PROGRAM: Helena and the Journey of the Hello
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In partnership with... Campbell Town Childcare Association Devonport Entertainment Centre Out On A Limb Regional Arts Arts Deloraine Lighthouse Regional Arts Channel Regional Arts group Stanley Town Hall Committee Rotary Club of Scottsdale Palais Management Committee Project Queenstown Inc Great Oyster Bay Regional Arts Thanks Choc-A-Lolly, Kim Chappell and ABOUT Grassy Bottom Arts Branch, Mary Many thanks to our Tasmania Performs Tasmania Performs Anne Wadsworth, Kaye Barraclough touring Presenting Partners and and their many helpers. volunteers, we couldn’t do it without Tasmania Performs began in 2006 as • In Bicheno: The Bicheno Newsagency, you, and if we did…it wouldn’t be a state government performing arts The Bicheno Players, Mick Ciavareooa, nearly as much fun! initiative working in partnership with Sue Hindley, Noel Burnell from artists and regional communities to Glamorgan Spring Bay Council and • Out On A Limb Regional Arts and present excellent Tasmanian Cheeky the sparky! James and Trisha Parker performances across the state. • Great Oyster Bay Regional Arts, • Channel Regional Arts Group and David and Jenny Lathwell Jane Marris Tonight’s production of Helena and • Palais Management Committee, the Journey of the Hello is touring to 13 Plus our gratitude to the various Charles Zuber and David Sales communities from the 29 September businesses that have generously • Campbell Town Childcare Association, to 17 October, 2009. provided ticketing outlets across the Kirstie Anderson, Anna Lovitt, state and the various schools and Lorraine Green If you would like to discuss the possibility local newsletters that promoted • Arts Deloraine Annie Robinson, of hosting a fundraising performance the performances. Diana Tuleja and John Boxer for your organisation or wish to send • Stanley Town Hall Committee, feedback about the production, If you enjoyed the show and had a Circular Head Council and Caroline please contact: great night out...feel free to buy the Gillam Annette Downs at Tasmania Performs people above a drink, they’ve earned it! • Project Queenstown Inc, Megan [email protected] Crump and Travis Tiddy and thank Ph 03 6233 5935. Tasmania Performs also thanks Wendy you to the West Coast Council for Blacklock and the team at Performing supporting the event. We love to hear your feedback. Lines who manage the project, • Devonport Entertainment Centre, Tasmanian Regional Arts, Ten Days Debbie Kershaw and staff on the Island, Arts Tasmania and • Lighthouse Regional Arts, Lorraine arts@work for their ongoing support. Wootton, George Town Council, George Town Dry Cleaners, Tamar FM and all other businesses, groups and individuals who have assisted with promotion • Rotary Club of Scottsdale, Jan Hughes, Scottsdale DHS, Pamella Krushka, Grant Morrison and Roses Newsagents • In St Helens: John McCullum, Elaine Sullivan from Purple Possum Wholefoods, Carol Liefting from spent a week playing with mobile ABOUT ABOUT phones to see what we could do with Terrapin Puppet Theatre Helena and the them theatrically. It was a pure Journey of the Hello exploration of form. What we realised Terrapin is the Australian innovator very quickly was that mobile phones of puppetry-based visual theatre Helena Bugosi’s mum is always on were full of potential to make cracking embracing new technologies, creating the phone – because she lives in it! theatre. This was matched by Finegan contemporary storytelling, and Kruckemeyer’s instant response with touring and collaborating nationally Helena and the Journey of the Hello is fertile stories that made the whole and internationally. The company a kid’s picture book tale in a crossed artistic team very excited. The initial injects skills and programs into the line conversation with contemporary week was followed by a second week Tasmanian community, entertaining times. The old world charm of the of development where we merged a family audiences and supporting illustrated story is given a theatrical script Finegan had written with the and developing artists. twist as unexpected parts of the set work with the phones. The excitement and costumes open like pages in a book. and fervour only increased. Under Artistic Director Frank Newman, As the audience sits inside the fantasy the company is exploring digital puppetry, world of Helena Bugosi, children and Helena’s journey then made it to a which uses new technologies and adults alike are amazed at what is full-blown script and into the rehearsal cross platform practice to continually possible with a mobile phone, a coat room and then opened in Hobart in challenge and redefine puppetry as a and an old iron bed as they are taken October 2008. With the help of visual theatre form. Terrapin creates on the Journey of the Hello. Tasmania Performs we have, since new works through research and then, had the opportunity to rework developmental processes that are Showcasing Terrapin’s exploration into and refine the script, so that the show designed specifically for each work. the world of digital puppetry, Helena you are seeing tonight has been Whilst Terrapin reaches to the future and the Journey of the Hello is narrated improved from the premiere season. in its exploration of form and story by three mischievous animals that telling styles, it does so with its feet could be straight out of the midsummer While the story of Helena is the most firmly grounded in the age-old craft of night forest. They croon and wail in a important aspect of this performance, puppetry and theatre’s rich traditions. waltz playing band; they fumble with there is another element of this journey Terrapin’s productions engage all age puppets and fiddle with phones, weaving that is fundamental to Terrapin’s broader groups and are designed to tour. the audience through a thicket of stories work over the upcoming years. This is about Helena and her mother who lives an exploration of what we are calling in a phone! digital puppetry. Distilled down to its most fundamental, A note from the Director digital puppetry is the animation of Helena and the Journey of the Hello characters and the theatrical space underwent a thorough and joyful using digital technologies. Digital process of coming into being. It started puppetry uses digital technologies in May 2008 when the artistic team to create characters in the same way wood or foam is sculpted to carve Helena Creative Team Terrapin Board of Management puppets or fabrics are used to make Co-designed and Directed by: Stephen Wicks (Chair) costumes. They are materials for the Frank Newman Ian Nelson (Vice Chair) artist to use to fashion the images Cate Fowler of their imagination, and to serve the Writer: Esther Pither telling of the story. Finegan Kruckemeyer Vanessa Stevenson Performed by: Helena and the Journey of the Hello Ryk Goddard, Mel King and explores mobile phones, using them to Sam McMahon Terrapin Contact Details create characters through use of the 77 Salamanca Place Production Designer: video, sound and LCD screen functions. Hobart, TAS 7004 Kate Davis It is not a show about mobiles, but a Ph 03 6223 6834 show that has come out of using Music: Fx 03 6223 6399 mobiles as a starting point for a Mikelangelo and Fred Showell Em [email protected] theatrical exploration. As a director Puppet Designer: Web www.terrapin.org.au I am interested in working with Greg Methé technology only if it creates strong Lighting Designer: Terrapin Government Partners and engaging theatre. The technology Danny Pettingill Terrapin Puppet Theatre Ltd is assisted must enhance what is at the core of by the Australian Government through theatre; the connection between the Original Artwork by: the Australia Council, its arts funding audience and the performance. When Tim Schultz and advisory body, and through Arts this connection is live and kicking then Tasmania by the Minister for Tourism the whole theatre is alive. Helena and Tasmania Performs and the Arts. the Journey of the Hello uses digital Touring Team puppetry, amongst many other Producer: traditional theatrical techniques, in a Annette Downs way that serves the telling of a strange and alluring story, which we sincerely Pre-production: hope you enjoy. Jen Cramer Tour Manager: Helena is theatre for the whole family Caleb Doherty (recommended for 5 years+). Stage Manager, Lx and Sound Operator: Rueben Hopkins Crew: Cody Mayne Terrapin Corporate Partners Graphic Design: Terrapin Puppet Theatre gratefully Shannon Challis acknowledges the following organisations for their support. Web Development: Glenn Jeffrey Terrapin Puppet Theatre Team Artistic Director: Frank Newman General Manager: Kevin O’Loghlin Administration Assistant: Sarah Briggs Poster Photo Credit: Peter Mathew BIOGRAPHIES Frank Newman Frank Newman (Director) is a director, performer and community development worker. He has worked on a range of projects such as producing and directing theatre shows, youth festivals and has establishing new theatre companies. He has directed, produced, performed and trained in theatre for over 10 years and was awarded a Bachelor of Creative Arts from Wollongong University. In 2006 he was assistant-director of the critically acclaimed Honour Bound, presented at the Sydney Opera House. Most recently he was the Co-Artistic Director of Newtown Theatre, Artistic Director of Ashfield Youth Theatre and tutor at the University of Western Sydney. Frank was appointed Artistic Director of Terrapin in 2007 and has directed four shows for the company. Finegan Kruckemeyer Finegan Kruckemeyer (Writer) has had 35 of his commissioned plays performed around Australia, North America, Asia and Europe, with 19 new works set to have (inter)national seasons to 2011. This year, he writes commissioned works in England, Ireland, China, Hobart, Sydney and Adelaide. In 2009, The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy (Slingsby) won the 2009 Australian Writers’ Guild (AWGIE) Award for Best Children’s Play in Australia, and toured to Scotland, USA, Spain, Singapore, England and Sydney, and will have further multiple international seasons (including a Broadway season) and is currently being turned into a feature film.