Archive for category: Secret Places

SECRET PLACES TV DEBUT: DISTANCE NO BOUNDARY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE FROM GRIFFITH AND WESTERN SYDNEY

 Proving that distance is no boundary for passion, 60 young people participating in ‘Secret Places: The Connection’s project’, a creative partnership between Outback Theatre for Young People and Powerhouse Youth Theatre, will feature on the ABC Network again in October.

The story, which also aired in September, follows the remote collaboration between students from Griffith in South West New South Wales and students from Western Sydney.  Over a 10 month process that began in October 2011, young people from Griffith and Wade high schools in Griffith and Lurnea and Fairfield high schools in Western Sydney, embarked in a form of theatrical pen-palling, that bridged geographical, cultural and social divides.

Despite over 500 kilometres separating the groups, the performers used Skype to connect and plan their production, wrote letters, postcards, sent photos and exchanged objects and video messages, before meeting face-to-face in Sydney in May 2012.  In an exchange program to expand the students’ senses and minds, the city students later left the big smoke to get a taste of regional life.

Alex Walker, the project’s artistic director said the project was a pivotal step in closing the gap between city and country.

“Students were offered the rare opportunity to explore their own misconceptions and make connections with other young people from very different contexts. The results were thrilling for all involved and strong bonds were created,” she said.

With the changing face of media and the arts through technology, students were encouraged to use various mediums to plan and perfect their performances.  Two simultaneous productions were shown at the Griffith Regional Theatre and Casula Powerhouse in late June.

“Technology is a vital and powerful element of performance. OTYP focuses on creating and maintaining connections and to do this we need to use the communication systems of the young people. They lead the way with social media and are savvy consumers of technology. If we want their stories we have to utilise their tools. ABC Open was the perfect platform to share this project given its focus of Australian regional communities sharing their stories through technology,” said Ms Walker.

You can view the story on the 26^th of October at 6.45pm and 10.45pm as part of ABC Open’s weekly 15 minute television show of highlights from around regional Australia. This show will also appear on iView.

It will also be presented at the same times on Fridays between now and the 26th October, also on ABC24.

Last night we wrapped up our final performance of “wet. povo. slick. yolo.” which was the result of 10 months of collaboration with the young people of Griffith and Western Sydney. Click below to see our slideshow of images! Read more

Secret Places: The Connections Project presents: Wet. Povo. Slick. Yolo.

Outback Theatre for Young People in conjunction with
Powerhouse Youth Theatre.

Friday 29th June at 7pm, Griffith Regional Theatre.
Cost: $5. $15 for family ticket.
No advance bookings. Pay at the door.
Special Schools Matinee –
Thursday 28th June at 1pm, Griffith Regional Theatre.
Cost: Free – bookings at alex@outbacktheatre.com

It is bold, contemporary and funny – everything young people in Griffith are. On the 28th and 29th of June, over 40 of them will take to the stage in the final outcome of Outback Theatre for Young People’s Secret Places: The Connections Project.

The show is titled, ‘Wet. Povo. Slick. Yolo.’ Confused? That’s not accidental. This is the language of young people and this is the language of the production. The series of scenes to be presented at the end of June are a raw reflection of their lives and their comments on society.

Since October 2011, the participants of the project in Griffith have been connecting with young people in Western Sydney. Over 6 months, they have been engaged in remote collaboration to create exciting new theatre material. Communication has been through photos, maps, letters, blogs and video conferences. Earlier in May, funding was also received to allow the groups to meet face to face, literally bridging the geographical and cultural divide.

Throughout the project, young people from Griffith and Western Sydney, have devised a list of 16 common stimuli to feature in their productions. The list includes theatrical ingredients that cover character, setting, themes, lines of dialogue, props, songs, and concepts. Each of these have been interpreted differently based on the interests, values, beliefs and cultures of each side.

Despite the seeming disparity between regional farming life in Griffith and the immigrant experience in Western Sydney, the young people have celebrated the universal similarities between them and learned to respect the stories that create the identity of others.

“I love the chance we’re getting to make up our own stuff. I love knowing that there are young people far away from us doing the exact same thing. And I love the idea that very soon we’ll all be putting on a show at the same time” says Grace Blumer, participant.

“The students have an astute level of pride in their work not seen outside of the program.” Says Wade High School teacher, Corey Wheeler (Griffith). The focus on connections has also prompted the Griffith young people to look at their own backyards. “Since the program’s commencement, the students have worked more closely with Griffith’s other public high-school through rehearsals, public performance and through the excursion to Western Sydney. A heightened sense of tolerance and respect has since been fostered between the two schools” Mr Wheeler reports.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for these young people. They are having the chance to tell their stories, discover other stories, and shout them out to the world” says Alex Walker, Artistic Director of the Griffith arm of the project. “It is an absolute delight to see these young people grow through the process.”

Wet. Povo. Slick. Yolo.
For more information please contact:

Mandy Field, Creative Producer
Outback Theatre for Young People
Ph: 0417 164 641
Email: mandy@outbacktheatre.com
or
Alex Walker, Artistic Director
Ph 0428 686 544
Email: alex@outbacktheatre.com