A blacklight theatre production about a family’s messy picnic trip is also taking a “behind the scenes” journey into inclusive theatre.
Presented by Artback NT and CemeNTworx/Darwin Community Arts, an all-abilities theatre company based in Darwin, Trash Magic features an artist ensemble of multi-skilled performers and puppeteers of all abilities.
Among the small cast are actors Kyle Adams and Omri Mason, each of whom has gained experience through the CemeNTStars Theatre Group for people with a disability.
Produced with the help of a $25,000 Arts Industry Development grant from the Territory Government, Trash Magic tells a story about family, nature and mess!
Ruby, a girl who is deaf, goes camping with her family in the NT bush but she watches in horror as they set about making as much mess as possible. Later that night, Ruby wakes to see that the rubbish has come to life, metamorphosed as animals that can talk.
Blacklight theatre uses UV lighting to highlight fluorescent and neon paints to enable everyday inanimate objects to come to life, creating a magical and engaging puppet show for all ages.
The play was developed through a supportive process that adapted the thinking of all cast members, drawing on ideas from different points of view.
The Territory Labor Government continues to support ways to increase access to the arts for people with a disability. Seven arts groups will share almost $160,000 in the latest arts development grants, offered to support initiatives that increase the capability, capacity and sustainability of the NT arts sector through innovative and creative practice and business ingenuity.
Trash Magic premieres at Brown’s Mart Studio in Darwin on 30 June, and will tour to performing arts centres in Katherine, Nhulunbuy and Araluen during July 2022.
Quotes from Minister for Disabilities, Ngaree Ah Kit
“Arts, especially locally developed arts like Trash Magic, tell stories about ourselves. They reflect us as societies, so it’s a no brainer that they should also reflect the whole of us as a community.
“Arts at all levels and in all capacities should be available to and accessible for us all.
“What I love especially about this production, is that the focus is on the art – not the disability.
“The Territory Labor Government values the contribution of people with disability in our arts and cultural sector and will continue to support improved access and their participation in artistic and cultural activities across the Territory.”
Quotes from Omri Mason, Performer
“I enjoy doing the puppeteering and brainstorming the story for the play.
“I hope everyone will come and enjoy the show and enjoy the story we produced for you.”
Quotes from Kyle Adams, Performer
“I like coming with lots of ideas, like what’s better for the show, what’s good, what suits the play, because I like ideas and I like to do the sounds of computers a lot, what suits the sounds, what makes it better for the play.
“It’s really good working here, I really like working here.”
Quotes from Tania Lieman, Producer, writer, director
“Behind the light and under the blacklight all the performers are equal. You can invest all of your body, all of your comedy, all of your fun into the moment of animating and bringing the puppets to life.
“Whatever the level of the artist or whatever they bring to the table, a major goal has been to develop skills that are going to be enhanced and be taken through to other projects.
“An important takeaway is that this production is being billed and has been developed as a professional piece of theatre, as opposed to a disability arts project.”
Northern Territory Government
