A Little Bit of Blue puppet show and puppet making workshop

WHEN:

Puppet show: Thursday 6 and Friday 7 July: 10:30 am to 11:15 am

Workshops: Thursday 6 and Friday 7 July: 11:30 am – 12:30pm

COST:

Puppet show: $25 adult, $17 child, $80 family pass (2 adults, two children)

BOOKINGS:

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PUPPET MAKING WORKSHOP

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A Little Bit of Blue is an interactive detective show for families, told with puppetry. As well as helping to unravel a mystery, the audience will learn about the extraordinary habits of the Australian Satin Bowerbird, and why they are so fascinated by the colour blue.

The story begins with strange disappearances from Mrs Mavis Hooley’s home. Little things go missing clothes pegs; a teacup; a ball of wool. But then the thief takes it just one step too far. Mavis calls in a Detective to investigate. A stake out is required. In the dead of night, the Detective indeed finds something peculiar. The children’s role is to help him solve the case!

Runs: 40 minutes. Suggested Age Range: 3-10 years. Warnings: Coloured disco lighting effects

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW:

A Little Bit of Blue is an interactive environmental detective story, told with puppetry. As well as unravelling a mystery, it involves learning about the unique habits of an extraordinary Australian animal, the Satin Bowerbird, and their fascination for the colour blue. It is a fun frolicking mix of Detective Noir, slapstick, with some interesting facts thrown in.

Mavis’s world is turned upside-down by small disappearances. Something has gone missing and is nowhere to be found. Mrs Hooley has been looking everywhere. But it’s not just today. Every day a new thing seems to disappear. Little things. A $10 note. Clothes pegs. A ball of wool. It’s troubling at first, but the thief then takes it one step too far

­­Mavis calls in a Detective to investigate.  The Detective, Harry McGee, an adorable fool, makes a mess of the investigation, and the children love always being one step of ahead of him. They set a trap for the burglar. A stake out is required. In the dead of night, and the Detective indeed finds something peculiar…. The children’s role is to help him solve the case.

Jenny Ellis, a puppeteer of more than twenty years, weaves the whole mystery together, sometimes playing three characters at once. The young audience will gasp with surprise, sigh with the sadness, shout in outrage, cheer with triumph, and dance with joy as they follow the sneaky bowerbird on his journey to find love.

PRODUCER& PERFORMER INFORMATION

Little Wing Puppets specialise in original heart-warming puppet shows, full of big ideas and fun, all packed up and ready to travel to family audiences.  Through their performances and workshops, young people are invited to become part of the theatrical experience rather than being simply spectators. The company is committed to environmental education, weaving together stories about our unique natural heritage, in a way that is light-hearted and entertaining. Little Wing Puppets have performed to over 50,000 children and in numerous festivals, theatres and country halls in every state and territory of Australia, as well as overseas.

Cast & Crew:

Written by: Jenny Ellis & Anne Brooksbank. Performer: Jenny Ellis. Creative team: Directed by Jacob Williams and Clare Batholomew. Music: Kelly Ryall. Puppets and sets: Jenny Ellis & Jeremy Lavender

Jenny Ellis – Artistic Director, Performer, Designer, Maker

Jenny has been working with puppets for over 25 years. She has a Post-Graduate Diploma in Puppetry from the Victorian College of the Arts, a Bachelors degree in Social Ecology, and was a Researcher for the NSW Minister for Education. Jenny was mentored by master shadow puppeteer Richard Bradshaw and was awarded a major travel fellowship by the Mike Walsh Foundation. Jenny is a graduate of the Helikos School for International Theatre Creation, Italy and a recipient of The Australian Children’s Theatre Foundation commission. The Mermaid’s Daughter won the Melbourne Fringe Festival Award for The Best School Holiday Program 2008.

Anne Brooksbank – Co-writer

Anne Brooksbank has written a number of scripts for children and has won two AWGIE Awards for children’s screenwriting. In 1985 her film, On Loan won a Media Peace Award, and she subsequently adapted the script into a novel which was reprinted eleven times by Penguin. Her book Mother’s Day was listed as Highly Recommended in the Family Therapists’ Association Awards in 2006. Sir Katherine was listed as a Notable Australian Book in the Children’s Council Book Awards in 2008. Father’s Day was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards for Children’s Literature in 2012.

Jacob Williams – Puppetry Director

Jacob is one of Australia’s premier puppeteers and puppetry director and the co-artistic director of Lemony S Puppet Theatre. In 2018 Jacob preformed on Broadway as the Head of Puppetry in the Tony award winning King Kong, Alive on Broadway and won both the Chita Rivera and Outer Critics Circle awards in New York and both a Helpman and Green Room award for the 2015 Melbourne production. Also in 2021 Jacob was puppetry director on the stage adaption of the ABC’s hit show ‘Bluey’s Big Play’ Jacob is currently filming the TV series ‘Beep & Mort’ for ABC Kids.

Clare Batholomew – Performance Director

Clare Bartholomew is a performer, writer and director. She teaches clown master classes and performance independently and for; Circus Oz – most recently for their Indigenous training program Blakrobatics, Victoria University, Clown Doctors Australia, The Tasmanian Circus Festival, Slipstream Circus, Westside Circus, Performing Older Women’s Circus (POW) and The Women’s Circus. Performance works include; her solo show – One Man’s Business (Foreign Exchange Award, Moosehead Comedy Award, Green Room Award nomination),The Business…as usual (Best Comedy – Melb Fringe), The Concert (The British Council Oz Export Award, nominated for The Barry at MICF) and Big Business.

Kelly Ryall – Composer

Kelly is an award-winning composer, musician and sound designer for theatre, dance and film. Kelly is recognised internationally for creating immersive and multi-layered musical landscapes for the stage and screen. Kelly has won four Green Room Awards and a Melbourne International Arts Festival Award and been nominated for a Sydney Theatre Award and numerous Green Room Awards. His recent work includes HIDDEN SYDNEY directed by Lucas Jervies for Sydney Opera House; and Danielle Micich’s THE LAST SEASON with Force Majeure which will opened at Sydney Festival in 2021.

Jeremy Lavender – Workshop Facilitator, Maker, Photographer, Production Manager

Jeremy Lavender is a photographer, performer and puppet maker, and joined Little Wing Puppets in 2015. He has worked on all residencies and artistic developments with Little Wing since then. Jeremy co-developed and performed Trinket the Robot in 2017 and built puppets and sets for The Fish That Wanted To Fly, and is co-creator of the Steampunk Lyrebird Time Machine. Jeremy has documented and been production manager on Little Wing Puppets tours to Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and internationally.