A fabulous end of term workshop performance took place at The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre on 2 April, as part of the Accessible Arts Open Program. The Open Program is a skills development workshop series that will aim to operate out of all major arts centres across Western Sydney. The Open Program currently exists at the Hawkesbury Regional Gallery and the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Penrith.
The latest workshop series to take place was in Shadow Puppetry at The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre with local puppeteer Stephen Carr. Stephen and the participants from two services in the region, AFFORD Windsor & NADO (Lawson), spent the first 4 weeks constructing the puppets and the following 4 weeks rehearsing the show, which was based on two fables taken from Pacific Island folklore.
Accessible Arts Creative Program Coordinator, Alison Richardson, attended the performance and said, “It was great to see how everyone could be involved in the performance by either manipulating and/ or being the voice for the puppet. And really great for those that are a little shy as they are behind a screen, so no one need know who they are but they are still involved.”
For more information on the Open Program contact Alison Richardson on tel: (02) 9251 6499 (ext 112) or arichardson@aarts.net.au.
