Previous Work
Multicultural Playwright Program (Coffs Harbour)
The Arts Unit - NSW Public Schools - November 2023
The Multicultural Playwright Program is a three-day event which is designed to give multicultural/refugee students and their teachers a scriptwriting and performance experience. On the third day the students will, after working with the tutors and their teachers, put on a showcase performance providing them with the platform to share their stories.
A three-day student workshop + single-day teacher professional learning workshop. During this workshop, teachers worked with us to develop a program of ideas and teaching strategies that engage and encourage their CALD and refugee students to share their experiences and work creatively with each other to express their ideas. Teachers were given a range performance starting points and ideas for students to work on back at school.
Prior to this workshop, teachers embraced the opportunity to have us visit their school to work with student participants for a two-hour workshop to assist with the preparation and devising of their performances.
Under the guidance of Umbrella Theatrical Productions, the short performances devised during these initial workshop formed the basis of a group performance developed during the three-day student workshop. The final showcase of the student's work was performed and live streamed to home countries. This program addresses the National Teaching Standards 1.3.2, 2.1.2, 6.3.2.
This project was made possible by the NSW Government and the Arts Unit.
TRIGGER - a Collaboration with Byron Youth Theatre (BYT)
Interactive Forum Theatre - November 2023
A collaboration with the Byron Youth Theatre, under the auspice of the Byron Youth Service, exploring common triggers young people are facing in our region today, and the different ways we can respond to help. Using elements of Forum Theatre, we’ll explore internal, external, environmental and social trigger situations.
Theatre for living - Artistic Residency with Canadian-Based David Diamond
in Northern Rivers NSW, Australia - April-May 2023
We are THRILLED to have facilitated David Diamond in running one of his world renowned Theatre for Living Training workshops, right here in the Northern Rivers of NSW, with activists, artists, educators, mediators, and other people interested in stimulating authentic dialogue about issues facing humanity!
Theatre for Living (TfL) has evolved from Brazilian Director Augusto Boal's "Theatre of the Oppressed". Since 1989 TfL has slowly moved away from the binary language and model of "oppressor/oppressed" and now approaches community-based cultural work from a systems-based perspective that acknowledges a community (and all life on the planet) is a complexly integrated, living organism. At this time when polarization is deepening around the world, how do we build bridges of understanding and true collaboration - not more walls?
"Thank you SO much for an incredibly valuable Theatre for Living Level 2 training in 2022. Doing the Level 1 in 2019 helped solidify that I wanted to go to grad school for directing. And this week, you shared the skills for me (hopefully) to start creating my own Forum Theatre pieces, as well as experiment with how I want to use both the values and the methodology of Theatre for Living in my work. Thank you for your generosity, patience, and willingness to help us grow as facilitators, leaders, and artists.” - Marissa Barnathan
Training was followed by two live, interactive theatre performances, using Theatre for Living techniques: Moving Beyond Us and Them and Reclaiming Hope …
Interactive Theatre
Rainbow of Desire: World-renowned David Diamond presents his award-winning Theatre for Living work LIVE in the Northern Rivers, NSW!
Interactive Theatre
Cops in the Head: World-renowned David Diamond presents his award-winning Theatre for Living work, LIVE in the Northern Rivers, NSW!
RISING (Theatre in Education - TIE) - Collaboration with Full-On Theatre
Byron Bay - February-August 2022
Working in conjunction with Simone Museth (Byron Bay High School) we guided Year 11 drama students through their curriculum, incorporating the various elements required into the process work of a devised piece of storytelling, in a project led by Dave Houston of Full-On Theatre, in the creation of their original work: Rising.
Showcased at the Byron Theatre and the performing arts centre (PAC) of Byron High, the 60-minute shows were followed by live Q&A/audience feedback sessions, together with the cast, crew, facilitators and mental health care professionals to help guide anyone in need of wellness resources and other related support materials.
RISING
A montage of stories encapsulating real-life events, depicting the recent effects of climate change in our region. Artistically brought to life by the talented students of Year 11 drama at Byron Bay High School.
What started out as a project exploring climate change and likely outcomes if we continue to sit idly by, was swiftly swept up in a current of irony as the region experienced 2 devastating floods, mere weeks into the process, taking out the backstage rooms of the very theatre building the group work in and all the treasured items that they housed. Students became acutely aware of how much more challenging things are for those in schools that were completely inundated.
‘How did we get here? What will the future hold? How much more resilient need we be? How do we move forward and find solidarity together?’
Over this past year, Dave and Simone have led a collaborative process, as the students devise powerful content about bushfire and flood events, inspired by true stories, research, interviews and extensive discussions of their own experiences and opinions, weaving a production together that includes music, movement, and a delicate balance of stirring moments and comic relief.
