AustLit

'Josephine is a kangaroo – who loves to dance. Her little brother, Joey, tells her that kangaroos don’t dance, they hop – but Josephine continues to point her toes and leap through the air.

'When a ballet troupe comes to the sleepy town of Shaggy Gully Josephine learns that there is another way to dance – ballet. As the Ballet company prepared to perform, Josephine snuck into town and peered through the window as the dancers rehearsed. She watched the dancers for hours and hours, then she went home and practiced at night… all alone. She spun, she swirled and pirouetted dreams… and at the end she always curtsied. She desperately wanted to dance like the ballerinas in pink tutus and silk ballet shoes.

'On the day of the first performance the Ballet Company was in trouble. The prima ballerina twisted her ankle. The understudy had a splinter in her toe.

'Who could dance the lead role? Who else could leap that high?

'Josephine’s talents are called upon to help save the day. Can she do it, and more importantly, does it matter that she’s a kangaroo?'

Source: Monkey Baa.

'Monkey Baa Theatre Company brings the children’s version of Li Cunxin’s iconic autobiography, Mao’s Last Dancer to the stage in this extraordinary production.

'Li, a 10-year old peasant boy is plucked from his village in rural China and sent to a ballet academy in the big city. He leaves everything and everyone he loves, including his family. Over years of gruelling training, this boy transforms from an impoverished peasant to a giant of the international dance scene. Li’s courage, resilience and unwavering hope for a better life makes The Peasant Prince a story to ignite our own aspirations to be the best person we can be. Audiences will be captivated by this very personal story, truly a 20th century fairy tale.' (Production summary)

'They’re back! Andy and Terry’s Treehouse is now 52 storeys tall, with yet more fantastic inventions: a watermelon smashing room, a chainsaw-juggling level, a rocket powered carrot launcher, and even a Ninja Snail Training Academy.

'Today is a special day. It’s Andy’s birthday, but Terry has forgotten! To make matters worse Mr Big Nose has mysteriously disappeared, and to top it all off, Jill has fallen into a deep sleep and they just can’t wake her up. So Andy and Terry set off on a crazy adventure tackling a world of startling obstacles including a hungry caterpillar, an angry vegetable kingdom, and a 100 year ninja-snail epic voyage. Will they solve the mysteries and survive the dangers that test even their ingenuity?

Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton’s latest bestseller comes to life on the stage as the team behind the hit adaptations of The 13-Storey Treehouse and The 26-Storey Treehouse return with this imaginative and engaging play. So what are you waiting for?' (Production summary)

'Thomas is nine and he's started writing a book. His father says all important books are about God. Even so, Thomas writes down all the interesting things he sees that other people seem to ignore: tropical fish in the canal, a deluge of frogs, the Son of God popping in for a chat ...

'He also writes down his greatest determination: When I grow up, I'm going to be happy.

'Featuring Jesus, the angels, the Bottombiter, the startling Mrs Van Amersfoort and a beautiful girl with a leather leg, this is a totally magical story about a child learning to act when faced with fear and wrong. Acclaimed children's author Guus Kuijer's magnificently humble story grabs your heart, challenges your mind, and makes you laugh, no matter how old you are.' (From the publisher's website.)

'Just Macbeth! by Andy Griffiths and directed by Wayne Harrison, is a really silly version of Shakespeare's great big gory tragedy starring Andy, Lisa, Danny and (yuck!) Jen from the Just Tricking! Just Stupid! and Just Shocking! books. And when we say really silly, we mean really, really silly as it is performed by six funny but tragic actors and a garden gnome and features a severed head that talks Shakespearean. And when we say really, really silly, we mean really, really, really silly as there are witches and Wizz Fizz and ghosts and girl germs and weird Elizabethan things like soliloquies and sharp swords and other things beginning with S.'

Source: Bell Shakespeare website, www.bellshakespeare.com.au (Sighted: 22/09/2008)