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Scaredy Cat flying through the clouds wearing a red cape

Alien Invasion

With theatre artist Alison Bennett

School Holiday workshop

The Sydney Opera House has been visited by aliens! Join us on this interactive theatre play experience to find the left-behind alien.

In the Centre for Creativity | Sydney Opera House Presents | Kids & Families

Recommended for children aged 5 - 9

Which workshop time to choose?

Our Session between 9am and 12pm is suitable for kids aged 5-7 years old and the session between 1pm– 4pm is suitable for kids aged 7-9 years old.

Please note this workshop is for children only. Parents and carers will drop off and pick up their children promptly at the workshop start and end times from the Centre for Creativity. Following booking, parents/carers will receive a supervision consent form to complete and return to the Opera House Learning Team.

Autumn presale and onsale information

Pre-sale timings:

  • Insider Member Priority – Tuesday 31 January, 9am
  • What's on Priority sale – Wednesday 1 February, 9am

General public on sale Friday 3 February, 9am

Wednesday 12 April & Thursday 13 April 2023

Please note, the two sessions are tailored to specific age groups.

Wednesday 12 April & Thursday 13 April 2023

  • Morning session: 9am - 12pm - Children aged 5-7
  • Afternoon Session: 1pm - 4pm - Children aged 7-9 years

Standard tickets $50 per participant | $8.50 Booking Fee applies per transaction

 

Ticket Description & price
  All tickets
Standard $50

Creative Kids Voucher can be applied. The only authorised ticket agency for this event is Sydney Opera House. For more information about Authorised Agencies, see the FAQ below. 

Use your Creative Kids Voucher

Sydney Opera House is also registered as a Creative Kids provider. 

To use your Creative Kids Voucher for this workshop in conjunction with a performance, click here.

The duration of this event is approx. 3 hours

This event runs for 3 hours and includes a tea break. Parents and carers are required to pick up their children promptly at the end of their session.

What to bring

Please bring snacks and a refillable water bottle. Bring your imagination and get ready to go on an adventure across the Opera House to help find our lost Alien!

“Creativity is expressing our glorious inner worlds through whichever poetic form happens to float your boat.”

Alison Bennett

Can you find the baby alien that was left behind?

Join us for a day of imaginative theatre play where we explore how an alien landed upon the Sydney Opera House...

You might witness alien sightings, learn an alien language or even review some hilarious ‘alien security footage’, all in the search for our alien friend. Together, we will find the best ways to draw out our shy little aliens and return them to their alien families.

Children will join the Alien Rescue Team in a fun, interactive adventure that weaves its way throughout the Opera House. Keep your eye out though, the alien might be right behind you!

These 3-hour workshops are suitable for ages 5-9 (kids only).

Presented by Sydney Opera House

Meet the Artist

Alison Bennett

Alison Bennett is a clown, actor and performance maker. She has a particular interest in the use of comedy in storytelling and performs across multiple platforms. She is the artistic director of Hurrah Hurrah which creates cutting edge live performance and she teaches at many schools and institutions including NIDA and the Sydney Opera House.

Alison creates live works dedicated to finding the common threads within human existence. Her work is highly physical, visually engaging, experimental and focused on engaging the audience through joy and pathos. Alison is also interested in the integration of technology in live performance and the development of screen projects which focus on local stories.

Alison Bennett
A child and an adult at a brightly coloured kiosk with examples of characters made

The Dream Makers Kiosk | Free Creative Play

By Howard Matthew, students and parents of Lansvale Public School

12 - 22 Apr

These school holidays sees a very special event. It is a remount of one of our most successful Creative Play events; Dream Makers Kiosk.

The work involves a magnificent cart and an engrossing activity making small puppets made from a wooden clothes peg, wire for arms, a sticker made by the children of Lansvale Public school for the face and various other materials to dress their unique character. The puppet can then be photographed in a photo booth.

Located in the Western Foyers outside the Playhouse theatre.

Venue Information

The Centre for Creativity will adhere to a maximum capacity of 1 person per two square metres, in line with the current NSW Public Health Order. 

Our foyers will be open 60 minutes pre-show for Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars. Please remember to maintain physical distancing whilst consuming drinks in our foyers.

All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer consistent with COVID-safe rules.

Transport options

  • We encourage you to use private transport options to minimise crowding on public transport (in line with NSW Government advice). 
  • The Sydney Opera House Car Park, operated by Wilson Parking, is open and available to use. Wilson Parking offer discounted parking if you book ahead. Please see their website for details.
  • Please check the Transport NSW website for the latest advice and information on travel and COVID-19 safety measures. You can catch public transport (bus, train, ferry) to Circular Quay and enjoy a 6 min walk to the Opera House. 

Frequently Asked Questions - Workshops

Who is this workshop suited to?

 

Children aged 5 - 8 years.

Which workshop time to choose? Our Session between 9am and 12pm is suitable for kids aged  5-7 years old and the session between 1pm– 4pm is suitable for kids aged 7-9 years old

Please note this workshop is for children only. Parents and carers will drop off and pick up their children promptly at the workshop start and end times from the Centre for Creativity. Following booking, parents/carers will receive a supervision consent form to complete and return to the Opera House Learning Team.

Does my child need to wear a face mask?

Children under the age of 12 are not required to wear a face mask.

What should I wear on the day?

Please wear whatever you feel comfortable in!

Can I use my Creative Kids Voucher?

Yes! This workshop can be purchased with a Creative Kids Voucher. To redeem your Creative Kids Voucher for this offer, please click here.

 

What should I bring on the day?

Please bring snacks and a refillable water bottle. Bring your imagination and get ready to go on an adventure across the Opera House to help find our lost Alien!

Where is the installation/workshop located? 

The workshop is in our new Centre for Creativity at the end of the Western foyers, near the entrance to the Drama Theatre.

What if I am late for the installation/ workshop?

We will start promptly at the installation/workshop time, however if you are running late, please make your way to the Centre of Creativity where you can join the activity. 

Frequently Asked Questions - Performance & Venue

What time do I need to arrive before the event?

We advise that you arrive 15 minutes prior to the event. Ticket purchases and collection at our Box Office is discouraged and eTicket or postal delivery methods should be used, wherever possible. However, if you are collecting your tickets from the Box Office, we recommend doing this at least 60 minutes before the event starts.

I have access needs. How can the Opera House support me?

Please advise us upon booking if you have any particular learning or mobility needs for us to support

Are there change tables in the Centre for Creativity?

Change tables and Nappy bins are available in the Centre for Creativity, as well as the accessible public toilets in the below locations.

Western Foyers
Lower level of the Concourse
Main Box Office accessible toilets
Concert Hall Northern Foyer (both Male and Female)

Does my child need to wear a face mask?

Children under the age of 12 are not required to wear a face mask.

Will there be pram parking at kids performances?

All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to the foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres consistent with COVID-safe rules.

Where does this event/workshop/installation happen?

The workshop happens in our new Centre for Creativity at the end of the Western foyers, near the entrance to the Drama Theatre

Who are the authorised ticket sellers for this event? 

The authorised agency for this event is the Sydney Opera House.

Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered reliable. If you purchase tickets from a non-authorised agency such as Ticketmaster Resale, Viagogo, Ticketbis, eBay, Gumtree, Tickets Australia or any other unauthorised seller, you risk that these tickets are fake, void or have previously been cancelled. RESALE RESTRICTION APPLIES. For more details, please refer to our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events.

What if I can't come to the event?

Please contact Box Office on 9250 7777 as soon as possible to advise if you can no longer attend. If you can no longer attend because you are unwell, or have been in contact with someone displaying COVID-19 symptoms, the Opera House has introduced flexible ticketing options to help you, find out more information here.

Can my baby sit on my lap?

If you'd like to bring your baby to one of our activities that is not baby focused, your baby may sit on your lap during the activity. Please note unless this is a baby-specific activity there is minimum pram parking onsite. Your baby will require a babes-in-arms ticket as they contribute to our venue capacities.

Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times. Babies aged 0-2 years old at the time of a performance may be seated on an adult’s lap. Children 2 years and older will need to hold a standard ticket.

Will there be food and beverages available to be purchased in the venue?

Food and beverages will not be allowed in the Centre for Creativity unless specified in the event. Opera Bar, Opera Kitchen and Portside are also available to purchase food before your event. Please bring a credit or debit card for any on-site purchases to enable contactless payment.

Will there be bag checks, and is cloaking available?

All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to the foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer or as directed by Sydney Opera House staff, adhering to COVID-safe rules.

Can I smoke at the Opera House?

  • The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at the Sydney Opera House is our top priority. In line with this commitment, the Opera House will become a smoke-free site from Saturday 1 January 2022.
  • By becoming a smoke-free site, the Opera House seeks to reduce exposure to harmful second-hand smoke, as well as minimise the impact of smoking on the environment, including litter and pollution of the surrounding marine environment. 

Frequently asked questions – COVID-19 safety measures

What safety measures have you implemented?

Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of everyone on site, and we are closely following NSW Health guidelines and advice. The Sydney Opera House is registered as a COVID Safe business with the NSW Government. For detailed information about our COVID-19 safety measures and what’s required of you when visiting, please see our plan your visit page.

What am I required to do as an audience member?

Face masks are strongly recommended for all patrons while inside our theatres and foyers, including during the performance. Please bring your own mask.

As you move around the Opera House, practise physical distancing (1.5 metres whenever possible) and follow the guidance provided by our staff and signage.

Within venues, always take your allocated seat.

For detailed information about our COVID-19 safety measures and what’s required of you, please see our plan your visit page.

Do I need to be vaccinated to visit the Sydney Opera House?

The Sydney Opera House no longer requires patrons to show that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Am I required to wear a mask?

Face masks are strongly recommended for all patrons while inside our theatres and foyers, including during the performance. Please bring your own mask.

How are you managing contact tracing? 

Contact information is required when making a booking with us and upon arrival at the Opera House, as set out in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events and our Customer Privacy Statement.

As the ticket purchaser, you are responsible for recording the contact details of your guests. Contact information will only be used for the purposes of contact tracing, if required, and will be deleted at least 28 days after your event.

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