DANCE WORKSHOPS THE START OF A PERFORMANCE AT SKYFEST 2024

March 19, 2024/in Outback Outreach /by Sarah Parsons

Over 25 young people spent a Friday evening and Saturday in early March at the Wiradjuri Study Centre with Wiradjuri choreographer and dancer Jo Clancy from Wagana Dancers and Yidaki player Paul Glass creating a new performance to premiere at Condo Skyfest on April 6 this year. Jo is no stranger to Condobolin, having been collaborating with and dancing in the community for over 15 years.

Over the two days the young people created and rehearsed a new dance work. The group will continue to rehearse over the coming weeks, all of their efforts culminating in the full performance at Skyfest.

“It was a deadly couple of days in Condobolin creating some youth magic for Skyfest” said Jo.

Outback Theatre for Young People (OTYP) has partnered with Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation and the Galari Pathways Program to bring these artists to Condobolin to work with local young people.

This work in Condobolin is a part of Outback Outreach which is funded by Create NSW and focuses on making sure that geography doesn’t stop young people from having the opportunity to have arts and cultural experiences. The development of this performance for this year’s Condo Skyfest is hoped to be the start of an ongoing partnership.

Folk Song

July 17, 2018/in Folk Song, Past Projects /by Michael

Folk Song (the Bordertowns Project) is a new work created by the young people of the Berrigan Shire in collaboration with playwright Julian Lanarch, directed by Alyson Evans.

Over 2016, an ensemble of young artists learned skills in verbatim theatre (a form of documentary theatre where a play is made using the actual words of real people) while devising, composing, interviewing locals, and then curating that work into a performed production.

In 2017, these artists worked with director Alyson Evans to develop their performance skills and rehearse the production for the premiere season across the Berrigan Shire. The young artists performed eight performances in four town halls across the Shire: Tocumwal War Memorial Hall, Barooga Community Centre, Finley School of Arts and Berrigan Soldiers Memorial Hall.

Folk Song is a large-scale community wide celebration of a place and its people.

Playwright: Julian Lanarch
Director: Alyson Evans
Performed by: Christyanne Dart, Mackenzie Hannan, Chloe Hudson, Bella Jackson, Robert Johnston and Lochie Lawrence

This project was made possible through support from Berrigan Shire Council, Create NSW, The Australia Council for the Arts, James Kirby Foundation and the Ministry for the Arts Catalyst fund.

‘The Agitators’ is coming to Hay these school holidays

July 9, 2018/in Hay, News /by darryl-otyp

OUTBACK THEATRE RETURNS TO HAY

During the second week of the school holidays (16-20 July), artists from Outback Theatre will be back in town to develop a new piece of theatre with local young creatives.

The last time artists from Outback Theatre for Young People (OTYP) spent time in Hay, the result was the roving performance of The Echo in Our Walls at Bishops Lodge, which transformed the historic building and celebrated the stories of our community with three performances in April of 2016.

Now it is time to commence work on another large-scale creative project – however this time things are slightly different! OTYP is engaging well-known theatre and technological wizards Transience Theatre (Dave Jones and Greg Prichard) who are exploring techniques of combining live performance and real-time mapped projections. Basically, it’s like being in the movies and being in real life at the same time.

The week of workshops will be spent diving into ideas about our current society – who has the control, how do we interact with technology and what happens when you start resisting the status quo? We’re going to be inspired by our social media feeds, the protests of the Parkland teenagers, complicating and resisting, your own experiences of finding your place in the world around you, online friends versus IRL friends, the Anonymous hackers, and glimmers of hope.

We are calling for a wide variety of young people to work with us this time: not just artists and performers, but musicians, creative thinkers, self-confessed geeks and nerds. We are also calling on young people with big ideas. We want to form a troupe of guerrilla creative do-ers and big-picture young thinkers who will transform the Plains around Hay into a digital wonderland with us.

This project is called THE AGITATORS – are you ready to join to revolution?

When: Monday 16 – Friday 20 July, 11am – 4pm each day

Where: Community Building, near the Oval

To Register: Email sarah@outbacktheatre.com

Ages: 12 – 17 years

Cost: Free

Bring: Own lunch and water bottle

Any questions, please text/call Sarah Parsons (OTYP Creative Producer) on 0417 164 641.

OTYP APPOINTS FOUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS

April 10, 2018/in News /by Claire Harris

MEDIA RELEASE

OUTBACK THEATRE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE (OTYP) APPOINTS FOUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS

OTYP Chair Perin Davey today announced the appointment of four new directors to the OTYP Board of Directors. Daniel Dunlop, Alysha Herrmann, Alison Naderbaum and Olivia Wynne join existing local Directors Perin Davey, Airlie Circuit, Neville Ladson and Harley Moore, to make up the new look, skills-based board.

Perin says ‘Outback Theatre has evolved from a small company run from the back of a ute to a leader in the field of regional youth arts and we need to make sure we continue to adapt in the highly competitive arts environment. It is exciting to welcome our new Board members who have a wealth of combine experience in arts, working with children and in philanthropy.’

‘We were overwhelmed by the quality of applications for our Board from arts professionals from throughout Australia. I believe we now have the perfect balance for a skills based board that includes people from the communities in which we work and from the wider arts industry.’

Creative Producer Sarah Parsons says ‘I am thrilled to welcome such skilled and passionate arts leaders to the OTYP team to shape the future of our organisation. Alison, Dan, Olivia and Alysha all bring with them a skill-set that will support, shape, motivate and drive OTYP towards goals we’ve only ever dreamed of achieving in the past. Combined with our local board members, our governance team is looking ready for the future and we are excited for what it may hold.’

‘I want to thank our dedicated and loving outgoing board members Amy Hardingham, Scott Howie and Alex Walker for their years of insight and generosity. They’re all been such helpful and inspiring voices in the boardroom. Thank you especially to Amy, who, as the original Artistic Director of OTYP, has such a connection and passion for the organisation. She’ll always be a part of the OTYP family. They all will.”

Outback Theatre for Young People engages with young people from regional and remote communities to create distinctive contemporary theatre through collaborative processes. OTYP’s work increasingly explores interdisciplinary arts and the nature of theatrical performance as a means of engaging rural young people and communities. We aim to raise the profile of and develop support for, regional young people and our objective is excellence in youth theatre. Our projects create an inclusive and supportive creative environment, where young people have the opportunity to give voice and value to their ideas.

—END—

For more information about the OTYP Board please call Creative Producer Sarah Parsons on 0417 164 641

For a full list of board members please click HERE

Regional Arts Connect kicks off for 2018

March 13, 2018/in News, Uncategorized /by Claire Harris

Regional Arts Connect is back and in full swing for 2018. The year will see us continue to work with community organisations and groups in 4 remote and rural areas of NSW: Walgett, Wilcannia, Lake Cargelligo and Curlewis, with one simple mission – to increase arts opportunities for young people living in these areas, and up-skill the communities to deliver these opportunities themselves beyond the completion of our project. With last year being made up of community consultation, drama facilitation training and planning, 2018 is where we go full steam ahead to put all of that into practice!

First up for a visit this year was the Lake Cargelligo Drama Group. In the closest of all our towns (just a 4.5 hour drive away), Lake has a population of 1,300, and within that, a thriving Drama Group that have been putting on plays and musicals since the 1980’s with sell out shows each year. So where do we come in? Even though the drama group are primarily an adult group, they have found that more and more young people are wanting to join, and so we’re working closely with them to help that happen in the best possible way.

Last year the community underwent some professional development with our Community Producer Alyson, by participating in 2 evenings of drama facilitator training, and assisting Alyson in the delivery of a week long school holiday program in partnership with Lake Youth Centre. From that, we are so thrilled that there are now community run monthly drama workshops for young people at the Youth Centre.

To accommodate a young cast, it was decided that the groups production for 2018 was to have a family focus, with young people and adults uniting on stage and performing equally alongside each other. How amazing are Lake Drama Group?! We love this, as not only does it mean more opportunities for young budding actors, but encourages a whole new audience of young people. Talk about arts exposure!

After lots of readings of plays something magic happened – for the first time ever the whole group agreed on the same play – the fabulous Love by Finegan Kruckemeyer. Being a play that is about a small Australia community and aimed at audiences of all ages, it’s no wonder why it was Love-d (see what I did there?).

So, with this decided, our first trip out was all guns a blazing to get the production process going! In just 3 days we assisted with a community read through of the script, casting of the play (with a young person in the lead!) assigning and defining production roles and beginning the production schedule. Now it’s over to Lake Drama Group to begin rehearsals, and we can’t wait to see the story begin to come to life in our next visit.

As we travel around Regional NSW we feel so inspired by the commitment from groups like this one in Lake, in supporting young people and the arts. With the wealth of experience and knowledge in theatre making that Lake Drama Group already have, we’re thrilled to support them in passing that on to the younger generations, and inspire the development of young artists.

Click HERE to check out the animation we made in the holiday workshop.

Join the OTYP Board

November 21, 2017/in News, Our Region, Uncategorized /by Tahni Froudist

Outback Theatre for Young People is seeking EOIs from the community to be considered for nomination to the OTYP Board of Directors.

OTYP is dedicated to creating innovative, participant-owned youth theatre. We engage young people, aged 4 to 26 years, from throughout the Riverina region in collaborative, generative theatre projects that celebrate their lives and their aspirations.

OTYP is seeking 2 – 3 new board directors with a skills-base not limited to but drawn from the fields of Law, Finance, Arts Management, Governance, Fundraising, Community Leadership and Education.

If you are interested in submitting an EOI download the Board EOI Document and follow the instructions to submit.

Deadline for EOIs is 5pm, 15 December, 2017. Appointments will be made in 2018.

Find out more about OTYP’s current Board of Directors here.

Folk Song premieres in Berrigan Shire

September 1, 2017/in Berrigan, Bordertowns 2016/17, News /by Tahni Froudist

Outback Theatre for Young People (OTYP) presents the world premiere of Folk Song by Julian Larnach at community halls in the four towns across the Berrigan Shire in September.

7 local young people (Christyanne Dart, Mackenzie Hannan, Chloe Hudson, Bella Jackson, Robert Johnston and Lochie Lawrence) aged 13 to 19 have been cast in the production, and have been working with director Alyson Evans since July to bring the show to life.

“For the production we’re looking to challenge the audience’s perception of theatre, and find new and non-traditional ways of staging a performance, that really highlights the talent of the young people,” said Evans. “We’re currently deep in the rehearsal process, and the cast are in the world of learning lines, delving into their characters and building on their performance skills along the way.”

Since 2015, playwright Julian Larnach (member of the Writer’s Group at Sydney Theatre Company) has been working with the young people of the Berrigan Shire to develop a new work based on interviews with members of the local community. The work was developed as a result of this community consultation, as one young person explains “our main objective is to break down the barriers between young generations and the broader Berrigan community. We are trying to show that the young generation, are creative, smart, team players, organised and talented and aren’t just trouble makers.”

These interviews form the basis of the new work Folk Song, a verbatim play that reflects on the lives, stories and personalities of the community living across the Berrigan Shire. The show will be performed to audiences in Berrigan, Finley, Barooga and Tocumwal across two weekends in September.

“Outback Theatre has an almost 30 year history of working with the young people in our region to engage them in the arts and showcase their diverse talent” said OTYP Creative Producer Sarah Parsons. “Each year, OTYP engages professional artists to work closely with the young people and draw out their stories, develop theatre skills and perform their work in high quality productions. Folk Song is a fantastic example of how this process can engage a whole community in the arts, and give important opportunity for our young people’s voices to be heard”.

“Hearing their own stories and the stories of their communities on stage is something that our young people are not often given the chance to do. Folk Song will ignite a spirit of pride, humour and resilience in our audiences. We hope these evenings will be a celebration for the audiences, something to come together for, to talk about, to laugh about, to think about. We hope everyone looks around and acknowledges the incredible work of the young people in the room”.

Folk Song will have 8 performances across the shire on the weekends of the 15^th and 21^st of September.

Find Out More

This project is made possible through support from Create NSW, the Australia Council for the Arts, Berrigan Shire and the Catalyst program.

While You Were Sleeping

April 21, 2017/in Deniliquin, Videos, While you Were Sleeping 2016/17 /by Michael

The Echo In Our Walls – Performance Outcome – Hay, April 2016

June 1, 2016/in Hay, Projects, The Echo in our Walls 2015/16, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

“Outback Theatre has been a wonderful experience for my children…the team were very professional and passionate about the artistic development of kids in our isolated community. Thank you.” Participant’s Father

The Echo in our Walls Project ran throughout 2015 & 2016 and engaged the young people of Hay in the local and oral histories of their town. Where can we find local history in places other than books and newspaper articles? We were interested in excavating stories from less obvious sources: an uncaptioned photograph, the wild asparagus that grows by the riverbank, the words of an elder, the language of Hay’s original inhabitants.

This project centred on the idea that we have to be intentional and creative in remembering this history. If we don’t make a concerted effort to preserve these stories and this language, they could get lost.

There were a few unexpected moments during the process.

We were continually impressed by the camaraderie within the ensemble of young people from Hay. In particular, the older performers looked after the younger kids and helped them rehearse and learn their lines.

We were delighted to witness the pride and ownership of the work by the ensemble, as well as the confidence they gained in public speaking and singing. We were impressed by the honest and candid storytelling of the kids, sharing feelings about their life in Hay and how they see the town and its social hierarchy. The ensemble were braver than we could have ever expected, in sharing their honest perspective of their life in a small rural town, without fear, shame or censorship.

After our six week development period, we were ready for our performances which were held on Saturday 2nd April at 7.30pm and Sunday 3rd April at 3pm. Our Saturday night show featured stunning outdoor projections by Vic McEwan which gave the night a particularly magical quality and all shows were sold out with a waiting list.

When watching the show, it was like these young people were offering their parents and community a gift. They were giving them insight into their heads and hearts. What they feel, what they see, how they navigate the world. By making a show about history, we managed to tap into the present day, and hopes for the future.

The show we made was honest, brave and unflinching. Often, young people and especially teenagers can mask their true feelings, thinking they won’t be understood or properly listened to.

This show gave them the ability to share themselves and their perspectives, without irony or shame. To connect to their history, their family, their traditional country, their townspeople and each other.

The creative outcome of this show was a sprawling, huge, ambitious production – but we were happier with the personal achievements we witnessed. A young woman processing her grief. A young man learning his identity can be a source of strength and pride. A young boy learning to speak to a crowd without tears running down his cheeks. A young girl learning to speak the language of her ancestors.

These are the memories that will echo on within the team, within the young people involved, and within the walls of Bishop’s Lodge, forever.

Jessica Bellamy, Artistic Director

Our stories are the dreaming stories.
What you live is your story.
Dreaming is our voice.
Our life is connected to country.
Our life is connected to place.
We live according to our stories.
If we lose our stories, we live for the wrong things.
If we lose our stories, we don’t know how to live.

Raymond ‘Splinter’ Woods, Cultural Advisor[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

DRAMAFORCE 2016

June 1, 2016/in Deniliquin, Dramaforce 2016, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Creative Engagement Program for Young People with Special Needs

DRAMA FORCE is a community driven project that provides young people in Deniliquin with something that unifies and connects them, while at the same time celebrating their creative uniqueness.

WHAT WE DO:

CREATE a professional, inclusive performance for children and their parents through a comprehensive creative workshop program.
EMPOWER and EDUCATE and provide a cultural experience for young people on their own terms, and a leadership opportunity for young performers. Children with special needs will learn new, creative ways of self expression and communication.
BRIDGE new friendships and help children with special needs build on their emotional intelligence.

DRAMA FORCE inspires imagination and social development in children with disabilities, specifically young people on the autism spectrum, and capitalizes on the strengths and interests of participants. The series of creative workshops encourages social inclusion, confidence, turn taking, team building, flexible thinking and focus.

In 2017, OTYP aims to further develop a performing arts curriculum with these young people, exposing them to a wider variety of creative art forms, and encouraging their own art making and creativity. During the course of 2016 we saw social development, confidence building and team work skills improving among the participants due to their involvement in the classes. In 2017, we will run weekly classes (8 weeks a term for 4 terms) that culminate in two performances (one mid-year, one end of year) completely devised and dreamed up by the participants.

Workshops focus on: Confidence building, eye contact, art making, movement, negotiation skills and listening. DRAMA FORCE is designed to target the socio-emotional challenges of autism by utilising established behavioural intervention paradigms implemented in combination with theatrical techniques.

The project is supported by Intereach Deniliquin, the Mazda Foundation, Regional Arts NSW and Arts NSW. If you would like to get involved please contact Sarah Parsons at sarah@outbacktheatre.com or (03) 5881 6260

Outback Theatre for Young People receives $100,000 Catalyst funding

May 31, 2016/in Deniliquin, Locations, News, Postcards from the Riverlands 17/18, While you Were Sleeping 2016/17 /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley, today welcomed $100,000 for Outback Theatre for Young People, part of the second tranche of funding for Catalyst – Australian Arts and Culture Fund.

“I am pleased that Outback Theatre for Young People has received funding from Catalyst and understand that two large scale community events are planned over the coming two years – ‘Bordertowns’ and ‘While You Were Sleeping’,” Ms Ley said.

Creative Producer, Sarah Parsons said that ‘Bordertowns’ will be based in the Berrigan Shire, and will unite the four towns in the shire (Berrigan, Barooga, Tocumwal and Finley) in a theatrical event that celebrates stories from the region.

“Young people will be at the centre of the production, and the wider community will participate in the retelling of their histories and family anecdotes. The outcome will be a huge community celebration that tours around the four towns,” said Ms Parsons.

‘While You Were Sleeping’ is a project that aims to facilitate recycling and sustainability awareness through large-scale public art sculptures installed overnight.

Ms Parsons said “The township of Deniliquin will be gifted with artworks made by local young people from recyclable materials, which will be left for a few days and then disappear again. The end result of the project will be an artistic and historical audio tour of the town that can be downloaded by anyone visiting.”

Catalyst funding is available from three streams: partnerships and collaborations; innovation and participation and is open to small, medium and large arts organisations at a national, regional and community level.
Ms Ley said that the projects include the visual arts, screen based art, music, digital arts, dance and physical theatre, performing arts, cross-disciplinary art forms, community arts as well as arts support and development projects.

“I am delighted that this Australian Government funding will assist in providing opportunities for young people in our region to work with professional artists, share ideas and stories, and produce work that is of our area – proudly regional and rural, and firmly planted in the Riverina,” said Ms Ley.

Minister for the Arts, Mitch Fifield said the arts have the ability to illuminate and enliven the communities we live in, and to teach us more about ourselves, our society and our time.

“Catalyst is a truly national arts funding program and I am pleased to see funding reaching our local arts organisations, and arts and cultural organisations from across Australia, recognising the innovative and creative work being undertaken,” Minister Fifield said.

“The successful Catalyst projects will enhance the experience of and access to arts and culture across Australia, exploring themes and issues relevant to contemporary Australian and international audiences.”

Catalyst funding is available to support projects across the Australian arts and cultural sector. A majority (82 per cent) of the projects supported in this assessment period have been awarded to small-to-medium arts organisations, with half of the activity occurring in regional and remote communities.

Applications for Catalyst are open with rolling assessments made by independent assessors. Guidelines and information on the application process can be found on the Ministry for the Arts website www.arts.gov.au/catalyst

Bordertowns 2016 – Stage 1 Berrigan Shire

May 31, 2016/in Berrigan, Bordertowns 2016/17, Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Bordertowns is a community driven work, where young people are given the responsibility of learning skills in verbatim theatre while devising, composing, performing, interviewing locals, and then curating that work into a production.

Professional theatre artists will work with young people from 7 different primary schools in shire, as well as community members through the Berrigan Shire Council. This project aims to engage young people in a large-scale community wide celebration of their place and its people; while encouraging literacy through playwriting workshops and verbatim collection, musicianship through workshops, choirs and composition, and respect and citizenship through cross-generational partnerships and storytelling. Working with playwright Julian Larnach (Australian Theatre for Young People, Griffin Theatre) and sound artist and director Danielle O’Keefe (Australian Youth Choir), young people will ask two main questions of their communities: “What are you most proud of?” and “What are you afraid of?”

The answers will be recorded, collated and constructed into a performative work that the entire community has ownership of. The show aims to celebrate the communities of the Berrigan Shire, endow its young people with skills, confidence and pride; and bring people together through art. The funding will be spent on artists fees, travel, accommodation and allowances for artists, equipment (musical instruments, recording devices), sets, costumes and props, technical elements of the production (lighting and projection), travel and vehicles costs.

If you live in the Berrigan Shire and would LOVE to get involved, please contact Sarah Parsons on sarah@outbacktheatre.com.

This project is made possible through support from ARTS NSW, The Australia Council and the Federally Funded Catalyst program.

While You Were Sleeping 2016 – Stage 1 – Deniliquin

November 18, 2015/in Deniliquin, Projects, Uncategorized, While you Were Sleeping 2016/17 /by Outback Theatre For Young People

While You Were Sleeping is OTYP’s newest project and is all about imagination in unconventional places and unique spaces. It will provide opportunities for young people to work with professional artists on large scale installations.

While You Were Sleeping is a street art and innovative public sculpture project that aims to inspire creativity, build a culture of sustainability, increase awareness of the values of recycling, and celebrate the place in which we live. We will engage professional artists, purchase supplies, run workshops, orchestrate overnight installations, and facilitate a project that unites art, environment and community.

Throughout 2016 & 2017, we will create a series of pop-up public art installations throughout Deniliquin designed by young people and director, Sarah Parsons, to elicit responses from the whole community which will be shaped into a large scale outdoor performance in 2017.

While You Were Sleeping was developed in response to the mixed feelings expressed by Deniliquin teenagers about their town, the perception of teenagers as out-of-place on the streets, loiterers rather than citizens, and the joyous response of the town to the outdoor outcome of our Reverberate project.

The project is set to take flight in September 2016, we believe that our project can serve as a provocation for our community, and we can make positive changes in our town, and for our local young people, so if you would like to be involved in any way, shape or form, please contact Sarah Parsons at sarah@outbacktheatre.com. We would LOVE to hear from you.

Project partners: Deniliquin Council, Yarkuwa Indigenous Education Centre, Deniliquin Information Centre, Deniliquin High School, Intereach and local primary schools.

This project is funded through support from ARTS NSW, The Australia Council, and the Federally funded Catalyst Program.

The Echo in our Walls 2015 – Stage 1 – Hay

November 18, 2015/in Hay, Projects, The Echo in our Walls 2015/16, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

The Echo In Our Walls 2015 – Stage 1

The Echo in Our Walls is a project that uses the historic house and garden Bishop’s Lodge as venue and inspiration for a promenade theatre piece.

The Echo in Our Walls launched with a creative development in Hay this September. The young people of Hay and Booligal, in consultation with Artistic Director Jessica Bellamy, Director Lara Kerestes, Sound Designer and Composer Vic McEwan and Cultural Liaison Ray Woods, devised the first stage of the project.

During the creative development process, participants were engaged in workshops on family history, devising work, drama process activities, shadow puppetry and more. They were encouraged to bring along artefacts from their families, and items that meant something to them to inspire their theatre making. Ray and Gubba Woods led a walk along Bushy Bend at the Murrumbidgee River to explain the Indigenous murals and the history of Indigenous people who lived in Hay and surrounds.

For the showcase at the end of the development, the key ensemble of young actors performed short scenes and monologues inspired by different aspects of the history of Bishop’s Lodge and the community of Hay. It was a festive afternoon in the Lodge that also included installations, audio stories, roving performance, audience participation (“Build your town”) and a cake stall!

The close-knit community of Hay rallied around this project, Jessica summaries her experience, “As a city-slicker, I’m used to museums and heritage houses being carefully quarantined institutions. It was therefore very exciting to see the ways in which the Bishop’s Lodge committee turns their museum into a living, breathing, still-relevant institution! For example, when Erin Shalders wondered what costume to wear in her monologue set in the 1910s, a member of the committee offered her a lace apron from the turn of the century and said, “How about this?” It was incredible to know that a community could be so close that a 13 year old was trusted with this artefact.”

OTYP will return to the plains of Hay in February 2016 for Stage 2 of The Echo in Our Walls.

EMERGE: Beneath an Oxbow Lake 14/15

November 18, 2015/in Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Emerge: Beneath an Oxbow Lake 2014/5

Once Julian Larnach was announced as the winner of our Emerge: Riverina Playwright Commission, the research and exploration process began. Julian headed to Griffith and Darlington Point for a residency, and was joined by Dramaturg Jessica Bellamy and Director Paige Rattray, and together they got to know the town, the stories within it, and its people. From this, Beneath an Oxbow Lake was born.

We auditioned young people all across the Riverina for the show, and once we found our wonderful cast, we rehearsed, planned, designed and plotted to get the show ready to open to audiences in the town it was inspired by, Griffith.

The world premiere of Beneath an Oxbow Lake was held at the Griffith Regional Theatre on 24^th June 2015. Following wonderful reviews and a welcoming crowd, we travelled the show on to Deniliquin, where locals were thrilled to hear a story from their region, on a stage in their town.
After Griffith and Deni, we packed up the van again and headed to the big smoke – Sydney! Our friends at Australian Theatre for Young People hosted us for a week as we performed the show, chatted to teachers and students, met our funders and industry supporters, and enjoyed being able to share this important regional story.

Thank you to Lori Piquemal for production stills.

Cast/Crew list

Playwright – Julian Larnach

Director – Paige Rattray

Dramaturg – Jessica Bellamy

Sound Design and Composition – Vic McEwan

Production and Stage Manager, Lighting Designer – Ryan Shuker

And introducing – Adam Rowland, Isaiah Carney, Benjamin Stonnill, Claire Gilmour and Felicity Miles

Balranald Circus Presents ‘Sideshow’

December 12, 2014/in Balranald, Past Projects, Sideshow, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

The Balranald Circus is at it again! Come and join us this Saturday, 13th December at Greenham park in Balranald, from 7pm to watch the wonderful SIDESHOW creations of the young people of Balranald Cenral School, under the watchful eyes of Bec Cooen and Scott McBurnie.

OTYP 25 Year Fundraising Gala – Tickets on Sale!

October 28, 2014/in News, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

A Week in the Country – by Jessica Bellamy

August 29, 2014/in Deniliquin, Griffith, News, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

[wzslider]Last week, commissioned Playwright Julian Larnach, Mentor Jessica Bellamy and Creative Producer Claire Harris got together at HotHouse Thetare’s Country House for the first in a series of residencies to develop Julian’s work for staging in OTYP’s 2015 Season. We were lucky enough to work with HotHouse’s Studio Ensemble, meet some new cow friends and bask in the sunshine and sounds of country life.

Jessica, with her usual with and humour, tells us all about it. She really does love us huh?!

A Week in the Country

The thing about working with Outback Theatre for Young People is: it never gets boring. I mean this in a few ways.

Firstly, there’s the scenery. It’s hard to get writers’ block or feel uninspired when you’re hanging out on the Hay Plains, walking through Deniliquin’s Island Sanctuary, or serenading a pack of 11 curious steers who are all very interested in what sort of dramaturgy you’re getting up to.

Secondly, there’s the work. I have a theory that once you get bitten by the “working with young people” bug, there’s no going back. There’s something very intoxicating about the honesty and enthusiasm of a young group of theatre makers soaking up any opportunity they can find, whether it directly relates to their life goals and personal interests or not.

Finally, there’s the colleagues. I love working with other artists who really care about providing opportunities for young people to develop their skills and passions. They’re usually pretty nice people who are into the same sort of bad TV and 9pm bedtimes as you are.

All this is a pretty long introduction but it’s not like I’m in a massive hurry today, because we are on RETREAT. I’m currently sitting in a rehearsal shed at HotHouse Theatre’s country house in Albury, looking out at the bright green grass in front of me and the swirls of dust conjured up by passing utes speeding down the road at the end of the paddock.

I’m in Albury working as a mentor for the EMERGE project, which is OTYP’s new project to commission exciting young voices to write plays that speak to the outback experience. The winner of the commission is Julian Larnach, who is writing a play inspired by his own teenage years in outback NSW.

The week has been full of highlights: not only has it been great to chew the hay with Jules and discuss the conceptual scaffolding of his play, world, characters and themes, but we’ve been lucky enough to workshop the play with young people from HotHouse Theatre’s youth ensemble. This group of 16-26 year olds has provided us with incredible detail, subtleties, stories and hilarious moments, all of which will contribute to the relevance and authenticity of Julian’s final draft.

I’ll leave you there, because those cows hanging out on the other side of the fence waiting for our arvo chat are probably getting a bit worried. Better start getting excited about the production of the EMERGE play in 2015, if you ask me. Until then.

Gifts of Translation Festival – Swan Hill – 6 September 4pm

August 29, 2014/in Gifts of Translation, Past Projects, Swan Hill, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Outback Theatre For Young People invites you to Gifts of Translation, a celebratory cultural festival in Swan Hill on 6 September 2014.

Over two years, we have been working closely with the African Communities of Swan Hill in a cultural sharing project. The outcome; a wonderful celebration of theatre, dance, food and art. Come and watch the young African people of Swan Hill shine.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you.

Gifts of Translation celebrates South Sudan Independence Day

July 10, 2014/in Gifts of Translation, News, Past Projects, Swan Hill, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Little Movers and Makers – Deniliquin

July 10, 2014/in Deniliquin, News, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Outback Theatre for Young People’s Little Movers and Makers Project

Little Movers and Makers sees Outback Theatre artist, Mandy Field work with two playgroups in Deniliquin; the Aboriginal Jyldamenk Playgroup and the Young Parents Group, which will result in a community performance. The project will offer an introductory theatrical experience for local young children and launch OTYP into our first foray of theatre for the very young.

In partnership with Intereach, the Little Movers and Makers Project will work young children under five and their parents, from the Intereach’s Family support service in a 6 week visual arts and movement program, culminating in a community performance.

A small cast of high school age young people will be engaged in the process, working alongside director/choreographer Mandy Field, Sound Designer Vic McEwan and Visual Designer Danilo Paglialonga.

The performance outcome, set to be staged in Deniliqin on Saturday November 15 and 16 2014, will be an immersive and tactile experience, designed to overcome age, developmental and language barriers and create a shared, joyous experience for parents and children. The outcome will be a combination of visual, audio and performance elements that will take families on an intimate journey through a theatrical world of their own creation.

Outback Theatre for Young People (OTYP) Announces Winner of Riverina Playwright Commission

June 19, 2014/in Deniliquin, Griffith, News, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Outback Theatre for Young People has today announced Julian Larnach, winner of the EMERGE: Riverina Playwright Commission.

Julian’s Play, M.I.A, will be developed through a comprehensive mentoring process with Jessica Bellamy, and is set to premiere at Griffith Regional Theatre in June 2015, tour to Deniliquin and finish with a season at Australian Theatre for Young People in Sydney.

The play examines the early interactions between Griffith farmers and the Calabrian mafia – both friendly and feisty – and the repercussions felt by the next generation. It taps into a very difficult period in rural young people’s lives – the pressures to stay, the thrust to leave.

The play is also thematically inspired by the role water plays in rural Australia. Julian says ‘growing up, water was a constant topic of conversation from small talk at the bus stop to large-scale strategies around the dinner table.’

As part of the award, OTYP will nurture Julian’s professional growth through a mentoring process in 2014, resulting in a play that shares an authentic regional voice and resonates with our communities in South West NSW.

Julian says ‘It is an amazing honour to be awarded this commission. As an emerging writer, it stands as an incredible vote of confidence. The commission will give me the time, the headspace and the resources to develop something truly special and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity. I hope that through the combination of my own personal experiences of rural New South Wales, my extensive research on the area, and my consultation with young people, I am able to tell a story that resonates with the people who live here.’

‘My mum and her family grew up in the area so it’s always been in my periphery vision and central to my understanding of the world. Growing up in a cattle farm in regional New South Wales my experience of theatre was limited to Shakespeare and bi-yearly school musicals. The Outback Theatre for Young People is a great company as it realises that theatre has the capacity to shine a light on the manifold experience of regional Australia in an honest and imaginative way.’

In 2013, Julian was Affiliate Writer at Griffin Theatre Company and was shortlisted for Playwriting Australia’s Re-Gen Seed Commission. His play Umami was developed through an Australia Council JUMP Mentorship and was selected for a National Script Workshop through Playwriting Australia.

Creative Producer Claire Harris says ‘this is the first time OTYP has commissioned a work from a young playwright, and one with such a strong connection to the area in which we work. We are very excited to be able to offer this opportunity to Julian and work towards developing an authentic, regional story while mentoring him through the next stage of his journey as a Playwright.’

For more information call Creative Producer Claire Harris on 0417 164 641 or email Claire@outbacktheatre.com

The commission is proudly supported by Arts NSW, The Australia Council, The Ian Potter Foundation and Copyright Agency Limited’s Cultural Fund.

Gifts of Translation and Harmony Day in Swan Hill

March 18, 2014/in Gifts of Translation, News, Past Projects, Swan Hill, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Join us for a cultural feast this Harmony Day at Riverside Park in Swan Hill, on Saturday 22 March 2014, from 4pm. Our ‘Gifts of Translation’ communities and partners will be there to help us celebrate.

Come and find our cultural hub, right near the stage and join in on some weaving, henna tattooing, salon exchange, floral artworks and a mass community dance workshop at 5pm.

Outback Story Generator

February 26, 2014/in Deniliquin, Griffith, Hay, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Outback Story Generator is an online story-sharing project that engaged young people from the small towns of Hay, Griffith and Deniliquin in southwest NSW. This project reached over 200 young people across 300 kilometres and ran from the 3rd March to the 17th April 2014.

Playwright Jessica Bellamy worked with young people to develop their unique ‘Outback’ stories. The stories were developed in a variety of forms such as monologues, scripts, short stories, radio plays, poems, and songs. We then shared them on the Outback Story Hub. In addition to showcasing student work, the site has created connections between young people to other young people in similar communities who have shared experiences.

Jessica Bellamy spent two full weeks in Griffith; facilitating playwriting workshops and creative writing opportunities for young people in year 10 at Griffith High School. At the end of her residency, a presentation of the works were streamed live to classrooms in Hay and Deniliquin. Then she spent two weeks in Hay and Deniliquin, following the same process. During the process, Jessica identified two exceptional young people from each town who demonstrated high-level writing skills and they took part in a one-week holiday intensive from 14-17 April 2014 in Deniliquin (a writing Boot-camp!). They were given the opportunity to take their work a step further and formulate their pitch to the Emerge: Riverina Playwright Project commission.

Check out the OUTBACK STORY HUB HERE

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXC4U4P6s1U[/youtube]

WHAT WE ACHIEVED:

Reached over 200 young people from three different communities spanning 300kms; giving a large amount of young people the opportunity to engage with the project and explore their creative voice
Identified strong, stand-out young artists from each town and further their skills through creative literacy development workshops with Jessica Bellamy
Created a dedicated website which will invite a global audience to these local stories and will also serve as a resource for young writers
Linked participants to like-minded young people in their region

EMERGE: Riverina Playwright Commission

February 25, 2014/in Deniliquin, Griffith, Hay, News, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Sharing Regional Stories with the World: Submissions Now Closed

ABOUT THE COMMISSION

Outback Theatre for Young People is offering a $10,000 playwriting commission and mentorship for a young regional playwright to create a work (50 Minutes to and hour, one act) that brings regional voices and stories to the stage.

The EMERGE Commission will nurture an emerging Playwright’s professional growth through a mentoring process in 2014, resulting in a play that shares an authentic regional voice and the potential for it to be staged as part of OTYP’s 2015 season.

The commission and mentorship includes:

· $10,000 Commission fee

· A three month mentorship with Sydney playwright, Jessica Bellamy to assist in the development of the work

· 2 week-long residencies in regional NSW to workshop the script with Jessica Bellamy and OTYP

· A place at Australian Theatre for Young People’s National Studio in 2014 held from the 28^th August to the 6^th September

· The opportunity to spend two separate one-week residencies working with young people aged between 14-18 to see how the dialogue works on stage and to get feedback on how the piece is being received by young people.

· All travel and accommodation paid for during the week long residencies and the National Studio

EMERGE COMMISSION DETAILS AND HOW TO ENTER

You can DOWNLOAD an application pack HERE or else read below.

CRITERIA

– Writer must be aged between 16-26

– Writer must either:

Currently living in the Riverina, NSW
If living elsewhere, can demonstrate a strong connection to the Riverina. (please include details of this in your submission)

– The play should be able to be performed by actors aged 14-26

– The central driver of this commission is to create an authentically Australian work, which offers people an alternative perspective about life in regional Australia. This should be considered, and evident in your submission.

EMERGE HOTLINE

We understand that developing a submission, as a new writer can be an overwhelming process. We encourage you to call and talk to us and we can help guide you through the process. Call Creative Producer Claire Harris on 0417 164 641 for further information.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

– Your full contact details

– Pitch for your proposed play/synopsis

– Examples of written work (up to four pages)

– A writer’s statement (what inspired the work? why this story? why now?)

– If not currently living in the Riverina, a brief explanation of your connection to the area.

– Proposed cast size/technical requirement/specific staging ideas

NB: Please compile your submission into one document for easy distribution to our judging panel.

Please email your submission to claire@outbacktheatre.com

SHORTLISTING

We have appointed an expert panel of judges to review all submissions. If you’re shortlisted we will call on you to meet with us, and/or to provide us with more information about your proposal in order for us to make a final decision.

We may call on the shortlisted participants to join us for a one-day writing intensive to further explore the themes of your proposed work and assess writing ability.

IF YOU ARE AWARDED THE COMMISSION WHAT HAPPENS?

You will be named the inaugural winner of the EMERGE: Riverina Playwright Award!

OTYP have developed a strategy so that the winner of the EMERGE commission is offered various professional development opportunities as part of the mentoring and play writing process. These include:

– Inclusion in the Australian Theatre for Young People’s National Playwriting Studio

– A three-month mentoring program with Jessica Bellamy between June and August 2014. It is not expected that this will be full time but rather at times negotiated with Jessica. This will be through skype, telephone and email contact and face-to-face meetings.

– 2 week-long residencies in the Riverina. These dates will be finalised to suit the Playwright and Playwriting Mentor and will include the opportunity to access a cast and a director.

NB: It is an expectation that if you are awarded the commission that you will be available to partake in all of the above. OTYP will endeavour to schedule the residencies at a time suitable for the playwright.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: I don’t live in the Riverina, am I eligible?

A: We are looking to share regional stories from a Riverina perspective. If you have a connection to the area and can demonstrate that, please apply. We would love to hear your idea.

Q: When will I receive the commissioning fee?

A: The commissioning fee will be paid in instalments.

$2,000 on signing contract. $2,500 on completion of first draft. $2,500 on completion of second draft (after in-schools workshop process) $3,000 on final draft.

Q: Will the play be staged?

A: There is the potential to stage the production as part of Outback Theatre for Young People’s 2015 season. With all our programs, this will be dependent upon funding and resources.

Q: Where do I send my submission?

A: Please email your submission in one PDF document to Claire@outbacktheatre.com by no later than the Wednesday 23 April 2014. Any submissions after this date may not be considered.

Q: I have a question about the commission, who can I talk to?

A: You can call OTYP’s Creative Producer Claire Harris on 0417 164 641. She will be happy to answer any of your questions. Or email Claire@outbacktheatre.com

The commission would not be possible without the support of our supporters at Arts NSW, The Australia Council and the Ian Potter Foundation.

Illuminate Theatre Making Toolkit

January 12, 2014/in Illuminate, Past Projects, Uncategorized, Wakool Shire /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Illuminate: Theatre Making Toolkit

Outback Theatre for Young People have developed a toolkit and associated video documentary, informed by Illuminate Stage 2 in 2013, a celebratory theatre project, engaging young people and their communities from across the Wakool Shire of NSW. Young people were mentored by OTYP artists, in all aspects of the documentary making process. This is the resulting toolkit; an accessible living resource that supports creative learning technologies, and clearly articulates the theatre making process.

This project was made possible through support from Arts NSW, Regional Arts NSW and the Australia Council.

Illuminate Toolkit Documentary

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3ixId5_K9o[/youtube]

Illuminate Toolkit (Entire Downloadable Resource)

Please find below the resources as separate files for easy download. Should you wish to obtain the full Toolkit (with resources as usable excel files) please contact claire@outbacktheatre.com and we will post you a disk.

ACTING RESOURCES

ACT 1 – Character Background Check

ACT 2 – Character background Check Blank

ACT 3 – Example Headshot

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT RESOURCES

PROD 1 – Blank Contact List

PROD 2 – Schedule Example – WBTC Tour

PROD 3 – Schedule Example – Tiddalik

PROD 4 – Schedule Example Blank

PROD 5 – Production Timeline Example

PROD 6 – Budget

PROD 7 – Petty Cash Expenditure Blank

PROD 8 – Production Meeting Agenda

PROD 9 – Production Meeting Minutes Example

PROD 10 – Risk Assessment

PROD 11 – Incident Accident Report Form

PROD 12 – Bump Out Checklist

PROD 13 – Venue Induction

STAGE MANAGEMENT RESOURCES

SM 1 – Running Order Example

SM 2 – Scene Breakdown Example

SM 3 – Scene Breakdown Blank

SM 4 – Script with Cues

SM 5 – Props List Example

SM 6 – Props List Blank

SM 7 – Costume List Example

SM 8 – Costume List Blank

SM 9 – Show Report Example

SM 10 – Show Report Blank

DESIGN RESOURCES

DES 1 – Set Drawing – The Flood

DES 2 – Set Drawing – Muck Heap

DES 3 – Venue Plan – Fortyfivedownstairs

DES 4 – Venue Specifications – Fortyfivedownstairs

DES 5 – Props and Set Breakdown – A Little Princess

DES 6 – Props and Set Breakdown Blank

DES 7 – Props List – The Flood

DES 8 – Costume Breakdown Example

DES 9 – Costume Measurement Sheet

DES 10 – Cue Synopsis Example

DES 11 – Lantern Schedule

DES 12 – Lantern Schedule Blank

DES 13 – Lighting Plan – The Flood

DES 14 – Lighting Cues – Example

DES 15 – Lighting Cues Blank

DES 16 – Sound Cues Blank

DES 17 – Basic Sound Setup

DES 18 – Marketing Collateral Example

FRONT OF HOUSE RESOURCES

FOH 1 – Reconciliation

FOH 2 – Ushers Duty List

FOH 3 – Signage Examples

Introducing – THE SIDESHOW PROJECT

November 22, 2013/in Balranald, Past Projects, Sideshow, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

The Sideshow Project in the next chapter in the development of the Balranald Circus; a rural youth circus which began as an OTYP project but is evolving into an autonomous youth movement with the potential to become an independent organisation. The Sideshow Project has three elements. The first is to develop circus, play-building and performance skills with the young people of Balranald; the second is to create an original performance work in the tradition of the local agricultural show, drawing on classic sideshow themes and characters; the third is professional development and leadership workshops with older young people and adults who will become ongoing trainers and supervisors in the Balranald Circus.

Stage One of the Sideshow Project, in November/December 2013, will begin a process of skills development with young people and future trainers and an exploration of the Sideshow themes. This work will build a foundation for the more intensive creative work of Stage Two.

In 2014 the skills development element will have an in-school program – with workshops delivered to all students from K-12 at Balranald Central School (BCS) – and an ensemble program, with after school and school holiday workshops, specifically focussing on training young people to be part of the performance ensemble. Workshops will include beginner, intermediate and advanced circus skills including juggling, human pyramids, tumbling, mini-tramp, unicycling and trapeze and will also incorporate group work; encouraging young people to form close working relationships with a fellow partner, each helping the other to reach their highest potential.

Young people will work with Artistic Director, Bec Cooen and circus trainer Scott McBurnie, to build a performance work with an overarching narrative structure drawing on the traditions on the characters, traditions and spirit of the agricultural show.

An exciting element to this project is that future Balranald Circus trainers and supervisors will take part in professional development workshops, training this group in teaching base-level circus skills and facilitating future workshops. The Sideshow Project Stage Two will give momentum to the youth circus movement in Balranald, build the capacity of individuals and the community to own and develop their own arts movement and create a performance piece which have a life long after this 2014 residency.

For more information or to get involved please email Creative Producer Claire Harris at claire@outbacktheatre.com or call 03 5881 6260

Introducing GIFTS OF TRANSLATION

September 26, 2013/in Gifts of Translation, News, Past Projects, Swan Hill, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Gifts of Translation is OTYP’s first project across the border in Victoria and will be led by Artistic Directorate member Richie Hallal in 2013/14.

This wonderful project is a storytelling, theatre, dance and cultural sharing project which will develop leadership, capacity and cohesion within the community of African migrants and build understanding, co-operative relationships and social cohesion with the wider community of Swan Hill.

Phase One (November to December, 2013) focused on working with the African Community to unite people and develop leadership so that all participants can approach Phase Two as a harmonious group. Stories, ideas, concepts and passions will be explored, to establish cultural sharing between the diverse cultures of Africa.

Drama workshops will be primarily targeted to the young people of the African community. Using improvisation, thematic explorations of home, culture, history, identity, happiness, challenges etc scenes will be created from discussions based on these themes.

Rich stories will be shared by the elders and they will guide the creative process, and inform the themes explored in the drama workshops. In formal meetings cultural representatives will share an element of their culture, with the objective of finding similarities, understanding differences and celebrating unity.

Cultural dance is an emotional experience; in the moment of dance, the dancer is connecting physically and spiritually to their country, and translating that connection into movement. Elders will teach the community their dances.

Phase Two kicked of in February and will focus on sharing through the creative process and embracing the wider community into what will now be a sacred space.

Including young people from the wider community, drama workshops will build on the material generated in Phase One and create a play telling the stories of this united group. The play will focus on the personal stories of the participants and the culturally significant customs they practice. Young people will use drama, dance, puppets, digital film and song to tell their story.

African elders and artisans will run workshops with participants from the African community and the wider community making important artefacts from the various African countries. Artefacts will include doilies, masks, baskets, beading, woodcarving, musical instruments, etc. A workshop to exchange the many complex hairstyles of the African community will help break down fear associated with differences in appearances. Artefacts created will form an exhibition accompanying the final performance of the young people’s play and create a collection of diverse and beautiful African artefacts belonging to the entire community of Swan Hill.

In Phase Two, dance workshops will be open to the community. Participants from all parts of the community will come together to share the experience of dance and learn dances, which will form the finale of the performance project.

Staged at Harrison Hall the performance event will include traditional food, an art exhibition of weaving, paintings, and cultural artefacts hand made in workshops. Young people will perform their collaborative play, which will explore language sharing with the audience and conclude with a cultural dance that all audience members can participate.

For more information or to get involved please contact Creative Producer Claire Harris on 03 5881 6260 or Artistic Director Richie Hallal on 0414 881 340

This project has been generously funded by the Department of Social Services through their Diversity and Social Inclusion program, the Besen Foundation and the Australia Council, Community Partnerships. We could not do the great work we do without their support.

Illuminate presents ‘A Town Called Mills Acre’

August 15, 2013/in Illuminate, News, Past Projects, Uncategorized, Wakool Shire /by Outback Theatre For Young People

[wzslider autoplay=”true” info=”true”]Outback Theatre for Young People’s ILLUMINATE project presents a new Australian play featuring 130 Young people from across the Wakool Shire

Outback Theatre for Young People’s Illuminate project is connecting the towns of Barham, Wakool and Moulamein with performances over a three-week period, with a new Australian play entitled, A Town Called Mills Acre. This project is designed to bring everyone from the Wakool Shire together, to show the communities what young people can do and have some fun.

Through collaboration and conversations with local communities and their young people, professional theatre artists Angela Frost and Richie Hallal have developed a play that captures what lies in the heart of the communities of the Wakool Shire. Featuring a core cast of 5 teenagers and an ensemble cast of over 100 students, A Town Called Mills Acre is the young people’s gift to their community.

The main character, Shelby McCoy and her family run an irrigation rice farm. Their livelihood comes under pressure due to changes in water access, environmental concerns, and the growing fear of an uncertain future. The McCoys are forced to question their own lifestyle and the very fabric that holds their community together.

This is a heartwarming story of a family paving their way forward through innovation, creativity and courage. Alongside their community they remain resilient, hopeful and connected.

Artistic Director Angela Frost says “This play presents a message of hope, and a celebratory presentation by the young people of the Wakool Shire and the bush and the rivers that are our lifeblood.”

Richie Hallal foresees that “This play will be an unforgettable experience, don’t miss it”.

Here is some more information:

Illuminate 2013

May 7, 2013/in Illuminate, Past Projects, Uncategorized, Wakool Shire /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Illuminate Summary 2012 from Outback Theatre for Young People on Vimeo.

Check out this short documentary of ideas and interviews collected in Illuminate Stage 1, 2012.

Illuminate Stage 2, 2013 is underway! Artists Angela Frost and Richie Hallal will work with 6 students from Braham High school to develop a new original touring theatre show based on local themes and ideas such as small town culture, farming, environmental changes, population decline, creativity and resilience, leadership and responsibility. The new work will showcase and celebrate the extraordinary young people growing up in the Wakool Shire. Primary school students from Barham, Moulamein and Wakool will work alongside the artists throughout the project to develop sequences and scenes for the play that they will perform alongside the core cast when it tours to their town.

Rehearsals will commence in the week of the 20th May.
Proposed dates for touring are 26th August to the 14th September.
For more information contact:
Angela Frost, Artistic Director Illuminate
angela@outbacktheatre.com
0433 911 766

Reverberate Interactive Festival of Sound

May 7, 2013/in Deniliquin, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

[wzslider autoplay=”true”]

On Saturday May 18th 2013, the streets of Deniliquin’s CBD was brought to life with interactive sound and video works created by young people in collaboration with artists Danielle O’Keefe (Artistic Director, Reverberate), Vic McEwan (Cad Factory), and Jim Coad (Video Architecture). The event began at Deniliquin’s Waring Gardens, where the audience was guided by an interactive app, engaging with both intimate works and large scale performances, finally arriving back at Waring Gardens for a staged event featuring Deni born garage rock band ‘King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizards’, supported by the experimental sounds of local emerging artists ‘Milk Steak’, Sean McConnell and Kyle Taylor.

‘From the intimate stories of 5 year olds, to dance songs made by teens, Reverberate will rumble and echo through the town culminating in performances from some of the most exciting young bands and performers in the region.’ Danielle O’Keefe, Artistic Director, Reverberate.

The result of Outback Theatre for Young People’s ‘Reverberate’ project, that has spanned 10 months in 2012 and 2013, this promenade style event will present new compositions that explore the intersection between site, sound, video and performance, creating a new experience of familiar sites for audiences.

Fore more information contact:

admin@outbacktheatre.com

03 5881 6260

2013 project and workshop dates

March 7, 2013/in Deniliquin, News, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

REVERBERATE 2013 DATES
Reverberate is off the ground with lots of workshops and events happening in the Deniliquin area.
Check out what’s coming up

Weekly Music makers Tuesday 3.30-4.30: Sing and make musical instruments.

Weekly Drama Wednesday Years 5-6 – 3.30-4.30: Learn drama skills and we will create out own play

Weekly Drama skills HIGH SCHOOL Thurs 3.30-5pm

Young Wild and Free Youth Group Fridays 3.30-5pm

Weekly Drama skills HIGH SCHOOL Thursdays 3.30-5pm

Young Wild and Free Youth Group Fridays 3.30-5pm: Come and help organise youth activities around Deniliquin.

Workshop in visual creation. Date in April TBC – Watch this space

April 22-25th SCHOOL HOLIDAYS Building instruments, making a noise

SAVE THE DATE – May 18 REVERBERATE YOUTH FESTIVAL
TIME: 5pm til late
ADDRESS: Waring Gardens and surrounds
More information coming soon

If you would like to register for any of these workshops or events or require more information, please contact Danielle O’Keefe

Danielle@outbacktheatre.com or 0418 317 367

Dreamings film

February 27, 2013/in Alive and Kicking, Hay, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

DREAMINGS

Outback Theatre for Young People’s, Alive and Kicking 2011, presents ‘Dreamings’, made in collaboration with young people from Hay, NSW.

dreamings upload from Outback Theatre for Young People on Vimeo.

Junkyard Hustle

February 27, 2013/in Alive and Kicking, Hay, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Junkyard Hustle

Junkyard Hustle is a short silent film shot at the Hay Gaol Museum, NSW, in collaboration with Year 9/10 students of Hay War Memorial High School. This film was one of many outcomes of Outback Theatre for Young People’s ‘Alive and Kicking’ Project.

Junkyard from Outback Theatre for Young People on Vimeo.

Annual Theatre Sports Championships Fundraiser

February 26, 2013/in Deniliquin, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND….

The Theatre Sports Championships Fundraiser will be held at the Deniliquin Club on Saturday 6th April from 6.30pm and is open to all.

For those of you who attended last year you will know how much fun it is!

Theatre Sports is a fast-paced form of improvisational theatre that uses competition and audience suggestion for dramatic effect. The results are often hilarious and always entertaining.

Teams are given situations, often suggested by the audience, and are marked on how well they adhere to the rules of the game, entertainment value and presentation.

This is a fundraiser for OTYP so come along and support us as well as have more than a few laughs. There will be food, merchandise for sale and entertainment on the night.

Tickets are $10 for adults,
$5 for school age children
and pre-school children are free.

For more information email Danielle O’Keefe: Danielle@outbacktheatre.com

DOWNLOAD Theatre Sports Flyer

Peter Seaman

February 25, 2013/in Our Alumni, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

ALUMNI
Peter Seaman

AGE: Twenty Two-ish.

BORN: Hay, in rural NSW. We have a Wikipedia article!
CURRENTLY LIVES: In an apartment I euphemistically refer to as my Batcave (it is slightly better lit than an actual cave), located in north-ish Sydney. Why not swing by for some olives and perhaps a game of Team Fortress?

Since Peter’s time with OTYP, he has “aspired to become a University Professor, after abandoning his initial choice of Batman due to lack of motivation”. Towards this aim, he has achieved an honours degree in politics and is currently undertaking post-graduate study in history.”

He was involved in several productions in 2005/6 including: The Blowfly Olympics, Rewind and Page To Stage. Peter said that his involvement with Outback Theatre shaped a lot of fond memories…

“Numerous seminal moments from my formative years were a consequence of Outback Theatre, including my first kiss (which, to my surprise was not at all like they are in a romantic comedy.) Yet, the whole experience was entertaining and engaging, offering opportunities for travel and adventure with interesting people, many of whom are still my Facebook friends.”

Currently: “Beyond attempting to look like Ryan Gosling, hastily trying to conclude an Honours thesis for Politics at Macquarie University – just as long as the European Union doesn’t collapse within the next month I won’t need to change my argument. Eventually, I plan on completing a PhD in the field of history, a qualification which will among other things enable me to fight Daleks and lecture undergraduates.

I think they’re probably my big achievements, there have been some smaller ones such as when I discussed domestic policy with Kevin Rudd on a street corner, made a really nice lasagne served on a bed of chicken for my friends and figured out that house Scotch tastes exactly the same as the pricey stuff in a cocktail.

Outback theatre, beyond being a worthwhile social endeavour, was fundamentally an exercise in communication, one that assisted in the development of my skills in this area.”

Guest Artist – Vic McEwan

February 25, 2013/in Deniliquin, Guest Artist, News, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

GUEST ARTIST PROFILE

Reverberate 2013…

Vic is the founder of The Cad Factory, an underground music, performance and exhibition space which started in Sydney. Now based near Narrandera, it runs a Rural Residency Program as well as numerous other collaborative arts projects. He’s worked at most major Sydney art institutions including The Museum of Contemporary Art, Carriageworks and The Powerhouse Museum but has also collaborated with a number of youth arts organisations. Now he’s joining OTYP for a stint.

His passion is working with communities to create new work that gives those regions a voice, often using large scale, site-specific collaborations which include sound, dance, installation, photography, video, live music and performance.

Vic is joining Reverberate in 2013 and will work with sound and video projection. “I’m really looking forward to collaborating with local participants to explore the town, uncovering hidden sounds and interesting projection sites,” he said.

Opportunity of Everything

February 18, 2013/in Illuminate, News, Uncategorized, Wakool Shire /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Opportunity of Everything from Outback Theatre for Young People on Vimeo.

Last year brought some very special achievements for us as a company however nothing is as special as the communities we get to work with and the people we meet. This documentary, “Opportunity of Everything” gives a unique insight to four exceptional young people from Mallan Public School, which closed it’s doors for good last year.

This film is a story of community, strength and resilience.

The short film, which a part of our Illuminate project based in the Wakool Shire, was directed by Artistic Director, Ange Frost and shot and produced by our guest artist, Richie Hallal.

“Opportunity of Everything is the final testament from Mallan Public School students. We were privileged enough to be invited to work with Mallan Public School in its final weeks before closure, and we soon realised a film would be the most fitting art-form to celebrate this wonderful community and capture the school for the last time, ” said Richie.

“This film is a final tour of Mallan Public School. It was launched at presentation night to an audience of families, Principals, Government Officials and past students. ‘Opportunity of Everything’ represents the successes and joys of the school and the hopes of what the future may hold.”

Richie Hallal

February 18, 2013/in About, Guest Artist, Illuminate, Past Projects, Uncategorized, Wakool Shire /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Illuminate 2013…

Richie Hallal is a theatre maker who dedicates his skills as a researcher, writer, director and actor to make new theatre work with a diverse range of communities across Australia.

As a committed Community Cultural Development Practitioner, Richie has had a wild adventure over the past ten years. He’s worked with over twenty-five communities; from Middle Eastern Youth in Western Sydney to homeless people in Melbourne’s CBD. He’s also worked in the Mornington Peninsula with new migrants, farming communities in outback New South Wales and Tasmania; and on the streets of St Kilda. Richie brings enormous enthusiasm and joy to his work and as a leader he provides a creative space where community members can come together to share a uniting and energising experience of making and performing theatre.

“I feel like last year was just a taster for what will come this year with Illuminate. I can’t wait to get started on the 2013 project which will bring together young people from across the Wakool Shire to make one epic touring show together,” Richie said.

Teleaha Krause

December 5, 2012/in Our Alumni, Starting From Scratch, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

ALUMNI
Teleaha Krause

AGE: 20
BORN: Hay, regional NSW
CURRENTLY LIVES: Wagga Wagga NSW

Teleah got involved with OTYP through an after school drama workshop and performed “Eyes to the Floor”, a play by Alana Valentine.

I began studying my diploma of nursing and got married a little under 12 months ago and am now expecting my first child 🙂

Most importantly OTYP taught me how to express myself. I went from a shy girl who no-one knew to a bright bubbly confident girl who would get involved in group activities without hesitation.

Before my involvement with Outback Theatre I would dread the words “group activity” I was shy, I had no confidence and was near enough invisible. I didn’t believe in myself or that I could or would ever achieve any of my life goals or dreams. But that shy girl no-longer exists. I’m confident that I will achieve whatever I put my mind to whether it be academic or personal – if I put my mind to it, I will achieve it.

It is all because of Outback Theatre that I am a confident happy young lady. If it wasn’t for my involvement with Outback Theatre I’d no doubt be a small town girl who dropped out of school and wasn’t going anywhere in life and relied on Centrelink payments to be able to live day by day. That however is far from where I am today. Today I am happily married, starting a family and learning how to help others just like they have helped me. Because of Outback Theatre I have a personality that can’t be missed. I’m bright, bubbly and happy. Instead of the girl who used to run the other way when it came to group work, I’m now the first to volunteer. Thank you Outback Theatre

OTYP presented with $20,000 grant

December 5, 2012/in News, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

On the 22nd November, NSW Member for Murray-Darling, John Williams presented Outback Theatre for Young People with a $20,000 grant.

Creative Producer, Mandy Field was presented with the cheque that will go towards the Illuminate Project, which works with communities in the Wakool Shire.

“There will be a big outcome; a show that is basically led by a core ensemble of older students,” Ms Field said.

The grant, supported through the Arts NSW 2013 Arts Funding Program, will fund the project’s ‘toolkit’ which will assist teachers and communities with theatre.

Photo: Deniliquin Pastoral Times

artsHub Award

December 1, 2012/in Griffith, Past Projects, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

We are so honoured to have been selected as the People’s Choice for artsHub’s ‘Innovation Award for a group, organisation or company’ for Secret Places: The Connections Project.

The award recognises an innovative achievement by a group, organisation or company, meaning ‘a notable highly creative and original piece of work produced by a group of artists, arts organisation or company’.

The artsHub awards were developed to “recognise those who create and support work that is exciting, engaging, challenging or simply excellent and to offer recognition of unique and upcoming Australian artists… (and) aims to encourage and recognise creativity and achievement in all areas of the arts.”

This year’s awards attracted 52 nominations from across the country in a wide range of art forms. The judges included industry professionals, Deborah Conway, Steven Maxwell, Barry Strickland, Simon Abrahams and Lisa Dempster.

Alannah Robertson

November 30, 2012/in Our Alumni, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

FEATURED OTYP ARTIST
Alannah Robertson

AGE: 20
BORN: Hay, regional NSW
CURRENTLY LIVES: Sydney

I first got involved with OTYP when Amy Hardingham came to my high school to approach the drama students. I was involved in numerous projects but the highlight was working with Alana Valentine with the play, Eyes to the Floor. I was involved with scripting – from the first draft to our performance at Griffith Regional Theatre. It was one of the best acting experiences I’ve ever had.

Before OTYP came to Hay I was incredibly shy so they gave me a chance to get out of my shell. The biggest thing it taught me was to just give things a go. It doesn’t matter what people think of you, just get out there and try it.

I’m currently doing my Diploma in screen acting at Screenwise, which is a screen acting school. It’s the first time that this course has been offered in Australia and I graduate in 6 weeks time. I also work for Ticketmaster. Mostly in box offices for Theatre shows but sometimes I get to do outside events at the Hunter Valley and other music events.

I try and do as much volunteer work as I can for independent theatres such as the New Theatre in Newtown. I get to meet so many people and I’ve gotten acting work from it such as performing at the New Theatre in Extracurricular,which was part of their “Brand Spanking New’ in 2010 and Louise Fischer directed it.

I’ve done a couple of short films since moving to Sydney, mostly student short films but they are a great way to learn, especially how a real set works. I believe you’ve got to support the industry that you want to be in and that’s what I’m trying to do. And acting is a bit like an addiction so if I can surround myself with the industry as much as I can, I’m happy.

OTYP showed me how much I wanted to be and actor and how it was possible. Coming from a small country town, there aren’t too many opportunities so wanting to be an actor always seemed like a far-fetched dream but with Outback Theatre for Young People coming to Hay it gave me the drive to pursue acting.

Our Alumni

November 30, 2012/in Our Alumni, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

We have some very special young people who come through our programs. Every month or so we will have a feature piece about one of our alumni.

OTYP in Wakool Shire

October 31, 2012/in Past Projects, Uncategorized, Wakool Shire /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Situated 790 kilometres south west of Sydney, in the western Riverina region of New South Wales, Wakool has a population of just 213. The township has a cafe/post office, hotel, services club and primary school, however high school students must travel to other surrounding towns including Deniliquin. OTYP is excited to be working with this unique community through Illuminate. This is a celebratory theatre project designed to bring young people together from the isolated townships of the Shire.

OTYP in Balranald

October 31, 2012/in Balranald, BYO Grown Up, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Located in a semi-desert area crossing the Murrumbidgee River, Balranald has a population of around 1,200. Agriculture includes charcoal production, sheep farming and some irrigated cropping. Interestingly, Australia’s first telephone was installed at nearby “Yanga” station. More recently however, OTYP ran ‘BYO Grown-Up’ which was a series of two-week school-holiday workshops, running through January 2012. Each young participant brought to the workshops at some point an adult who belongs to them in some way; a parent, grandparent, older sibling or other relative, carer, neighbour or friend.

OTYP in Deniliquin

October 31, 2012/in Deniliquin, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Affectionately known as ‘Deni’, Deniliquin is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales and close to the border of Victoria. With a population of around 7,500, the area is agriculturally prominent with successful rice, wool and timber industries. It is also the birthplace and home of OTYP. We have created many works here with our current ‘Reverberate’ project kicking off with a workshop series. This series wil develop skills in musical story-telling, composition and performance to create an original work based on rural young people’s interpretations of classical themes. This will build into a major performance in June 2013.

OTYP in Hay

October 31, 2012/in Alive and Kicking, Hay, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Hay is situated in the western Riverina region of south western New South Wales, Australia, and has a population of 2,636 (2006 Census). It is one of the country’s leading wool growing and sheep meat producing areas and has irrigated crops such as watermelon, broccoli and lettuce. In October 2012, the young people of Hay showed off their extraordinary talents with the final performance of Outback Theatre for Young People’s Alive and Kicking project.

OTYP in Griffith….

October 31, 2012/in Griffith, Past Projects, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Griffith is a city in south-western New South Wales and presently has a population of just over 16,000. It is known as Australia’s “Wine and Food Country” thanks to its irrigation which makes it rich in agriculture. OTYP’s most recent work in the area includes Secret Places: the Connections Project which also featured on TV.

What is Alive and Kicking?

October 31, 2012/in Alive and Kicking, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

On October 15, ’12, the young people of Hay showed off their talents with the final performance of Alive and Kicking. For over 20 weeks young people explored theatre, dance, animation, film, photography and story development…weaving together historic photographs, press articles, interviews with older generations.

What is Illuminate?

October 31, 2012/in Illuminate, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Illuminate is a celebratory theatre project designed to bring young people together from the isolated townships of the Wakool Shire of NSW. This project will work with participants to create art that reflects the strengths, and encourages the resilience, of the communities they belong to. Each two-week intensive will create its own distinct outcome, but also generate ideas, themes and frameworks for a large-scale visual theatre work, which will be produced at the end of the second stage in 2013; and will see each community feeding into one performance outcome that will tour the communities in the Shire.

For more information contact:
Angela Frost, Artistic Director Illuminate
angela@outbacktheatre.com
0433 911 766

What is Reverberate?

October 31, 2012/in Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Reverberate is a two-year music and sound-based theatre project which will bring music and theatrical storytelling together to create an original electronic opera. Working with elective music classes at Deniliquin High School, students from South West Music and an open after-school group, Reverberate will involve a workshop series developing skills in musical story-telling, composition and performance to create an original work based on rural young people’s interpretations of classical themes; and build into a major performance in June 2013.

What is Secret Places: The Connections project?

October 31, 2012/in Past Projects, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

In 2011/12 OTYP in partnership with Powerhouse Youth Theatre produced and created joint works of theatre which were later performed by young people in Griffith and its sister city, Fairfield, in Sydney. The project was about theatrical pen-palling. Creating new dynamic theatre works across large geographical, cultural and social differences.

Reverberate – Deniliquin

October 3, 2012/in Deniliquin, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Reverberate Stage 1 – Deniliquin

October – December 2012

Artistic Director: Danielle O’Keefe

Project partners: Deniliquin High School, Deniliquin Youth Council

Reverberate – electronic opera.

Working with elective music classes at Deniliquin High School, students from South West Music and an open after-school group, Reverberate will involve a workshop series developing skills in musical story-telling, composition and performance to create an original work based on rural young people’s interpretations of classical themes; and build into a major performance in June 2013.

Classical theatre texts will be the base in exploring themes of power, powerlessness and choice. Young people will begin by exploring these themes, identifying, examining and extemporizing elements that resonate and fascinate them.

Working with musical themes and melodies from both classical and contemporary sources, participants will be deconstructing, sampling, improvising and combining them as source material for their own compositions. By experimenting with arrangements of classical masters, they will break down existing music into workable motifs.

Artistic Director Danielle O’Keefe will work with the local adult music community, including guest artist and composer Peter Aoun, to include skills in a wide range of musical genres and instruments as well as vocal work.

Reverberate will explore the use of the voice as instrument and the body as resonator to create interesting sounds, breaking away from the mimicry of pop singers and allowing all young people, regardless of musical skill, to participate.

This first stage of the project will allow young people an opportunity to present their work publicly. These performances will grow in scale and complexity as the work progresses both building performance skills and confidence.

A large-scale public performance of the original electronic opera and associated festival event in 2013 will showcase local emerging ensembles and bands.

MENTORSHIP – Assistant Directors, Deniliquin
Applications close: 5pm Monday 22^nd.

Deniliquin young people are being offered a unique opportunity to work as assistant directors in an upcoming local venture.

“Reverberate’ a music and sound-based theatre project by Outback Theatre for Young People (OTYP) will give up to ten locals the opportunity to be mentored by internationally renowned Artistic Director, Danielle O’Keefe and gain firsthand experience in the theatre industry.

We are looking for a group of young people that will steer the project in a direction that is relevant to young people today.

There are various roles and responsibilities ranging from stage and event management, lighting operation, sound design, and animation.

The team will be committed to learning, enthusiastic and team leaders.

The eight-week position is unpaid however there are potential employment opportunities available with OTYP.

This is a special opportunity for young people to work with industry professionals from around the globe, enhance skills and potentially establish long-term working relationships.

Interested applicants must be aged between 14 and 25, live in Deniliquin, be available for one production meeting per week; plus rehearsals leading to the major event on December 14, 2012.

Applicants are also required to send in a short video or quick paragraph introducing themselves and what they like about the arts.

Applications close: 5pm Monday 22^nd.

For more information please contact:

Danielle O’Keefe on 0418 317 367 or email danielle@outbacktheatre.com

Media Liaison: Laticia Gibson on 0413 342 735 or email laticia@outbacktheatre.com

Illuminate – Wakool Shire

October 2, 2012/in Illuminate, Past Projects, Uncategorized, Wakool Shire /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Illuminate Stage 1 – Wakool Shire

8 Oct – 23 Dec 2012

Artists:

Angela Frost – Artistic Director

Richie Hallal – Production Manager and Video Documentation

Project Partners: Mallan Public School, Tooleybuc Central School, Barham Public School, Barham High School, Wakool-Burraboi Public School, Wakool Shire Council, Golden Rivers Theatre Group.

Outback Theatre for Young People’s Illuminate is a celebratory theatre project designed to bring young people together from the isolated townships of the Wakool Shire of NSW.

Resilience has become a key theme in rural communities all over Australia, and the Wakool Shire is no exception. The Wakool Shire stretches across 7550 square km in South West NSW with 4300 residents spread across 10 small villages and many farming properties. The shire has been hit successively by drought, flood and the closure of industry due to forestry legislation. The six schools participating in ‘Illuminate’ are extremely small.

This project will work with participants to create art that reflects the strengths, and encourages the resilience, of the communities they belong to. We will explore the strengths and virtues of people in their own communities and of the young people themselves. We will express personal and collective storytelling using the themes of courage, identity, history, belonging, community, hope, home and happiness as part of the overarching theme of resilience. This theme will be explored through skills-based program in storytelling, drama, shadow puppetry, and digital communications.

Each two-week intensive will create its own distinct outcome, but also generate ideas, themes and frameworks for a large-scale visual theatre work, which will be produced at the end of the second stage in 2013; and will see each community feeding into one performance outcome that will tour the communities in the Shire.

SECRET PLACES: TV DEBUT

September 27, 2012/in Griffith, Past Projects, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

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.

Full video of “wet. povo. slick. yolo.”

September 12, 2012/in Griffith, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

For all you folks who missed it, here is our amazing production of “wet. povo. slick. yolo.” created by the young people of Griffith. Read more

Images from “wet. povo. slick. yolo.”

June 30, 2012/in Griffith, Past Projects, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Michael

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

On the Road: From Griffith to Western Sydney

June 29, 2012/in Griffith, Past Projects, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Michael

In the leadup to the final Secret Places outcome, young people from Griffith were given the opportunity to visit Sydney to see some theatre and collaborate directly with young people in Western Sydney engaging with PYT. You can see the exchange below:

Secret Places: On The Road from Outback Theatre for Young People on Vimeo.

WET. POVO. SLICK. YOLO @ the Griffith Regional Theatre, Friday June 29

June 14, 2012/in Griffith, Past Projects, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

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

Come along to our Theatre Sports Fundraiser in Deniliquin

June 14, 2012/in Deniliquin, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

The inaugural Theatre Sports Championships will be held at the Deniliquin Club on Friday 15 June from 6.30pm and is open to all. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for school age children and pre-school children are free.

A band of brave locals will need to be quick on their feet when they compete for the title of the inaugural Outback Theatre for Young People Theatre Sports Champions next month.

Theatre Sports is a fast-paced form of improvisational theatre that uses competition and audience suggestion for dramatic effect. The results are often hilarious and always entertaining.

Outback Theatre for Young People Artistic Director Alex Walker, the Director of last year’s highly successful Deniliquin staging of “Debs”, will be returning to Deniliquin to host the night.

“I am so excited to be coming back to Deniliquin to host such an exciting and entertaining event,” Ms Walker said.

“Theatre Sports is so much fun and I’m looking forward to working with the local teams, many of whom have been involved in past Outback Theatre projects.

“To be good at Theatre Sports, you don’t have to be a great actor, you just have to be able to think on your feet and think outside the box.

“The teams will have fun and so will the audience because I will make sure they all have a good laugh. It is great family entertainment,” she said.

Theatre Sports sees teams given situations, often suggested by the audience, and are marked on how well they adhere to the rules of the game, entertainment value and presentation.

For more information please contact:

Perin Davey
Ph: 0427 136 829

Mandy Field
Ph: 0417 164 641
Email: mandy@outbacktheatre.com

Places

June 1, 2012/in Our Region, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

View Our Region in a larger map

Secret Places 2011 Video Summary

May 23, 2012/in Griffith, Past Projects, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Watch a summary of our Secret Places journey in 2011, and come see the final instalment of this 10 month collaboration between young people from Griffith and Western Sydney:

Wet. Povo. Slick. Yolo.
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.

For 6 weeks in 2011 and a further 6 months in 2012, young people from Griffith
and Western Sydney, have participated in a new kind of remote collaboration, exchanging ideas and creative material across large cultural and geographical divides.

30th Nov 2011 – Secret Places at the Griffith Regional Theatre

May 23, 2012/in Griffith, Past Projects, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Theatre for Young People in conjunction with
Powerhouse Youth Theatre
presents

Secret Places: The Connections Project
4 schools, 2 towns, 2 simultaneous performances. Come and see what happens!

Click on the image for full size.

Secret Places 2011 Media Release

May 23, 2012/in Griffith, Past Projects, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Outback Theatre for Young People (OTYP) and Powerhouse Youth Theatre (PYT) present the first public presentation of Secret Places: The Connections Project on Wednesday 30th November 2011. At 6pm 2 simultaneous performances will occur – One in Griffith NSW at the Griffith Regional Theatre and the other in Western Sydney at the Fairfield School of Arts, home of Powerhouse Youth Theatre.

Over the past 6 weeks 2 school groups from Griffith have exchanged with 2 groups of culturally diverse students in Western Sydney. Postcards, objects, slide shows and video have been passed back and forth, generating responses and material that will culminate in the first public showing of the collaboration that continues into 2012.

Tentative introductions have led to a ‘peeling back of the onion,’ with young people involved thrilled, and intrigued at building new connections, revealing more and more of themselves and their lives to each other as the project progresses.

As Corey Wheeler, Wade High School Drama Teacher indicates: ‘Students from Wade High School are completely and utterly engaged in the OTYP’s Secret Places project. It provides them with a professional structure within which they can apply their performance talents and enthusiasm. Further, it educates them about the collaborative nature of play-building and the power of theatre to educate, raise awareness and build bridges between groups of people. The students of Wade High School need this project to continue into next year so that they can see a product, a conclusion, to this fun and valuable process which they have been contributing towards.’

OTYP’s Artistic Director, Alex Walker, has been working intensively with young people from Griffith in school time and in afterschool workshops. ‘This project is about theatrical pen-palling. We are asking them to share stories and experiences. We are saying what ‘you’ think matters, in fact for this project it’s all that matters,’ says Alex Walker.

OTYP’s Creative Producer, Mandy Field summarized the central themes of Secret Places by stating that ‘Secret Places does not preach tolerance or respect for difference. It is not a project about history, or geography. The process of sharing and connecting over time and through the creation of a shared experience, bonds are being created between students in classes, across classes and across communities that inherently encourage a culture of mutual respect, and a sense that we all have a story worth telling. We are all bound by our own personal spaces, and what we decide to share, or keep secret. Secret Places: The connections project, is about opening up these places, not to identify our differences but to appreciate our humanness. For young people this is a huge leap of faith and a massive risk, to perform for peers, and to reveal themselves.’

Maria Tran, Powerhouse Youth Theatre, Project Leader, describes Secret Places as ‘a unique experience for kids from different parts of Australia to express themselves and find common ground in each other through film, theatre and storytelling.”

“It’s been a surprisingly fun process which has encouraged the students to work in unusual combinations, across their normal friendship groups, and to express themselves in ways that no other regular class allows. They’ve all learnt a lot from meeting the challenges set by this project, and through the use of storytelling and digital media it supports learning in other key areas.” Kate Clarkson, Intensive English Centre, Lurnea High

Details as follows:

Date: Wednesday 30 November 2011

Griffith
Griffith Regional Theatre
1 Neville Place, Griffith
6pm

Western Sydney
Powerhouse Youth Theatre,
Fairfield School of Arts,
19 Harris Street, Fairfield.
6pm

9-26 Feb 2012 – come along to Secret Places at the Griffith Regional Art Gallery

May 23, 2012/in Griffith, Past Projects, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Click on the poster for full size.

Photos from Secret Places: The Connections Project 2011

May 23, 2012/in Griffith, Past Projects, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Check out the slideshow below to see some awesome photos from our show in Griffith, as well as some photos from the sister show in Fairfield and a few of the exchanges between the two cities. Read more

Secret Places: The Connections Project, 2011. Introductions.

February 13, 2012/in Griffith, Past Projects, Secret Places, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

This is a video compile of exchange material from Stage 1 of Secret Places: The Connections Project. In 2011, for 6 weeks, young people from Griffith and Western Sydney, exchanged postcards, objects and video questions and responses. This material then informed performance outcomes that were presented to audiences in both Griffith and Western Sydney.

Alive and Kicking 2011 Dance Video

February 13, 2011/in Alive and Kicking, Hay, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Starting From Scratch 2010-2011

May 23, 2010/in Deniliquin, Past Projects, Starting From Scratch, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

Starting from Scratch was a playwriting and performance project designed to empower the young people of Deniliquin and Finley by honouring their ideas, thoughts, beliefs, values and stories. Using self generated material creates commitment, energy, ownership and pride from the participants and performances that connect and resonate with local audiences.

The delivery of Starting From Scratch Stage 2 was three fold: First, the in-school weekly workshop program focused on the creation of a collaborative theatre piece, Me and My Place. And finally, Debs, the creative development, rehearsal and performance of a new commission play written by playwright Chris Thompson in response to content generation workshops in Starting from Scratch Stage 1 in 2010. The result was a play that is uniquely Australian, exploring rural young people’s attitudes and ideas of gender, family and community relationships and the process of transitioning to adulthood.

BYO Grown Up

May 23, 2010/in Balranald, BYO Grown Up, Deniliquin, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

BYO Grown-Up was a series of two-week school-holiday workshops, running through January 2012, in the communities of Hay, Deniliquin and Balranald. Each young participant brought to the workshops at some point an adult who belongs to them in some way; a parent, grandparent, older sibling or other relative, carer, neighbour or friend. The project’s goals were to create original performance works; empower young people as project leaders; foster creative intergenerational relationships and through performances in all three towns – create a community of theatre across the Riverina.

Young people attended youth-only workshop every morning, creating performances based on themes and issues important to them. In the evenings the young people will return to workshops with their chosen adult, taking the lead in incorporating the adults into the work.

Our 3 lead artists had very distinct skills, Bec Cooen a circus and physical theatre artist was based in Balranald, Alex Walker a narrative based theatre maker was based in Deniliquin and Angela Frost, a multi-disciplinary artist was based in Hay. Each group created a work that reflected and responded to the needs, interests and particular qualities of each place. Young people and their families were bused around for the final events, 3 shows in 3 days, across 3 towns!

‘Passing Through’ in Hay, told a story of a young girl getting left behind at a petrol station. ‘Big Shoes and Bad teeth’, in Balranald, involved 40 young performers in a physical theatre and circus performance, and ‘Battle of the B’kaa!’, was based on a true story of rival chicken shops.
‘Each day the young people have brainstormed, devised, developed and written their story and each night they have slotted their grown ups into the roles they have created for them. It has been a brilliant process of empowering the young people through making them the bosses.They even explain the rules and objectives of the games and exercises that we play. It is like this is their territory and creative space and the grown ups have been invited in to share in the joy!

The most remarkable aspect of this program has been the utter delight on the faces of the young people as they see their parents engage in play.’ Alex Walker, Artistic Director, BYO Grownup – Deniliquin.
“BYO Grownup was a fantastic experience because we saw our parents in a different way than we normally do. And the fact that we could tell them what to do was even better! What I learnt from BYO Grownup was to see the humour and style of everyday life that we usually overlook. It also helped me with my social skills and I’ll definitely come out of this workshop with lots of benefits!” Tallulah, young person.
“What I’ve loved about BYO Grownup is having fun and being silly with my kids. I love that they are the ones teaching me and I can see their confidence growing every day. They have been doing little mimes and acting scenarios at home and I feel it has really helped their understanding of storytelling. I wish we had more opportunities like this in Deni.” Kate, Grownup.

Alive and Kicking Photos

May 23, 2010/in Alive and Kicking, Hay, Past Projects, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

15 October 2011 – Alive and Kicking stories, films and journeys

January 23, 2010/in Alive and Kicking, Hay, Past Projects, Starting From Scratch, Uncategorized /by Outback Theatre For Young People

On Saturday the 15th October the young people of Hay will show off their extraordinary talents with the final performance of Outback Theatre for Young People’s Alive and Kicking project. Featuring alongside the event will be the launch of a brand new public gallery outside the Hay Post Office and Council Buildings.

Following on from last year’s very successful workshops and performance, Outback Theatre for Young People’s Mandy Field returned to Hay in May and has been working with young people during school hours, afterschool and school holidays at a studio established in a disused shop in Alma St. For over twenty weeks young people aged between 5 and 18 have been exploring theatre, dance, stop-motion animation, film, photography and story development.

Expressed through a variety of art forms, and drawing on dreams and memories, young people have created community and personal histories. Weaving together historic photographs, newspaper articles, interviews with parents and grandparents and the ever present influence of the local landscape.

These works will be presented on Saturday 15th October, starting at 6pm at the Outback Theatre for Young People Creative Space at 390 Alma St.

Devised entirely by the young people of Hay, under the artistic direction of Mandy Field the performance event will feature the Tunnel of Stories interactive Box-Maze, Memories from the Box shadow plays by young people from across the Hay community; short films made with video artist Sam Hoffmann including stop motion animations by Stage 2 & 3 at Hay Public School; Dreamings, stop motion animations made with Seniors from Hay War Memorial High School, Junkyard Hustle, a silent film made with Yr 9/10 drama students at Hay War Memorial High School, with special extra scenes made with hip-hop artist, Nick Power.

OTYP Artistic Director, Mandy Field says, ‘The material produced for the Alive and Kicking Project is both personal and whimsical and often fantastical! It could only have been created by these young people from this town at this time, in that the works have a local signature, they bear the influence of Hay’s truly unique and inspiring local landscape, with its intersecting highways, the mighty Murrumbidgee River and the immense Hay Plain.”

Following the performance the audience will take a short walk to Lachlan St to celebrate the new light box gallery in the walkway outside the Hay Post Office and Council Buildings. The light boxes are a semi-permanent exhibition space provided by the Hay Shire Council, and Better Futures Fund, where young people’s visual art work will be regularly displayed.

The History in the Making exhibition will launch the light box gallery, featuring works made by young people in collaboration with Sydney based artists Rachel Peachey and Paul Mosig.

‘The young people of Hay now have a permanent platform within which to present their artwork publicly,’ said Mandy Field, ‘The Hay Shire Council should be applauded for their ongoing support and advocacy of youth arts!’

The work of these young people has had huge support from the community, the schools and the Hay Shire Council. Zoe Watson, Visual Arts and Photography, Video and Digital Imaging teacher at Hay War Memorial High School says, ‘Our students have responded very positively to the professional tutors who are working with them to develop their skills in these art forms. As a result, there is a positive atmosphere in our school at the moment that we plan to continue with the introduction of light boxes. These light boxes will offer us an opportunity to display works from Visual Arts, Photography, Graphics and Textile classes and showcase the growing talent we have at Hay War Memorial High School.’

‘Mandy, thank you for your expertise and infectious enthusiasm in providing the young people in Hay with an opportunity to express themselves through Outback Theatre. Such an opportunity is a vital component of healthy development of our youth, and, is very well received by Council.’ says Allen Dwyer, General Manager at the Hay Shire Council, ‘The light boxes planned for the main street walkway will give additional life to the heart of the business district as well as provide the opportunity to display the talent of our youth.’