Midsummer Night's Dream*° (1994) Four Melbourne teens run away to the forest, only to have Potkuruk (an Australian Koori bush spirit) make both of the boys fall in love with the same girl. There is a play within a play by some tradies and much merryment to be had in this adaption of Shakespeare's classic.
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Deep Down Under* (1995) In this story you'll take a peep underneath the sea and meet the fish and comrades of the famous CBD. An environmental catastrophe is averted with the help of two fairy penguins, two human kids and the massive efforts of many schoals (and schools) of fish. ✧
Space Cats* (1999) A space adventure where tiresome adult keep intercepting some clever kids' discovery of an uncrewed spaceship. Fortunately several Space Cats step in to help and outwit the adults. But will the human kids make it back in time?
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*Co-Written by Ivan Inderbitzin & Helen Davey Cox ° Adapted for stage
Annual School Production These musicals were written and produced for primary aged children. As the total running times are approx 2 hours (including a 15 mins interval), the preparation of these plays takes ca. 6 months of the school year, as a whole school project. The rehearsals are integrated into the regular performing arts programme (music, dance, drama lessons) so the children build up their performance skills gradually, learning the songs, dances, script texts and many concepts around music theatre.
All children are involved as are teaching staff outside the performing arts department, eg. the art teacher helps children design and create the sets or props during art classes. The production crew is a group of enthusiastic parents - &/or past students - who assist with costuming, props, scenery, backstage and lighting… Everyone matters to the process and the performances. So the annual school production becomes the culmination of a year's work.
Cast Each play is suitable for large casts of around 100 children from prep - year 6. General formula: year 6 & 5 take the 10 -12 main roles and 10 -15 supporting roles; Years 3 & 4 form 2-4 chorus groups; Years P-2 children are essential to the start of each play and perform for only the first 15 mins.
Licence Each play is a “Grand Rights Work” (productions where the music and lyrics are written expressly for the production) and are not covered under the regular Schools Performance Licence, so need to be licensed by me. :-)
