MONKEY BAA THEATRE for Young People
Susanne Gervay is proud to be a Patron of Monkey Baa Theatre
together with Jackie French and Morris Gleitzman.
MONKEY BAA THEATRE for YOUNG PEOPLE ADAPTING OZ BOOKS for Australia and the World
Sweeping plains splashed with the occasional water hole, red dirt, dazzling white reflections in blaring sun and blue skies – it's the outback. The Monkeys are on the road traveling through dreamtime country, shanty opal mining digs and wild territory in their three ton truck loaded with the set of the play 'I Am Jack'. I've flown across the desert on a four seater Cessna into Lightning Ridge. I'm speaking at the author Q & A after each performance of 'I Am Jack' on the stage of the Ridge's Bowling Club.
Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People are touring 'I Am Jack' deep into the Outback engaging indigenous kids with the empowerment literacy can provide in their lives. George McCormick from Walgett Shire Council enthusiastically endorsed 'I Am Jack'. 'What a show…… The professionalism displayed by Tim McGarry (actor) and the crew was something rarely seen in these remote parts of the world … The performances in Walgett and Collarenebri saw the audiences approximately 90% of indigenous young people delight in the concept of "in your face" entertainment, in the promotion of awareness to social issues.'
This innovative theatre company is taking excellence in performance throughout Australia from major theatres in capital cities to regional and remote regions in every State. Their professional adaptations of Australian youth literature for the stage are a tribute to state-of-the-art technical expertise, design, stage craft, script development and performance.
 |
 |
 |
Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People resulted from a meeting in a Kings Cross coffee shop in 1997, when three actors Tim Garry, Sandra Eldridge and Eva Di Cesare flagged the idea. It led to their first adaptation in 1998 of Tim Winton's 'The Bugalugs Bum Thief'. Since then, Monkey Baa Theatre has adapted and toured ten books by major Australian authors including Morris Gleitzman, Gillian Rubinstein, Andrew Daddo, Michael Stephen King. Their outstanding adaptation of Jackie French's 'Hitler's Daughter' was awarded the Robert Helpmann Award for Best Presentation for Children in 2007. Monkey Baa's adaptation of Sonya Hartnett's 'Thursday's Child' commissioned by the Sydney Theatre Company had its world premiere at the Seymour Centre to standing ovations.
The award winning picture book 'Fox' written by Margaret Wild and illustrated by Ron Brooks was performed in 2010 in an exciting production that includesd the work of a choreographer, dancers, actors and a musician, with original music composed especially for 'Fox'. The theatrical tour of 'Fox' included performances at 46 venues nationally.
The adaptation of Duncan Ball's 'Emily Eyefinger' touring in 2011 was a run away success with its multi platform use of technology and theatre to create a hilarious performance.
Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People has reached well over 250,000 young Australians and has had its first play accepted in the USA – Jackie French's 'Hitler's Daughter'.
For full details of Monkey Baa Theatre's programmes log onto www.monkeybaa.com.au