Enjoy entertaining, inclusive and culturally diverse performances for families at Arts Centre Melbourne this winter and spring!
Families are invited to experience an array of engaging and ambitious theatrical adventures and interactive experiences from Australia and beyond as part of Arts Centre Melbourne’s 2019 Winter/Spring Families program from June – November 2019. This season presents entertaining, inclusive and culturally diverse works spanning dance, music, puppetry and theatre. Young people and their families can enjoy an interstellar adventure designed for children with disabilities, an international dance work inspired by a computer game, an intercultural b*boy battle, hip hop fairy-tale, graphic novel brought to life, quirky puppetry and an indigenous history lesson with a twist.
“This season offers a multitude of high energy, radical and ambitious works for young people that represent the diverse communities of Australia,” says Arts Centre Melbourne Creative Producer, Families and Children, Mary Harvey.
“At Arts Centre Melbourne we love to provide children the opportunity to have time and space to engage in performance and experience first-hand the thought provoking and transformative power of the arts.”
In June, WA’s Sensorium Theatre will present the intergalactic adventure Whoosh! (29 June), an immersive and highly-tailored multi-sensory performance suitable for all children, including those with multiple and complex needs and those on the autism spectrum.
During the winter school holidays, little ones aged 2-7 are invited to experience Beep (9-13 July), a heart-warming robot tale from Windmill Theatre Company. The work, from the makers of Grug and Grug and the Rainbow, features gentle story-telling, music and puppetry. For older children and young adults there will be a chance to experience a story told through dance, born from a meeting of cultures, when Nick Power’s Between Tiny Cities រវាងទីក្រុងតូច (10-13 July) is performed in Arts Centre Melbourne’s State Theatre Rehearsal Room. Budding hip-hop fans can get up close to a high energy b*boy battle in the tale of cultural ownership told through the language of dance.
Musical theatre is explored throughout the season, engaging young audiences in important conversations. Shaun Tan’s award-winning book The Red Tree (3-4 August) will be brought to life on stage in a unique musical theatre performance that tackles a young girl’s journey from fear towards hope. Then performer Candy Bowers will wow audiences in One the Bear (8-10 August), a fairy-tale for the hip-hop generation, jam-packed with infectious beats, endless rhymes and humour.
From hilarious to heart-warming, ingenious works of puppetry are presented throughout the season. Indigenous history is explored through Nathan Maynard’s new work, A Not So Traditional Story (7-8 September) a hilarious and unique tale of adventure highlighting the importance of culture, identity and friendship. Dead Puppet Society bring the hyper-coloured world of Tim Sharp’s Laser Beak Man (19-21 September) to life. Nominated for four Helpmann Awards, it features live music from Sam Cromack of Ball Park Music.
In spring school holidays, children who love to move and shake will be given the chance to jump into TETRIS (25-28 September), a colourful, participatory work by renowned dance company Arch 8 from the Netherlands. This will be followed by a stage adaptation of the much-loved book Spot (13-17 November), Eric Hill’s beloved puppy who is on a new adventure to visit his Dad on the farm and meet farm animals.
Throughout the year children also have a chance to unleash their creative side with interactive workshops at The Channel, Arts Centre Melbourne’s high-tech learning lab. Located in iconic Hamer Hall, The Channel is Arts Centre Melbourne’s state-of-the-art workshop and performance space, where people of all ages can share creative, hands-on experiences. Designed for children and their families, these workshops give participants the chance to create, mix and record their own music, create vivid posters, learn a new magic trick or try their hand at puppeteering. This year, Arts Centre Melbourne is partnering with St Martins Youth Arts Centre to offer two inclusive, adaptable and open workshops.
Arts Centre Melbourne’s year-round Families Program was launched in August 2009 and has grown in reputation to become a highly respected program nationally and internationally. Featuring intimate and large-scale theatre from some of the world’s most respected companies and a diverse range of interactive workshops, the program is robust and growing in size, scale and scope.
Watch a short video of the full program here
Arts Centre Melbourne presents
Families Winter/Spring 2019 program
Bookings: artscentremelbourne.com.au or Arts Centre Melbourne Box Office 1300 182 183
#acmfamilies
Families Winter/Spring 2019 program
Arts Centre Melbourne and Performing Lines WA present
Whoosh!
By Sensorium Theatre
Sensorium Theatre takes audiences on tour to outer space where they can taste space food, experience hyperspace and travel to the mysterious Planet X. Whoosh! is an immersive and highly-tailored, multi-sensory performance suitable for all children, including those with a broad range of access requirements, multiple and complex needs and those on the autism spectrum.
29 June
10am & 12pm
10am performance is recommended for children with autism
12pm performance is recommended for children with profound and multiple disabilities
Arts Centre Melbourne, The Pavilion
Recommended for ages 5+
Access: Relaxed Performance, Immersive Experience, Highly Visual, Wheelchair Access
Arts Centre Melbourne presents a Windmill Theatre Company Production
Beep
From the makers of Grug and Grug and the Rainbow, comes a slightly sideways tale about unexpected friendship, finding where you fit and learning to mix it up a little. In Mort’s Village everything has its place, every day is the same and everyone likes it that way. Until one morning, crash, boom, bang… down comes Beep! With Windmill Theatre Company’s trademark design, gentle storytelling, music and puppetry, Beep tells the heart-warming story of what happens when someone new comes to town.
9 – 13 July
9, 11 & 12: 10am, 12.30pm
10 & 13: 10am, 12pm, 3pm
Auslan Interpreted Performance: Saturday 13 July, 10am
Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio
Recommended for ages 2 -7
Access: Wheelchair Access, Assisted Hearing, Auslan Interpreted Performance
Arts Centre Melbourne and Asia TOPA present
Between Tiny Cities រវាងទីក្រុងតូច
By Nick Power
A story told by dance, born from a meeting of cultures. Between Tiny Cities រវាងទីក្រុងតូច, sees one b*boy from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and another from Darwin, Australia, use the language, style and culture of hip-hop to reveal the dramatically different worlds they come from. They carve a journey to uncover the links that unite them through dance. This performance invites audiences to the edge of the circle, to witness the raw, untamed energy of b*boy battles with expert improvisation and choreography, offering a cross cultural perspective on community, culture and locality.
10 – 13 July
10, 11, 12: 6pm
13: 5pm, 7pm
Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre Rehearsal Room
Recommended for ages 8+
Access: Wheelchair Access, Highly Visual, Assisted Hearing
Arts Centre Melbourne and National Theatre of Paramatta present
The Red Tree
Based on the book by Shaun Tan
Based on the beloved book by Shaun Tan, The Red Tree is a spectacular new work of musical theatre. Audiences are invited on an extraordinary journey to a world of imagination, where origami boats embark on an ocean voyage, giant fish host musical interludes and parades pass by. This is the story of a young girl who does not want to get out of bed. An exciting world is waiting outside the four walls of her room, but will she ever be able to conquer her fears and anxieties to explore it?
3 – 4 August
3: 11am, 2pm & 6pm
4: 11am & 2pm
Relaxed performance: Saturday 3 August, 2pm
Auslan Interpreted performance: Sunday 4 August, 11am
Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio
Recommended for ages 7+
Access: Relaxed Performance, Wheelchair Access, Assisted Hearing, Auslan Interpreted Performance,
Arts Centre Melbourne and Black Honey Company present
One the Bear
Written and composed by Candy B and Kim Busty Beatz Bowers
A fairy tale for the hip-hop generation, One the Bear is the story of a young bear who wants more for her tribe. Set in a tip, where the garbage sparkles in the broken streetlights, One and her best friend, Ursula, get up to mischief. But what happens when One is given the opportunity to speak for her community? What happens when fame knocks at the door? Written wholly in rhyme with infectious beats and humour, their stunning dystopic world is guaranteed to burst audience’s senses and expand their minds.
8 – 10 August
8 & 9: 7.30pm
10: 10.30am, 2pm, 6pm
Auslan Interpreted Performance: Saturday 10 August, 10.30am
Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio
Recommended for ages 11+
Access: Wheelchair Access, Assisted Hearing, Auslan Interpreted Performance
Arts Centre Melbourne and Terrapin present
A Not So Traditional Story
By Nathan Maynard
A Not So Traditional Story is a story with a little bit of truth and a little bit of make believe. Once upon a time two kids, Wurangkili, (who is keen on adventure) and Timita, (who takes a bit of convincing), are crashed upon by an Alien from a faraway land. They embark on an epic quest across the island of Lutrawita in search of the ‘oldest of oldest elders’, meeting up with some hilarious and unique friends along the way. The beautiful and funny production uses masks, shadow puppetry and physical theatre to tell an important story of culture, identity, bravery and friendship.
7 – 8 September
7: 11am, 2pm & 4pm
8: 11am & 2pm
Auslan Interpreted Performance: Saturday 7 September, 2pm
Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio
Recommended for ages 5+
Access: Auslan Interpreted Performance, Wheelchair Access, Assisted Hearing
Arts Centre Melbourne and Australian Music Vault present
Laser Beak Man
By David Morton, Nicholas Paine & Tim Sharp
With music by Sam Cromack (Ball Park Music)
Jam packed with the trademark wit and visual puns of artist Tim Sharp, the hyper coloured world of Laser Beak Man is brought to life by the creative minds of Dead Puppet Society. Featuring an infectious soundtrack of live music by Sam Cromack of Ball Park Music this ingenious adaptation is part puppet show, part pop concert, and all heart. Power City is the most perfect city in the world; but not by accident. Local hero Laser Beak Man works hard to keep it that way. When robbed of his super powers, can Laser Beak Man find a way to stop his oldest nemesis from destroying the city?
19 – 21 September
19 & 20: 7pm
21: 1pm, 7pm
Auslan Interpreted Performance: Friday 20 September, 7pm
Relaxed Performance: Saturday 21 September, 1pm
Captioned Performance: Saturday 21 September, 7pm
Audio Described Performance: Saturday 21 September, 7pm
Tactile Tour (booking required): Saturday 21 September, 5.30pm
Recommended for ages 8+
Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse
Access: Relaxed Performance, Auslan Interpreted Performance, Wheelchair Access, Assisted Hearing, Captioned Performance, Audio Described Performance and Tactile Tour
Arts Centre Melbourne present
Stories in the Wall
Before or after seeing a show, audiences are invited to pop on a pair of headphones and get lost in a world of characters and stories created by the playwrights of tomorrow. Discover original audio stories written and recorded by primary students from across Victoria, inspired by Tim Sharp’s Laser Beak Man.
17 September – 6 October
Arts Centre Melbourne, Smorgon Family Plaza
Arts Centre Melbourne and Arch 8 present
TETRIS
Witness four performers intertwine and connect to bring this classic video game to life. This unique dance work uses the strength, agility and acrobatic skill to mimic and reimagine moves from not only the cross generational game ‘Tetris’ but also ‘Twister’ and the all-time favourite ‘Rubik’s Cube’. Watch as this highly skilled acrobatic quartet navigate not only the stage but each other, twisting and interlocking to communicate with and create new meanings for their bodies. Designed to get people involved, this participatory work invites the audience on stage to imitate the troupe and create moves of their own.
25 – 28 September
25, 27 & 28: 11am
26: 11am, 2pm
Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio
ALL AGES
Access: Immersive Experience, Wheelchair Access, Highly Visual Performance, Assisted Hearing
Arts Centre Melbourne presents a CDP Kids & Salspot Production
Spot
Based on the books by Eric Hill
Eric Hill’s beloved puppy jumps out of the storybook and onto the stage with puppetry, songs, and puzzles. Spot and his friends are off on a new adventure to visit his Dad on the farm and meet the farm animals. But when they arrive, all the animals are lost. Can Spot and his friends find them all? They might need a little help from their new friends in the audience. The perfect first theatre experience for children aged 3 and up.
13 – 17 November
13 & 15: 10am
14: 10am & 3pm
16: 10am, 12pm & 3pm
17: 10am, 12pm
Auslan Interpreted Performance: 15 November, 10am
Relaxed Performance: 16 November, 12pm
Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse
Recommended for children ages 3+
Access: Relaxed performance, Auslan Interpreted Performance, Wheelchair Access, Assisted Hearing
CREATIVE WORKSHOPS
Arts Centre Melbourne presents Lee Cohen’s
The Magic Workshop
Discover the art of magic! Step behind the velvet curtain and uncover the mysteries of magic with The Magic Workshop. Once children have sworn the magician’s oath, they will be let into a world of secrets and mind-boggling twists and turns! Participants will receive a bag of tricks to take home to amaze family and friends.
3 July: 11am, 2pm
23 September: 11am, 2pm
Arts Centre Melbourne, The Channel
Recommended for ages 10 – 12
*Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Accompanying adult free.
Access: Wheelchair Access
Arts Centre Melbourne presents
Puppetmasters Workshop
This workshop dives deep into the magical world of puppetry. Led by an experience puppeteer, participants will learn how to operate a puppet using the Bunraku technique. Bunraku is a Japanese traditional puppet theatre in which three puppeteers work together to bring a puppet to life! In this workshop participants will have the opportunity to use professional Bunraku puppets, and work on a prototype of their own.
4 July & 4 September
10am
Arts Centre Melbourne, The Channel
Recommended for ages 8 – 12
*Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Accompanying adult free.
Access: Wheelchair Access
Arts Centre Melbourne presents
Instant Rockstar
Instant Rockstar workshops let participants be the star! First, they compose their own piece of music using Arts Centre Melbourne’s library of thousands of sound samples. With so much to choose from, whether its dubstep, jazz or rock you’re into, they’ve got it covered. The team will then use the participant’s song to create their own music video!
4 & 12 July, 17 August, 23 & 30 September, 3 October, 9 November & 14 December
10.30am
Arts Centre Melbourne, The Channel
Recommended for ages 8 – 12*
*Children must be accompanied by an adult. Accompanying adult free.
Access: Wheelchair Access
Arts Centre Melbourne presents
City Beats
A masterclass in audio production and beat making with artist producer Benji Miu that will inspire children to think outside the box, and experiment with sounds in ways that will blow their mind. Participants will learn how to take field recordings of city sounds, then turn those sounds into a musical instrument to use in a song or soundscape using the software Ableton Live.
8 July & 26 September
10am
Arts Centre Melbourne, The Channel
Recommended for ages 14 – 18*
*Children must be accompanied by an adult. Accompanying adult free
Access: Wheelchair Access
Arts Centre Melbourne and St Martins present
Journeys, Mischief and Monsters
In this engaging workshop children will bring their imagination to life through maps, artefacts, costumes and characters. Combining creative play and visual art, the group will invent their own story of sailing the seas to far off places with their family members.
10 July
10am
Arts Centre Melbourne, The Channel
Recommended for ages 5 – 8*
*Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Accompanying adult free.
Access: Wheelchair Access
Arts Centre Melbourne and Australian Music Vault present
Poster Design
In this workshop participants explore the vibrant, energetic and memorable posters on display in the Australian Music Vault exhibition, before creating their own. They learn some simple ways to create kaleidoscopic digital images using photographs or those from an online collection. Participants then use Photoshop and Illustrator software to combine your image with text in the style of a band poster, ready to hang on their bedroom wall.
12 July & October 2
10am
Arts Centre Melbourne, The Channel
Recommended for ages 10 – 16*
*Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Accompanying adult free.
Access: Wheelchair Access
Arts Centre Melbourne and St Martins present
New Paper World
Take the old daily news and make a magical new world out of it! Using recycled newspapers participants will design a maze of spaces, objects and wearable items. We will invent stories and characters to populate our New Paper World. Step into our immersive paper fantasia for a guided show and tell.
25 September
10am
Arts Centre Melbourne, The Channel
Recommended for ages 5 – 8
*Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Accompanying adult free
Access: Wheelchair Access
Arts Centre Melbourne and Australian Music Vault present
Songlab
In this five-day course, budding songwriters will refine their craft working with experienced songwriters at The Channel. Starting with song writing basics, this course takes participants through building a track all the way from idea to demo. At the end of the course participants will be able to record their own track in The Channel studio and take it with them to continue their path as a songwriter!
23 – 27 September
10am
Arts Centre Melbourne, The Channel
Recommended for ages 14 – 18
Access: Wheelchair Access
Arts Centre Melbourne presents
Sound Beginnings
This music therapy program brings children who have delayed development or disabilities together with their families to create and share music. Held over six sessions in small groups, the program is run by Registered Music Therapists and is tailored to suit individual needs.
Tuesday 7 May – Tuesday 11 June
7 May – 11 June
Every Thursday for six weeks
10.15am and 11.30am
Arts Centre Melbourne, The Channel
Recommended for ages 3 – 5
For bookings and info call 9281 8790 or email amp@artscentremelbourne.com.au
