Monkey Baa Theatre specialise in creating inspiring, award-winning theatre for young audiences, creating productions which present a multifaceted reflection of the world. The launch of their upcoming 2017 program was met with enthusiasm and high expectations.
The audience was afforded a glimpse into the nine performances, which will make up the 2017 season, each one more magical than the next. In particular, Where the Streets had a Name, which tells the story of a girl who believes if she can collect a jar of dirt from where her Grandmother was born and return it to her, then she will get better. Through developing the play, Monkey Baa has engaged with young people, educators, artists and Australian-Palestinian community representatives, connecting with communities who have experienced a similar journey as those of the family depicted. Adapted from Randa Abdel-Fattah’s novel, Where the Streets had a Name looks to be a moving and inspiring story of family and the ties that bind.
Described as the jewel in their 2017 program crown, Diary of a Wombat, adapted from the Jackie French book, with illustrations by Bruce Whatley, presents the story of a wombat, Mothball, the naughtiest wombat in Australia. Incredible work has been done to bring this multi-award winning book to the stage and we were afforded a sneak peek of the exceptional puppetry as Mothball took to the stage. The production will embark on a nation-wide tour around Australia from March to November, this fifty-nine venue tour is a first for Monkey Baa and was met with overwhelming excitement.
Special guest speaker Bruce Whatley presented an entertaining and humorous insight into his process and how he creates his amazing illustrations. He discussed the creation of Mothball and working with author Jackie French, describing how amazing it is to see a character you created literally come to life before your eyes.
Overall, 2017 is set to be one hell of a season for Monkey Baa, with an ambitious line-up of meaningful and moving theatre that will be guaranteed to inspire a new generation of young people.
2017 Season line-up
Swamp Juice (January 17 – 21)
Diary of a Wombat (April 18 – 24)
Oddysea (May 6)
Thai-Riffic! (July 4 – 8)
Neighbourhood Watch ( July 19 – 24)
Grug and the Rainbow (September 9)
The Arrival (September 12 – 14)
Where the Streets had a Name (September)
The Bockety World of Henry & Bucket (September 25 – 30)
For more information and to book head to the Monkey Baa Theatre website.
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