Book Week shows for students... by teachers!!

We bring...
...for students using THE ARTS: Drama, Dance, Music, Visual Arts & Media Arts!!
Tony's past Book Week shows (above)

Since 1999 "Tony Bones" Appleby B.Ed has been adapting CBCA shortlisted books for the stage & performing them at the very highest standard at Australian primary schools.

 

He's performed for well over half a million students and counting.

See this...

What We Do.....

 

Each year Tony & his creative team take their favourite of the shortlisted "CBCA Picture Book of the Year" titles & transform it into an incredibly entertaining & engaging live stage show, performed to primary school students across Australia. This is also available now as an interactive virtual show throughout Australia, New Zealand & Hong Kong.

 

"Tony Bones" performs the show himself, consisting of the highest level drama, dance & music. As a qualified school drama, dance & English teacher who has adapted & performed 35 CBCA shortlisted books nationwide, Tony's experience is unparalleled for Australian theatre in education. He ensures that there are strong links to the Australian curriculum throughout the show, Q&A, in the follow-up support material & the lesson plans.

 

He uses all areas of the Arts to present the book on stage: drama, dance, music, media arts & visual arts. There are original songs, mask, puppetry, props, costumes, painted & digital projections of sets, DMX coloured stage lighting, full sound system & wireless headset microphone, raised staging, dual digital projections, loads of audience participation, lots of laughs & a full, detailed Q&A session at the end of every show.

...become this!!!

"I've been a teacher for over 20 years and witnessed many performances, but this production was simply the best - totally professional, true to the book, thought-provoking, everything."  Narre Warren Nth PS, VIC

So why should you book with Books To Life?

 

  • A track record second to none! Director, writer & performer "Tony Bones" Appleby B.Ed has been writing, directing & touring Theatre In Education shows since 1999. He has created 42 Theatre In Education shows, 35 of those being Book Week shows, 17 of those being Picture Book shows. Check out thousands of testimonials from other happy teachers who have seen his Book Week picture book shows here!!

 

  • Qualified & experienced performing arts school teachers creating & performing the content! "Tony Bones" Appleby B.Ed writes, directs, choreographs, designs & performs the show & for 2021 he is co-writing the music with Natalie Calia Dip.Ed. Both have a long history teaching The Arts in Australian schools, Tony in Drama & Dance and Natalie in Drama & Music.

 

  • All 5 of The Arts learning areas are covered extensively in the show! Drama, dance, music, visual arts & digital arts are all deeply explored in a variety of ways throughout the show, not simply Drama or Music. This covers more learning areas for your students.

 

  • A state-of-the-art technical setup that brings a true theatre experience to your students at school! Raised portable staging, huge dual digital rear projection screens, multiple DMX coloured stage lights, full audio setup with radio headset microphone & handheld mics for students, all programmed & sequenced via QLAB software, with painted & digital sets, props & costumes. All cutting edge technology & we even show you how you can use the same tech simply for your school productions. Our virtual production also incorporates the industry's latest green-screen technology filmed with 5K cameras to give your students the clearest, most immersive experience imaginable.

 

  • The very best theatre in education experience for every single year level at your primary school! Don't believe us? Read what the teachers say here!

 

  • A percentage of the performance fee goes directly to the book's author-illustrator! Books To Life always has and always will pay royalties to the author-illustrators of our source material, supporting Australian literature into the future. We also always pay royalties to all of our original music co-creators rather than simply playing fee-free karaoke tracks of existing pop music. As registered APRA members, you'll be supporting Australian music creators into the future too.

 

So what do you get with a Books To Life show?

 

  • Theatre In Education for Australian students at the very highest level!

  • A stage performance or virtual incursion for kids to complement your school's CBCA 2021 Book Week parade!

  • A stage show or virtual show for primary students that will astound the entire audience!

  • Children's Theatre that sets the new standard for every state & territory for the 2021 Book Week season - Victoria, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania... we tour them all!

  • Check out our brand new Book Week stage show for schools based on a CBCA 2021 Short Listed Picture Book of the Year shortlisted book. Click here!

  • Public Liability Cover of $30,000,000, Product Liability Cover of $30,000,000 & Professional Indemnity Insurance of $10,000,000! Click here!!!

 

 

 

 

 

All of the books previously adapted & performed by Tony since Book Week 2000...

 

 

All books adapted and performed by Tony for Book Week