Overview
Theatre at its best, has the power to cross borders, language and time. The performing arts events in House:Ed 2009 do just that. Individually the works speak to young audiences. Collectively, they are moving, challenging and inspiring experiences that encourage us all to make the world a better place. Importantly these works are made by artists who revel in the playground of theatre for young audiences – they seek to genuinely speak and give voice to young people, not because they are our future audience but because they are the audience of today.
Choices abound in 2009 – engaging text based theatre, innovative puppetry, old classics reinvented, challenging content and delightful contemporary dance.
Dschungel Wien’s critically acclaimed production, Surprise, is a joyous experience to behold. Set in a white world, two performers take the theme of surprise and literally turn it on its head. Although designed for primary school students this Austrian dance theatre production appeals to students of all ages. The finale is a genuinely uplifting moment, with dancers splashing and sliding in water.
In 2008 I had the opportunity to direct Joan MacLeod’s moving play, The Shape of a Girl. The production returns in 2009 before touring interstate. What initially drew me to the text were the frightening descriptions of violence perpetrated by girls. Fourteen year-old Reena Virk was assaulted and then murdered by a group of teenagers in Canada in 1997. Although Virk’s murder happened on another continent more than decade ago, the recent suicide of bullying victim Alex Wildman in Lismore is a chilling reminder that these incidents have frightening relevance.
The Danes are arguably the world leaders in creating work for young audiences. Det Lille Turnéteater masterfully breathes new life into Shakespeare’s classics Hamlet and Romeo & Juliet. In both minimalist productions the text has been stripped back without sacrificing character nuance or the potency of the stories. This is Shakespeare pared down to its essence and delivered with uncluttered precision. These productions will sell out - so book early.
This is just a taste of more treats to come. Inside a world of endless possibilities awaits…
Noel Jordan
Head of Performance for Young Audiences
Download the House:Ed 2009 brochure
View the youth and education program philosophical framework
Young Audiences Supporting Patron: The Greatorex Foundation
Arts Assist
Sydney Opera House’s Arts Assist program subsidises bus travel and House:Ed tickets for students who attend priority funded schools. Arts Assist is funded by the Clara Varga Foundation.
The Clara Varga Foundation is a living memory of a woman with a great passion for the arts, and commitment to education. Supporting Sydney Opera House’s Arts Assist program is Clara Varga’s legacy to provide the magic of live performance to young children who may never have had the opportunity to experience it.
For your school to take part, simply select a production and inform the operator when booking. More information is available by contacting Education Coordinator, Mia Bucholtz, on 02 9250 7770.
PLEASE NOTE: Funding will be allocated on a first come first served basis and is restricted to one experience per school. Book early to avoid disappointment.
“This is one of the most rewarding excursions that I have ever been involved with…For the majority of students this was their first crossing of the Harbour, their first time in the centre of Sydney and for all of them their first experience exploring and digesting the magic of the Opera House.” Teacher, Edgeworth Heights Public School
For further information about the Arts Assist Program please contact:
Mia Bucholtz
Education Coordinator
Telephone: +61 2 9250 7770 or
Email:
houseed@sydneyoperahouse.com
Please note: Funding will be allocated on a first come first served basis and is restricted to one experience per school. Book early to avoid disappointment.