YOU ARE INVITED!

"Big Red Bus" Performance

What an amazing experience! I can safely say that both the children from the ELC and the Futures group had a lot of fun performing in the Rosina! We all were very nervous as we had a big audience.

We Did it!

After 14 weeks of workshops, the Wattles’ long collaboration with the Bright Young Futures group at Interact’s Arts Education at the Convent, came to fruition with a memorable performance of THE BIG RED BUS last Thursday 11th June.

The children and young adults played their roles beautifully and it was joyous to see the two groups work so well together. The performance was a great testament to team work, with everybody playing their part and the whole felt a true bonding experience!

Together we boarded the bus and journeyed to different lands where we encountered dinosaurs, birds and butterflies and fairies. At first we wanted to keep our bus to ourselves, but we learnt to overcome our suspicions and accept them on the bus to travel with us to the land of dreams and to carry their special eggs. In the land of dreams we learnt that their eggs delivered special messages about peace and friendship!

I’d like to say huge well done to everyone who worked so hard to bring it all together in a rush at the end (I don’t think we anticipated the scale of the whole event would grow so large!). So a big pat on the back to Leonie, Cherie, Liam, Jo, Jade, Jane, Natalie, the 'team leaders' Jan and Kara and everyone else from Interact and the ELC who supported so well. And of course, the biggest thanks to all the Futures Gang, Renato - brilliant music, Simon, great egg collecting,Michelle, great bus driving, Camilla, keeping the dinosaur in order, Toby, great messages of peace, Ryan, great filming, James, a great showman, Megan, a star, Chiara, a cool dude... have I forgotten anyone?... and the Wattle children, a vision in red as they rode that bus!

Oh and thanks to Michael for filming the day - can't wait for the DVD to be finished... and the book!

Victoria

Week 12 - The Rehearsal

Today was a day where we all needed to put our listening hats on. With only two weeks to go before the show there was a lot to get through.

Our song is strong, and our voices are getting louder. Today we were learning the script, and the students had a lot to remember.

Everyone needed to give themselves a big pat on the back for a good job despite the unnerving unknowing... but as of today we have our script, and everyone has a role to play.

The show is coming together in a big way and we're almost there, well done everyone!

Week 11 - On the move

Today was splendid as we learnt our song with signing actions, and rehearsed our show.

The puppets have only a few finishing touches. The Kinder children arrived at the Refectory humming ‘We all travel on a Big Red Bus’ and Wow! There was the bus standing ready for us to get on! The Futures gang have done a great job getting it almost finished…

We gathered in our circle and practiced our song – we’ve put actions to it to help us remember it. Then we rehearsed the different scenes - lots of problem solving and decisions to make, but we're getting there.

Two weeks to go before show day - Hoping for fine weather as we are planning an outdoor performance, weather allowing!

You Are Invited!

Week 10: The Big Red Bus

We're all travelling on a big red bus! Today we locked in a place to perform our show (fingers crossed for good weather!). Toby suggested a nice way to jump from one part of the show to the next, by closing our eyes and stepping into our imaginations. We discussed and practised soundscapes for each of the places we will visit on our journey... and we have nearly finished our dinosaur!

The students from Arts Education helped paint the inside of our bus during the week. In the theme of the forest to suit all our lands or places that we are going to visit.
Our first attempt to move the bus means we need to make a few alterations on the cardboard to get it working without falling apart...

The children tried out their hand puppets on the bus. Afterwards the dinasoaur group got together and attached sticky parts to the body of our HUGE dinosaur. It is beginning to look seriously scary...

Those puppets can be a bit cheeky now and then... but Camilla doesn't mind!

"We all travel on a Big Red Bus, a Big Red Bus, a Big Red Bus...." (To the tune of the Beatles' 'Yellow Submarine'!)

Look out for the invitations to our show, coming soon...