Junior Sonneteers Program

An exciting and unique opportunity for students to work with our Artistic Director and various senior company artists in a professional and intensive setting.

 

Age: 15+

Venue: Subiaco Arts Centre

Dates
Term 1:
1 April – 18 April (Auditions & Week Intensive)
Term 2:
4 May – 6 July (Saturday Workshops) | 8 – 19 July (Performance Opportunities)

Price: Free


We acknowledge the following partners, whose support makes this program possible:


 

 

The Pelsart Charitable Trust

About the Program

About the Program

Through our work in adapting Shakespeare into Noongar language, as part of our Noongar Shakespeare Project, and driven by our commitment to ‘keeping language alive’, students are being invited to take part in this unique and very exciting opportunity.

In 2018, twelve young and budding artists from diverse backgrounds and cultures were invited (via an audition process) to participate in Yirra Yaakin’s Junior Sonneteers Program. After a two-month period of workshops and rehearsals led by former Artistic Director Kyle J Morrison, senior artist Ian Michael and Education Officer Jess Gatt, along with various other senior artists and theatre practitioners, the Junior Sonneteers took to the stage to present a new idea of contemporary Australian culture.

In 2019, Yirra Yaakin again selected a limited number of students to join our Junior Sonneteers Program.

Successful students partook in a series of intensive workshops and rehearsals leading to a number of curated public performance opportunities.

As a Junior Sonneteer, students receive intensive individual development in theatre making, performance and language skills at a professional level including:

  • performance preparation
  • vocal techniques
  • movement techniques / physicality
  • Noongar language (comprehension and articulation)
  • acting techniques (various forms and styles)
  • monologues, dialogues and ensemble work
  • embodiment of text
  • Noongar theatre process

Students gain an awareness and appreciation of Noongar language and culture, develop pronunciation skills in a language other than English and expand on skills related to performance opportunities and outcomes.

The Junior Sonneteers Program is not only about developing capacity and embedding youth into the future of Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company but is also about actively promoting the sustainability of one of the oldest languages in the world whilst promoting cultural awareness and reconciliation, along with a greater sense of connection and understanding of the local Aboriginal community.

For more information about this program please contact our Education Officer at education@yirrayaakin.com.au or (08) 9380 3049

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We rely on you, our community, for our future creative and cultural programs. Your donations, encouragement and friendship provide vital support for the ongoing development of our artists and our work. Help us share Aboriginal stories by becoming a donor today!

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