Riverside launches 2012 Education Program

Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres this year present a selection of dance, drama, workshops, talks and play readings that are designed specially to encourage students to participate in theatre in all its different forms. The 2012 performances will both compliment primary and secondary school syllabi and inspire in students imagination and discovery.

For Secondary School Students:

Five productions have been chosen to represent a particular field of study: art and Aboringal studies with Namatjira; Australian society, social history and migrant experience with Angela’s Kitchen; mental health in Goodbye Jamie Boyd; playground conflict in The Yard; and the dangers of chat rooms in I Love You Bro. Each production is linked to curriculum requirements and supported by teacher notes.

Riverside Productions will also introduce a rehearshed reading of Parramatta Girls which will be followed by a discussion designed to further examine a key area of HSC study: Verbatim theatre. The play by Alana Valentine is four years in the making and is a dramatisation of interviews with a number of women who served time in Australia’s most notorious girls detention centre.

For Primary School Students:

Riverside Theatres has a created a program of rich visual experiences designed to inspire self-expression and imagination. The Bugalugs Bum Thief, based on the popular Tim Winton book, is a funny and action-packed adventure story. The second offering, Bunyip, was developed in consultation with five different Aboriginal communities. Through puppetry and performance, audiences will be introduced to creatures from Indigenous folklore.

In addition to the programs, Riverside Theatres will also offer workshops on playwriting, choregraphy and dance, lighting, Verbatim theatre, and acting (in conjuction with NIDA). Riverside will also team with Sydney Writer’s Festival to create opportunities for students to engage with authors, texts, and the world of literature.

For program dates and information, visit www.riversideparramatta.com.au/education