Dreams of Benny by Sarah-Vyne Vassallo and collaborators
15 April 2024
In the Centre for Creativity
Workshops
An immersive movement-based, creative experience for people with disabilities by Sarah-Vyne Vassallo and Collaborators.
| Date | Time |
| Monday 15 April 2024 | 10am - 2pm |
| Ticket | Price |
| Standard | $45 |
$8.95 booking fee applies per transaction
Ticket price is for persons with disability and their support worker.
Prices correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Exact prices will be displayed with seat selection.
The only authorised ticket agency for this event is Sydney Opera House. For more information about Authorised Agencies, see the frequently asked questions below.
Sydney Opera House Insiders pre-sale
9am, Tuesday 23 January 2024
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What’s On e-newsletter on-sale
9am, Wednesday 24 January 2024
General Public tickets on-sale
9am, Friday 25 January 2024
This workshop will involve visual and auditory queues and a range of movements adaptable to any ability as well as the use of coloured lights, music and textured props.
Wheelchair accessible
Social Story
A social story provides information about what to expect when attending a venue or show. It has short descriptions with images. See the Centre for Creativity Social Story
For general information on accessibility, please contact the Sydney Opera House Access Team:
Email
accessibility@sydneyoperahouse.com
Find out more about accessibility at Sydney Opera House
Recommended for
People 16+ and adults with disability. The ticket includes a support worker or family member.
Things to know
Bring packed lunch, snacks and a water bottle.
Wear comfortable clothing with enclosed, lightweight shoes.
Run time
This event lasts 4 hours, including a 1 hour break.
Event duration is a guide only and may be subject to change.
Uplifting and joyful workshop
Benny is a seal that lives on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. He visits occasionally and perches regally, taking up all the space he wants, basking in the adoration of people taking photos. This immersive workshop created by professional artists with disability takes participants on an imaginative journey - through a series of experiences that explore Benny’s admirable qualities. Over three hours participants will move and collaborate, exploring a variety of materials and objects and finally come together to participate in one magical moment.
Whilst no experience is necessary, people who enjoy the following will thrive in this workshop:
- Moving and physicalising creative tasks
- Imaginative exploration
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Sensory activation
This workshop will involve visual and auditory queues and a range of movements adaptable to any ability as well as use of coloured lights and textured props.
Presented by Sydney Opera House
Meet the artists
Sarah-Vyne Vassallo
Director and Lead Artist
Sarah-Vyne is a recognized arts and cultural leader who lives with unseen disabilities. She was awarded the prestigious Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2014 and has previously served as the Artistic Director of Murmuration. Currently, she is the Associate Artist for DirtyFeet, a Teaching Artist at NAISDA, and a Resident Artist for Sydney Opera House's Children, Families, and Learning programs since 2017.
Sarah-Vyne has built a career spanning over two decades in the arts and entertainment sector. She has a diverse practice that encompasses dance, theatre, design, television, film, creative learning, and arts development. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with renowned organisations such as Sydney Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival, Museum of Contemporary Arts, Vivid Sydney, MilkCrate Theatre, Create NSW, Festival of Dangerous Minds, FORM Dance Projects, Bankstown Arts Centre, Art Gallery of NSW, Accessible Arts, Taste Creative, Disney, ABC, Foxtel, Channel 7, and SBS.
Sarah-Vyne is highly regarded as a passionate and well-loved artist with a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise.
Emily Dash
Writer and Performer
Emily Dash is an emerging writer, actor, producer, and speaker who works across theatre and screen. Her acclaimed and wide ranging work emphasises social justice issues, community engagement, intersectionality, and expanding perceptions of disability.
Keila Terencio
Perfomer and puppeteer
Keila is a performance artist and arts facilitator, born and raised in Brazil, living with neurodiversity. In her practice she merges physical theatre and visual arts, exploring subjects related to culture, languages and diversity through aerial dance, puppetry and movement. Keila's works often incorporate objects, installations and audience participation, and have been programmed at a number of festivals and events across Australia and overseas. Currently she is engaged in creative projects with the Centre for Creativity at the Sydney Opera House, Erth Visual & Physical Inc. and Strings Attached Physical Theatre, as well as working as arts facilitator for a number of arts organisations running and supporting workshops for people living with disability and disadvantaged youth.
Suzy Dunne
Dancer and Access Assistant
Suzy is an inclusive theatre-maker, dancer, educator and artist support. She has extensive experience directing and facilitating workshops within diverse communities. Suzy has worked across a broad range of programs for various organisations including: Crossroad Arts, Bus Stop Films, Milk Crate Theatre, Beyond the Square (Riverside Theatres), RUCKUS, Murmuration, National Theatre of Parramatta, Maitree House, Blacktown Arts Centre, The Joan and FORM Dance Projects.
Chris Bunton
Performing Artist
Chris Bunton is an actor, gymnast and dancer who just happens to have Down Syndrome. Chris has a passion for dance and was a dancer in DirtyFeet’s program Out of the Studio and worked with choreographer Sarah-Vyne Vassallo in a new work ‘In Transit’. The work was presented a second time at STARE Festival at Riverside Theatres. Chris has acted in a few feature films, Down Under, Little Monsters, Kairos and Lone Wolf, and appeared in TV series. He has also appeared as himself on Attitude TV’s Keeping up With Chris (NZ TV), You Can’t Ask That (ABC) and The Sunday Project (TEN). Chris’ performance development started with 7 years at NIDA Drama Classes for People with a Disability. From there Chris graduated to the Ruckus Ensemble. Chris started gymnastics when he was 5. Chris is currently the national champion in Special Olympics for Men’s Artistic Gymnastics and has represented Australia three times. Chris is a qualified gymnastics coach and works at YMCA Penrith, also studying Film at AFTRS with Bus Stop Films.
Zoe Morgan
After completing a Bachelor's majoring in Dance and Performance and minoring in Music and Anthropology, Zoe Morgan carried a curiosity and passion for the creativity, freedom, inclusivity and healing, dance has to offer both its artists and viewers into her working life. Zoe is enthralled by dance’s ability to facilitate deeper connection, meaning and empowerment; with one’s self, others and the world around them, through both personal and shared movement explorations and expression. Zoe has been working for an inclusive contemporary dance organisation called DirtyFeet, since 2019 completing roles in artist support, facilitation, arts program and access management. Zoe undertook an audio description course in 2021 to broaden her inclusivity practice and is currently studying for a graduate certificate in Creative Therapies.
Other information
Venue information
Our foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
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.
Getting here
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 the Wilson Parking website for details.
Please check the Transport NSW website for the latest advice and information on travel. You can catch public transport (bus, train, ferry) to Circular Quay and enjoy a six minute walk to the Opera House.
Covid-safe information
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We’re committed to making your experience safe, comfortable and enjoyable, with a number of measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. We remind our audiences and visitors to please stay home if you feel unwell. If you need to discuss your ticketing or booking options, contact our Box Office team on 02 9250 7777.
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We have a number of safety measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. While face masks are no longer required, we ask all our patrons and visitors to practise good hygiene.
The Sydney Opera House no longer requires patrons to show that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Frequently asked questions
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. If you have already received your tickets, the venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Please take your seats as soon as you arrive.
If you are late, we will seat you as soon as we can and, where possible, in your allocated seat. However, to reduce movement in the venue as well as minimise disruption to the performance and other patrons, ticketholders may be seated in an allocated latecomer’s seat. Please be aware that some events have lock-out periods. In these cases, latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance. On occasions, this may not be until the interval, or at all where there is no interval.
Details of our right to refuse admission can be found in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Events.
In accordance with our venue security procedures, Opera House security will be scanning and checking bags under the Monumental Stairs, prior to entering the building. Bags will be scanned by an x-ray machine, and staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling your belongings, such as gloves. Cloaking facilities will be open 60 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 60 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. However it is strongly encouraged that you travel lightly to minimise contact and queuing. Any bags larger than an A4 piece of paper will need to be checked into the Cloak Room.
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.
Please contact Box Office on +61 2 9250 7777 as soon as possible to advise if you can no longer attend.
Foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
The venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances.
Please bring a credit or debit card for any on site purchases to enable contactless payment. You’re welcome to bring your own water bottle but no other food and drinks are permitted inside our venues.
The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at the Sydney Opera House is our top priority. In line with this commitment, the Opera House became a smoke-free site in January 2022. Read our Smoke-free Environment Policy.
Frequently asked questions
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.
Prior to the workshop, please notify us if you will need a chair for the session, so we can have those available. Please email accessibility@sydneyoperahouse.com to request a chair or notify our team of any additional needs you may have.
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.
Please contact Box Office on 9250 7777 as soon as possible to advise if you can no longer attend.
Food and beverages will not be allowed 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.
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.
The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at the Sydney Opera House is our top priority. In line with this commitment, the Opera House became a smoke-free site in January 2022. Read our Smoke-free Environment Policy.
The Opera House is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children that visit or engage with us. Read our Child Safety Policy.
The Opera House has also developed a Child-friendly Code of Conduct to engage with our youngest visitors.
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