whilst Tina Sparkle was in tiny little fruit (in the film), we had to expand that message so that people understand she is not wearing little colour baubles.

(Instead) she is wearing big pineapples.

“When we made the movie, ballroom was not a very well known subculture. Now we have programs on television that celebrate the art of ballroom dancing. So we had to be sure we were delivering things that are true to the world, but also gave the audience a sense of that world being outside what they had seen on TV. “Then I think the other special word is preposterous.

With all these refinements and all these attempts that the innate joy, the preposterous no holds barred nature of the ballroom dancing costumes in that era, the world they inhabit.

“You don’t too tasteful. Taste is a dangerous world. You judge yourself by the norms of the world not by you own.”

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Making and Maintaining the Costumes Catherine Mayne, Costume Supervisor for Strictly Ballroom The Musical, took Stage Whispers TV on a tour backstage.

Her favourite costumes are the fruity mambo costumes.

“They are spectacular.”

The male version of the pineapple “has approximately 250 leaves on his sleeves. It is pretty heavy and fun.

“They take a lot of love. All the machine work is pretty laborious.”

The girl version “is a bit saucy. When she wears it, it looks pretty naked. It is mostly lyrca and strip sequencing. The actual diamantes take least time. The women get on a mission and go bang bang bang. All costumes are lined inside so it does not scratch the boys.”

Then of course there are the fabulous ball gowns.

“Most of these gowns take about 100 hours to complete. That is not including the diamante work.”

Online extras!

Go backstage with Stage Whispers TV by scanning the QR code or visiting http://youtu.be/EgVERyMbzE0 “Most of them have three rows of feathers. The circumference of every skirt is about 11 metres. All are hand sewn.”

The matador coat which Scott wears to finish the production is another show stopper.

“We searched far and wide for right trims in this jacket.

There was at least 60 hours of construction. It comes in layers. First the base, then overlay of gold lace, lattice work

stitched on, base trim and sequin over the top. Then the epaulettes, collars, sleeves and back. Then gold flowers with velvet underneath with a glue cut. There is also the bead work and diamante work and he dances in it eight times a week.”

Every so often it gets a once over for running repairs. A seamstress’s job is never done.

A selection of CLOC Musical Theatre’s costumes for hire. www.cloc.org.au

Strictly Ballroom the Musical is on stage at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre.

An exhibition of costumes from the movie is on display at Sydney’s Powerhouse museum until Nov 9.

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How To Make Props And Sets Sparkle

Master Sydney set builders Bob and Col Peet are on a mission to terminate drab looking props and sets. The brothers say making them sparkle is straightforward. The answer is to just to add ‘make-up’. Older brother Bob revealed some of his secrets to delegates at last year’s Association of Community Theatre Stagecraft conference.

An old puppet master once told me not to be shy of over doing things with shading. He always said everything has to have make-up. You’ve got to see it from the stalls.

I very rarely use one colour or plain colours. God knows how many shows we have been to and people haven’t used any imagination - shading or other techniques on the wall flats - so you end up with a dead boring set. For instance in this picture I am holding a sheet of board painted grey. Half of it is flicked with a paint brush. That breaks up a fairly boring look, particularly if there is a lot of wall surface.

I have been doing that with black sets in The Phantom of the Opera. I have flicked black with a couple of colours. There is nothing as boring as looking at a lot of black flats or grey flats or whatever. At least this gives it some dimension. With the flicking here

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I start off with a watery white, then a slightly darker grey, then black. You can use brighter colours if you want.

You can see the difference. I painted the whole board grey then I masked half of it and flicked the other half.

Another example is this butter churn from Oklahoma! This is a prop that’s not being used very often so we had to make one. It shows what can be achieved with almost nothing. The actual churn is just a cardboard drum, picked up in the recycling. There are some shaped timber bits screwed onto it - two at the bottom for legs and two at the top and the handle comes from a meat grinder we found.

It was painted in a fairly plain light brown colour. This time I streaked it with a couple of colours, a darker brown and ochre. The streaking process can be done with a fairly dry brush.

I find the simplest way is to make your own tools. I bought a rubber squeegee that is used for silk screen printing from a hardware store.

Because they have a square bottom, I cut v shapes with scissors so you end up with a tool that resembles a comb.

I dip the comb into fairly watery paint, making sure there is not too much paint. Then I simply drag it in rows with a couple of colours including a few dark shade lines in black.

Suddenly your cardboard tube looks like old timber. It might look odd up close, just like actors’ faces with makeup can look grotesque, but if you see them from the back of the stalls you appreciate why you need this exaggerated texture.

Between them, Col and Bob Peet have more than a century of prop and set building experience.

For advice from them or to hire sets from the Miranda Musical Society contact Bob: bob.peet@bigpond.com

Furniture also needs make up. The leg of this chair which is nearest to my chest is sprayed with gold paint. It looks OK but it looks like it has been sprayed with gold paint. The other leg I washed with a brown ochre. I wiped it off straight away but made sure a reasonable amount of brown stuck to the cracks. You can see the grooves are highlighted in that leg. Period furniture can be made to look even better using this technique.

Up the top near Col’s chin you can see quite a shiny bit of gold. I use synthetic gold leaf that is cheap as chips and very easy to apply. I painted the top part of the decoration brown then packed glue over it, and using a very soft brush tapped the gold leaf into place. You let it dry for a day then come back with the same soft brush and tidy up the surface. You also have to apply a clear gloss to maintain it. It looks like a million dollars because the gold has stuck to the highlighted parts but the cracks have darker brown.

Here is a glimpse of what the finished product can look like. This is a coffin I have built for a forthcoming production of Evita. It looks for an icon. www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 8

Costume And Prop Marketplace CLOC’s Costume Cavalcade www.cloc.org.au Walking through the aisles of CLOC Musical Theatre Company’s Costume Resource Centre is like singing that song about Joseph’s coat (“It was red and yellow and green and brown….”etc.). With nearly 12,000 items catalogued including dresses, coats, suits, shirts, bowties, shoes, hats, bags, gloves, scarves, jewellery, wigs and everything in between, the centre is a stroll through centuries of fashion from 100 productions over 50 years.

Wardrobe Co-ordinator Allan Paul has spent every Saturday for the past 20 years lovingly caring for the collection, aided by a dedicated group of about 15 women who sew costumes for the current show, as well as sharing gossip and good food.

CLOC’s most recent show and its 100th production, 42nd Street, just completed a spectacularly successful season at The National Theatre in St Kilda.

Costume designer Victoria Horne took charge of 300 costumes. Some costume changes were so quick that each cast member had two complete costume/wig changes within one three minute number.

Each cast member had both 1930s day and rehearsal wear, as well as glitzy, bespeckled and feathered outfits to represent the ‘show within a show’. Given this brief, it is no wonder that Vicky had absolutely no trouble in keeping up her tradition of ensuring that each costume had at least one sequin on it.

Even in the famous “42nd Street Ballet” that forms the show’s climactic and most intricate dance number, Vicky ensured that every individualised character costume featured sequins - the gangsters, the street sweeper, the newspaper seller, the Salvation Army girls, the soldier, the beggar and the policeman.

From the cast of 33, each female ensemble member had 12 costumes and each male ensemble nine, including matching shoes with each costume as well as a multitude of accessories such as specially created jewellery, gloves, bowties, beaded chokers and hats/headgear, made from scratch by CLOC’s millinery team led by Tina Scott.

Costume consultant Nancy Matthews also hand knitted two 1930s style vests for leading man Tim Cant.

Anyone who saw 42nd Street will attest to the success of Vicky’s vision and her team’s artistry, skill, talents and commitment to excellence.

sewing ladies who are pursuing their love of dressmaking and are currently designing and sewing for Annie and The Phantom of the Opera.

A rental of a large set of costumes typically costs in the vicinity of $3000 plus laundry costs.

GMS has eight shows being hired at the moment including Beauty and the Beast, Hairspray, The Producers, Spamalot and Oliver!

The GMS Costumes website features up to 100 photographs from the last 30 musicals performed by GMS. Contact (02) 43241305 or gosfordmusical@bigpond.com Bankstown Theatre Company (NSW) www.bankstowntheatrecompany.com/hire.html From Greek armour to a dead deer, no job is too difficult for the Bankstown Theatre Company’s wardrobe department.

It all began when Pauline Paull started making costumes in her lounge room for My Fair Lady in 1976 and now continues in the company’s premises at the Bankstown Arts Centre nearly forty years later. Costumes have been designed and made for over 110 productions, giving BTC a wardrobe for all shapes, sizes, colours, styles and eras.

Since Pauline’s sad passing in 2007, a team has continued the tradition in her place.

“If you’re looking for something unusual,” says costume maker Lynne Beach, “who knows, we might just have it. We have costumes available for hire to theatre companies, schools or individuals, from one-off costumes through to some complete production sets.

“Our website will give you an idea of the variety of shows we have performed over the years and an indication of the wide variety of men’s and women’s costumes that we have accumulated and have for hire.”

Contact Lynne on 0438 449 334.

MLOC Productions (Victoria) www.mloc.org.au A spectacular full set of CATS costumes is available for hire from MLOC Productions in Melbourne’s south-east.

The company also has an array of costumes and resources to suit many shows.

Recent productions staged by the company include Thoroughly Modern Millie, Annie, Pippin and White Christmas.

Contact Margot (03) 9808 9775.

Ballarat Lyric Theatre (Victoria) www.ballaratlyrictheatre.com.au/costume-hire Fresh from a triumphant production of The Phantom of the Opera that included stunning masquerade masks, the Ballarat Lyric Theatre now has a wide variety of fully GMS Costumes (NSW Central Coast) costumed shows available for hire to theatres around www.gmscostumes.com.au Australia.

The rental of entire show sets of costumes to other The company has multiple Guild Awards for excellence musical societies and schools is still extremely popular. Most over the years. production companies don’t have the storage space or the Other popular full sets include Hairspray, Joseph, Cats resources to make show costumes. GMS makes good quality and The Sound of Music. costumes that not only last for their show but also numerous The costume department also has an animal print, leather hires. The Gosford Musical Society has a dedicated group of and fur frenzy going on for party animals.

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A selection of costumes for hire from MLOC www.mloc.org.au

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Transporting Large Costumes Tracey Nuthall from Costumes Without They are Drama explains how to squeeze a easy for teapot into a hula hoop. the children to My Beauty and the Beast costumes put on, to are, for the most part, very easily wear; they transported. I use black irrigation hose, are robust with my own way of joining the ends enough to be so that they can be very easily laundered and re used, and the assembled.

The plates are expanded out to the children like correct shape; they are flexible, so no wearing them. one gets hurt, and they re-shape I had to make the teapot up with themselves if children bump into only a day’s notice because the ‘professional’ teapot, which the school anything.

The teapot (Mrs Potts) has a simple was going to use, was deemed too fabric frame under the dress with three heavy and uncomfortable by the child. irrigation tube hoops - around the I went down a completely different neck, waist and knees. The teapot path to help solve the problem. I spout is ‘guided’ by the child’s arm; it believe the girl took one look at this teapot, and when she tried it on, she is actually a sleeve, but the child can use the spout to direct conversation. ‘owned’ the role, and because she

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Beauty And The Beast costumes

could move easily, and get in and out of it easily, there were no more ‘dramas’!

All the costumes in this range can be packed down into a relatively small space between performances, so even though they are bulky on stage, the teapot is, in fact the size and depth of a hula hoop, as are the plates and the teacups.

Many of my bulky costumes are made in such a way as to be able to be deconstructed to post to far-flung places.

(03) 8838 2616 www.costumeswithoutdrama.com.au info@costumeswithoutdrama.com.au

A selection of costumes for hire from Bankstown Theatre Company www.bankstowntheatrecompany.com/hire.html

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A selection of costumes available for hire from Ballarat Lyric Theatre ballaratlyrictheatre@gmail.com

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Forty Years Of Wonderful Colours

Batik Oetoro was founded in 1972 to supply the dyes, waxes and tools for the then flourishing fascination with batik work.

The company has since then grown to stock the dyes, paints, chemicals, and tools required for almost any technique you can think of.

Be it dyes for colouring natural and synthetic fibres plain even all over colour, or tie dye and shibori, transfer printing and batik.

The company also supplies fabric paints for screen and block printing, hand painting and marbling.

A quick look at their website www.dyeman.com will feed your imagination.

The owner Lynne Britten has a lifetime of experience with the textile arts and crafts. She was taught the lady-like accomplishments of knitting, crochet, and hand embroidery at an early age, and then went off on a tangent... dyeing offcuts of worn out cotton sheets with mulberries!

A Diploma of Visual Arts (majoring in textiles) and Graduate Dip of Education (Art) followed.

Batik Oetoro already succesfully supply to costume and prop departments of film and TV studios including Spartacus Productions in NZ, Opera Australia, the major Australian ballet companies, and NIDA, to name a few.

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companies have tight budgets and tight times to bump in.

“You can bump in our five metre revolve in 2 hours and it is child’s play.

For over ten years Tim Hawkins has production of Hairspray. The show been bringing together his love of called for multiple scene changes that They are modular and are put together musical theatre and passion for had to blend seamlessly from one from curved pieces that can be stored engineering, industrial automation and setting to the next. easily.” robotics.

Tim is no slouch on the stage. He This means they can be transported says he loves to sing, dance and direct. in a small van.

A highlight for him was playing Javert “Companies can purchase or rent He’s now custom built a range of in Les Misérables. them. A lot of our competitors’ modular revolves which he says are child’s play to put together and give He says this experience gives him an revolves have reliability problems. directors extra scope for far more edge in designing revolves that are People always complain about it. Our revolve is extremely reliable. polished productions. custom built for theatre companies.

“Owing to our background in In 2001 he was awarded the Best They range in size from 0.75m to 10.8m and beyond. industrial automation and robotics, we Set Designer for a Musical by the Canberra Area Theatre Awards for his “In Dubai we have been asked to have no problem in providing multiple innovative production of Joseph and design a 30 metre revolve to move the revolve systems and operator interfaces so that a vast array of scene changes the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, audience,” he says with a nervous can be made for large professional staged by the Orange Theatre giggle.

But his background in community productions.”

Company.

“It was when I first used automated theatre makes him acutely aware that driving systems to make sets revolve,” www.rotation.net.au he said. www.facebook.com/pages/Rotation/100808589963385 “Eight 6 metre high columns Feel free to contact Tim Hawkins on 1300 886 187 rotated around the stage from Joseph’s family’s Jewish architecture, to that of Pharaoh’s throne room.

“Not one stage hand was required to move anything. It was perfectly timed, every time, without fail.”

Last year Tim’s company Rotation put together his latest model called Revolve5000, which uses German engineering technology. It comprises three driving wheels that power the larger wheel of the revolve, all powered from a standard power point.

In Newcastle the Metropolitan Players used the Revolve5000 for their

Put Your Cast Into A Spin

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Finding Musicals & Plays Scripts

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Hot School Shows

From David Spicer Productions www.davidspicer.com.au Popstars!

The world premiere of Popstars!

The 90’s musical will take place in late March at the Sacred Heart College in Napier.

The juke-box musical written by Neil Gooding (Back to the 80’s) and Nicholas Christo has more than a dozen productions booked around Australia and New Zealand.

A try out of the first act took place at the Australian Institute of Music (Sydney) in December.

The musical featuring blockbuster hits from the 90’s is set in a school and pits a boy band against a girl band. http://youtu.be/V9tILqElvQk From Hal Leonard www.halleonard.com.au Legally Blonde the Musical Hal Leonard Australia has announced expanded availability of Legally Blonde the Musical. The popular production is available as a two act PG-13 rated version and also as a one act G rated Broadway Junior edition.

Based on the popular movie, Legally Blonde Jr and Legally Blonde: The Musical follow the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes, snobbery, and scandal in pursuit of her dreams.

Adapted for younger performers this show features an upbeat original score that’s sure to leave cast members and audiences alike seeing pink!

Maverick Musicals Hits www.maverickmusicals.com You’re History. (Bain & Patterson) A nerdy teenager turns a portable classroom into a time machine, sending a mischievous detention class hurtling back through history.

The package includes on stage graphics, SFX, backing tracks CD additional to the band parts and MIDI files. “Schools around the world have eagerly snapped this musical up” says Editor Gail Denver. “We get wonderful feed-back about it on many levels.”

Battle of the Bands (Steven Harris) another cleverly themed musical for intermediate level, “It’s a great tale about every young band’s dream - to be rocking out on the big stage to thousands of screaming fans. Scored for a smaller rock ensemble, and easy to stage, it’s a feel-good musical with great characters, who see live rock’n’roll triumph over manufactured pop,” says Gail.

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Maverick Musicals’ Battle Of The Bands.

From Judith Prior www.davidspicer.com.au/author/judith-prior Judith Prior’s What’s New Pussycat Judith Prior was thrilled when her old school staged one of her most popular musicals What’s New Pussycat. She wrote to Nhill High School in Victoria to congratulate them.

“My final year was about 1957. My father was the local plumber in Nhill. My grandmother was an eccentric secondhand healer.

“I was an average student, often inattentive while I drew pictures of fairies and butterflies in the margins of my text books.

“I still don’t know my seven times table, but as I grew up I discovered that I was good at languages and music and eventually became a playwright.

“Pussycat is my second musical for schools. Rockin’ Robin was the first and I have just released The Kookaburra Kids.”

Judith Prior’s What’s New Pussycat.

From Dominie Drama www.dominie.com.au Animal Farm A powerful and straightforward dramatization of Orwell’s enduring parable on the perils of totalitarianism, for a cast of 6 - 14, adapted by Ian Wooldridge, remains faithful to Orwell’s original, retaining both its affection for the animals and the incisiveness of its message. This edition contains production notes for schools and other groups wishing to stage the play.

Arabian Nights (RSC version) A simple inventive re-telling of the stories from the Arabian Nights by Dominic Cooke.

It is wedding night in the palace of King Shahrayar. By morning, the new Queen Shahrazad is to be put to death like all the young brides before her. But she has one gift that could save her - the gift of storytelling. On her side are Ali Baba, EsSindibad the Sailor and Princess Parizade.

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MUSICAL AND DRAMA CATALOGUE 2015 Order your free copy now www.davidspicer.com.au david@davidspicer.com Phone: (02) 9371 8458

Hacienda Del Toro

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Mr Bennet’s Bride

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Book Nook

The daily delight of promoting our collective performing arts culture is what Book Nook is all about.

The independent book shop is becoming a much less common sight,

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and this goes for specialist bookshops in particular. It is difficult to remain viable amid the seemingly unlimited global marketplace.

So why do we do it? Because our culture, as it is expressed in theatrical performance, forms a quintessential role in reflecting our shared society and sense of ourselves.

Actors, writers, directors and teachers everywhere share this passion with us and it is a joy to be able to help bring exciting new plays as well as revered classics to the next generation of theatregoers.

Book Nook specialises in performing arts books, both plays and texts on acting, theory and history.

We stock every new Australian play and as many new international plays as possible. We also stock a large collection of popular and frequently studied plays from Ancient Greek to the present.

Throughout the 1990s I worked as a freelance theatre maker and designer in Melbourne working with Handspan Theatre and Polyglot Puppet Theatre

and many other companies and this gave me the opportunity to work with many of our leading playwrights.

The insight I gained has fuelled my lasting passion for theatre and assists me with recommending plays for the many different specific needs of schools throughout Australia.

Below is a list of new plays recommended for schools  Secret River by Andrew Bovell (from the novel by Kate Grenville)  In a Heart Beat by Jo Turner  Fearless by Mira Todd  Teenage Alchemist by Angela Betzien  Fly-In Fly-Out by Robert Kronk & Howard Cassidy  Compass by Jessica Bellamy Please visit our website for more information on all these plays. You can purchase plays on line or download purchase order forms for school use.

We have recommended lists for both NSW HSC and Victorian VCE. Mary Sutherland www.booknook.com.au

Schools On Stage

Funny Girl

The Addams Family

The Addams Family Brentwood Secondary College In the past 11 years, the Performing Arts program at Brentwood Secondary College has grown from one production a year to three. It is a staple in the school community and brings together a range of students, staff and industry people to ensure the best educational experience. Under the guidance of the senior drama teacher, The Addams Family was one of the biggest productions undertaken by Brentwood. It allowed the students to take the Addams Family we have grown up with from TV and movies and give them their own unique spin. The show itself was a roaring success, from a growth perspective for the actors and their development of multifaceted characters, and the box office with a record number of audience members coming through the doors.

This show does what Performing Arts is meant to do for our students; give them an opportunity to extend their abilities and work as a 'family' to create a product we are all proud of. The Addams Family has been a show that we are all proud of.

Joel Batalha - Head of Senior School. Rights available from ORiGiN Theatrical.

Funny Girl Roseville College Funny Girl is a much loved musical that celebrates the life of the famous Vaudevillian, Fanny Brice. From Fanny’s determination to be discovered, to the height of her fame as a Ziegfeld star and the disastrous end to her marriage, Funny Girl is a moving tribute to the life of a determined, talented woman.

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Young Hercules

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Funny Girl relies heavily on the talent of its supporting leads to engage the audience and drive the narrative forward with compassion and hilarity. As such, Sophie Bass as Mrs Brice, Amelia Skinner as Eddie and Ellie Dudley as Nick Arnstein, professionally supported the talented Charli Lucas who sang, danced and acted the role of Fanny Brice with a maturity far beyond her 15 years.

The set, in a clever use of stairs, paid homage to the world of the Ziegfeld Follies, whilst transforming into the “down at heel” stoop of Mrs Brice’s saloon on the Lower East Side.

Clever lighting and glamorous costumes transported the audience into just after the world of early 20th Century New York. The band, conducted by Ms Noni Katada, was sensational.

Funny Girl was an hilarious, moving, stylish and dazzling production.

Kelly Young - Director. Rights available from Tams Witmark.

Young Hercules Te Waotu School As a director of both school and theatre group shows for over 20 years, I have worked with a large variety of material both good and not so good. I am a fan of the Maverick Musicals catalogue as I find that there is always a degree of consistency and quality to the shows on offer.

Last month, I directed Young Hercules and was absolutely thrilled with the result. Young Hercules has all those ingredients that we look for - great characters that kids love to play, both comedy and drama, a narrative that 25 Stage Whispers SPARK 2015

hums along (no dull bits!), short punchy memorable songs (easy to teach, easy to put movement to) and best of all, was loved by our audiences. I would strongly recommend Young Hercules as a sure-fire hit with your production team and your audiences.

Bruce Darroch - Principal Available at www.maverickmusicals.com - Suitable for junior - intermediate aged students.

Brontë Ravenswood School for Girls Fifteen students from the Year 11 Drama class at Ravenswood School for Girls produced Polly Teale's Brontë in June this year. In five weeks the girls produced a

Brontë

stunning production of this play which goes on a journey through the extraordinary lives of the Brontë sisters and Victorian England. One of the features was the set, which included the edges of the performance space and the upstage wall covered with pages torn from books. The design captured the literary landscape and mood of the play, and evoked the domestic world of the Bronte parsonage and the kitchen table from which these young

women wrote some of the most passionate literature in the English language.

“Three Victorian spinsters, living in isolation on the Yorkshire moors.” Polly Teale’s Brontë outlines the incredible tale of the Brontë sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Anne. Living in the 1800s, a time when women would never have considered making a living from writing, these intelligent, imaginative sisters poured their passion and creativity into what would become worldwide bestsellers, which have transcended time. The Yr 11 Drama class created the set, sourced costumes and props, worked on lighting and promotion, helped direct and produce, and of course prepared their performances. The result was an intense and moving production.

Zoe Sadler (Yr 11), Director and Drama Captain. Rights available from Dominie Drama.

What’s New Pussycat?

Carwatha College P-12 Judith Prior’s What’s New Pussycat? was presented at Carwatha College P-12 in May. It was a purrrrrrr-fect show for our P-12 College. Based on the classic story of Puss in Boots, the show is a laugh a minute with many showstopping songs for the whole family.

Brothers Harry and Simon are saddened by the loss of their father, but conniving brother Tom has plans for the family farm and their riches. Thank goodness Harry quickly (Continued on page 27) www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 26

What’s New Pussycat?

New School Musicals New Broadway Juniors from Hal Leonard Hairspray Junior

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learns that Puss is a very special cat who has plans of her own. Show stoppers such as Single Ladies, One Way or Another and, of course, What’s New Pussycat? had both the cast and audience dancing throughout the adventure of the characters.

With an accessible script and musical score for students of all ages and abilities, What’s New Pussycat? gave many students of all year levels a chance to develop their performance skills in all areas and enjoy the process from the beginning of rehearsals to the performance of the show.

Kate Whittaker. Rights available from David Spicer Productions.

Jesus Christ Superstar St Helena Secondary College, Eltham Victoria.

Our director Mr Chris Hewitt took this Andrew Lloyd Webber classic and gave it a modern spin. Jesus was a reporter for the people and the priests were Wall St moguls.

Chris Hewitt took our school production flying into the 21st century with the use of projections of imagery and camera work onto screens along with mobile phones as modern day candles. It created an emotive and exciting show that had standing ovations at every curtain call. We at St Helena are very excited to have Chris as our director

Jesus Christ Superstar

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Hey there teenage Baltimore! It’s time to kick off your shoes, raise your hair and get on down with Hal Leonard’s latest theatrical release; Hairspray JR! From the wacky 80s John Waters film, to the hit Broadway musical, to the unforgettable John Travolta in the hit 2007 musical-film, Hairspray has made its landmark in theatrical history as one of the most uplifting, hilarious and moving musicals of all time.

Peter Pan Junior It’s time to bring Walt Disney’s classic adaptation of the story of the boy who refused to grow up to a new generation 50 years after its screen debut. This action packed tale is sure to excite young casts and audiences alike.

Wendy Darling loves to tell stories to her brothers, Michael and John. But when her father announces she must move out of the nursery, Peter Pan comes to visit the children and whisks them away to Never Land. Their adventure introduces them to the Lost Boys, Mermaids, Indians and even the infamous pirate, Captain Hook!

Xanadu Junior It’s time to believe in magic with Xanadu JR! It’s 1980 and the magical and beautiful Greek muse, Kira, descends from the heavens of Mt. Olympus to Venice Beach, California on a quest to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, as he strives to achieve the greatest artistic creation of all time - the first roller disco. But, when Kira falls into forbidden love with the mortal Sonny, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation and chaos abounds.

This roller skating, musical adventure about following your dreams, rolls along with a hit score composed by pop-rock legends Jeff Lynne and John Farrar which has been adapted for the MTI Broadway Junior Collection.

Sound & Light

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Technical Tips For Schools Loud and Clear Les Mis crew at Shore, Sydney.

Stage Whispers asked our technical gurus for their most important tips in audio, lighting and building theatres for schools staging musicals or plays.

Loud and Clear (Sydney) www.loudandclear.com.au David Betterridge “A lot of the time they might think that the equipment in the school is adequate for a show. By that I mean

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the show. Unless the school has a dedicated member of staff who looks after those things they end up in a state of disrepair very quickly. They are better off hiring, because they are not going to use it until the next year.”

Factory Sound (Melbourne) www.factorysound.com Artie Jones “Check your wireless frequencies.

That is pertinent. Some people’s wirelesses in the old range between 694 to 800 megahertz are still working in a few situations. That is in a sound check or rehearsal when there are only a few people milling around. The problem is when people come to the performance and they all bring their smart phones with them; that is when the sound system for the school hall. A they don’t work.

“Make sure you have done a scan in lot of the time it is not. It is there to reinforce the headmaster at assembly. the area for any problems in your own It is not going to cut it for a musical for frequency. If you are hiring somebody, kids, who do not sing very loudly, over make sure they are doing it. If you are buying wireless, make sure you are a bunch of squealing instruments. buying in the correct frequency banks.

“In most cases they are better off hiring equipment than buying it. Quite There will be different frequencies in a few schools come to us and say can different parts of Australia.” we buy four radio mics? There is not much point when you need 18 to do

Impro Mafia used 2 stainless steel gobos at the Brisbane Powerhouse last year for their Theatre Sports production.

Photo: Gobotech.

GoboTech (Gold Coast) www.gobotech.com.au Joakim Odlander “The biggest problem is people being afraid of using what they have got. They think a professional set it up once and they are too nervous to

change it, so they don’t end up using their equipment.

“You need someone in the school who is passionate about the equipment. It needs to be simple enough so that they use it. When they put in a complex sound or light desk, they get flustered by all the buttons.

“As far as Gobos are concerned, schools need to make sure their profiles (lights) have Gobo holders, so they can utilise the equipment they have got.

Selecon Phillips (New Zealand) www.seleconlight.com Stuart Mitchell “Understanding the show is the most important thing, and knowing what gear you have and what you can hire in.

“Government schools are generally under resourced to put on a big show.

A school I helped had four dimmer packs and around 20 lights. They were side, wash, frenels and profiles. They

had to hire most of the kit to stage Les Misérables. They had less than fifty percent of the kit to do a decent show.

That is fairly normal.

“The biggest mistake is overdesigning; trying to do too much.”

Light Wavez Design (Melbourne) www.lightwavezdesign.com.au Trish Carr “The biggest trap schools fall into is they want every child to have a part but their audio budget does not match it. Companies charge them huge amounts for radio microphones. They are better off hiring a group of hanging microphones, rather than the living nightmare of sharing eight radio microphones among thirty children.

“For lighting, all the parents want is to see the kids. If you have money to buy equipment you should consider LED - although they are more expensive, they offer flexibility and are cheap to run.”

(Continued on page 31)

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Westlake Boys High School, Auckland’s 2003 production of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Photo: Philips Selecon.

(Continued from page 30)

Barbizon Lighting (Sydney) www.barbizon.com.au Paul Lewis “The biggest thing for me is making sure there is a lot of student interaction in the lighting prep where it is safe for them to do the rigging. If an external company is brought in you can still get them involved.

“We do light operations that are pole operated so that students and teachers don’t have to climb ladders.

This includes LED lights.

“We are finding ways of setting up

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lighting in an educational environment, performing arts venue works. rather than a Drama department giving “Very few schools can afford a up and getting an external company in. dedicated performing arts space, so We want students involved.” inevitably schools want the biggest bang for their buck to make it work for Jands (Sydney) a number of things. www.jands.com.au “Also never be scared of the found John Buckley place. I have seen terrific studios in “Jands has helped put together unwanted spaces in school campuses. dozens of entertainment venues for Places that look like a dungeon or a schools. storeroom can be incredible studios for “The most important thing is to get drama. an architect who has experience in “It might not suit grand musical performing arts venues. They theatre but absolutely suit a understand the dynamics about how a Shakespeare or student monologues.”

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Light & Sound Feature

ever since. The festival is divided into three segments: Music, Ideas and Light.

“Each year Vivid Light highlights the creative processes of lighting artists, designers and architects working with the very latest advancements in lighting technology.

“More and more lighting companies want to partner with us, to let artists loose on the new technologies that are just about to enter the market.

This year there’s a new and intriguing Harbour Lights component, created and produced by cutting edge Australian firm 32 Hundred Lighting.

Ferries, cruise vessels and water taxis Sydney’s annual Vivid festival has then at the Sydney Town Hall, will be decked out in LED lights that become a major international event producing concerts and events. will change colour as they move featuring breakthroughs in lighting “I was always captivated by between designated parts of the lighting. I wanted to create and design and technology. Frank harbour. These ‘colour precincts’ will Hatherley chats to Anthony Bastic, the produce large-scale events; explore be computer-controlled using Intel how light can create emotion for an Director of Vivid Light. technology and the very latest in audience.” satellite navigation geo-positioning.

Anthony Bastic describes Vivid as Bastic was appointed Creative “LEDs have made a huge “an outdoor theatre of light”. The Director of live sites for the 2000 Olympic Games and went on to design difference,” says Bastic. “It’s energyproducer/curator of the lighting such major outdoor events as the 2003 efficient lighting that has added a component of Sydney’s ever-growing whole other dimension to the different Rugby World Cup and the 2006 Winter festival has, I find, a background in more orthodox theatre - Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. colours that can now be used in urban what he calls “black box” theatre.

He formed his own company, AGB lighting.”

Lighting the Sails of the Opera Events, in 2007. “We produce public “I studied Drama years and years events - like the Lights at Christmas at House remains the most keenly ago at the East Sydney Drama School St Mary’s Cathedral each year and the awaited of the annual installations. (now defunct). Then I acted and did lighting and sound with the Genesian Australian Garden Show in Centennial This year the UK company 59 Productions won the prized Theatre Company (a venerable innerPark each Spring. There’s always a strong theatrical narrative in the events commission. They work often with city amateur group) before I went on Britain’s National Theatre, for instance that we create.” to work in the programming producing the projections and He was hired for the first Vivid department of the Opera House, and Sydney in 2009 and has been on board Campbell’s Cove

Theatre Of Light

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animation for the recent Australasian tour of War Horse.

For Vivid 2014 they plan to use the Opera House as a screen on which to project, they say, “a dramatic journey through time - from the birth of architecture and civilization through to the pinnacle of human and technological achievement”.

Previous Sails installations have required 17 large-format projectors, all precisely computer-controlled to paint their sweeping pictures onto that spectacular ‘canvas’.

Also this year there are newly commissioned projections on the sandstone façade of the Quay’s Customs House, new water shows at Darling Harbour and original programming at theatre venues Carriageworks and the Seymour Centre.

“The whole city is our theatre,” says Anthony Bastic. “And this year our newest stage is Martin Place.” In the very heart of Sydney’s CBD, Martin Place will have two giant interactive light installations flanking the Cenotaph.

“We get amazing concepts from theatre designers working within the traditional black box. They come outside the black box and they see the vibrant city and it challenges them. It’s all about creatives changing the atmosphere of the city.

“Through the growth and popularity of Vivid, Australia is now considered one of the major centres of lighting design in the world.”

Ferry lights on Sydney Harbou

r

Vivid Sydney 2013 Bucky Bulb light installation Chromatic Motions light installation

Online extras!

Check out a look back at Vivid Sydney 2014 by scanning the QR code or visiting http://youtu.be/p8GM9fx6gfw

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35 Stage Whispers SPARK 2015

Passion For Filming Theatre Pays Off Melbourne based CVP Events Film and Television was founded 25 years ago by four men who loved filming theatre shows. They moved from doing souvenir recordings of all things theatrical into making television commercials, corporate videos and broadcasting live events. General Manager David McKinnon spoke to Stage Whispers.

Stage Whispers: How do you see video best used in a theatrical environment?

David McKinnon: Good projected elements need to integrate with all the other disciplines. A projector is a light source and therefore needs to work with the lighting design. The content is often scenic so it needs to integrate with the set design. There is the ability for audio so that needs to balance as well.

SW: What is your pet hate when you go and see a live show?

DM: In live theatre I hate it when the projection isn’t integrated into the show properly. The intensity isn’t matched with the LX cues, there’s no shutter so we can see the raster in blackouts, the cues don’t fade in and out, and the projected scenery doesn’t stylistically match the set.

DM: CVP is rapidly growing from a small family business into a medium sized business. We are about to move into a new office/studio/warehouse facility that is five times the current size.

Our live to screen/broadcast department has recently been boosted with the SW: What do you think is the most addition of an OB Truck and our theatrical division now has a large interesting technology that’s going to collection of HD projectors ranging change video?

DM: In the world of projection, the from 2,000 lumens to 22,000 lumens. laser projectors that are now coming SW: What makes you get up in the into the market are going to open up a morning and come to work each day?

DM: I enjoy most the solving of the whole new realm of possibility as they technical and artistic challenges are much quieter and can be rotated and tilted to any angle. We haven’t yet presented by the live events we work really seen LED successfully integrate on. Watching a final product and being into a theatre show, but it will happen. excited by the toys that have made it We have recently been doing a number work (I’m a geek) but knowing that the audience are enjoying the art that is of shows with 3D or stereo images, presented because all the technology is which has some interesting new discreet. applications for live theatre. The most exciting stuff I see currently is where the SW: What is your Background? performers can interact with the video DM: I started life as a classically trained musician and spent a lot of time live.

SW: What is your favourite piece of playing with music technology. Over the years I have worked as a Sound video in a live production?

DM: There are a number of dance Engineer and a High School Teacher pieces where the performers interact before landing at CVP. and control the vision, whilst a number of depth perception tricks are played on the audience; they are very clever technically but at the same time when they work as a piece of creative narrative and the vision is supporting the artist not dominating, they are simply stunning. In too many works the two things seem to be mutually exclusive.

SW: Where is it CVP going?

David McKinnon

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Extreme Designs

STC’s Macbeth.

Photo: Brett Boardman.

In the east and west, theatre companies have staged productions with incredible challenges. The Sydney Theatre Company staged Macbeth with the audience on the stage facing the auditorium, whilst The Black Swan Theatre premiered Dust - whipping up storm during a 32 scene play. David Spicer investigated the extreme theatrical challenges.

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Nick Schleiper was Lighting Designer for the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Macbeth, which placed the action in the auditorium of the Sydney Theatre and the audience on the stage.

“When I was asked if I would need an extra budget for a huge lighting rig in the audience I said that would defeat the purpose of it, as it should feel like a perfectly normal view, just

getting a perspective you are not used to,” Nick Schleiper said.

“What people don’t know is that tucked away out of view is where 60% of the lighting rig hangs.

“All the lights that are above or behind the cast become above or in front.

“If you sat there and looked at a theatre we have created in the auditorium, then that would be completely counter to the idea.

“I bent over backwards to make sure the auditorium was clean and devoid as it normally is, but there were a few tricks in there. I had to find hitherto unknown holes in the auditorium to install a combination of dimmable fluorescents and absolutely bog standard Fresnel lamps but small ones you could hide.

“People arrived with an expectation that the whole show will consist of actors clambering over seats. We were extremely judicious about not over using it and there was a perfectly logical connecting thread to when we did use it.”

One extraordinary feature was the smoke which blanketed the entire

Dust. Photos: Gary Marsh Photography theatre to resemble a thick Scottish fog.

“It was more smoke than I have ever put on stage,” Schleiper agreed. “In straight theatre 99.9 % of the time you are trying to sneak smoke on as quietly and discretely as possible. By the time the audience sees it they are seeing the end result, not the process of the smoke machine. In this case we very much wanted to declare it and also not just be atmospheric. We set out to obscure the stage for about 12 minutes.

Some lighting highlights centred around Hugo Weaving as Macbeth.

“The audience watched Hugo Weaving’s back, with him standing stage centre, looking at that vast empty space of the auditorium,” Schleiper said. “I used a ton of backlight at the far back “We started with a whole lot of of the theatre. It made it look as empty fabric on the floor, that had pick ups and vast as possible. into the rig. As the play started they “In the series of battle scenes he rose into the roof of the stage. was swishing his sword. It was to show “They became a representation of he was completely exhausted, allowing the dust storm hovering above the set MacDuff to defeat him. I used strobe all the time. It was powerful…they lighting as a way of collapsing time. It were billowing. was very simply done by three slow “For what was basically some rope moving lights creating an ever and fabric, it was incredibly beautiful. sickening and concentrated strobe It was lit differently. It moved down or pulse.” up depending on how oppressive the Will this start a trend of turning storm was. When it rained it came theatres back to front? down and fell.

“I wouldn’t recommend not doing “We used no actual dust. If we it. Only do if there is a damn good used real dust it just would have reason.”

landed on the floor in five minutes.

“We used a lot of haze. Two hand held hazers were manipulated by the actors. It became almost like a ballet with different light capturing it.

“For locusts, we had them projected onto large screens. They flew to the back and front of the stage. We thought about using puppets but realised in the vastness of the Heath Ledger stage space it wasn’t working.

“For the car scenes we flew down a couple of benches, a steering wheel attached to a music stand and we projected the white line of the road onto the screen. It was very tightly lit.

“We also felt there had to be a major transformation during the play. In the beginning there were two different height rostra…they were in the centre. As the play progressed they slowly parted. By the end they were on the wings and we had the wide blank space.

“Overall it was exhilarating to read a script where the writer had not let the confines of budget or stage limit what she was doing. She just trusted that the people doing it would have the imagination and ability to deal with what she was writing. She was right our designer Fiona Bruce came up with an incredible design - which included having to axe through a door. A good designer will rise to these challenges.”

Emily McLean, who directed the World Premiere of Dust for the Black Swan Theatre Company in Perth, explained some of the production’s illusions.

“The play was set on one day when Perth was completely enveloped in a dust storm. It had 32 scenes in a 90 minute show.

“They ranged from being outdoors during the storm to being in a taxi, another character goes into the water and in one scene a woman is enveloped in a plague of locusts.

“We could not afford traditional scene changes. They all had to happen in the same space. www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 38

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www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 40

Can You Hear The People Sing?

System Sound reflects on the changes in audio technology since Les Misérables was first in Australia.

sound design for its time - and not surprisingly, the technology has changed immensely since then.

Les Misérables is back; over 25 years after the first Australian production opened at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, this acclaimed new production opens at Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre on July 3rd.

Theatre sound company System Sound Pty Ltd (in its 35th year) is contracted to provide Sound, Communications and CCTV facilities for the production tour, having done the same for all of the Cameron Mackintosh productions of Les Mis around Australasia.

The original Australian production, in 1987, as on the West End and Broadway, was state of the art in

Mixing Console Then: Live theatre mixing consoles were not computer assisted, and the console of choice the world over was a Cadac “E-type” - an analogue console of the highest audio quality and specifically designed for the needs of theatre sound production.

Now: Not surprisingly, the mixing console of choice is now digital - a Digico SD7T - fibreoptic linked to the stage and orchestra pit.

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Top: Digico SD7T digital console Above: Cadac “E-Type” analogue console Below: Sennheiser miniature mics (in sweatresistant latex covers)

UK tour cast of Les Misérables.

Photo: Michael Le Poer Trench, courtesy of Cameron Mackintosh Australia Pty Limited

Sound Designer: Mick Potter.

Associate Sound Designer: Shelly Lee Head of Sound: Alan Lugger Second Engineer: Evan Drill Radio Tech: Que Nguyen.

Sound Designer Mick Potter’s Associates Adam Fisher (UK) and Shelly Lee (System Sound) with Head of Sound Alan Lugger.

Radio Microphones Then: The cast were “miked” with only 16 channels of Micron radio mics, to cover every utterance of the 40 or so performers. The two System Sound radio techs backstage had an extremely busy plot involving moving transmitters from person to person with 67 “pack changes” through the show and the operator had to manage the many gain and EQ changes with an equally complex plotted libretto to work from - without computer assistance.

Now: A brand new system of 40 channels of Sennheiser radio mics has been provided by System, for much more exacting control - but the art of mixing still requires the operator to be “on” for every second of the performance.

Speakers Then: Meyer Sound speakers were the preference of then Sound Designer Andrew Bruce a modest sound system by current standards, but a great sound even then.

Now: Meyer Sound loudspeakers are again Designer Mick Potter’s choice. This time though, the current M’Elodie line array systems have been selected.

This suits System Sound very well, as they use these in many

theatre productions. These 4m high arrays are hidden in the scenic design.

What also now contributes greatly to the more immersive sound-production experience are the 158 Delay and Surround Sound speakers called for.

System Sound has worked with Matthew Peckham at Her Majesty’s to install permanently the wiring, mounting points and patching to facilitate the easy installation of just about any type of active or passive speaker in any configuration of delay/ surround design at Her Majesty’s for years to come.

Evan Drill and Que Nguyen at the radio mic moinitoring station backstage.

For Les Misérables, System Sound has provided 158 D&B speakers and associated amplifiers, temporarily installed.

System Sound will provide all equipment, installation, operation and maintenance throughout the tour.

The 40 Sennheiser radio microphone receivers

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Old Theatres Reborn

Rockdale Musical Society’s latest production of Next to Normal at the newly renovated Rockdale Town Hall

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Rod Bertram from Rod’s Sound and Lighting Services gives us an overview of two newly renovated venues that he has helped re-launch in Sydney.

When the Rockdale Town Hall (www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au) was closed down three years ago, due to the discovery of asbestos that delayed a renovation, nobody knew what to expect when it re-opened.

Those attending the first few productions in the venue have been delighted with the upgrade. Groups who have put on shows here are ecstatic with how modern it is.

Rockdale Town Hall was built in 1940. It has a striking sandstone and red brick entrance. The interior of the hall has elaborate art deco style plaster details on the walls and ceiling. The refurbishment, which cost the local council over four million dollars, has been faithful to this style. Even the air conditioning units have been integrated into a stylish art deco mould.

Other new facilities include tiered seating, a spectacular new bar and way

overdue upgrades to the dressing rooms.

The “techies” like me love the full JBL line array speakers with sound capabilities to run digital consoles without having to run cables throughout the building and automated fly bars for scenery and lighting.

Rod’s Sound and Lighting Services is proud to be one of Council’s authorised suppliers for this venue. Both productions that have been put on have been successful for the Rockdale Musical Society.

The Town Hall has experienced a few teething problems initially, including power surges into the dimmer racks, meaning additional external equipment had to be brought into the building to overcome the issue. These power surges have now been rectified.

Another venue we are proud to be preferred supplier of is the new Bryan Brown Theatre

This venue has now been transformed into a state-of -the- art 300-seat theatre.

Highlights of this theatre include: new theatre seating, reinstated 18 counterweight fly lines, new digital sound system and lighting rig.

This venue has only been opened for a couple of weeks but already esteemed professionals such as Mark Vincent, and Bryan Brown himself, have (www.bryanbrowntheatre.com.au) graced the stage. which is located in the Bankstown There is no allocated space for an Library and Knowledge Centre. orchestra so theatre groups with one The original Bankstown Town Hall will need to get creative with where was officially opened by Prime Minister they position them.

Gough Whitlam in 1973. In 1977, the Overall when working in a newly Town Hall Manager persuaded Council renovated space there are always highs to invest in the production and and lows which work themselves out. promotion of a theatre restaurant. It It is the challenges which help create went ‘against the trend’ at the time, creative minds to “think outside the however ‘it took off like a rocket’ and square” to make sure that their became one of the most successful production works in the designated theatre restaurants in Sydney. performance space.

Mark Vincent performing at the Grand Opening Gala Event at the Bryan Brown Theatre

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Sound Advice

Photo: Ian Wilson Photography

Greg Ginger from Outlook Communications in Melbourne has provided sound production and design for over 800 musicals over the last 20 years. A recent highlight was Ballarat Lyric Theatre’s production of The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat in 2014.

with all the sound specific mic numbers and cues.

Your Radio mic plot and pack changes should be proofed back to the mixing script in full run rehearsals before you even get to the theatre.  Create a good working relationship with a sound hire company. This My highest priority in good sound step can provide useful technical design for Musical Theatre is for the advice, special discounted sound system to be transparent. I do equipment hire rates, and not mean in a physical sense, although opportunities to explore creative a neatly presented system is desirable. I treatments which you would not mean irrespective of the style of the usually be able to afford. It’s worth show, Rock or Classical, the audience keeping your options open with should feel like they are in the room equipment; many companies have with the performer. The sound should quality well-maintained equipment seem like it is coming from the which may not be the latest model performer, it should be clean and clear but can still provide good reliable (no hiss, hum, buzz distortion, etc.) and service at a much cheaper price. the level and focus (or volume and Over the past 20 years we have imaging) can be carefully used to take provided sound design and production the audience on the emotional journey services for over 800 musicals and created by the director. hundreds of one-off events along with As a technical hint for those who are equipment hire and sales. We service looking to do sound for nonMelbourne, all of regional Victoria and professional companies, whatever the touring productions around Australia. show, there are two very important Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat is a steps. historical landmark and The Phantom of  You must be very well prepared the Opera has been a significant technical challenge, not least of which before the bump in, your sound has been for sound. mixing script must be accurate to what is being said on stage, clear of For this production we used 28 unnecessary clutter, easy to read in radio microphones, a combination of low light conditions and marked up Sennheiser SK5212 and SK500G3 transmitters with Sennheiser MKE1 & MKE2 microphones. This includes a spare microphone and transmitter on the lead characters.

The mixing console was an Allen & Heath ML5000/52, with a Midas Venice320 as an orchestral submix - a total of 84 input channels.

The complex web of routing, muting, VCA switching and matrix mixing allowed the Phantoms voice to appear all over the theatre through 16 Zones and a total of 32 speakers.

The Orchestra was located in the pit, which was almost fully enclosed except for the conductor’s head. We used a kit of Schopes CMC5Ug/MK4, DPA 4023 and AKG C414 condenser microphones and BSS 133 Active Direct input boxes 45 Stage Whispers SPARK 2015

for the keyboards. The combination of high quality microphone selection and careful placement provided a lush full orchestral sound for the audience to be immersed in.

For sound effects, we used Q-Lab with an RME Fire Wire interface giving us 8 channels of sound effects replay, which allowed us to pan and rout effects easily and quickly during a short production period.

Speaker placement, directivity and adjustability is essential. The high frequency coverage of your audience is essential to providing an engaging performance experience. Every seat must be in pattern of the HF driver and if not add another speaker (I have sat in several shows and been totally disconnected without realising why and at interval moved to a vacant seat a few metres across and been mesmerised in the second half of the same show. This was all because the vocals had no clarity). Just as critical is to keep the HF off the walls and other hard surfaces where the audience’s ears are not. This creates reflections which in some cases can be as loud as the original source and make your vocals unintelligible.

Speaker Time alignment is critical; when using multiple speaker positions in a distributed speaker system, a system delay must be used. This is the best tool for imaging; the use of delay will minimise hearing the same source multiple times from every different speaker and correct some of the phase anomalies created by positions in space and time.

Greg Ginger – Sound Designer Ballarat Lyric Theatre Company and Managing Director – Outlook Communications Pty. Ltd.

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Will LED Kill The Luminaire Star?

LED lights are becoming more powerful and more cost effective.

They also have the advantages of colour control and much less heat and electricity usage. But traditional luminaire lights still dominate most theatre lighting rigs. How long before that changes? David Spicer put the hard word on Stuart Mitchell from Philips Selecon in New Zealand.

completely. The main hold-back is that everyone has still got their traditional tungsten infrastructure.

DS: And they’ve got their Selecon ones which last a long time?

SM: Yes and it is not just about the luminaires but it is about the dimmers, more importantly. You’ve got a lot of infrastructure built in through that power system. While it is still there they may as well use it.

DS: With Europe requiring theatres DS: How long before LED lights are to save on power, will that radically dominant in the theatre? change the industry?

SM: In the broad sense it will be SM: It will from a new build point 10 to 15 years before it completely of view. They will change lamp dominates tungsten lighting. specifications and as older luminaires DS: What is ratio now?

SM: In civic and community need to be replaced it will be harder theatres LED comprise less than 10% to replace them with existing tungsten product. of the lighting rig. There are no fully DS: What is the rule of thumb for blown LED rigs in NZ at this stage. It is possibly going to change in the next the price difference between the two? couple of years and that is going to SM: That is a two-edged sword. If you are buying a traditional mini be a watershed for everybody. It will Fresnel you will pay anywhere from prove you can do LED theatres

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$350 to $550 depending on the brand and type. You can buy very few LED Fresnels. We have the first one.

At the moment an LED is two and half times the cost of a traditional tungsten one. But it does not run on a dimmer pack. It runs 150 watts max in comparison for a single mixed colour LED versus 650 watts for a Tungsten one.

That 650 watt lamp will last you 400 hours. The LED Fresnel has an operation life of 35,000 hours. For a community theatre we would expect you would be running that Fresnel for 20 years with no colour changing and no lamp changing. No use for a dimmer. Over the length of its life it will probably cost you a 20th or a 30th …for power (plus man hours in maintenance). How does the cost compare? In the long term the LED is much cheaper.

DS: What will be the tipping point for LEDs when the price comes down?

Online extras!

Stage Whispers takes a look at the benefits of LED lighting. Scan or visit http://youtu.be/Zas1Yv9VgH8

SM: I don’t believe there will be a tipping point. It will slowly continue its march into everyone’s psyche as things progress and different theatres have to do their change outs. We put nine traditional dimmer packs into Toi Whakaari (NZ National Drama school) two and half years ago. They asked

me why we didn’t use LED. I said simply because you’ve got the dimmers. When those dimmers come up for renewal in ten years’ time we will be having quite a different conversation.

DS: And the price is coming down?

SM: People are beginning to understand what is involved when they see a price. As I said before $400 or $500 v $1000 doesn’t sound very economic until you take the long term impact of LED into account. Even when a community theatre that is running 48 channels of dimming (which would be 12 to 20 kilowatts of lighting) come up to renew their gear, I can say I can make that 3 kilowatts and you can start to remove your dimmers and major power draw from building, they will start to consider but not until that gear becomes necessary.

I’ve just done a generalised plan for a new, small school hall and given them an LED option that had $5500 less gear required because they won’t need 3phase outlets, dimmer packs and the associated cable etc. These are the savings that LED installations will continue to make. Balanced with the slightly higher purchase price of good LED lights, the customers will make really positive long term savings.

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The Phantom Of The Opera Lighting Rig

The Phantom of The Opera “Masquerade.”

Jason Bovaird from Moving Light Productions was asked to provide technical management and lighting design for two productions of The Phantom of the Opera in Melbourne (Windmill Theatre) and Launceston Tasmania (Encore). He explains the soaring challenges posed by both productions.

49 Stage Whispers SPARK 2015

for a number of the scenes, allowing the use of more fly bars instead of cloths.

Encore Theatre Company, Launceston wanted a traditional feel with cloths but a fresh new modern look in terms of the lighting, similar to the 25th Anniversary The Phantom Of the Opera special.

Working with Windmill was a challenge as the video projection involved moving images that needed to be clear and classy. A 10,000 lumen projector was installed and mapped with the images. With over 25 Movinglights in the rig the projector needed to also be rigged off LX 1 so there was no movement from the movinglights during the show.

For both companies I chose to incorporate old school lighting with the rig consisting of 1.2k Fresnels for side fill wash, Source Four Zooms for Backlight The first question I asked both companies was whether they wanted the and Side decal wash and FOH wash.

For Encore Theatre Company I rigged show staged traditionally or to have a 15 moving heads on the Orchestra bar fresh new look? and FOH Truss for the “25th Anniversary” With CLOC Music Theatre company opening look that the direction team having already staged the spectacular wanted, along with 12 washes and 10 World Amateur Premiere production in Mac 250 spots on the onstage bars.

May, Windmill wanted to do the show slightly differently, using video projection Backlight consisted of 8 watt Led Pars

The Phantom of the Opera (Encore Theatre Company, Launceston.)

“The Graveyard Scene, Act 2.”

and Fresnels as a soft flesh wash to balance the richness of the colour onstage.

The wonderful thing about having a moving light rig in the show is that it allows you to create a spectacular moment such as “the Lair scene” where you want to be able to create an underground horror and yet have it still look majestically beautiful. In Launceston, Tasmania we were able to recreate all the bells and whistles of the lights moving throughout the audience of the eight minutes of the chandelier rising to give it that extra powerful impact during the key change.

Encore Theatre Company engaged us to take full control of all technical elements of the show including engaging a rigger Kieren Santoso and Howard’s pyrotechnic company to provide a spectacular array of pyrotechnics throughout the show and all rigging elements such as the 2 metre wide chandelier, Raoul’s hanging noose and Buquet body drop.

The director wanted pyrotechnics coming off the chandelier as it rose up in the air at various points. We worked with the pyrotechnic company to provide all the right risk assessments and management documentation for this effect along with the safe management of the chandeliers crashing to the floor at a great rate.

Never before had the Princess Theatre, Launceston had such large pyrotechnics nor complicated technical elements in shows.

For the year ahead Moving Light Productions will have another Phantom of the Opera with Babirra Music Theatre Company in May, five national tour lighting designs on the road with Hit Productions, two new Australian Works in the making to be staged, and its regular clients such as RMIT Gallery, Life Like Touring, Wesley College, St Michael’s Grammar School, Emmaus College, Whitefriars College, corporate clients and many more.

Light & Sound Feature

Recently the team from MLP was appointed by ABC TV and Andrew Kay and Associates to production manage and create the beautiful and atmospheric lighting for the National Tour of Giggle and Hoot. Another exciting project has been providing advice on the lighting component for Wesley College on the construction of their 30 million dollar theatre. This was launched in February with state of the art lighting equipment.

Moving Light Productions looks forward to working with new clients and can be found at www.movinglight.com.au

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Ticketing, Seating And Curtains 51 Stage Whispers SPARK 2015

Eternity Playhouse. Image courtesy of City of Sydney.

Photo: Adam Hollingworth.

Just The Ticket Putting on a school theatre production these days is a whirlwind of competing tasks requiring enormous amounts of time and resources. Casting, rehearsals, sets, costumes, make-up, props, sound, lighting, the list goes on…..

With only a limited pool of dedicated staff and volunteers it’s always a battle bringing it all together for that opening night deadline.

their event page on the TicketHost website and we take it from there.”

TicketHost caters for just about every ticketing scenario imaginable. “We’ve been constantly working with schools and other organisations for over five years to add new features and TicketHost’s creator, Eric Staples, better meet their needs,” he said.

“The system now has just about every knows the plot lines only too well.

“There’s a massive amount of creative angle covered, but we’re more than happy to listen if they have a peculiarity energy required and the task of organising ticket sales is about the last they’d like us to incorporate.”

All credit card payments are safely thing on anyone’s mind,” he said. “The TicketHost system was built precisely and securely processed via the ‘bank grade’ security of the ANZ Bank’s with this in mind. The system takes Payment Gateway. PayPal and EFT care of the entire ticketing operation payment methods are also accepted and generally requires less than 15 and the system caters for parents who minutes to get it up and running.

“Schools love that it really is a ‘set still prefer to pay the school directly with cash or cheque. The system has a and forget’ system,” he said. “They wide range of reporting options so simply provide parents with a link to

event administrators are easily able to monitor ticket sales.

“Expectations have shifted. Ticket buyers now expect to be able to make their purchases online at a time of their choosing,” Eric said. “If you can’t offer the flexibility and convenience of online ticketing, you’re behind the eight ball.”

TicketHost’s hosting fee is just 35 cents per ticket plus bank fees.

Event organisers can choose whether the fees are passed on to the ticket buyer or absorbed in the ticket price. www.tickethost.com.au info@tickethost.com.au (03) 9011 3221

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Online extras!

Discover the Celebration II theatre seat by scanning the QR code or visiting http://youtu.be/cFYoAQcOlO4

Comfortable Bums On Seats Thinking of new theatre seats? Roger M Pratt from Hadley Australia has some tips on keeping the posteriors of your audience members happy.

When the time has come to replace your old theatre seats or to select seats for your new venue, it pays to take some time to evaluate what is being offered.

Uncomfortable seating is what is remembered by your patrons and is a big factor in their future ticket buying decisions.

A theatre chair should be firm with good lumbar support and hold you well. A chair that has squishy foam seems on a quick try to be the most comfortable, but is not for the duration of a performance.

Also a soft foam doesn’t last (think airline seats !) and has to be replaced frequently.

Often when a chair is being selected, a number of them will be presented to a selection committee who only sit for a few seconds in each one. Narrow the choice down, take these home and watch a couple of hours TV before you decide.

Obviously look for a long guarantee on both the chair and the fabric.

Online extras!

Watch a seating installation time lapse video by scanning the QR code or visiting http://youtu.be/8-cIquoLWcQ 53 Stage Whispers SPARK 2015

Also check the chair envelope (front to back measurement with the seat up) as the smaller the envelope the more egress there is in the row.

The seat cushion should be quickly changeable by the usher without tools.

The cushions should have zip off covers so they can be quickly changed if soiled/vandalized.

The strongest chairs have inner metal frames (not plastic) encased in moulded foam with no voids.

Tipping should be silent and by gravity, not springs. Springs squeak and break over time.

Timber arms look more upmarket than upholstered arms and maintain their look much longer - no fabric to wear out.

LED aisle lighting is preferred - they give a long life without heat and are dimmable.

The building code has now changed in most states so that the foam has to be fire rated to AS 1530 pt III as does the upholstery fabric. It is important to have this certification as for a major fire your insurance company may not pay out.

Check out the weight rating of the chair being offered, the higher weight capacity the more abuse it will take and the longer the life expectancy.

Can the PWD removable seating be handled by one staff member?

For a new build, always select your chair early so that the acoustic ratings can be given to the Acoustic Consultant to incorporate into his

calculations. This way you get the acoustic results that you want.

Remember the cost of the chair will quickly fade; the comfort enjoyment remains long after. So choose well.

For more advice contact Roger M Pratt from Hadley/Series Australia Pty Ltd on 0412 435 089 or visit www.hadleyaustralia.com.au

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Steve Lawrence from Geelong Fireworks clears the air on what types of theatrical fog are available.

for a higher powered unit if not sure.

Smaller, almost hand held units are available, but these can be very expensive. There are also vertical “We need fog in this scene.” foggers/horizontal foggers in this type No problems or famous last words? of system, for entrance effects, “steam” valves etc. At Geelong For fog that floats around and Fireworks we have specific fluids that above the floor level of the stage, standard fog machines are used. These allow for a short burst with no use a Fog Fluid, which is glycol based lingering “after fog effect”. (not glycerine) and is pumped over a The most requested fog scene is heated element, vaporizing the glycol low level fog… hello Phantom!

One of the most used systems is the and voila! FOG! There are many units on the Le Maitre Pea Souper - basically a large market, all functioning much the same, plastic kettle into which a metal basket but with different outputs. One (think deep frying) is lowered. The drawback can be that low power units water in the kettle is heated to approx. only produce fog for a short time and 80°C and the basket contains dry ice have a longer reheat time. Always go pellets, which are best for this rather

than solid blocks. This gives a great low -level fog. Duration is around five minutes. Chauvet also produce a dry ice fog unit.

Then there are systems that use water ice blocks and fog machines not the most effective system, since the fog produced lifts and the amount made is minimal.

Cryogenic type systems are excellent though they do cost several thousand dollars. These use a very specific fog fluid. The liquid CO2 chills the fog vapour, giving an excellent low-level fog that stays low. Huge areas of fog and long duration are also possible.

Of course you then need to take into account drifts, movement of sets and actors on stage and heat from lighting.

Color low-level fog is something that has always been the holy grail of fog effects, and by this I mean the fog itself is actually colored, not by lighting etc. Geelong Fireworks has been working on this for some time, and have had success in producing a lowlevel color fog, but at this stage it is only available for outdoor or large indoor use due to the odor of the product.

But as they say… watch this space!

If you would like assistance contact Geelong Fireworks www.geelongfireworks.com.au (03) 4210 9113

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Training

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NIDA On The Weekend

The National Institute of Dramatic Art is more accessible than ever.

From short one-day workshops to intensive year-long courses, NIDA Open offers a diverse range of education opportunities.

A popular option for many artists and performers are the Studio courses.

Offering intensive training every to: John Leung.

NIDA Open Studios. Pho weekend over six or 12 months, Studio courses include key elements of NIDA’s world-renowned techniques “We offer a very particular to deliver in-depth training across a independent training model, which range of disciplines including acting, touches on all aspects of the industry, physical theatre, filmmaking, musical so once students have finished their theatre, screen acting, TV presenting, studies, they are confident and writing, directing and designing. equipped with the knowledge to help NIDA Open Senior Course Manager navigate a successful career,” said Ms Jenevieve Chang said that the Studio Chang. classes provide a chance for passionate Delivered in selective classes ranging artists in Sydney, Brisbane and from 10 to 18, Studio courses are Melbourne to nurture and develop available to young people aged 15-18 their craft in a supportive environment. years and adults.

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Entry into the courses is dependent on the individual’s experience, passion and drive, as demonstrated through the audition and interview process.

‘The ideal candidate for our Studio courses is someone that is serious about a career in the industry. They need to be committed, dedicated and above all, collaborative,’ said Ms Chang.

A Studio course provides a stepping stone to further study and is a fantastic foundation for a career in the performing arts industry. NIDA Open graduates have gone on to study at higher education institutions around the country - including NIDA - as well as securing successful careers, like stage and screen actor Lindsay Farris and writer Julia-Rose Lewis.

For more information and to find out about the mid-year auditions, please visit: nida.edu.au/studios

Acting Coach To Oscar Winners Down Under World-renowned acting coach Larry Moss is conducting four-day Masterclasses in Sydney and Melbourne in April.

Thornton and Jane Turner.

Learning how to interpret and inhabit a scene illuminates the story and is the basis for Larry’s approach to acting.

The American teacher of stage and To quote 16th Street Actors Studio, screen coached Helen Hunt in her “Larry’s passion is palpable. He is Oscar-winning performance in As tough. He is funny and he is deeply inspiring. He continually fights for the Good As It Gets; Hilary Swank in her Academy Award winning roles in Boys play, and in doing so, the actor’s talent Don’t Cry and Million Dollar Baby and soars. He knows the commitment it Leonardo DiCaprio in all of his films takes to achieve excellence and will since 2003 including Oscar-nominated dare participants to do the same.”

Larry Moss These Masterclasses have been roles in Blood Diamond and The Wolf opened up to allow an opportunity to of Wall Street. observe and learn (audit) about the Larry has been teaching actors for Melbourne - April 9th to 12th over 43 years in schools such as Julliard craft of acting from one of the greatest Sydney - April 15th to 18th in New York, Circle in the Square in acting teachers working today, 9am to 5pm. watching 32 Australian actors take to New York and his own Larry Moss Limited auditing places are available. the stage to work on exciting and Studio.

For more information He is being brought to Australia by dynamic plays. visit www.16thstreet.com.au 16th Street Actors Studio, which was or call 03 9533 0216 “Larry’s commitment to his craft, his founded by Artistic Director Kim Krejus.

16th Street provides actors with encyclopaedic knowledge of the arts, 16th Street is proud to support the ongoing training through their and his sincere enthusiasm for the art Pegasus Foundation. Scholarships for Masterclasses, Programs, Term Classes of acting itself make his process actors to train anywhere in the world exciting, inspiring and truly and the Youth Program. Previous pegasusfoundation.org.au transformational as an actor.” actors who have worked with Larry at Applications Now Open 16th Street include Kat Stewart, Sigrid - Leonardo DiCaprio.

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Study Drama In London

SW: What was the best part of the course for you?

GK: After a broad undergraduate degree, it was exhilarating to be fully immersed in acting. The fact that the Master’s Degree is one year instead of three was perfect.

The international nature of the school was a highlight. In my course of sixteen students, half were from outside the UK with actors from Greece, America, Canada, Lebanon and Egypt.

The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London is And the teachers at Central create a beautiful teaching enticing Australians to study top courses that can be environment. They focus on the actor who turns up at the completed in a year. As the University of London’s drama start and they help to create, with their immense knowledge conservatoire, Central offers acting, applied theatre, theatre and skill, an actor who comes out the other side crafts and making, design, drama therapy, lighting, transformed. movement, performance, puppetry, performance research, Also, the ability to be able to see so much theatre in scenography, stage management, technical arts and London, both at Central and in the city itself. I found myself production, voice, and writing. at the theatre several times a week.

SW: How has your experience at Central helped prepare George Kemp, from Sydney, graduated from Central’s you for the work/education you’re doing now?

MA Classical Acting course in 2012.

GK: I emerged from Central markedly better at my job. It Stage Whispers: Why did you decide to study at Central? gave me a way of thinking about my work - a point of view.

George Kemp: Having been a Shakespeare-o-phile since It gave me confidence in range. Since graduating I have been 7th grade, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to study acting lucky enough to work with the Sydney Theatre Company and in the motherland - and follow alumni such as Olivier, Bell Shakespeare Company.

Dench, Redgrave…and French and Saunders!

The sheer amount of work at Central pushes you into SW: What is your training background? roles that you would never attempt. I never thought I could GK: I went to high school in Sydney and completed year play Iago, which I was lucky enough to do post study in 12 in 2005. I then went Charles Sturt University in Bathurst. I London, or play a 14-year-old boy prostitute who is completed a Bachelor of Arts - Communication (Theatre/ begrudgingly dressed up as The Queen of Denmark Media). I had also studied in Thailand at Makhampom alongside Tim Minchin in STC’s production of Rosencrantz Theatre. and Guildenstern are Dead.

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SW: What skills and qualities are required for your course?

GK: Most importantly, an open mind. An ability to take risks is the only way to ensure that you get the most out of your time. Students are exposed to so much and it’s about soaking up as much as you can.

SW: How do you see your career developing?

GK: I have enjoyed some good fortune in finding work.

Theatre is my passion and I hope to work as much as I can within that crazy world while slowly dipping my toes into other exciting forms of acting.

SW: Has Central lived up to your expectations?

GK: Absolutely! The course was everything I hoped for and more and really has placed me well to build my career. It can seem a scary prospect to embark upon, but it is worth it 100%.

SW: What advice would you offer students thinking of applying to Central?

GK: Enjoy the work! You are in the luxurious position of being able to do what you love every day. From some of the rehearsal rooms at Central you can see office workers sitting in their desks across the road slaving at their computers. It used to make me laugh to think that they could see us doing some outrageous movement class pretending to be hyenas, or cartwheels, or clown workshops. Some students are fixated on finding an agent, or furthering their career, but all that can come later. I was delighted to be able to learn and explore and play full time - it’s a rare bubble and one worth treasuring. www.cssd.ac.uk

George Kemp

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TV Week Logie Awards for Most Popular Actress in an Australian-made series.

Screenwise says Ashleigh is a prime example of how its Screenteens Course provides young actors with a real taste of As a high school student, Ashleigh on Sydney’s southern beaches, playing Cummings knew how to aim high. At 14 the teenager Debbie Vickers. This won life in the Film and TV Industry. She she travelled solo to New York City to her Best Actress in a Television Drama emailed the school when she was pursue her dream of a career in the film nomination by the Australian Academy of selected by ABC for Miss Fisher’s Murder & TV Industry. Albeit nerve-wracking at Cinema & Television Arts.

Mysteries: “Thank you so much Denise! I first, Ashleigh encourages any budding The career trajectory of the young wouldn’t be where I am now without Screenwise so I owe you everything. Ash actor to do whatever it takes to pursue actress continues to gain momentum with Ashleigh landing a starring role as xx” their dreams.

Celia Houghton in Channel Nine’s new Ashleigh is showing no signs of slowing down as she cements her name “It’s such an incredible thing to allow mini series Gallipoli, which depicts the your children to be alone in the world,’’ story of four young Australian boys as an Australian actress in the domestic she says now of her parents’ decision to joining the military and then sent to war. and international Film & TV Industry.

Screenwise was established fifteen allow her to travel by herself.

Ashleigh’s success has hinged heavily on her optimism and attitude, with the years ago to provide specialist, careerAn avid learner, Ashleigh enrolled in actress tackling “meaty” roles that she focused training in acting for film & Screenwise’s Screenteens Acting Course can bring something new to. ‘’I know television. In today’s industry, without a where her potential was quickly noticed

by Screenwise CEO, Denise Roberts. that sounds like something every actor strong screen profile, it is difficult for “Ashleigh’s ambitious attitude to start says, but it’s for a reason. When you play actors to progress in any facet of acting.

The school attracts students from around young has rewarded her with a wealth of different roles you learn from that. It knowledge. As a young actress, Ashleigh opens doors and exposes your emotional the country and the globe. range.’’ has learnt many essential skills which gave her an advantage on a film set,” Ashleigh’s dedication and Visit www.screenwise.com.au for says Denise. perseverance has been evident through information on the Diploma of Screen Acting, Showreel Course, Screenteens Since attending Screenwise, Ashleigh the catalogue of awards the actress has and other short courses. appeared with Denise in the popular been nominated for including the 2013 dance feature Razzle Dazzle. After a few episodes on Home & Away, Ashleigh Ashleigh Cummings played the role of Robyn Mathers in the Australian feature Tomorrow When The World Began and then quickly found herself in the career-making role of Dorothy ‘Dot’ Williams in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries on ABC TV. Ashleigh went on to star in the recent Australian feature Galore.

Her most notable role to date has been as lead actress in Channel Ten’s series Puberty Blues, set during the 1970s

Big Dreams Pay Off

63 Stage Whispers SPARK 2015

AIM Music Theatre. City of Angels - The Musical

Performances For Schools www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 64

Singing Out Against Cyber Bullying CONNECTED, a new Australian musical aimed at teaching kids about the dangers of cyber bullying, is about to tour NSW schools. Writer Craig Christie speaks to Neil Litchfield about the musical.

OMG! LOL! Teenage kids today can’t function without being connected to the internet: chatting with their friends via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Skype or Snapchat and texting or posting selfies via their mobile phones.

Cyber bullying is ‘wilful and repeated harm inflicted through the medium of electronic text’ (Patchin & Hinduja 2006). Research has found that one in five students in Australia are cyber bullied. Students who are bullied suffer from higher rates of depression, anxiety, low self esteem, reduced concentration and helplessness.

Neil Litchfield: What inspired you to write a musical about cyber bullying?

Craig Christie: As a writer you’re always looking for stories that engage you. About five years ago one of my shows was in Singapore. I was in the hotel room reading the paper and there was a whole page article about it. That was the first time it really hit me what an issue it was.

Not very long afterwards the daughter of a friend had some photographs circulated, which caused a lot of trauma for the family. That made it much closer to home. I used those sorts of things to start with, and then more and more stories came up, and I started generating storylines from there.

NL: Tell me about the show.

CC: It’s set in a high school, with four main characters.

The story unfolds of a girl who comes into the school from outside. Through no fault of her own, she falls foul of the mean girl of the school, who instigates a campaign against her, and manipulates other people’s situations and stories and makes the new girl’s life a real misery. The other characters are the mean girl’s ex-boyfriend, the popular guy in the school, who is nice and friendly, though a little bit clueless. Then there’s the guy who’s more of a social outcast, who begins a friendship with the new girl, but thanks to the intervention of the mean girl that all goes quite foul.

Part of the story is about how good people, either by accident or design, can do horrible things.

NL: How have you developed the music to be appropriate to the theme and the story?

CC: The style of the music is very Indie pop / rock, which is appropriate to the age group and the characters involved.

It’s a very guitar driven, edgy style, which really helps drive the narrative. It’s quite a fast-paced narrative, as befits the culture of younger people.

NL: Was Connected written specifically to tour into schools?

CC: It wasn’t originally. I wrote Connected as a piece of music theatre for the general public. That’s how it was presented when we launched it in London, and then took it 65 Stage Whispers SPARK 2015

to Edinburgh. It stood on its merits as a piece of musical theatre, and got some great reviews.

It’s not written specifically for schools, but what we’re hoping to do is deliver a quality piece of music theatre into the schools so it’s accessing new audiences and giving it the greatest chance of exposure with kids who may not go to a piece like this, because it’s a musical. It’s also a great springboard for conversation and discussion.

NL: Have you had to do a great deal of adaptation to make the show suitable to tour to schools?

CC: There was some adaptation necessary, because originally the language was much tougher, or, I guess, much more accurately reflecting how 16-year-olds talk to each other. We’ve had to take out some of the swearing, and the climax of the show has been adapted to make it more appropriate for younger school groups. But it doesn’t lessen the impact of the situation at all, and the important thing is we still see the emotional impact of the storyline, not just for the girl who is the victim of the cyber-bullying campaign, but for all of the characters, because nobody gets off unscathed.

CONNECTED, presented by Origin On Stage in association with Theatre One Productions, is available for school incursion performances during 2015 throughout NSW as well as being available for student/parent performances out of school hours. Following each performance Cyber Safety expert Leonie Smith will conduct a workshop discussion which covers safe and unsafe apps, social media and kids, cyber bullying, adult content filters, safer messaging, essential privacy settings, scams and traps online and smart online behaviour. www.connectedthemusical.com.au

The Days Of The Old School Yard The Melbourne Comedy Festival has an act pitched perfect to High School students. It’s called Improvilicious: Improvised Guide to High School.

Ben Russell and Cassie Vagliviello in Improvilicious.

Photo: Nelli Scarlet Photography.

The opening line sets the scene.

“If TV and movie representations are anything to go by, it involves wizards, kids randomly bursting into song and dance numbers, witches, hot vampires, superheroes in terrible disguises and without a doubt, it will totes be the most mega important and dangerous six years of a your life. But what is high school really like and how does one survive it?”

Writer Jimmy James Eaton has his own wounds to draw upon.

“In year 8 I had no idea what to do when I liked a girl. I approached a poor young lass sitting at the bag rack on a Friday afternoon. I thought I was a young version of the Fonze and planned to say ‘How about you and I go to the movies.”

“But nerves took complete control of me. I was just squealed out the words. ‘I love you.’ The poor girl just shrieked. All the girls started running around. Oh My God. Jimmy loves…”

He also had some ‘amazing’ The comedy act sets up a range of teachers. ‘situations’ .

“I had a religion teacher who swore “How to deal with bullies. What he could speak in tongues. Another happens when you start notice the would throw white board markers at opposite sex. Dealing with students.”

embarrassing parents. Also the monotony of detention, and exams.”

Using audience suggestions and participation, they improvise their way through a typical first day at school.

They guarantee that no two shows are the same.

The comedy team believes improvisation is a dynamic way of keeping the attention of young people.

Last year they toured The Improvised Guide to Theatre. It started with Ancient Greek theatre and went all the way through to contemporary work.

“It allows you to be present and talk to the audience. High School students found that enthralling.”

Improvilicious: Improvised Guide to High School.

Melbourne Town Hall, Powder Room, 90-120 Swanston Street, CBD Saturday 28 March - Sunday 12 April (No Mondays) www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 66

About: The team that created The 13-Storey Treehouse deliver this play by Richard Tulloch adapted from the book by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton. (30 words) Curriculum area: The Arts - Drama, English Artform: Music Theatre Themes: Friendship, Problem-solving, Teamwork.

Suitable for: Prep-2 to 3-6 Teacher Resource Kit available for schools with a booking. Q&A for some performances

CDP Theatre Productions

The 26-Storey Treehouse Excursion Various theatres - see www.cdp.com.au/26storeytreehouse.html www.cdp.com.au All states NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS, WA, SA, NT, QLD Available: Term 1, Term 2, Term 3 67 Stage Whispers SPARK 2015

The Gruffalo’s Child Excursion Various theatres - see www.cdp.com.au/ gruffalos_child.html for details www.cdp.com.au States: NSW, QLD, WA, VIC Available: Term 2, Term 3 About: The team behind The Gruffalo & Room On The Broom, return with the stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's bestselling book.

Curriculum area: The Arts - Dance, The Arts Drama, The Arts - Music, English, Mathematics,

Science , Geography , Health And Physical Education Artform: Music Theatre Themes: Discovery, Family, Understanding And Interacting With Others Suitable for: Kinder to Prep-2 Teacher Resource Kit available for schools with a booking.

theme ‘Books Light Up Our World’, featuring the 2015 CBCA shortlisted books.

Relevant to: English, Health & PE, SOSE/HSIE, The Arts.

Suitable for: K-6 Q and A following performance. Teacher Activity Pack, CD soundtrack and posters forwarded prior to performance.

LazyTown in Schools – Healthy Eating & Wellbeing Incursion www.jallyentertainment.com.au www.lazytowninschools.com Gallipoli: A manual of Trench Warfare by Clem States: VIC, NSW Gorman.

Available: Term 2 – Monday 18th May – Friday 5th Excursion and Incursion.

June.

States: NSW and QLD . Touring until June 2015. About: The #1 program inspiring children to Get Up & Get Moving! Lazy Town will empower About: Gallipoli - A Manual of Trench Warfare takes place in a sandbagged trench at Gallipoli, students towards having a healthy body, eating a 1915 and puts a perspective on the Great War’s balanced diet and being physically active. legend of heroism. The main character is Barry Relevant to: Healthy Eating, Physical Education, Communication, Interpersonal Development, Moon, a country boy battling not only the Creative Arts. enemy, but himself and the establishment.

Coming just fourteen years after the Federation of Suitable for: K-2 Australia, the Gallipoli campaign was one of the Q and A following performance. Teacher Activity Pack forwarded prior to performance. first international events that saw Australians taking part - as Australians. The Anzac spirit also tends to capture the idea of an Australian and Cyber Safety in Schools – MyFriends Dot Com! New Zealand "national character", with the Incursion Gallipoli Campaign often described as being the States: VIC, NSW. Available: Mon 25th May – Fri 12th June, 2015 moment of ‘birth of the nationhood’ of both Australia and New Zealand.

About: Educational musical performed live in Q and A and Published script. schools, MyFriends Dot Com explores the world of cyber-bullying, its dangers and consequences and the importance of cyber-safety.

Relevant to: Communication, English, Humanities, The Arts, H&PE Suitable for: 5-9 Q and A following performance. Teacher Activity Pack forwarded prior to performance. www.performmusicals.com Financial Literacy in Schools – Dollars & Sense!

Incursion Book Week in Schools – Shine a Light!

States: VIC, NSW Incursion Available: Mon 25th May – Fri 12th June: States: VIC, NSW, ACT, QLD, SA, WA, TAS About: Educational musical performed live in Available: Mon 10th August – Fri 11th schools featuring comedy and interaction where September. students will discover the 10 KEY CONCEPTS to About: Educational musical performed live in become financially literate. schools celebrating Book Week 2015 and its

Jally Entertainment

Perform!

Educational Musicals

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 68

Relevant to: The Humanities (Economics, Business/Commerce, SOSE/HSIE, History); English; Mathematics; The Arts Suitable for: 5-9 Q and A following performance. Teacher Activity Pack forwarded prior to performance.

Science Week in Schools – What’s the Matter?

Incursion States: VIC, NSW, ACT, QLD, SA, WA Available: Mon 10th August – Fri 28th August, 2015 About: Educational musical performed live in schools celebrating Science Week 2015 and the school theme ‘Making Waves - The Science of Light’ and International Year of Light.

Relevant to: Biological Science, Physical Science, Environmental Science, SOSE/HSIE, Economics, The Arts.

Suitable for: 5-9 Q and A following performance. Teacher Activity Pack forwarded prior to performance.

Alpha Shows www.alphashows.com.au

The Alpha Show of Beauty and the Beast Incursion States: All except WA and NT Terms Available - Check website About: Alpha’s Beauty and the Beast combines all that is loved about any version of the classic fairytale you could imagine. Alpha’s version is grounded in love through letting go of old beliefs, old rules and all that prevents us from loving others fully without fear. Belle also learns to look beneath the surface and move on from her initial horror at the Beast’s appearance. The Beast finally learns to move on from his fears that nobody would ever love a beast, and treat Belle with kindness.

Suitable for: K-10 Q and A

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The Alpha Show of The Hunchback of Notre Dame Incursion States: All except WA and NT Terms Available: Check website About: Alpha’s Hunchback, loosely based on the Victor Hugo novel, aims to instil in the audience a sense of the importance of resilience in times of hardship and oppression from those more powerful than us, and how even small changes in our physiology and heart can have lasting impact.

Suitable for: K-10 Q and A. The Alpha Show of Sleeping Beauty Incursion States: All except WA and NT Terms Available: Check website About: Even in times of seeming impossible circumstances, it’s important to remember that destiny must be served, and we must follow our path. Not only does the farm boy turned hero learn this lesson, but so does the audience as we encourage all to feel the confidence in knowing your purpose and knowing you are the voice that creates your reality.

Suitable for: K-10 Q and A The Alpha Show of Cinderella Incursion States: All except WA and NT Terms Available: Check website About: Alpha’s Cinderella is probably the show with the chance for the audience to interact the most! More songs, kids on stage and three villains! Children are ready to protest the injustice served up to Cinderella by her stepsisters and the Evil Stepmother, as this is often the most relevant to how a child can feel.

Suitable for: K-10 Q and A The Alpha Show of Hercules Incursion States: All except WA and NT Terms Available: Check website About: Hercules has a great theme, and includes everything that children and grown ups love

about our shows! The story deals with the isolation Hercules feels from his extra strength, which helps children gain some compassion and connection with how many young people feel today. It follows Hercules quest to become a hero, and to rejoin his father Zeus in Olympus.

Suitable for: K-10 Q and A. The Alpha Show of Aladdin Incursion States: All except WA and NT Terms Available: Check website About: Alpha’s Aladdin is a spectacular musical rock concert for children and grown ups of all ages. The show brings together the classic tale with a hilarious modern take, as well as integrating magical and important messages that help to raise understanding and awareness in all audiences.

Suitable for: K-10 Q and A. The Alpha Show of King Arthur Incursion States: All except WA and NT Terms Available - Check website About: Capturing the magic of the classic legend and its characters combined with the magic and traditions of an Alpha show, King Arthur is a wonderfully engaging show, utilising the classic myth to create a lot of fun as well as significant character development usually only seen in movies.

Suitable for. K-10 Q and A The Alpha Show of The Little Mermaid Incursion States: All except WA and NT Terms Available: Check website About: Alpha’s The Little Mermaid humorously and powerfully captures the magic of what is Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale of tragedy and love from another world. Without the depressing ending! This was Hans’ favourite story that he wrote, but the fairytale very much mimicked and reflected his own pain about never finding love, or the loss of love once received.

Suitable for: K-10 Q and A

Sydney Theatre Company Education Program www.sydneytheatre.com.au/community/ education

Belvoir Theatre Education Program http://belvoir.com.au/education/

ORiGiNTM On Stage Pty Ltd

Connected - The Cyber Bullying Musical by Craig Christie www.connectedthemusical.com.au Incursion Available: Term 1 and 2, 2015 About: Connected is a musical show for schools, students and parents, to raise awareness and open discussion about the issues and effects of cyber bullying.

Connected is energetic and fast paced, with an edgy, contemporary soundtrack and a story that www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 70

will resonate throughout schools and households everywhere. Performed by a vibrant, engaging young cast, the production will stimulate discussion and bring to light the sometimes unintended consequences of cyber activities if online relationships are not managed responsibly.

Relevant to: PDHPE, Welfare Suitable for: Years 6 to 12 Q and A or study resources: Daytime performances during school hours include a Q and A session with the characters. The parentstudent, early evening performances have the option of cyber safety expert, Leonie Smith, attending as special guest speaker including a Q and A session.

Sydney Opera House

Monkey… Journey to the West www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/ learning15_monkey_journey_to_the_west.aspx Excursion The Playhouse, Sydney Opera House Producing Company: Kim Carpenter’s Theatre of Image Dates: 1 – 2 April About: Monkey... Journey to the West brings China’s classic story of The Monkey King to life on stage in a dynamic productioN. Subjects: English, Creative Arts, HSIE Suitable for: Years 3 – 6 Q & A included in performance. Teachers’ resources supplied.

Dinosaur Zoo www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/ learning15_dinosaur_zoo.aspx Excursion Studio, Sydney Opera House Producing Company: Erth Visual & Physical Inc. 21 – 22 April About: Dinosaur Zoo features nine amazingly lifelike recreations of prehistoric creatures that once roamed free around the southern hemisphere.

Developed in consultation with palaeontologists and based on current science and specialist interpretations of dinosaur fossil evidence.

71 Stage Whispers SPARK 2015

Subjects: Science, Creative Arts Suitable for: K – 4 Q & A included in performance. Teachers’ resources supplied.

The Tale of Samulnori www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/ learning15_tale_of_samulnori.aspx Excursion Studio, Sydney Opera House Producing Company: Legs On The Wall and AsiaNow 3 June – 6 June About: Four children are sent to the corners of the earth to restore peace in this exciting new work combining traditional and contemporary acrobatics, video imagery and live music.

Subjects: Primary Curriculum: English, Creative Arts, HSIE. Secondary Curriculum: English, Drama, Dance, Music, Languages.

Suitable for: Years 3 – 8 Q & A included in performance. Teachers’ resources supplied.

Chalk About www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/ learning15_chalk_about.aspx Excursion Studio, Sydney Opera House Producing Company: Curious Seed Dates: 10 June – 12 June Show Description: Chalk About is a playful, funny and sometimes moving look at how we see ourselves and others, featuring dance, chat and one perfect scene containing everything you could wish for.

Subjects: Creative Arts, English, PDHPE Suitable for Years 3 – 6 Q & A included in performance. Teachers’ resources supplied.

Tickets: $18/Student Bindjareb Pinjarra http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/ learning15_bindjareb_pinjarra.aspx Excursion Studio, Sydney Opera House Producing Company: The Pinjarra Progect Dates: 24 June – 26 June

Show Description: A brilliant improvised comedy about Western Australia’s Pinjarra Massacre, Bindjareb Pinjarra demonstrates extraordinary risk taking through its fusion of history, comedy and physical theatre.

Subjects: Primary Curriculum: English, HSIE, History, Creative Arts. Secondary Curriculum: English, Drama, Aboriginal Studies.

Suitable for Years 5 – 8 Q & A included in performance. Teachers’ resources supplied.

Tickets: $18/Student lore: dance stories of land and sea www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/ learning15_lore.aspx Excursion Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House Bangarra Dance Theatre 24 June Show Description: lore: dance stories of land and sea explores Australian homelands, from the enigmatic waters of the Torres Strait Islands to deeply rooted trees inland – celebrating the past, present and future.

Subjects: Dance, Drama, Aboriginal Studies Suitable for Years 7 – 12 Q & A included in performance. Teachers’ resources supplied Tickets: $25/Student Romeo and Juliet www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/ learning15_romeo_and_juliet.aspx Excursion Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House Producing Company: Bell Shakespeare 20 July – 14 August Show Description: These violent delights have violent ends... Forbidden love, family feuds and fast-paced fights. Bell Shakespeare presents a contemporary production of Romeo And Juliet that will take teenagers from cheers to tears.

Subjects: English, Drama Suitable for Years 7 – 11 Q & A included in performance. Teachers’ resources supplied Tickets: $26/Student

Dylan Thomas’ Adventures in the Skin Trade www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/ learning15_adventures_in_the_skin_trade.aspx Excursion Studio, Sydney Opera House Producing Company: Theatr Iolo 29 July – 31 July Show Description: Dylan Thomas (Author of Under Milk Wood) famously left his final novel unfinished. It’s a gloriously surreal coming-of-age story, brought to life in this fierce production by acclaimed Welsh company Theatr Iolo.

Subjects: Dance, Drama, Aboriginal Studies Suitable for Years 7 – 12 Q & A included in performance. Support material will contextualise the novel and its stage adaptation, highlighting its relevance to young people whether they are from Wales or New South Wales.

Tickets: $18/Student Primary Proms: Tubby the Tuba www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/ learning15_tubby_the_tuba.aspx Excursion Studio, Sydney Opera House Producing Company: CDP Theatre Producers Dates: 18 August – 20 August Show Description: This lively Primary Proms production introduces students to the different instrument families. Will Tubby ever have a melody of his own?

Subjects: Creative Arts Years: Years K - 2 Q and A or study resources: Q & A included in performance. Teachers’ resources supplied.

Tickets: $16/Student Little Big Shots www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/ learning15_little_big_shots.aspx Excursion Studio, Sydney Opera House Producing Company: Little Big Shots International Film Festival for Kids 10 September - 11 September Show Description: This exciting program challenges students to expand their media literacy www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 72

showcasing a selection of films from professional and student filmmakers from around the world.

Subjects: Primary: English, Creative Arts, HSIE. Secondary: English, Photographic and Digital Media, Drama.

Suitable for Years 3 - 10 Q & A included in performance. Teachers’ resources supplied.

Tickets: $12/Student The 52-Storey Treehouse www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/ learning15_52_storey_treehouse.aspx Excursion Studio, Sydney Opera House Producing Company: CDP Theatre Producers Dates: 6 October – 8 October Show Description: Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton’s latest bestseller comes to life on the stage! Andy and Terry’s treehouse is now 52 storeys tall, but there’s no time to play… Can they solve the mysteries and survive the dangers that test even their ingenuity?

Subjects: English, Creative Arts, Suitable for Years 3 - 6 Q & A included in performance. Teachers’ resources supplied.

Tickets: $20/Student

Sport For Jove

www.sportforjove.com.au/education/2015education-season A Midsummer Night's Dream Excursion Riverside Theatres (Corner Church and Market Streets, Parramatta) and the Seymour Centre (Corner of City Rd and Cleveland St, Chippendale) http://riversideparramatta.com.au/category/ education and www.seymourcentre.com/secondary-2015/ March 18 – March 27 About: Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is perhaps the best possible introduction young people can have to the theatre and among the most powerful visions of growing up ever written.

Subjects: English, Drama.

Suitable for Years 7 to 11.

Q and A.

The Merchant of Venice www.sportforjove.com.au/education/2015education-season Excursion Riverside Theatres (Corner Church and Market Streets, Parramatta) and the Seymour Centre Primary Proms: Christmas Rhythms (Corner of City Rd and Cleveland St Chippendale) www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/ http://riversideparramatta.com.au/category/ learning15_christmas_rhythms.aspx education and Excursion www.seymourcentre.com/secondary-2015/ Studio, Sydney Opera House May 7 – 30 Producing Company: CDP Theatre Producers About: The Merchant is a story Shakespeare 25 November – 27 November couldn’t resist…an unfathomable sadness in a Show Description: Sing, dance and keep the beat man’s heart…hate crime and religious with your own pair of maracas at this special intolerance…our willingness to gamble with our Christmas party for K-2. This Primary Proms lives and our struggle to know the difference production brings a musical twist to popular between mercy and justice.

Christmas songs.

Subjects: English, Drama.

Subjects: Creative Arts Suitable for Years 9 – 12.

Suitable for Years K - 2 Q&A after school's shows with the cast.

Q & A included in performance. Teachers’ resources supplied.

Macbeth Tickets: $16/Student www.sportforjove.com.au/education/2015education-season Excursion 73 Stage Whispers SPARK 2015

Riverside Theatres (Corner Church and Market Streets, Parramatta NSW 2124) and the Seymour Centre (Corner of City Rd and Cleveland St Chippendale NSW 2008) http://riversideparramatta.com.au/category/ education and www.seymourcentre.com/secondary-2015/ Subjects: English / Drama.

Suitable for Years 7 – 11 Q&A after the show with the cast.

Riverside Theatres

Of Mice And Men www.sportforjove.com.au/education/2015education-season Excursion Seymour Centre (Corner of City Rd and Cleveland St, Chippendale) www.seymourcentre.com/secondary-2015/ July 9 – 25 About: Of Mice and Men teaches the value of understanding and human kindness even under extreme circumstances. A must-see for students studying this iconic American classic or a great experience of magical and inventive theatre.

Subjects: English, Drama.

Suitable for: Years 10 – 12 Q&A after the show with the cast.

PRIMARY

Shakespeare Symposium Series www.sportforjove.com.au/education/2015education-season Riverside Theatres (Corner Church and Market Streets, Parramatta) and the Seymour Centre (Corner of City Rd and Cleveland St, Chippendale). http://riversideparramatta.com.au/category/ education and www.seymourcentre.com/secondary-2015/ Mar 19 – May 29 About: Sport for Jove’s HSC Shakespeare Symposiums offer fully realised performances of large sections of the Board of Studies set texts in the 2015 HSC Syllabus, including Hamlet, The Tempest, Richard III, The Merchant of Venice and Julius Caesar.

Subject: English Suitable for Years 11 – 12 Resources: Teacher Notes.

Simon Tedeschi: Pianist and Prankster Excursion Riverside Theatres, Cnr Church and Market Streets, Parramatta Monkey Baa Theatre Company http://riversideparramatta.com.au/show/simontedeschi-pianist-and-prankster 20 and 21 October About: Through anecdotes as a boy, Simon recalls his pranks and practices which shaped his life while playing some of his favourite music.

Relevant to Creative Arts- Music, HSIE Suitable for Years 2-6

The aim of the Education Program at Riverside is to provide the top quality productions, workshops and experiences that teachers need and want to take your students to. The 2015 Primary and Secondary education programs feature over 30 events for students from preschool to year 12.

Highlights include:

Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo™ http://riversideparramatta.com.au/show/erthsdinosaur-zoo Excursion Riverside Theatres, Cnr Church and Market Streets, Parramatta Erth - Visual and Physical Inc. 25 and 26 June Meet awesome prehistoric creatures, from cute baby dinos to some of the largest carnivores and herbivores that have ever walked the planet!

Relevant to Science and Drama Suitable for Years K-4 Resource kit available

Also in the Primary Program: • The Bugalugs Bum Thief - May 4- 6 • Sydney Writers’ Festival Primary School Days May 18 • Music to Mark an Event - May 26- 28 • Sharp, Short Theatre - June 1-12 • The Witches - June 23- 25 www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 74

• Snugglepot and Cuddlepie - July 15-17 • The 26-Storey Treehouse - August 18-19 • Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes and Dirty Beasts - October 16 More information on the primary program: http:// riversideparramatta.com.au/category/education/ primary-education-education SECONDARY

• Sydney Writers’ Festival: Secondary School Days - May 19 • Music to Mark an Event - May 26-28 • Choreographic Workshop - May 26-27 • Fearless: HSC Seminar - May 28- 29 • Sharp, Short Theatre - June 1-12 • Playreading: Stolen - June 10-12 • The Witches - June 23-25 • Dance Bites: Drill - Oct 15 • Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes and Dirty Beasts - October 16 • Arté: Commedia Workshops - Oct 19-23 • Sharp Short Dance - Nov 9-12 More information on the secondary program: http://riversideparramatta.com.au/category/ education/secondary-education-education

Shellshock http://riversideparramatta.com.au/show/ shellshock Excursion Riverside Theatres, Cnr Church and Market Streets, Parramatta Riverside Productions 30 July – 8 August About: Shellshock is a love story… between an Australian teenager and his mate Herman, a tortoise – the oldest living survivor of the Gallipoli campaign. www.monkeybaa.com.au Relevant to English, History, Drama Suitable for Years 7- 10 Angels in America Part 1 Millennium Approaches Resource kit available Excursion Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre No Place Like (Terrace 3 / 1-25 Harbour Street, Sydney) Excursion A Chalkdust Theatre Company production Riverside Theatres, Cnr Church and Market Presented by Monkey Baa Theatre Company Streets, Parramatta 6 & 7 May 10:30am, 8 May 10:30am & 7pm, 9 Milk Crate Theatre May 1pm & 7pm http://riversideparramatta.com.au/show/no-place- Duration: 3 hours (inc interval) like About: The 1993 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama, 3 & 4 September this phenomenal piece of theatre will explore the About: Inspired by real life housing experiences of themes of Community, Identity and Status versus the Milk Crate Theatre Ensemble, No Place Like Change. Chalkdust Theatre has recreated this well explores the triumphs and challenges of finding known text for students studying the HSC Drama somewhere to live. topic Tragedy.

Relevant to: Drama, PDHPE, Society and Culture Relevant to: Drama / English / Community - Stage Suitable for Years 9-12 5, Stage 6 Preliminary & Stage 6 HSC Suitable for Years 9 - 12 Also in the Secondary Program Q& A after each performance • The One Day of the Year - Mar 24-28 • Dance Bites: Turke’ - May 1 The Unknown Soldier • The Merchant of Venice - May 7-16 Excursion • The Merchant of Venice - HSC Symposium Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre May 15 (Terrace 3 / 1-25 Harbour Street, Sydney) • Macbeth - May 12-14 Monkey Baa Theatre Company Written by Sandra Eldridge

Monkey Baa Theatre

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Dates: 18 - 22 May at 10:30am & 12:30pm Duration: 60min About: Through extensive research, our creative team has created a new play exploring the themes around the Unknown Soldier; who is he and what does he represent to young Australians today? Set on the battle fields of WW1 and in twenty first century Australia, the play follows the dual journeys of a 16 year old soldier fighting for King and Country, and an 11 year old boy who questions how one can simply just disappear.

Relevant to Stage 4 and 5 - Drama / English / PDHPE & History Suitable for Years 7 & 8 Q & A after each performance. Teacher Resources available (online or email) The Arte of Commedia Excursion Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre (Terrace 3 / 1-25 Harbour Street, Sydney) A Matriark Art Theatre masterclass Presented by Monkey Baa Theatre Company Dates: 29 & 30 July at 10:15am & 12:30pm Duration: 100min About: Bring Commedia dell’Arte to life for your students with this fantastic workshop brought to you by Matriark Art Theatre. This jam-packed, 100 minute workshop will give students more than just a taste of Commedia as they witness a performance of the traditional form, respond in a Q&A session and break-off into masterclasses with our expert tutors.

Relevant to Stage 4 and 5 - Drama Suitable for Years 7 - 10 Q & A after each session (40min - 60max students per session) Taking Drama as an elective Incursion workshop Created and facilitated by Monkey Baa Theatre Company From Term 1 to 4 About: a two-day vocational workshop sees students introduced to different theatre making practices. Working with a teaching artist this program is specifically created for Year 7/8 students considering taking drama as an elective subject in senior years of High School.

Relevant to Stage 4 Drama Suitable for Secondary Stage 4 Q & A after each session (20max students per session)

Glen Street Theatre Glen Street Theatre, Belrose. www.glenstreet.com.au

360 ALLSTARS Excursion An Onyx Production 25 & 26 March at 11am About: Exploring all forms of rotation, 360 ALLSTARS is a phenomenal physical performance.

The stellar cast of world champion athletes, dancers and musicians connects the street with the elite to deliver a radical urban circus.

Suitable for Years 7 - 12 Study resources available upon request.

Summer of the Seventeenth Doll by Ray Lawler Excursion Producing Company: State Theatre Company of South Australia May 19 - 24 About: A story of love, heartache, hope and loss, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll remains one of the theatrical canon’s most moving explorations of the fading of youth and dreams.

Suitable for Years 7 - 12 Q & A session available after the performance on Tue 19 May 6.30pm TaikOz in Concert Excursion Producing Company: TaikOz www.glenstreet.com.au 12 - 16 Aug About: TaikOz’s performances are based on the Japanese tradition of taiko drumming with a contemporary focus. Their music has garnered international praise for its original dance and movement.

Suitable for Years 7 - 12 Q& A or study resources: First to book receives a free after school drumming workshop for up to 30 students. www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 76

CDP Productions www.cdp.com.au

Snugglepot & Cuddlepie Excursion Darling Quarter Theatre (Darling Harbour), The Concourse (Chatswood), Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Riverside Theatres Parramatta, Seymour Centre (Chippendale) See www.cdp.com.au/snugglepot.html for details Term 2, Term 3 About: These beloved characters come to life on stage as this funny, enchanting new production introduces today's children to the wonderful world of May Gibbs.

Curriculum areas: The Arts - Dance, The Arts Drama, The Arts - Music, The Arts - Visual Arts, English, History, Mathematics, Science , Geography , Health And Physical Education.

Artform: Comedy, Drama, Visual Arts www.fametheatre.com Themes: Family, Relationships, Community, Environment, Problem solving, Teamwork Bah Humbug!

Suitable for: Kinder to 6 Excursion Gardens Theatre and Schonell Theatre, Brisbane, The 52-Storey Treehouse Brolga Theatre, Maryborough, Moncrieff Theatre, Excursion Bundaberg, Nambour Civic Centre, Heritage Seymour Centre (Chippendale), Casula Theatre, Gympie, Empire Theatre, Toowoomba Powerhouse, The Concourse (Chatswood), Sydney 24 Nov – 4 Dec. Opera House About: Bah Humbug! focuses on generosity and Terms 3 & 4 sharing for modern children. The story includes About: The third and final instalment in the hit appearances by Charles Dickens’ famous stage adaptations of the Treehouse series - this character, Scrooge and references A CHRISTMAS crazy, imaginative and engaging play is based on CAROL. Andy Griffiths' and Terry Denton's latest Relevant to English and history in line with bestseller! (31 Australian Curriculum. The Arts, drama and Curriculum areas: The Arts - Drama, The Arts Media Visual Arts, English, Mathematics Suitable for Prep – Year 7.

Artform: Comedy, Drama, Physical Theatre, Visual Interactive CD supplied to all school bookings Arts with teaching notes and resources across all areas Themes: Friendship, Problem-solving, Teamwork. of the curriculum, sample songs, worksheets and Suitable for Prep-2 to 3-6. suggestions for further resources.

Teacher Resource Kit will be available to schools with a confirmed booking

Fame Theatre Company

77 Stage Whispers SPARK 2015

differences, consider the consequences of their actions and highlights that under the surface, we’re not as different as we’d sometimes like to think. www.qldtheatreco.com.au/Education-and-Youth/ Relevant to Personal Development Links | Cyber Education-Program Bullying, Online Addictions, Consequences of Actions Suitable for Grade 10-12 ARGUS Full Teachers’ Resource Kit is available from the Excursion www.queenslandtheatre.com.au/Whats-On/More website with all show bookings.

-QTC-Events/Argus Tragic Magic 5-16 May About: Four performers, four pairs of hands and Incursion | shake & stir theatre co www.shakeandstir.com.au one little creature; the littlest of big adventures.

Relevant to Puppetry, Visual Theatre, Object work, Touring QLD throughout 2015 Theatre for Young Audiences About: The awkward first date… Romeo has a thing for Juliet. Juliet thinks Romeo is kinda cute.

Suitable for all years.

All he wants is to impress the girl of his dreams Teachers notes and Q&A available post show. and with a romantic dinner for two, a rose and a few love poems up his sleeve, it’s fool proof – isn’t it? Tragic Magic is a fantastic introduction to Shakespeare that will leave your students eager www.shakeandstir.com.au for more!

Rellevant to English, Drama Plays Covered | A Tag Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo & Juliet, Incursion Macbeth Touring QLD throughout 2015 About: Tag examines the ups and downs of a life Suitable for Grade 7-9 becoming increasingly entwined with the virtual Full Teachers’ Resource Kit is available from the website with all show bookings. and the ease at which situations online can be manipulated to the detriment of those involved.

Tag presents various characters as they deal with Chop Logic Incursion their online addictions and unveils some serious Touring QLD throughout 2015 repercussions across a plethora of social media About: The context and circumstances of sites.

Shakespeare’s plays can baffle young people. But Relevant to Personal Development Links | Cyber what if you cut the fat and go straight to the Bullying, Online Addictions, Consequences of heart? Chop Logic leaves the language Actions untouched, but takes the characters, themes and Suitable for Grade 8-12 plots from a selection of Shakespeare’s most Full Teachers’ Resource Kit is available from the popular works and places them into modern day website with all show bookings. settings.

Relevant to English, Drama Plays Covered | Try Hard Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, The Taming of Incursion the Shrew Touring QLD throughout 2015 About: Your senior years can be tricky – life goals Suitable for Grade 9-12 are all that matter, student stress is the norm and Full Teachers’ Resource Kit is available from the peer pressure reaches boiling point. Based on true website with all show bookings. stories, Try Hard encourages senior students to embrace their individuality, accept others for their

Queensland Theatre Company

Shake & Stir

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 78

Smile and be a Villain Incursion Touring QLD throughout 2015 About: The infamous, tragic heroes go head-tohead in a full-throttle exploration of the dirty deeds that lead to their demise. Smile and be a Villain is a 50/50 split between Hamlet and Macbeth allowing students to gain a comprehensive perspective of both plays and the chance to compare and contrast the bad boys, their motives, their actions and the lethal repercussions.

Relevant to English, Drama Suitable for Grade 11-12 Full Teachers’ Resource Kit is available from the website with all show bookings.

Romeo and Juliet Incursion Touring QLD throughout 2015 About: Shakespeare’s rebellious teen lovers take centre stage in this contemporary 50-minute adaptation intertwining text, music, video and photography. Against their parents’ will, these young romantics steal private moments and plan their future together in complete ignorance of an increasingly oppressive backdrop of hatred, prejudice and narrow mindedness.

Relevant to English, Drama Suitable for Grade 8-12 Full Teachers’ Resource Kit is available from the website with all show bookings.

State Theatre Company Of South Australia www.statetheatrecompany.com.au

This is Where We Live by Vivienne Walshe Presented by State Theatre Company and Hothouse Theatre Incursion and Excursion.

Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre, King William Street Adelaide 12 - 15 May 10:30am The Macbeths *Evening performances available on request Incursion Suburban/Metropolitan Performances Touring QLD throughout 2015 About: Literature’s villainous couple in a gripping 1 June 1pm - Hopgood Theatre, Noarlunga 50-minute portrayal of Shakespeare’s classic tale 2 June 1pm & 3 June 10:30am - Golden Grove Arts Centre, Golden Grove of ambition, greed and the supernatural. Step 4 June 10:30am - Shedley Theatre, Elizabeth within the walls of Dunsinane and witness the Regional Performances devastating events that lead to the ultimate demise of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth from both 19 May 10.30am - Keith Michell Theatre, Port Pirie their unique perspectives. Presented against a 20 May 10.30am - Middleback Theatre, Whyalla series of dynamic cinematic backdrops, The Macbeths highlights the two sides to every great 21 May, 1.00pm - Nautilus Theatre, Port Lincoln 25 May, 1.00pm - Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre, story.

Mt Gambier Relevant to English, Drama 27 May, 1.00pm - Chaffey Theatre, Renmark Suitable for Grade 10-12 29 May, 1.00pm - Centenary Hall, Goolwa Full Teachers’ Resource Kit is available from the website with all show bookings.

79 Stage Whispers SPARK 2015

5 June, 1.00pm - Kangaroo Island Community Education, Kangaroo Island About: Brought up on the wrong side of the tracks with an unrelenting limp, Chloe has had to develop a vicious outer-shell to shield against daily bullying.

Relevant to English, Drama Suitable for Year 9 and up Q & As are offered after each performance and study resources will be available on the website.

About – This non-naturalistic ensemble piece covering issues of racial profiling and personal identity is Khemiri’s personal response to a notorious suicide bombing in Stockholm.

Relevant to VCE Drama Playlist Unit 3, Theatre Studies, English, Global Politics Suitable for – Year 10 and above Teachers’ notes, pre-show talks and post-show Q & A available

Endgame by Samuel Beckett Suitcase Stories from Creative Collaborations from Excursion, MTC, schools@mtc.com.au Western Australia also tours to South Australia.

Southbank Theatre, The Sumner, 140 Southbank See WA section for details.

Boulevard, Southbank VIC 3006 21 March to 25 April About: MTC Associate Artistic Director Sam Strong and visual artist Callum Morton join forces to realise Beckett’s trademark minimalist style on the Sumner stage.

Relevant to VCE Theatre Studies Playlist Unit 3, Drama, English Suitable for Year 10 and above Teachers’ notes, pre-show talks and post-show Q & A available

Melbourne Theatre Company www.mtc.com.au/education

I Call My Brothers by Jonas Hassen Khemiri, translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles.

Excursion, MTC, schools@mtc.com.au Incursion via Regional Arts Victoria, education@rav.net.au Excursion, GPAC, kelly@gpac.org.au Southbank Theatre, The Lawler, 140 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank - 16 April to 1 May Geelong Performing Arts Centre, 50 Little Malop Street, Geelong - 18 May RAV Tour 4 to 15 May, GPAC Available Term 2

The Weir by Conor McPherson Excursion, MTC, schools@mtc.com.au Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio, St Kilda Rd, Melbourne 14 August to 26 September About: A chilling play that highlights the quiet power of story-telling, The Weir is a masterclass in monologue performance.

Relevant to VCE Theatre Studies Playlist Unit 4, Drama, English Suitable for Year 10 and above Teachers’ notes, pre-show talks and post-show Q & A available The Boy at the Edge of Everything by Finegan Kruckemeyer Excursion, MTC, schools@mtc.com.au Southbank Theatre, The Lawler, 140 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank 5 to 9 October About: Kruckemeyer’s work offers young people a view to other worlds, other lives and, in this case, another universe. www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 80

Relevant to AusVels: The Arts, English, Humanities, Communication and Thinking Processes.

Suitable for Year 3 and above Teachers’ notes, pre-show talks and post-show Q Medea & A available Excursion www.completeworks.com.au/season/medea The Drum Theatre, Dandenong: 22 - 24 July GPAC, Geelong: 27 July.

The Union Theatre, Melbourne University: Tuesday 28 - 31 July Beautiful One Day Eastbank Centre, Shepparton: 5 August Excursion About: In this famous Greek tragedy, Euripides Regional and Metro Areas: Bairnsdale, Ballarat, explores the psyche of the wronged woman.

Dandenong, Footscray, Frankston, Nunawading Medea's sense of powerlessness against unfolding http://ilbijerri.com.au/productions/project/ events leads her to seek vengeance in a most beautiful-one-day hideous way, betraying even her love for her own Term 2 (see website for tour dates) children.

About: A poignant examination of the oppressed Relevant to English, Drama, Theatre Studies, history of Palm Island and the death in custody of History Murlunji Doomadgee.

Suitable for Years 11-12 Relevant to English, Drama, History and Civics and Q&A sessions after select sessions; teacher Citizenship and Aboriginal and Torres Strait resource.

Histories and Cultures.

Suitable for Years 10 - 12 Education Resource Kit available – Q & A dates TBC

Complete Works Theatre Company

Ilbijerri Theatre Company

North West Of Nowhere Incursion http://ilbijerri.com.au/productions/project/northwest-of-nowhere Term 3 About: A fresh approach to sexual health and negotiating safe sexual relationships – Join Nella and Wyatt on a road trip from adolescence to young adulthood.

Relevant to: Health and Physical Education, Drama, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History and Cultures Suitable for Years 8 - 12 Education resource kit available – Q & A after every show.

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Barking Spider Visual Theatre www.barkingspidertheatre.com.au

One Suitcase, Four Stories Excursion.

Northcote Town Hall, Studio 1 Theatre.

May 13 - May 17.

About: One Suitcase: Four Stories is a theatrical adventure in Italian food, family and culture.

Subjects it is relevant to Relevant to: Italian Studies/Italian Cultural Studies, Food Tech, Drama/Theatre Studies.

Suitable for. Year 10 -12 Q & A with lead artists, after performance.

Workshop at school (incursion) in puppetry available.

Two Friends Productions

a villain). Perfect for drama students studying melodrama.

Relevant to: Drama Suitable for: Year 7-9 Q and A study resources available upon request

My Friend Bill - The Mysterious Life of William Shakespeare Incursion Available: Terms 2, 3, 4.

About: Take a comedic journey to Elizabethan London as we piece together Shakespeare’s mysterious life, his exciting plays and discover what life in the theatre was like.

Relevant to: English, Literature, Drama, Theatre Studies Suitable for: 9 to 11 Q and A study resources available upon request

Our Anzacs and their Legacy Incursion.

Two Friends Productions Term 2,3,4 About: Discover stories of bravery, mate ship and how the ANZAC legacy was created. This play explores the events of WW1 and the conditions at Gallipoli.

Relevant to History, Drama, English Suitable for Years 7 - 9 Q and A post show.

www.twofriendsproductions.com.au

Gwen and John: A Melodramatic Love Story Incursion Available: Terms 1-4 About: A random, over-the-top love story, all done in the style of melodrama (complete with

Page To Stage

Medea by Euripides.

Available from term 2 VCE English/EAL Units 3 & 4. Area of Study 1: Reading and Responding

Two Women Play Anzacs Melbourne based Two Friends Productions has developed a new play for upper primary and lower high schools, with a women’s perspective on the ANZAC legend. For actor Amanda Bermand, it has a personal connection, as her family was recently told that the body of her great uncle had been located in France - just under a century after he died during the Great War. The company’s new play is Our Anzacs And Their Legacy.

“If there are comedic moments we do it through physical comedy and song but always with due respect.”

The play is performed by two women.

“Our style allows for us to play men. After a moment you don’t think about it.

“We look at the role nurses as well. They were stationed in hospital ships. Some died during the war.”

Their new play Our Anzacs And Their Legacy will be available across Victoria from April 2015. www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 82

Medea is a wife and mother. For the sake of her husband, she and her two sons are in exile. When he abandons his family for a new life, Medea faces banishment and separation from her children. Cornered, she begs for one day’s grace. Is three really a crowd? by Eugene Labiche She exacts an appalling revenge and destroys In French with English surtitles [full theatre everything she holds dear. production] Excursion Shakespearience Open Stage Theatre Melbourne University A page to stage collaboration. http://melbournefrenchtheatre.org.au/schoolAvailable all year. bookings/ A brief introduction to Shakespeare. What would 5 & 8 May AT 2.30 pm happen if Macbeth had facebook? What if all of About: A moose head, lost love letters and a the characters we know and love kept in touch blackmailing cab driver create mayhem in this via social media? This workshop presents small delightful romantic romp. With a background of scenes from a variety of popular Shakespearean a 1950’s sitcom, glamour and intrigue reign plays interspersed with mini AV snippets. A great supreme as one couple try to retain their dignity way to introduce Shakespeare and his themes to and status in their ever disintegrating domestic new and unlikely audiences with student bliss. But with unreliable lovers running loose participation who can be sure what will happen!

Running time: 80mins Relevant to French AND Drama Suitable for Years 9 to 12 Life of Galileo by Bertolt Brecht.

Study resources - Free scene by scene resumes Available term 3&4 The year is 1609 and a brilliant scientist makes a Le Petit Nicolas discovery that will change the world. Observing Student workshop the night sky using the recently-invented La Maison de Maitre Building, Carlton telescope, he realises that the Earth orbits the http://melbournefrenchtheatre.org.au/ sun. When his opponents convince the Pope that reservations/lepetitnicolas/ these new findings pose a threat to religious Terms 1 to 4. dogma, he is denounced as a heretic and forced About: It involves vocal and physical theatre and to publicly denounce his theories. language techniques – adapts to the year levels, Relevant to VCE English: Unit 3 & 4, Area of excites even the most reserved participants to Study 1: Reading and responding. Selected compete for a role and all have the chance to Context: Encountering Conflict read and imaginatively contribute As well as in-school touring, Page to Stage artists Relevant to French AND Drama will be involved in full scale performance of Life Suitable for Years 5 to 12 of Galileo with BATS Theatre Company 17-26 July Free teacher’s packs upon booking. at Cranbourne Community Theatre.

Des Courtes Lignes de Courteline Macbeth by William Shakespeare Performance sketches in French with English Available all year surtitles About: Macbeth is a fast-paced, psychological La Maison de Maitre Building, Carlton thriller that has not lost its impact in nearly four http://melbournefrenchtheatre.org.au/courteline/ hundred years. The action-packed plot and Terms 1 to 4 2015. themes make Macbeth an excellent choice for About: Performance in French of rehearsed, secondary school students. With a touring costumed and moved readings of sketches and company of eight cast, the company perform an for students of French: abridged version of the play.

Melbourne French Theatre

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Monsieur Badin – Mr Badin : a public servant who never shows up for work! L’Extra-Lucide – the Super Clairvoyant: a sleepwalking fortune teller with a 6th sense! Une lettre chargée – A Registered Letter : a letter is trapped by a post office official Avant et Après – Before and After : a picnic goes wrong between Marthe and René Relevant to French and Drama Suitable for Years 5 to 12 Free teacher’s packs upon booking.

Shakespeare Australia

www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au Shakespeare Australia Incursion Available all year About: Shakespeare’s works come to life with interactive school incursions. With several incursions to select from, Shakespeare Australia incursions help staff and students master Shakespeare.

Relevant to English, Theatre Studies, Drama Suitable for Late primary through to all levels of secondary school.

The Flying Bookworm

www.flyingbookworm.com.au Shakespeare Without Tears- Macbeth & Romeo and Juliet Incursion Available all year!

About: Our intention is to motivate, educate and create a connection with students. We present linking commentary between scenes, explain and analyse where appropriate, highlight significant social and historical context. Each presentation includes a rapid-fire, five-minute, absorbing summation of the plot.

Relevant to Secondary School English Suitable for Years 9 - 12 Q and A and study resources.

Black Swan Theatre Education Program www.bsstc.com.au/education

Mandurah Performing Arts Centre

www.manpac.com.au/get-involved/educationprogram-making-waves

Creative Collaborations

www.creativecollaborationsperth.com The Lucky Country Incursion Dates: All year.

About: Celebrating Australia's cultural diversity: eight different people from eight different countries, each with a tale to tell.

Relevant to: History, S and E, Cultural Diversity, Harmony Week.

Suitable for: Years 7-11 www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 84

Q and A or study resources. The Lucky Country comes with a free set of teachers’ notes with brief histories and maps of historical events that have impacted on the migrant experience including the break-up of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo conflict, the influx of Chinese and Japanese fishermen to Broome, the White Australia policy, the Vietnam War, Indian independence and the events of 9/11.

The Big Book Show Incursion Dates: All year About: A ripper of a trip to the kids' lit' Oscars!""The hilarious Big Book Show was written especially for Children’s Book Week and promotes the enjoyment of, not just books, but of stories in general.

Relevant to: Literacy. Children's Book Week.

Suitable for: Years 2-7 Q and A or study resources: Teacher's notes with lesson ideas Suitcase Stories Incursion Terms Available - or Dates if excursion. All year About: Celebrating Australia's cultural diversity: eight different people from eight different countries, each with a tale to tell.

Relevant to: History, S and E, Cultural Diversity, Harmony Week.

Suitable for: Years 2-7.

Q and A or study resources: Free teacher's notes available

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