What
Cairns Regional Council/Tanks Arts Centre hosted the world premiere performance of puppetry and visual theatre production Beyond the Waves, presented in May 2021 by Dead Puppet Society and ARC Disability, originally commissioned by Cairns Regional Council as part of the 2021 Cairns Children’s Festival.
Beyond the Waves was intended to be presented at the 2020 Cairns Children’s Festival. Although the festival was subsequently cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, the production provided outcome-focused skills development for people with disability, as well as the creation of a new work that can be remounted for presentation in the future.
Beyond the Waves, written by the young people of ARC under the mentorship of playwright, Director and creative facilitator Karen Jackson, tells the story of best friends Finn and Sheba who are swept up from a beach in Far North Queensland and into a world of unexpected magic.
The creative development was guided by the puppetry design and expertise of Dead Puppet Society, and supported by Cairns Regional Council's production, delivery and marketing team.
The joint initiative fortified Council’s long-term relationships with both ARC, well known for their exceptional creative work embracing visual and performing arts in the Cairns region, and the Brisbane-based Dead Puppet Society who have been bringing their unique and interactive works to the region for many years.
When and where
16 May 2021 – performances at Tanks Arts Centre in Cairns.
Key stats
- 31 Queensland artists and arts workers
- 5 performances
- 1 location - Cairns
- 950 attendees - 300 attendee per show with 50 pax in attendance at preview and open dress
Arts Queensland investment
$41,188 through the Queensland Arts Showcase Program (QASP), which supports the delivery of vibrant and accessible arts and cultural experiences for Queensland.
Dead Puppet Society receives $960 000 through Arts Queensland’s Organisations Fund 2022 – 2025.
Outcomes
Share stories
- Developed an original arts and cultural experience
Professional development
- The development process offered significant networking and career pathways
- Developed through a process of process of collaboration, skills development and networking opportunities
Strengthen communities
- Participants collaborated in a positive creative experience
- engaged an under-represented group of creatives, (people with disability).
- activated existing cultural infrastructure in a unique way.
- Provided an original and exciting outcome for regional audiences
- Connected with new audiences
Learnings and reflections
- Team building: Communication between Festival Producer, Dead Puppet Society and ARC Team was robust and clear. There was flexibility around rescheduling and the inevitable changes that occur when new work is being mounted, especially in the midst of a pandemic.
- Collaboration: There was a willingness from all parties to listen and collaborate and work together with beautiful synergy and mutual respect.
Feedback and comments
From the audience:
"I loved the story. It was so Heartfelt and Beautiful"
"My 2 year old loved the sting ray.. I loved it ALL!"
"What a gorgeous production!!! Well done to all the actors, set creators, production team and all the support workers. The enthusiasm and pure joy was magical."
"The most wonderful production I have seen in a very long time. - Really beautiful story delivered by amazing team of creatives."
From the participants:
"Incredible communication / professionalism - creative support from producer to production team … great promotion."
"I like the show, I want to be an actor.
"I learned to work hard and control my nerves."
"A special thanks to Arts Queensland for the funding opportunity for this production."
Tips for others
Always be open to the Creative Development/Collaborative process and outcomes.
What next?
At the time of writing, the team was in the planning stages of adapting the work for touring the surrounding region.
By cultivating and building the capacity of local talent they hope to create legacy outcomes as well as strengthen their reputation as a vibrant arts and cultural community.
This case study was first published 22 Apr 2022.