Full Testimonials for Tony's past Book Week shows

 

CBCA Short-Listed/Notable-Listed Books Adapted for the stage by "Tony Bones" Appleby B.Ed

(Writer, Director, Choreographer, Composer, Designer & Performer)

 

For BOOKS TO LIFE

 

• 39 - That Bird Has Arms (2024 - based on the picture book written by Kate & Jol Temple, illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh & Niharika Hukku)

• 38 - Jørn's Magnificent Imagination (2023 - based on the picture book by Coral Vass & Nicky Johnston)

• 37 - The Imagineer (2022 - based on the picture book by Christopher Cheng & Lucia Masciullo)

• 36 - Littlelight (2021 - based on the picture book by Kelly Canby)

• 35 - Hello Lighthouse (2020 - based on the picture book by Sophie Blackall)

• 34 - The All New Must Have Orange 430 (2019 - based on the picture book by Michael Speechley)

• 33 - A Walk in the Bush (2018 - based on the picture book by Gwyn Perkins)

 

For TONY BONES ENTERTAINMENT

 

• 32 - The Windy Farm (2014 - based on the picture book by Doug McLeod & Craig Smith)

• 31 - My Life As An Alphabet (2014 - based on the younger reader’s novel by Barry Jonsberg)

• 30 - Herman & Rosie (2013 - based on the picture book by Gus Gordon)

• 29 - Other Brother (2013 - based on the younger reader’s novel by Simon French)

• 28 - No Bears (2012 - based on the picture book by Meg McKinlay)

• 27 - Bungawitta (2012 - based on the younger reader’s novel by Emily Rodda)

• 26 - Two Peas in a Pod (2011 - based on the picture book by Chris McKimmie)

• 25 - Duck For A Day (2011 - based on the picture book by Meg McKinlay)

• 24 - Matty Forever (2010 - based on the younger reader’s novel by Elizabeth Fensham)

• 23 - Schumann the Shoeman (based on the picture book by John & Stella Danalis)

• 22 - Nobody Owns The Moon (2009 - based on the picture book by Tohby Riddle)

• 21 - Audrey Of The Outback (2009 - based on the younger reader’s novel by Christine Harris)

• 20 - The Night Garden (2008 - based on the picture book by Elise Hurst)

• 19 - Amelia Dee & The Peacock Lamp (2008 - based on the younger reader’s novel by Odo Hirsch)

• 18 - Water Witcher (2007 - based on the picture book by Jan Ormerod)

• 17 - Being Bee (2007 - based on the younger reader’s novel by Catherine Bateson)

• 16 - Irving The Magician (2006 - based on the picture book by Tohby Riddle)

• 15 - To The Light (2006 - based on the younger reader’s novel by Pat Flynn)

• 14 - At The Beach - Postcards from Crabby Spit (2005 - based on the picture book by Roland Harvey)

• 13 - Billy Mack’s War (2005 - based on the younger reader’s novel by James Roy)

• 12 - Milli, Jack & the Dancing Cat (2004 - based on the picture book by Stephen Michael King)

• 11 - Stella By The Sea (2004 - based on the younger reader’s novel by Ruth Starke)

• 10 - Bear & Chook (2003 - based on the picture book by Lisa Shanahan & Emma Quay)

• 9 - Tom Jones Saves The World (2003- based on the younger reader’s novel by Steven Herrick)

• 8 - Horrible Harriet (2002 - based on the picture book by Leigh Hobbs)

• 7 - My Story - A Different Sort Of Real - The Diary Of Charlotte McKenzie - Melbourne 1918 (2002 - based on the younger reader’s novel by Kerry Greenwood)

• 6 - When Dogs Cry (2002 - based on the older reader’s novel by Markus Zusak)

• 5 - The Singing Hat (2001 - based on the picture book by Tohby Riddle)

• 4 - Something's Fishy, Hazel Green! (2001 - based on the younger reader’s novel by Odo Hirsch)

• 3 - Touch Me (2001 - based on the older reader’s novel by James Moloney)

• 2 - Captain Mack (2000 - by Tony Appleby based on the younger reader’s novel by James Roy)

• 1 - Tyro (2000 - based on the older reader’s novel by David McRobbie)

 

 

 

"That Bird Has Arms" 2024 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year (Honour Book) - Both LIVE & INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL Show:

 

"The show was nothing short of AMAZING. Production quality was out of this world. I was thoroughly impressed what one man could do to engage the audience! The kids obviously enjoyed your show. Some were especially thrilled that you included "Skibidi toilet"; this may be trivial to us but I'm sure it meant a lot to them and was something they could connect with. I loved how you engaged the students through puppetry and song and dance. Once again, a HUGE well done. Hope we see you again next year!" Kilberry Valley PS, Hampton Park, VIC for the live show.

 

"The staff and myself thought the performance was great. They were really happy with how you engaged the children... Ensuring they were moving after sitting for a while was excellent, and having them participate in the play was also a great idea. The use of the screens to keep the students engaged while you prepared for scenes worked really well. The actual show content was excellent and brought the book to life. The lighting and music really brought the performance to another level. Please send through shows for book week 2025 as we'd love to have a look." Glowrey Catholic PS, Woolert, VIC for the live show.

 

"We definitely want to book next year!... It was just a wonderful show. So many people have commented on how it appealed to all the kids, got them involved, was easy to follow and (had) wonderful theatre devices." Redeemer Lutheran College, Rochedale, QLD for the live show.

 

"Everyone really enjoyed the performance." Urana PS, NSW for the live show.

 

"Your Books to Life show was AMAZING!" Andersons Creek PS, VIC for the live show.

 

"Thanks so much – I have heard great things about the show as always!" Corowa PS, NSW for the live show.

 

"Thank you for a wonderful performance on Friday. I loved seeing my students so involved with the show! The addition of movement breaks was a great idea and the timing was perfect for the K-6 children. We would love to book you again for 2025." Cathedral Catholic PS, Bathurst, NSW for the live show.

 

"Thank you for your performance yesterday! The students loved it.” Narromine Christian School, NSW for the live show.

 

“Once again you were beyond our expectations. Thank you! I just loved the show. Next year… please find a date for us.” Kinross Wolaroi School, Orange, NSW for the live show.

 

“The response to your performance was amazing and we will definitely look at having you back next year.” Cathedral Catholic PS, Bathurst, NSW for the live show.

 

“Thanks again for a wonderful performance the other day. Can we please rebook for next year?” Nemingha PS, NSW for the live show.

 

“Thank you again for your wonderful performance and engaging with our students here at St Therese.” St Therese PS, Mascot, NSW for the live show.

 

“Thank you for the live performance.  It was amazing.  All the staff and kids enjoyed the show and were looking forward to next year's performance.” St Bishoy College, Mt Druitt, NSW for the live show.

 

“Tony uses all aspects of the Creative Arts Syllabus such as music, dance, drama and visual arts when he creates and performs his amazing show. We thank him for bringing books to life at TPS!” Toronto PS, NSW for the live show.

 

“Students were captivated by the engaging and humorous performance, and some even got involved with the performance.” Nambucca Valley Christian Community College, NSW for the live show.

 

“Thank you so much for a wonderful performance. The children loved being part of the show… The staff… they all commented on how much they enjoyed the show... We would love to book again for next year.” Masada College, St Ives, NSW for the live show.

 

“Thank you so much for yesterday. The students really enjoyed the performance and were talking about it yesterday afternoon as well as this morning. Our teachers loved it as well. You are very talented… Thank you again” St Nicholas of Myra PS, Penrith, NSW for the live show.

 

“The feedback was amazing. We would love to book you again for next book week 2025.” Isabella Plains Early Childhood School, ACT for the live show.

 

“It was great to have you at the school today.” Melrose Park PS, NSW for the live show.

 

“Thanks again for today. Some teachers have already approached me with positive feedback and the carers at after-school care mentioned they heard lots of kids talking about it all afternoon 🙂”  Barnier PS, Quakers Hill, NSW for the live show.

 

"Another great performance - the staff and students have been raving about it... Thank you so much for a wonderful performance. It was engaging for all ages and so much fun. You were inclusive and I wanted to personally thank you for including my student in the Q and A. He was sitting with me on the chair and was grateful that you recognised that he required some guidance and you dealt with it brilliantly. Loved the costumes and including the students in the performance. Congratulations!" Birralee PS, Doncaster, VIC for the live show.

 

"Thank you for your fabulous performance today. We all thoroughly had a good laugh and enjoyed being entertained... Could you please add our school into a time slot(s) during the actual Book Week next year for another booking?" Thornhill Park PS, VIC for the live show.

 

"It was definitely a success and enjoyed by all!... Tony, thank you so much for such an enjoyable show! You made it so engaging for both teachers and staff; your commitment, dedication and passion was truly evident throughout the performance. It was an absolute pleasure to have you at St Clares!" St Clare's PS, Truganina, VIC for the live show.

 

"Thank you so much for the brilliant performance this morning. I would like to tentatively book you in for Friday of Book Week 2025 if possible... Thank you so much and thanks again!" Newport Gardens PS, VIC for the live show.

 

"Thank you for once again, a very entertaining show... Thanks for an amazing show!" Woady Yaloak PS, VIC for the live show.

 

"Thank you once again for visiting our school and putting on such a fantastic performance! The students had an amazing time and are still talking about the show... We'd love to have you back next year, potentially around Book Week time, if you’re available." Ascot Vale West PS, VIC for the live show.

 

"Thanks again for the show... The feedback has been great!" Phoenix P-12 Community College, Sebastopol, VIC for the live show.

 

"Thank you so much for your performance today! We had a lot great feedback about how engaging it was for all the year levels, and they enjoyed the multimedia elements in your show, and the fact that it was interactive for the kids. Lots of positive feedback so well done! We are keen to book in for 2025 so if you could let me know of dates that are available, that would be great. Have a safe trip back home and we'll see you next year!" Prospect North PS, SA for the live show.

 

"Thanks for your recent performance, another successful rendition of a Book Week book. It was so good, and kids had a great time. We would love to rebook for next year" Churchill PS, VIC for the live show.

 

"It was great and thoroughly entertaining. He is very talented and can sing really well. Great jokes and suited for all age groups... It was a great way of experiencing a written text... Awesome - students fully engaged and the message is exactly what we are talking about in R.E at the moment. Must say the "duck" and "water bird" was an inspiration... Students loved it. It was fast-paced so the students also didn't have time to think about being bored which added to the entertainment. The presenter was awesome. It was great to see different media used as well such as the screen, the stage, puppets... Fantastic! Such a fun way of reading a book and every child was entertained. What a fabulous way to learn!... Very entertaining and really was enjoyed by all (especially the teachers!!). Really loved the different ways that the presenter presented!!... Entertaining and great topics that can lead to further discussion. Great presenter and loved the variety of puppets. The children who were involved were well prepared." Catherine McAuley Catholic PS, Orange, NSW for the live show.

 

"Thank you once again for coming to Bute yesterday. Only rave reviews from students and adults... We are keen to book you again for 2025. All the schools from yesterday are interested." Bute Early Learning & PS, SA for the live show.

 

"Our students at TC thoroughly enjoyed your performance once again." Terang College, VIC for the live show.

 

"Firstly, thank you for such a wonderful show to share with our students for Book Week. My library monitors took part in acting and engaging the students and thoroughly enjoyed it. Everyone got involved and it had both students and teachers laughing and entertained throughout. Having the props really made the show interactive and fun... Thank you again, we are already looking forward to seeing what you come up with next year." Uki PS, NSW for the interactive virtual show

 

“I got into the virtual show with no problems at all. We got most of the props made. It went really well… Students have really enjoyed the interactive/ participant parts. I will send you some photos when I finish all the performances this week!... During book week all classes were thoroughly engaged in the highly entertaining and interactive virtual performance from Books To Life (Tony Bones)... Thank you Books to Life for such an energetic and memorable show!” Lightning Ridge Central School, NSW for the interactive virtual show

 

"Thank you for the virtual show. It was great." Oxley Vale PS, Tamworth, NSW for the interactive virtual show

 

"Jørn's Magnificent Imagination" 2023 CBCA Notablelisted Picture Book of the Year - Both LIVE & INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL Show:

 

"Truly honoured that Jørn's Magnificent Imagination is now a live show on tour with Books To Life... Nicky Johnston - Author and Illustrator and I are thrilled that Jørn's Magnificent Imagination has been chosen as the latest Live Touring Show, as well as a Virtual Interactive Show created by Books To Life ... What a thrill for Nicky Johnston - Author and Illustrator and I to see Jørn's Magnificent Imagination brought to life in a live stage performance today, by the incredibly talented Tony Bones from Books To Life" Coral Vass, Author of the book
 

"This was such an honour to watch this show bring our book to life!!!!!... Just wanted to say a huge thank you again for today. It was wonderful to meet you (again!!!) and see your magnificent creation.. You are so clever and talented! It brought me pure joy!" Nicky Johnston, Illustrator of the book
 

"Thanks again for a MAGNIFICENT performance yesterday. There was a real buzz after school yesterday as well as this morning when we were recapping the show... Staff have already expressed a desire to book in for 2024 so let's make that happen!" Phoenix P-12 Community College, Redan Campus, Sebastapol, VIC for the live show
 
"Dear Tony & team, Many thanks once again for performing your fabulous CBCA shortlisted play for our students & staff. They loved it!" Forrest PS, ACT for the live show
 
"Thanks again for a wonderful performance experience. T'was so much fun!!!" Port Melbourne PS, VIC for the live show
 
"The Books To Life "Jørn's Magnificent Imagination" performance was absolutely outstanding! The students in my MC class at Lightning Ridge Central School were captivated from start to finish. Tony brought the characters to life in a truly mesmerising way, and the production was both entertaining and thought-provoking. It's heartwarming to see how the performance sparked their creativity and imagination. A truly unforgettable experience that left us all inspired and delighted! Bravo!... Let’s lock in next year. I was talking with (the staff member) in Walgett last week and she said they loved the show also." Lightning Ridge Central School, NSW for the live show
 
"We absolutely loved the performance. You are fabulous at what you do." Walgett Community College, NSW for the live show
 
"Hi Tony, I wanted to just say a huge ’Thank you!!” for the brilliant show. I thought it was just so creative, the way you brought the story to life the way you did. Such an energetic and inspired performance- well done, it was thoroughly enjoyed by staff and students... you managed to pull it off with style and finesse, so thanks!!" Galilee Regional Catholic PS, Port Melbourne, VIC for the live show
 
"Hi Tony, Thanks again for your great show. I’ve... only now been able to collate the feedback I received from our staff and students. They all loved the energy you maintained throughout the show and many, that could remember the show from prepandemic times, said it was the best ever. Your choice of book was fantastic, as was the way you involved so many students in different parts of the performance. They loved the costumes and the variety of props you used." Gilles Street PS, Adelaide, SA for the live show
 
"Dear Tony, I am only just getting to your books and found the beautiful messages you had put inside. Amazing! What treasures!!! We love them thank you so much. Can't wait until you come... Thank you for the most amazing show! We had the best time. I want to watch it again. I just loved the puppetry and all the clever props. You could definitely tell you were a teacher and not just a performer (by) the way you got the kids involved. I got so much positive feedback from all the staff. I hope you can come back again. Both you and Brendan were delightful to deal with and had the best notes and support material... Best of luck for the rest of the season and thank you so much again for the wonderful experience!!!... I really want you to come out to our school again next year if you free." Redeemer Lutheran College, Rochedale, QLD for the live show

 

"The show was fabulous and the students really enjoyed themselves." St Peter's PS, NSW for the live show
 
"Thank you so much for yesterday. The students and staff are raving about it!... Thanks again, would like to rebook for next year when able." St Anthony's PS, Alphington, VIC for the live show
 
"Hi Tony, The feedback was great... Can we put in an expression of interest for next year?... I really value community and relationships in education. I like that your outfit is a family business and that you come with a very 'human' touch. I'll work to preserve our connection for as long as I'm able to." Forest Lodge PS, NSW for the live show
 
"The general response regarding the incursion were all positive both from staff and students. We wish to book you for next year, during Book Week... Thank you for your wonderful performance and professionalism. We look forward to seeing you next year... Responses from teams- Junior - Great and engaging! Great for all year levels. Book him again,  Middle - Very interactive, fast-paced and comedy prevented boredom, so it kept everyone interested. Varied student involvement and ways of selecting students. High levels of engagement from whole school, most wanted to be selected to be involved in the production. Informative, Upper - The students loved the performance and were eager to be selected to join in the fun. Great to see a performance catering for all levels which also included factual information that our students could take away. Entertaining and inclusive for all levels. Loved the various media presented which maintained student interest. Definitely need to rebook for next year." Thornhill Park PS, VIC for the live show
 
"All reports from students and teachers was that the show was fantastic!" Sathya Sai School, Murwillumbah, NSW for the live show
 
"Hey Tony, Thank you SO MUCH for the shows yesterday!!! It was fabulous – the kids had an absolute ball and LOVED it! I loved how you chose heaps of volunteers from the audience to be involved in the show – it kept the students engaged right the way through. The puppets and projections were also AMAZING! Thanks again for coming 😊" Kilberry Valley PS, Hampton Park, VIC P-6 for the live show

 

"I thought the show was fabulous as always! Kids were enthralled and totally wanted in at every opportunity to be a volunteer... Great fun! Loved the Jorn’s accent! 😂" Roberts McCubbin PS, Box Hill South, VIC for the live show
 
"Hi Tony! I would love to book for next year... Thanks again, the kids and teachers loved it!" Greystanes PS, NSW for the live show
 
"Good morning Tony, Thank you for an amazing show... Thank you again and I'm looking forward to seeing you next year.  All staff and students are impressed by your show and are looking forward to next year's show." St Bishoy Coptic Orthodox College, Mt Druitt, NSW for the live show
 
"Hi Tony, Today’s show was fantastic. Thanks again for a great performance. Can we get a date in Book Week next year?" Morang South PS, VIC for the live show
 
"Hi Tony, Thank you for bringing such a wonderful performance to our school - Narromine Christian School. The performance was great and the students were very engaged. There was a really nice mix of student involvement... Thanks again for a great show... Could you please book Narromine Christian School in for your 2024 show?" Narromine Christian School, NSW for the live show

 

"The students in year 4C at Melton Christian College really enjoyed the show. They said they loved Tony’s enthusiasm. They thought the show was fun and engaging. The word most used by my students to describe the show was magnificent. Thanks for a great show... Hi Tony, My Year 5 students were positively engaged with the show and then reflected on it positively afterwards. They look forward to the audience participation opportunity every year and they connected with the humour... Thank you for the amazing engaging program you put on for our primary students. The students were well entertained and the teachers were too. Lots of great interaction from the audience and the different arts used in your show was incredible. The buzz in the auditorium was loud and it was very clear that the students were entertained." Melton CC, VIC for the live show
 
"The show was absolutely MAGNIFICENT! The best performance I have seen to date. All K-6 students were completely captivated, engaged, and thoroughly enjoyed this fully interactive, entertaining and educational performance. Thank you Books to Life for bringing your show to our rural remote school. Our students are rarely provided with an opportunity to engage in such a high-quality educational drama production. Thank you for making the distance and providing this for our children. We look forward to your show each and every year!" Lightning Ridge Central School, NSW for the live show
 
"Hi Tony, We absolutely loved your show and thank you for sharing it with us. I am in awe at anyone who can keep children aged from 4 to 13 captivated, engaged and on the edge of their seats for a full hour and you managed to achieve this. The children were mesmerised at the variety of Music and Drama skits; from puppets to rap music – there was something for everyone and all the props were next level. I really appreciate you asking me to read the story to the children before they saw the show – it gave it greater meaning and depth. We would love to book you again for next year, please. Hope all goes well for the rest of your busy tour." Kinross Wolaroi School, Orange, NSW for the live show
 
"Hi Tony, The show was fantastic. Students and staff have been saying how funny and entertaining it was. Getting student helpers was a huge hit. Can we please book in again for 2024?" Sacred Heart School, Tatura, VIC for the live show
 
"Have had great feedback from the kids - funny, amazing, magnificent! to say the least. Thanks again for yet another wonderful show" Nulkaba PS, NSW for the live show
 
"Hi Tony, Thanks for coming out to us last Friday. Everyone really enjoyed your show. The kids had lots of laughs and I think you really brought the book to life in a fun way in which all the students could understand. Lots of kids thanked me for organising the show and a number of staff commented on your amazing energy and how entertaining you were. We thought the props were great and you got lots of kids involved which was terrific... Thanks again and I would like to book a date for next year, please... That would be great." St John Vianney's PS, Parkdale, VIC for the live show
 
"Hi Tony, Loved the show as always." Melrose Park Public School, NSW for the live show
 
"Hi Tony, Thanks again for your fabulous performance this week at Como West Public School. Your presentation, props and music etc were excellent and your manner is always highly professional. Your depiction of the book was extremely thorough and engaging. The students were thrilled to find out we were having the "same guy" as last year to perform for us and the students in my class were saying it was "the best day EVER"... Hi Tony, Thank you for your wonderful performance today. It was very true to the content of the book and was an extremely clever production... I will be happy to send feedback and also to book again for next year." Como West PS, NSW for the live show
 
"Thank you once again for coming to St Mary's to perform. The show was just fabulous. Your ability to engage all students, keep them fully entertained along with knowing when to have breaks is just fantastic. The show was funny, engaging and very informative. We would definitely like to book again for next year, so please let me know a potential date. Good luck with the rest of your shows and thanks again... Hi Tony, I am an LSO at Lancefield St Mary's and I experienced your amazing performance of Jorn's Magnificent Imagination. I was captivated by your innovative, engaging performance as I'm sure everyone was, who had the pleasure of this experience. I particularly enjoyed the way you engaged with the audience. You are indeed a very gifted and talented storyteller." St Mary's PS, Lancefield, VIC for the live show
 
"Loved your show." Smalls Road PS, Ryde NSW for the live show
 
"Hi Tony, The performance was Magnificent! Staff and children raving about it. Next year we would love to book you for a whole school performance P-6." Middle Park PS, VIC for the live show
 
"The Books to Life 3-6 show was fantastic! The students were constantly engaged and were offered many opportunities to participate from individual to whole group participation. Tony had exceptional skills in performing and even engaged the teachers with jokes. The equipment and transit used was seamless and there was no downtime between story elements which meant the students didn’t have time to muck around. My only suggestion would be to have Books to Life visit twice a year! 😊 Thanks!" Greystanes PS, NSW for the live show
 
"We loved your performance this year. I had some great feedback from our teachers and students. They really enjoyed and appreciated the live show. Your creativity was wonderful and they particularly liked how interactive it was." Chinchilla Christian College, QLD for the live show
 
"The students really loved the performance of Jorn’s Magnificent Imagination. I would like to lock in another performance for next year during Book Week as I know how quickly you get booked out." Newport Gardens PS, VIC for the live show

 

"Hi Tony, Thank you again for coming to Andersons Creek Primary School. From speaking with staff and students we all really enjoyed bringing the ‘Book to Life’. The chosen book and how you presented it was outstanding. I’ve really appreciated the communication in the lead up to the event and I have passed this email onto our staff to provide feedback. We would love the opportunity for 2024. Thank you!" Andersons Creek PS, Warrandyte, VIC for the live show
 
"We would absolutely love to book you again next year if that is possible and we thought the performance was fantastic yet again. We were particularly impressed with the props and the amount of students you were able to incorporate into the performance. Thanks so much." Merriwa Central School, NSW for the live show

 

"Hi Tony, Oh my goodness....I've just watched the virtual show....it is absolutely MAGNIFICENT!!! What an honour it is for us to see you turn our book into such an amazing show. You are too clever! I'm in awe! I loved it and thoroughly enjoyed the virtual show. Thank you so much for choosing Jorn for this year's Books to Life show... Thank you again, Best wishes, Coral" Coral Vass, Author of "Jørn's Magnificent Imagination" (Virtual show)

 

"Hi Tony, This is absolutely MAGNIFICENT!!! So creative which is perfect for this book!! Well done on a great production, I do love how you used the illustrations…. Very clever indeed!! x Nicky... Coral Vass, author and I are absolutely thrilled that Jørn's Magnificent Imagination has been chosen as the latest LIVE Touring Show, as well as a Virtual Interactive Show created by Books To Life.... It is amazing to see my illustrations used so magnificently!!" Nicky Johnston, Illustrator of "Jørn's Magnificent Imagination" (Virtual show)

 

"Hey Tony, our kindergarten class watched the show this afternoon (with the rest of the school to watch tomorrow)... Kinder loved it and thought you were talking directly to them!" Bexhill PS, NSW (Virtual show)

 

"Hi Tony, Thank you so much for your amazing show. Having never participated or seen one of your performances we were amazed and definitely enjoyed using the props you suggested. Thank you once again. Hoping we can join you next year." Tarlee PS, SA (Virtual show)

 

"Hello Tony, thank you, the show was excellent!" Monash Special Developmental School, VIC (Virtual show)

 

"Thanks, Tony, The performance was magnificent - we used all your props and all the students got involved... I really enjoyed it. Having props and audience participation was really engaging for the kids, and they all walked out saying that was magnificent!... The students really enjoyed the interactive parts of this performance. It held their interest and engaged them making it fun and exciting." Bute Early Learning & PS, SA (Virtual show)

 

"Thank you. It was a fun experience for our little school... Brilliant! The kids did so well and everyone loved it." St Joseph's PS, Coleraine, VIC (Virtual show)

 

"Hi Tony, Thank you. The students enjoyed the performance and our Year 6 students did an excellent job. Thanks again" St Patrick's PS, Latrobe, TAS (Virtual show)

 

"Hi Tony, As previously, the interactive show this year was fantastic!" Schools as Hubs, High Country, VIC (Virtual show)

 

"The kids enjoyed the show and we'd love to book in again for sometime in Term 3 next year." Eltham PS, NSW (Virtual show)

 

"Hi there Tony, We thoroughly enjoyed your Books To Life Virtual Show this year!... We would definitely be interested in doing the virtual show again in the future... The kids and teachers alike LOVED the last one!" Saint Spyridon College, Unley, SA (Virtual show)

 

"Your shows are amazing and you have been very patient with our schools requiring changes at the last minute." Omeo PS & Swifts Creek P-12 School, VIC (Virtual show)

 

 

"The Imagineer" 2022 CBCA Notablelisted Picture Book of the Year - Both LIVE & INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL Show:

 

"Great seeing you this morning. Thrilled to see our Imagineer on stage. Well done you! Hope that it is a good run for you." Christopher Cheng, author of "The Imagineer" for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Thank you so much for the virtual show, WE LOVE IT, I didn’t know you were so talented, what an amazing performance!!! I’m fascinated and mesmerised to see my flat illustrations becoming 3D and my 6 yo girl laughed so much, especially at the butter churning dance and the lead pencil talk 😆 I hope to be in time for a second look, after school today... We’re definitely going to watch it again this week. Thanks to your show my daughter decided to dress up like Penny for Book Parade this year!" Lucia Masciullo, illustrator of "The Imagineer" for the virtual show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Hi Tony, I really enjoyed your show at St Mary's Lancefield yesterday. I thought it was a complete package - entertaining, informative and accessible to students of various ages. Your show had everything - audience participation, a stretch break, information, humour, puppetry, a background of the inspiration, author, illustrator and lots of props and special effects. You handled the discussion with the children well and answered their questions in detail and sincerity... Thanks for a great show." St Mary's PS, Lancefield, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Hi Tony, The show was fantastic as always and we had lots of positive feedback from staff and students... We would definitely like to rebook for next year... I was one of the teachers in the audience - best show yet in my opinion! Enjoyed it very much and my grade 4s enjoyed it too! They weren’t ‘too cool’ for it. It was well-paced and kept all the kids engaged from start to finish! My daughter in prep loved the butter-churning song" Churchill PS, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Sorry it has taken me time to respond to your fantastic performance... thanks to your efficient setup, the morning ran incredibly smoothly with many of the teachers enjoying your choice of music! All the staff thought your performance was amazing and full of energy. They all commented on how you were able to keep the children engaged in the story by taking little breaks and all said "obviously an ex-teacher!" The children all thought the performance was "epic" and "fantasmagorical" -their words. I was watching our 5/6 students and they were captivated. Thank you so much for your performance... On Tuesday 6th September St.Jude’s students watched a very entertaining show by an extremely talented and energetic performer, Tony Bones. Tony brought the story of ‘The Imagineer’ to life for everyone using the character puppet of Penny - the Imagineer. Tony himself cleverly played both dad and grandpa. He brought a very interesting, historical and imaginative narrative to the students with lots of humour, song, surprises and was able to keep everyone’s focus throughout his performance. The company “Books to Life” lived up to its name bringing the story alive for the children. Staff and students. All had a very enjoyable morning and it was a great way to conclude our celebration of Book Week!" St.Jude's PS, Langwarrin, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"The Imagineer... was brought to life through puppetry and storytelling. For some of our younger students, this was their first puppet show ever! All students were very responsive to this fabulous, hands-on live performance!... The show went down very well!!... Even our tough critic on staff thought your show was amazing!... Hope you are all well and the show continues to shine!" Deniliquin South PS, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"For my feedback, I have attached the article I wrote for the LRCS newsletter regarding your wonderful performance... Thanks again for coming to LRCS to perform such an engaging and creative production... Primary students were incredibly excited to attend the captivating performance 'The Imagineer' by Tony Bones (from Books To Life). Students were taken on a theatrical journey with Penny into the past and the many gadgets, thingamabobs, and whatchamacallits in her grandfather's shed. The children learnt about cream cans, butter churners, typewriters, hand-powered lawnmowers, sad irons, kerosene lamps, and so much more. We discovered that things in the past were made to last and if we use our imaginations and the many things we have laying around, we can build and create many amazing things. A huge thank you to Tony Bones for such a wonderful and engaging production that students and staff thoroughly enjoyed." Lightning Ridge PS, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Hi Tony, I wanted to express my thanks for your amazing performance this morning... I heard extremely positive feedback and rave reviews from both staff and students. Is it at all possible, to book ahead for next year's book week?... Primary students were lucky enough to enjoy a live performance in the lead-up to Book Week. Tony Bones performed the 2022 CBCA Notable Listed Picture Book of the Year ‘The Imagineer’. The show was extremely entertaining and everyone had a terrific time. Students were invited to join the show and had the opportunity to explore an exciting range of gadgets from the past. A highlight was learning the method of butter churning with a comical twist!" Merriwa CS, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"The Imagineer was a very entertaining show which was performed by Tony Bones Appleby. The clever use of puppets, props, singing and acting brought the story to life!... The feedback on the show was very positive. I heard from the other schools that they enjoyed the performance, the interaction with the students, characterisation." Dungowan PS, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"The teachers and kids loved the show... a spectacular, comical and delightful performance. There were numerous vibrant lights and animations. During the performance, Tony Bones (the performer) transitioned from one character and voice to another. His puppet, Penny was the vital character. Penny and Tony Bones sang... emotional song and dazzling songs." St Olivers PS, Harris Park, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"The performance was fantastic... very funny... lots of good songs... kept it entertaining... a fun, creative and well-rehearsed performance!... extraordinary production... 45 minutes of comedy, history, and entertainment, made a heap of enjoyment... It was very impressive how he was so confident in his work... The amazing Tony Bones came to our school today, and everyone enjoyed the show. We were inspired by the performance “The Imagineer” and we can’t wait till Tony comes next year... Fantastic… very funny… fun and creative” Kotara South PS, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Thank you so much for your performances... The feedback from the kids has been brilliant and the teachers who haven't seen you before were very impressed. Is it possible to let us know what dates are available for next year?... Thanks for the performances the last two weeks, the kids have loved it and are still talking about it... ." Templeton PS, VIC  for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

“The play was so clever and imaginative and the students enjoyed the interaction and that it was really engaging… There were plenty of suggestions and ideas for follow up too and the teachers appreciated that as well…This is what the Principal wrote in a parent email today… This year we had a fabulous Book Week play which featured Tony Appleby from ‘Books to Life’. Tony… entertained the audience with his puppet ‘granddaughter’ who had to learn all about old things of past eras!  Tony linked artefacts from the past, such as butter churns, meat grinders, milk vats with present technology. It encouraged imagination and creative thinking. He showed how understanding of the past gives rise to new inventions and ways of doing things... A wonderful Book Week performance by Tony Appleby from Books to Life." Forrest PS, ACT for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Thank you... for organising last Tuesday's fabulous Books to Life live performance, based on the picture book The Imagineer... This was a great way of launching our Book Week activities. Students from Kindy to Year 6 related to it." Torrens PS, ACT for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

“Hi Tony, Thanks so much for your time and effort today. Your show was presented in a clever and engaging manner.” Como West PS, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"I am really keen to book in a show as close to Book Week as we can for 2023. Staff were super keen to go again!" Woady Yaloak PS, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

“Hi there Tony, I'm the music teacher from Gymea Bay Public School and sat in on your show with Kindy earlier today. I just wanted to say what a fabulous show it was! We have had an influx of incursions and visitors to our school lately, yet none have been as professional as yours. From the lighting, animations, props, backdrop, singing and dialogue - it was entertaining from beginning to end and both teachers and students had a ball! It is evident that you are both a teacher and a professional entertainer with a knack for engaging children. A very clever show full of talent! Thank you so much and all the best.” Gymea Bay PS, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

“Hi Tony, Positive feedback. Students and staff enjoyed the show, they liked the costumes, props and interpretation of the book and the humour… This morning our primary students watched a fantastic performance by Tony Bones, based on the CBCA shortlisted book, The Imagineer.” Canowindra PS, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"What a great show it was!” Moree East PS, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

“It was a fantastic show… an incredibly entertaining & engaging live stage show… Our Junior School students loved it!” St Philip’s Christian College, Port Stephens, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Totally loved the show, so did the kids!... The live performance at School on Friday was a lot of fun. Tony Bones, teacher and performer, brought the CBCA shortlisted book ‘The Imagineer” by Christopher Cheng to life… We did the butter churn dance… plenty of music, song and drama… audience participation… learnt about real inventions from the past… connection to literature for book week… a little crazy, a lot of imagination… My Kinderling was talking about making butter.. The kids came home saying how good this was and they can’t wait to see next year!” Medowie PS, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Today was FANTASTIC! Everyone really loved it and we heard students telling their parents all about it after school... A brilliant performance" Newport Gardens PS, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Thanks again, for another great show. The students came out telling me how 'awesome' it was." St Francis of the Fields PS, Strathfieldsaye, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Tony Bones brought our book, “The Imagineer”, to life. After many years of not having a whole primary school incursion, this was a very special moment for many of our students as it was their very first onsite Book Week incursion. We had a very enthusiastic crowd who were more than happy to participate in whatever way they could... Thank you so much for visiting us today. It was wonderful to be able to have a ‘live’ incursion again for the whole primary school... Thank you again". Melton Christian College, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Thanks so much for today. It was fantastic." St Peter The Apostle PS, Hoppers Crossing, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Dear Tony, It was great having you in person again, after the past 2 years of virtual performances (which, by the way, were sensational). Your shows never disappoint, and once again, you gave a formidable performance for us at Malvern Campus. The students loved the show, from our youngest 3 year old students to the Year 4 students. ‘The Imagineer’ certainly provided lots of variety and engaged the students the whole time.  After discussing the show with students today, highlights included the interactive games, such as throwing the balls into the milk cans, the way you went behind the screen and kept talking, the way Penny talked and moved and how you changed from the dad to the grandfather. Thank you once again for being one of the highlights of our Book Week." Caulfield Grammar School, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer

 

"I wanted to pass on a huge well done and thank you – it was absolutely fantastic! The kids loved it, and so did the staff. My kids were talking about it for the rest of the day. Thank you for bringing such a wonderful experience to our school and kids. We thoroughly enjoyed it and already can’t wait for next year's shows!... The feedback from those I have asked already was very positive. One of the other prep teachers thought you were very clever and it’s the best one so far. Liked the interactive aspect too… would love a date for next year." South Morang PS, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"Visiting performances are an important event in Book Week activities... The Books To Life show was held for all Kinder to Year 6 students, and an absolutely fabulous time was had by everyone there. Performer extraordinaire, 'Tony Bones' performed the stage show of the children's book 'The Imagineer' and as we have seen from previous years, his show took us beyond the book and vividly brought it to life. Everyone in the audience were unanimous in voting for Tony to bring his talent back to us next year - so fingers crossed!" Nulkaba PS, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"We had a wonderful experience of Tony Bones' performance. Thank you... You always bring amazing shows and kids always enjoy the performance." Caulfield PS, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"This wonderful incursion for students K-6... was the perfect way to start National Science Week and lead into Book Week next week as the book is about imagination, curiosity and being inquisitive. Both students and teachers enjoyed this special performance." Eastlakes PS, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer"

 

"The live performance for K-2 of The Imagineer was entertaining, engaging and energetic! Books to Life did a wonderful job in making this shortlisted book come alive!" St Therese PS, Mascot, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer".

 

"Thank you Tony for such an amazing show!... We enjoyed a fantastic performance this afternoon by the Bring books to life crew! Amazing, engaging and so fun!!!! Thank you so much... for organising this wonderful experience for our whole school!!!... You are a great performer... hilarious, great puppeteering... music was amazing. We loved the harmonies in the songs. We liked the Q & A portion of the show and the games. The coloured lighting was awesome, the animations on the screen were effective... You were great at changing the set in a matter of seconds, impressive costume changes... We loved the creative props, the rocket ship prop, the artifacts (for example the telephone your wife did a great job), submarine and we like how it unfolded. We liked that they were able to pass the time machine around. We really enjoyed the interactivity of the show" Lakelands PS, Dapto, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer".

 

"Yesterday the students were treated to a wonderful "Books to Life" Performance by Tony. Tony enacted the short-listed book 'The Imagineer' by Christopher Cheng with his puppet Penny. He sang and presented a creative and engaging rendition that had his audience completely enthralled... The children were entertained yesterday morning with a live performance featuring the book The Imagineer. This was thoroughly enjoyed by all students. The following are some of their thoughts: I thought it was going to be a two or three-person show, turns out it was a one-man show. Tony, who performed the show, is talented and a funny person. He is very good at puppetry. The set was amazing. They had bright lights and cool props. If I had to rate it out of five stars, it would be five stars.  Charlie Lang - Tony Bones was an amazing actor. There was humour, interesting things about old objects and good voice acting! It was a one-man show and Tony made it almost seem easy. He also made-up heaps of songs for the show, which really fitted the show. I hope Tony and his crew will be able to join us again with another great book, humour, and great acting! I rated this show a 5 out of 5 stars and I’m sure you all did too... WINNER, WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER! As a filmmaker in the making, I was heavily inspired. The puppeteering was great, and the dynamics between Penny and her Grandfather were heartfelt, and strong throughout. And.. the jokes always landed. Overall, a big FAT SOLID 10/10!". St Mary's CPS, Crookwell, NSW for the live show of "The Imagineer".

 

"Today we were fortunate enough to have Tony Bones perform ‘The Imagineer’... The whole school thoroughly enjoyed the interactive performance!" Yarraman Oaks PS, Noble Park, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer".

 

"It was a wonderful performance and the students had a great time... Can we please book you for 2023?... What an incredible Book Week celebration... they engaged in ‘The Imagineer’ incursion... the fantastic Tony Bones with his production of The Imagineer." Ruskin Park PS, Croydon, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer".
 

"The staff and students were blown away by the show – the level of student engagement, the atmosphere created for students when they entered the space, the music and singing, the humour and the curriculum touch points. You are a gifted teacher and entertainer. From start to finish it was sheer enjoyment for staff and students alike. We cannot wait for your return next year and the new book title you will bring to life at Tintern Grammar." Tintern Grammar, Ringwood, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer".

 

"Hi Tony, Many thanks for your very entertaining show.. It was enjoyed by all. Thanks also for the efficient and prompt way you packed up the end - very much appreciated. I think Year 5/6 is often the hardest year level to please, particularly if a performance is being presented to the whole school. As part of our Book Day, I asked the 5/6s to write a reflection about our day and also to include thoughts and comments about your show. Below are some comments/reviews from our Year 5/6s.

 

From the Year 6's: I think Tony Bones did an amazing performance, one of the best I have ever seen. The performance was a really fun aspect of the day... Tony Bones' play was amazing and very entertaining and I’m still wondering how he changed into all those characters and I loved the voices. I also liked the games that he made but it was a shame that I couldn’t do it. I really wanted to do the lawnmower one... He was a very good actor and very funny... I loved the show! It was so entertaining and hilarious. I loved all the energy and the interactions with the audience. Such good acting and voices! I wish he was there every other year... Tony Bones was a fun and interactive show that made many people laugh. I think the show was very well put together and amazingly produced... I thought Tony Bones was so funny... I loved the creativity, the singing and the acting. My favourite bit of the show was when they got everyone up to follow the dance that he created. This dance was very funny... The Tony Bones performance was SUPER entertaining! I loved how he used his puppet to interact with us. It really brought the book to life allowing all of us to look at it from a different point of view. He had incredible expression and I loved how at the end he answered questions about his life which he gave really inspiring answers to... It was very funny and very enthusiastic to listen to and also very interactive.

 

From our Year 5's: Super funny and squeaky voice for Penny and how he changed super quickly from Penny’s Dad to Penny’s Grandpa... He was very funny. I did not want it to end. It was great!... It is funny and interesting. I am impressed by Tony acting 2 voices with just him (1 person). And I like the old stuff, they are interesting!... I liked Tony Bones' performance... The show was very good. I liked the use of puppets. The change into grandpa was very good. I really liked the audience participation... I really liked the show, and he did a very good job... He was amazing, he made us all laugh and had great humour which is what you need around kids. He is also smart with the songs as the songs are catchy and good... I liked how interactive the show was. Tony Bones was very funny... an enjoyable show.

So a great success with all. Thank you... Once again thanks for your most interesting performance enjoyed by all, that certainly did bring the book 'The Imagineer' to life." St Leonard's PS, Glen Waverley, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer".

 

"The kids thoroughly enjoyed your show." Oakey State School, QLD for the live show of "The Imagineer".

 

"Hi Tony, We absolutely loved having you come in and students really enjoyed your The Imagineer performance... We are very much interested in having you back and seeing your newest performance." Warringa Park School, Hoppers Crossing, VIC for the live show of "The Imagineer".

"Littlelight" 2021 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL Show:

"INCREDIBLE! I love it all! The colours the costumes...the MAYOR! Oh my! What an amazing job you've done. I'm blown away... I have GOOSEBUMPS and maybe a tear or two in my eyes. Amazing. Truly amazing... Thank you so so much.” Kelly Canby, Author-illustrator of Littlelight

 

"The students loved the show! We showed it to K - Year 4. They were all engaged... I used 4 Year 6 students (to run the props & activities in the show). They did great. Took the role on proudly and did great engaging the audience. We did the muffin tray tree activity and put the balls with birds taped on them on the sticks. Students enjoyed passing it through the crowd... The year 6 students removed bricks and added the coloured ones... Thanks again for the show" Sathya Sai School, Murwillumbah, NSW for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school

 

"Show went well... students really enjoyed it... the feedback was it was a great show... the kids still danced and yelled at the screen and interacted. Thank you very much" Capricornia School of Distance Education, Emerald, QLD for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced half at school & half at home.

"Yesterday we ran two sessions and it was amazing! We used the sets & props run by the senior students and everyone absolutely loved it... Thank you for a fantastic virtual performance. For 2 days the library was transformed into the town of Littlelight and generated much excitement with students from Prep to Year 6 attending. They all loved it and enjoyed being part of the show. The information you provided on your website regarding the interactive components of the performance including the optional props was comprehensive and extremely helpful. We took full advantage of your suggestions, involving all the year 6 students in running the interactive activities. It enabled all the students to become part of the show making it a much better experience. We ran 3 sessions over the 2 days and having the virtual performance enabled us to work around the other specialist lessons making it less disruptive to the scheduled learning.  The year 6 students provided some feedback:  They wanted to know if they could run the show again next year.  Some felt a live show would be even better and would Tony need their help? They thought the interactive activities really made the show. I've attached our College newsletter as it has a section at the bottom called 'Library Bytes' covering our Book Week activities, including a piece on the Littlelight performance: Monday and Tuesday this week saw a New World created in the Library as it was converted into the town of Littlelight for the virtual interactive performance of the CBCA Notable List Picture Book of the Year 2021, “Littlelight” by Kelly Canby, dramatized by Tony Bones (Appleby) B.Ed from ‘Books to Life’. We ran three sessions over the two days which saw each of the primary classes from Prep to Year 6 enjoy the show. The Year 6 students and their teachers, Miss Bergel and Miss Cope along with Mrs Rummenie ran the interactive components of the show. The Year 6 students did a fantastic job, enthusiastically engaging the students in the audience and involving them in the story and activities. The students all enjoyed the performance. We had many students telling us how much fun they had and what a great story it was... The wonderful message they took away with them was that sometimes the walls we build around us stop us from experiencing the world outside. God made us all different and unique, and all people no matter who they are or what country they are from have something wonderful to share filling our lives with colour." Chinchilla Christian College, QLD for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

 

"EVERYONE LOVED IT! They thought it was fun and colourful and the students were all so engaged... It was such a fantastic show, I certainly enjoyed it just as much as the students did... Thank you for such a wonderful day!... From those (staff) who have spoken to me personally, they said “it was wonderfully engaging for a virtual show, the colours and music were very effective”, “what a wonderful opportunity for the students even though we were in remote learning”, “I had just as much fun as the students”, “What a powerful way to deliver such an important message”. The children said “...I had a lot of fun doing it”, “He was very expressive”, “I loved the games, they were fun”, “It was great”. Thank you again for all of your support and understanding. You have made this process very enjoyable for me and my school and we appreciate all the time and effort that goes into your marvellous performances" Mount Waverley North PS, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at home.

"Wow, what a fabulous show! I have just finished viewing it myself at home after a long planning day. It was so well put together and incredibly entertaining. Thank you for offering the virtual show to us. I can’t wait to hear the feedback from students... Thanks again for sharing your talent through your show. I hope we get to have your live show at our school in 2022…or if COVID prevails the virtual option again"

"Thank you for sharing your performance with our school. I am a Grade 5/6 teacher at Yarraman Oaks Primary school. My reading group enjoyed reading the book during the previous week and had some excellent discussion about the messages in the book.... I watched the show from home with my 6-year-old daughter and she loved the music and interaction. Thank you again for providing this opportunity for our school." Yarraman Oaks PS, Noble Park, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at home.

"Thank you so much... My students in my Webex just then loved your performance, so thank you for getting them up and active (and smiling!)... I would love to book you (again next year)... Thank you once again for a fantastic performance!" Coburg West PS, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at home.

 

"On behalf of our school and community here at Marayong South Public School, I would like to thank you for all that you have assisted me with in preparing a spectacular book week show for our students during home learning. You have made it memorable despite the lockdowns and I appreciate your love for bringing children's literature to life, thank you!
Feedback from our staff and students: 
- Tony's show was full of fun and student engagement! It is clear he has spent much time trying to perfect every scene, prop and dialogue! Thanks for making it fun for our students! 
- It was a cool virtual show to watch! 
- The students really enjoyed the show and were so deep in watching it. Not a peep from them! 
- This was a super awesome show to watch during Book Week." Marayong South Public School, NSW for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at home.

"Firstly, congratulations on your achievements in bringing Littlelight to Life! As you have done so wonderfully well in the past. You should be really proud of the production and support materials created for staff to work with before and after enjoying the show. Direct Student Feedback: I really liked the story little light. There were many different twists and mysteries to solve which always kept you interested! I especially liked when they were showing the different people. (The North people, the South people, the East people and the West people.) It was fun to see, do, and listen to! It was very interactive in different ways which made me enjoy the different activities. Combined Staff Feedback: Great for teaching and observing the aspects of Drama. Props and Sets were effective. The links all worked perfectly. We had all of the props ready to go. We had watched the reading by Kelly Canby and the YouTube preview on Tuesday, which really helped. The interactive segments were engaging and quite funny at times... Many references were made to Australian authors and children’s books, which could flow on to literacy. This performance could effectively be used with different age groups across primary... The Q&A link provided interesting information about props, costumes (cheap easy ones!) etc. It would be useful if you are trying to design and create your own performance. All-in-all it was very well done, and could easily be used in many KLA’s, and as inspiration for a performance. Thank you for your work on this and well done Tony!" St Francis Xavier's PS, Urana, NSW for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

 

"The initial feedback from our campus families was very positive... I will also be keen to book a show for next year as well" Woady Yaloak PS, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at home.

"Hi Tony, The shows are going great! I have had lots of wonderful feedback and loved watching the students have fun in the shows.... I'm glad I put together all the props because the students really do enjoy all the activities and having the muffin tray decorated as a tree has been very entertaining for them. It has been a wonderful addition to our book week celebration! We have 3 more days of fun to have. Tomorrow will be extra fun with everyone dressed in their costumes for the day.. The feedback I received throughout the week from both students and staff was very positive... they had read the book prior to attending the show and students understood the main moral/teaching of the story. It was a great addition to our book week celebration and fitted perfectly with the theme and our school context as well." Ashdale PS, Darch, Perth, WA for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

 

"The virtual performance of Littlelight was watched by our onsite students from Kinder -3. The students were all thoroughly engaged and enjoyed themselves throughout the show. They laughed and interacted enthusiastically with the character and were intrigued by his change of costume, accent and clothes. They enjoyed discussing the performance and the message they gleaned. A happy way to celebrate Book Week- Thank you" Marist Catholic College, North Shore, NSW for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

 

"The class all joined together via Zoom to watch the performance of Littlelight. The faces on the Zoom were totally engrossed. They particularly enjoyed joining in with some of the action. It was a great way to start our Book Week, Book Day" Marist Catholic College, North Shore, NSW for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

 

"Had a lovely Year 3 assembly this morning with the kids all dressed up and then we all watched (Littlelight) together. The kids really enjoyed it and were quite captivated by it. They particularly enjoyed the change of character and how he made them feel like he was in their home. Great show!" Marist Catholic College, North Shore, NSW for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

"I want to thank you so much for the virtual show. We had most of our students offsite and a handful onsite. I was with Years 3 & 4 students while onsite as well as leading a Zoom lesson with students at home watching the show. As a teacher, it was brilliant. The story that we had been focusing on all week was brought to life and was wonderful. From a students perspective, they loved it. We had students up out of their chairs and engaging in the many interactive moments, singing, dancing, speaking strange languages and using what we had gathered as props. Once again, thank you." Melton Christian College, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

"Hi Tony, Verbal feedback to me was all positive! 😊" Ringwood Heights PS, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

"We showed our Preps Littlelight this morning and I was blown away! It’s obvious you’ve put so much time and effort into the production value of this virtual incursion and I appreciated the quality as well as the content. Our preps clapped along matching different beats and had a go at throwing fruit in the basket! It was surprisingly interactive and adaptable to the online ‘Zoom’ classroom as well as projected for the kids of essential workers at school and it worked well in both environments. The extra classroom resources were abundant and could span several weeks so I’m looking forward to revisiting this book and using your video, songs, resources and the memories the kids made today. I’ve seen a live performance of yours as well and have to say that while the kids obviously miss out on so much in remote learning, they haven’t missed out on this special experience. It was genuinely comparable to a live show and that’s quite an accomplishment! Thanks for all the hard work you’ve put into this, it was well worth it for us as I hope it was for you." Melton Christian College, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

 

"I’ve seen a few of your shows and am amazed at how you adapt to the different texts. I love the creativity and humour. I’d say: Keep on doing what you are doing! The students on Zoom at home were fully engaged as you brought this delightful book with complex themes to life for them in a way they could understand. (Year 1)" Melton Christian College, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

 

"The virtual incursion was fantastic. The (grade 5) students especially enjoyed the different songs and music. The interactive options were also enjoyed by those who participated. The book choice and associated resources/lesson plans were AMAZING!!! It was so good to spend the week exploring the text, going deep before the show... an amazing experience for my students." Melton Christian College, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

"We followed the suggestion to read the book before the performance, and this was instrumental in the boys understanding of the performance itself... The boys enjoyed exploring the unique talents of each land... High-quality production... Students saw it a class at a time, so it was a personalised experience." St Peter's College, SA for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

"Thanks, Tony for the show, really great feedback and engagement!" Middle Park PS, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

"The students really enjoyed the show." St Patrick's PS, Latrobe, TAS for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

"I know the children who were at school loved the production, as I was supervising them on Tuesday. As it was last year, the show was so visual and well-paced and engaged the younger students entirely." Sacred Heart PS, Diamond Creek, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

"It was really bright and engaging and the students said they enjoyed it... thank you for a great show and something different for the kids to enjoy during lockdown." Caulfield PS, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

"I have just enjoyed the show with a small group of students at school. They loved it! It was interactive and full of fun - they were delighted. What a great choice of book. We will be using this book for further learning moving forward. Thanks also for your flexibility in ensuring we could see the show virtually during Book Week... Thanks again for the wonderful performance this year." St Luke's Catholic PS, Lalor, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

"The show was amazing. I ran it onsite with two groups of students; 3-6s then p-2s and both groups really enjoyed it.  The balloons, torches, and interaction with the brick walls were some of our highlights! Thanks again, despite Covid, this was a super easy incursion to plan. The communication with you throughout helped to make this a really supported experience and the show itself was really entertaining and suitable for all grade levels. We are keen to book in a date for book week 2022 as soon as we can!" Newport Gardens PS, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

"Thanks so much, Tony. All the feedback I’ve had so far has been great. My 3 and 5-year-old sons really enjoyed it! My 5-year-old said he loved it so much he just wants to watch it always... thanks for all your help and hard work!" St Bede's PS, ACT for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

 

"Thank you for providing this experience for the girls last week.  The girls really enjoyed taking a break from the normal routine and there was much positive feedback about your production." Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

"I was speaking with a parent this morning who loved watching your show last week with her family!" Bayswater PS, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

 

"We all enjoyed the show! There have been lots of comments on how funny it was, how cleverly it was done and how great it was with including students. I’m so glad we were able to still run the show, even virtually, to celebrate the end of Book Week. Well done on creating a great show! Thanks for bringing this awesome book and lovely message to our students" Ringwood North PS, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

 

"The feedback from my students in Foundation was they loved the songs and storyline and the use of props. I had a few photos sent to me of students using props while watching. One student said it was very funny to watch. From a teacher's perspective, it was a great alternative for home learning and enjoyed listening to the interactive story. Students who were onsite on this day watched it on the big projector and all variety of year levels enjoyed it." Kingston Heath PS, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced both at school & at home.

"Many thanks for your performance. I have received unsolicited positive feedback... All very enthusiastic, kids laughing constantly and very involved. One Year 1 student included it in his sentence of the day, where he had to use adjectives. He wrote: "The funniest thing I ever saw was in the Littlelight incursion when they were translating the unfamiliar words." (I presume a parent would have helped him with the spelling!). The teacher who recommended you watched it with his own family and they all totally loved it. He rang to let me know. I watched it too and it was fabulous. My favourite part was the CBCA books section, I would have loved to watch my kids do that since I read them all those books. The whole performance was fast-paced, true to the story and very uplifting. The FAQ was good too... Well done." Medowie Public School, NSW for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at home.

 

"The children thoroughly enjoyed it... They really enjoyed the interactive aspect of the show and delighted in gathering props themselves and actively involved themselves completely in the show singing and dancing etc. It was a joy to watch especially in these strange times. I was impressed with the discussion on the themes that the children engaged in and how much they gained from watching the show. Fortunately, even though they are very young they are used to discussing complex themes and enjoyed talking about all the different walls that have been constructed in the world. They were excited to talk about the Trojan walls as we have completed a Myths and Legends unit and completed an in-depth study of the Trojan Horse. I will recommend this production to other teacher friends and would love to hear about any future productions." Hampton Public School, NSW for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school & at home.

"The presentation was excellent and we really appreciated the time and thought that went into your production values. The younger children in particular found the experience truly immersive and enjoyed every moment. The songs were great." Roberts McCubbin PS, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school & at home.

"The virtual show of Littlelight was watched by families in their homes this year... These are the main points of feedback we received:
* The extended times for viewing were helpful in allowing families flexibility 
* The information (emails) prior to the show was appreciated- having time to plan and gather props, as well as pre-watching the story.
* Clever use of household items as props, and various options for things to be used, made participating easy for busy families.
* The energy and enthusiasm throughout the show was contagious!
* The games and use of props was well balanced throughout the show, the games were able to be enjoyed by all family members in their own way- this was a valuable component of the show.
* It was a good length of time- much longer would have been too long for younger participants to concentrate.
* The show was a fun way for children to engage with a story- especially for those who don't usually enjoy reading. It also allowed families to spend this time together, without having to have planned an activity themselves- this was a blessing during a difficult season." Moree Christian School, NSW for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at home.

"It was a great performance - many thanks! Teachers enjoyed it, too. I had 6 prop kids and they worked those torches and balls really well. Instead of blu-tacking the bricks on the wall- I created a 2- sided cardboard (large) 4 panels and we slowly turned them around (like the Les Miserables barricades) - but with happy coloured bricks, windows and doors:)" Deniliquin South PS, NSW for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

"I ran the virtual show with my P-4 library classes so I have watched it 6 times…I could nearly perform beside you 😉 You are very clever. The children absolutely enjoyed every moment of the show. There was not much time where the children were sitting still. There was so much for them to do that the 50 minutes passed so quickly. This was a fantastic book, I can see why you chose it and it is a bit disappointing that it was not on the shortlist. My personal favourite scene was the northern wall. I loved the interpreting of the language. The children were so focussed and hanging on your every word to hear exactly what the words meant... The kids loved the dancing and copying your movements (particularly the butt movement)... We would definitely love to book again next year…the kids that have seen the 2 shows know you by name. They actually thought you were doing the show live by Zoom... Thank you so much for all that you do. You really do bring these books to life!" Terang College, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

"Hi Tony... Great feedback for 'Littlelight'... Really enjoyed the performance - kids loved it too... Will be rebooking again for next year... Most positive feedback was for the dancing activity and balloon bounce/bird ball relay." Otways MARC, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

"The Prep- Grade 4s were engaged, interested in the content and entertained by the show. People also commented on the clarity of the video. It’s a great book and everyone liked the message which was clearly delivered during the performance... The teachers also enjoyed a break! In these crazy times, it was great that you could come up with something that could be viewed no matter the circumstance, so congratulations!" Valkstone PS, Bentleigh East, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

"Hi Tony... Thank you again for providing a virtual show for schools. The amount of work to put it together would have been phenomenal... All students and teachers from Prep to Year 4 absolutely loved the show and thought the way you had students interacting with the various games and activities was terrific. There was so much positive feedback after the show.  Also, your video of FAQ was a great follow up to the performance and really added to their understanding of how a show is put together and the meaning of the story.  Thank you for all the work you do to ensure we had a great experience.  Your correspondence was second to none, and along the way, you always answered my questions or queries with such promptness and courtesy. I have no hesitation in recommending your performance to others and we will certainly be booking you again for next year." Caulfield Grammar School VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

"Hi Tony, Every level loved it! Such a gorgeous book and brilliantly performed. We have struggled to find performances which do entertain and engage across P-6, even though they might be advertised as such, observing the students in any class enjoying and talking about it beyond the performance is a major win." St Anthony's PS, Alphington, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

"I asked every class I saw last week re. their thoughts about the show - a resounding loved it, was very funny, liked the dance class - all of it!" Nulkaba PS, NSW for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

"It was a success. The kids enjoyed it and enjoyed that all the kids in the school saw it." Stella Maris PS, Burnie, TAS for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

"I did use the lesson plans and found them excellent. We've had some great discussions about the book and why it was made. The students did their own research about the other walls built in our history and even today.  They are very keen to learn about the holocaust as we are reading the novel 'Once' so they were particularly interested in the walls surrounding the ghettos. Thank you once again for providing us with these lessons plans. Wishing you all the best and we look forward to seeing you again one-day" Yarraman Oaks PS, Noble Park, VIC for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

 

"Hi Tony, The feedback from the teachers was very positive. They loved the interactive elements and the variety as each scene was played out. They loved the music - boppy and fun. The students were engaged throughout... They loved a story played out theatrically that has a deep message to take away. They loved the humour... the engagement level was high amongst all students and they really enjoyed it. We are very grateful for your work." Holy Spirit Primary School, Nicholls, ACT for Littlelight Virtual Show experienced at school.

 

 

"Hello Lighthouse" 2020 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL Show:

 

"I did sit down to watch the other evening! It was quite a surreal experience to see you in the lighthouse! I appreciate how much time and work you put into the (virtual incursion), it was clearly a labor of love! I especially enjoyed the swirling aurora borealis ribbons. I’m so glad to hear you’ve been getting a great response from schools. Congratulations!" Sophie Blackall, Author-Illustrator, "Hello Lighthouse".

 

 

"Virtual Book Week Show A Winner! We spent a very enjoyable afternoon in the office watching Books to Life's adaptation  of Sophie Blackall's "Hello Lighthouse." What was to be a National Tour became a virtual production when the company was stranded in Victoria.

We absolutely loved the show. The integration of the book into the story, the singing, the acting and high-quality production values, more than brought this book to life. It was excellent. 

 

Along with a link to the show, the company includes the reading of the story by the author, lots of ideas for props that the students can have with them when they're participating in the show and a link to a 45 minute Q & A that can be accessed when convenient.

 

Tony Appleby's long experience as a performer and writer, along with his teaching background has informed the creation of a show that is valuable in it's own right. It shouldn't be seen as a video of an incursion, rather it's a new form, and unlike live incursions, it's available wherever you are. 

 

We hope companies like Books to Life consider offering a virtual incursion of their work in the future. No one company can get to all the schools that would like a show, this way they can." Karen Keegan, review for Shows For Schools

 

"What a fabulous amazing show! Beautiful singing! Amazing puppets and we loved the green screening!  It was very entertaining and as interactive as possible and very funny too. We will be defiantly be booking you again. Thank you Thank you from all our community. We just loved it." Theresa Cumming, Teacher Librarian, St Bernard's PS, Mt Gravatt, QLD

 

"Thank you very much for an amazing show today. After having you perform at our school in previous years, we knew the show would be good, but with having to perform a virtual show, we could never have imagined it would be incredible. Your show exceeded all of our expectations and both staff and students absolutely loved it. Everyone left with smiles on their faces and a spring in their step. Jordan and I used the props as suggested and were so pleased we did as it made the show seem as though you were in the room. Even through a screen, you have the ability to engage, entertain and inspire our students. We also appreciated your emails that contain many ideas and links related to the story and show, which I have passed on to the teachers. Thank you once again for a truly amazing show - a highlight of our Book Week." Susan Grover, Library Teacher/Team Coordinator-Specialists/Growth Coach, Caulfield Grammar School, Malvern Campus

 

"Our students were so highly engaged for the whole show, and erupted into applause at the end!! It was, as always, a very cleverly structured show with student needs in mind and appealed to absolutely everyone. We appreciated being able to pause it a couple of times when needed. And the props were a wonderful way to create interaction. I prepped our year 6/7 class on the day before to be prop managers. They sat down the sides and supported and encouraged all the other students while each having a job such as choosing a student and coaching them to do the Northern Lights or spraying water everywhere! It was a fantastic way to fully engage those older children and have them being responsible and generous. Thank you so very much and congratulations on your successful adventure into virtual incursions!” Sarah Fewster, Teacher, Newbery Park PS, SA

 

"We really loved the show today. Thank you for your amazing effort in putting this all together!... The students in my Year 4 class were sucked into your performance. They danced and joined in the activities and continued singing the songs all day long. It was a really special event in what has been a challenging year and it was a joy to see the pleasure they took in this great event." Jennifer Clarke, Ruskin Park PS, Croydon, VIC

 

"Hi Tony, Thank you for your excellent efforts in producing a wonderful show." Jenny Errey, Resource and Information Centre Coordinator, Southern Vales Christian College, Morphett Vale, SA

 

"It was so well done... The link worked perfectly and there were no issues regarding set-up… It was such a great way to start the term and I could tell the kids really enjoyed it… as did (the other Year 6 teacher) and I! The students were really engaged throughout the entire (virtual incursion). They always enjoy audience interaction and the opportunity to get up and use the props... I think it really added to the performance. I also think the way you engaged with the students through the video and had them perform different actions like the ‘Mexican Wave’ or pretend to be the wind with their arms really helped to bring the performance to life... Thank you once again!" Rose Yodgee, Year 6 Teacher, Chatham PS, Surrey Hills, VIC

 

"The show went well today and the children loved it... Thanks once again for a great performance." Catherine Rodgers, St Thomas Mores School, Mt Eliza, VIC

 

"It was a great success... all staff members that I have spoken to say that their students loved it! My 5/6 class was really impressed and are loving our planned activities taken from your compiled teacher resources!" Krystal Ryan, Caulfield PS, VIC

 

"Thanks, Tony. Great experience for our kids." Sallie Sabey, Ardeer South PS, VIC

 

"Hi Tony, My preps really enjoyed the show... what I heard in the staffroom was that grades enjoyed (the show), teachers enjoyed your jokes! Looking forward to seeing you again for real next year... Below are the few comments I received from other staff after asking for feedback... The kids (and I) really enjoyed it... Even though it was on the tv it was great that you found ways to interact with the kids... The little ones really enjoyed being part of the show. The green screen effects were great too... The show was great, loved that even though it was virtual, it was still interactive" Debbie Cullen, Morang South PS, VIC

 

"I loved the show – so clever and imaginative and lots of smiles... In terms of the tasks, we had already immersed ourselves in this book for our ‘Scaffolding Literacy’ unit during term three and completed a number of associated tasks over a two week period. Our students created their own ‘Lighthouse Town’ posters as one of their tasks but we were mostly focused on the rich language in the text along with the beautiful illustrations. We analysed a selected sentence and used its pattern for ‘imitation writing’. We listened to Sophie Blackall read the story; we also wrote letters using the template of the keeper and we also had created storyboards from our first read where students were required to visualise the story without all of the book’s images. I had purchased three copies of the book for this unit and it was a very pleasant coincidence that you had selected the same book for your performance. We have really had some wonderful experiences with this book, despite being in a remote learning environment for the entire term." Angela Mildenhall, Middle Park PS, VIC

 

"My class have enjoyed doing some of the activities you provided to go along with the story." Mrs Bernadette Milich, Year 3 Teacher, Deputy Head of Junior School, The Hamilton & Alexandra College, VIC

 

"Feedback was very positive from staff. It was a great show and enjoyed by all. Yes we are keen to book the live show for 2021." Stephen Nelson, Head of Junior School, The Hamilton & Alexandra College, VIC

 

"Looking forward to it, I’ve already heard from a friend it is great!" Tania Bennett, St Anthony's PS, Alphington, VIC October 2020

 

"The year 6's have been coming up with the ideas for the props. It's so encouraging to see them so engaged and excited. Can't wait." Cathy Burns, Teacher Librarian, Orange Grove PS, Lilyfield, NSW

 

"Students of all year levels enjoyed the performance... The experience was enhanced by the students being familiar with the story prior to the performance and the props... the ability to stop the performance to explain aspects to the students and to organise the students for interacting with the performance was a bonus... the students just loved the way the use of props helped them to interact with the performance. The props really made the whole experience something the students will remember and talk about... All the other resources you provided were a great addition and teachers could certainly spend a day or a week using these in their classroom... I and the students loved interacting and they liked it when they thought you were talking to them. Most of the students rarely have the opportunity to see live performances - actors and props and so for many this was their first introduction. It has inspired me to design a unit of work for Term 1 and Term 2 next year for the older students where they will bring a story book to life and it will give us a chance to experiment with green screens. I'm really looking forward to that!" Kristin Mackinlay, Otways MARC (Servicing Alvie, Beeac, Birregurra, Carlisle River, Deans Marsh, Forrest, Lavers Hill), VIC

"Thanks for the work and creativity you have put into your show. You’ve done a great job in these COVID/ non-incursion times. I showed the presentation to Year 6’s at Melton Christian College. I must admit that initially, I thought these reserved teenagers might reject the performance however I was pleasantly surprised when they voluntarily joined in the songs and actions.  They loved the Hello song parody!... I commend and encourage you for doing exactly what your business name says, and wish you every success with this show and future shows" Glen Strange, Year 5/6 Coordinator, Melton Christian College, VIC

 

"Thank you so much for the amazing Hello Lighthouse performance. My Foundation kids watched it yesterday and they absolutely loved it. Chatter in the staff room echoed this from other grades. We were all so impressed last year when you came to school to do a show in person and considering the circumstances, you shone again. Thanks for the joy it brought to our students, and the work out for me with all the props! Hope to be able to welcome you back to school next year" Sue Dickinson, Ruskin Park PS, VIC.

 

"Thank you very much for providing wonderful entertainment for my class of Year One and Two Students.  Your production provided a great follow on for the students after reading the book for our Book Week Celebrations. Students were excited to participate in the actions and sat and watched your portrayal intently.  I also provided as many of the props as possible which added to the student's experience. They particularly liked it when they were splashed with water during the turbulent water/sea scene! It was great to be able to read the information you provided beforehand to prepare for the event and also to have read the book to allow the students to have some prior knowledge to build upon. We watched the Q and A later that afternoon.  I wasn't sure whether my class would be able to sit through this due to their age and concentration span?  Surprisingly they were most interested.  We watched this for about half an hour and will come back to watch this further in the coming week.  This deepened the student's experience of the production. A plethora of further resources was very much appreciated for further and future learning. Overall, the portrayal was magnificent. The use of different mediums in this portrayal definitely kept the audience involved, particularly being observed as remote production.  The parody displayed provided lots of opportunities for the students to enjoy their experience immensely.  There were laughs and fun experienced by all!  Thank you, Tony, for providing another wonderful opportunity for the students at Ss Peter and Paul's Primary School to enjoy and experience the love of books during our Book Week celebrations... Our Book Week celebrations covered a full day of activities related to the shortlisted books.  Your show/incursion was so fitting to finish our week of celebrations. We all enjoyed this sooooo much!" Rosemarie Bucci, Year 1/2 Classroom Teacher, S.s. Peter and Paul's Primary, East Doncaster, VIC.

 

"Thank you so much for this wonderful show, the kids and staff loved it! It was very entertaining and so cleverly put together." Rowena Turner, Schools as Hubs Coordinator, High Country

 

"Thank you so much for bringing to life “Hello Lighthouse”....it was very much liked by our students and the staff... I used most of your suggestions for the interactive ‘stuff’ and the kids loved it.... Once again, thank you." Irene Ovchinnikov, Caroline Chisholm School, ACT.

 

"It's going really well! We've had our first show and all went beautifully. We had fun with the props!" Cathy Burns, Teacher Librarian, Orange Grove PS, Lilyfield, NSW

 

"The students thoroughly enjoyed the performance, particularly the jokes and singing. The suggested props made it very entertaining too. Thank you for inviting our Year 3 students to participate in this" Year 3 Teacher. "I saw a short part of the show and thought it was engaging as well as clever how the book was linked to the drama/singing. It gave an excellent view of the life of a lighthouse keeper. We appreciated being able to offer this to our students." Debbie West-McInnes, Head of Primary, St Peters Lutheran College, Springfield, QLD

 

 "I enjoyed it and thought that it was very clever the way you wove the story through the pages of the book and tied songs into it. Well done and thanks again for your help in making it available to suit the classes." Debbie Martin, Sandringham PS, VIC

 

"The children enjoyed the performance - thanks for the ideas about some props at our end - the staff really got into it. Thanks for all the additional resources as well" Caroline Sheehan, St Benedict's PS, Burwood, VIC

 

"The staff and students loved the show. The foundation students and their teacher were extremely impressed with how you made the illustrations come to life and were able to put yourself into the illustrations. Everyone from Foundation to year 6 thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and were extremely impressed by how life-like everything was. Staff commented on how engaged the children were and all the children I spoke to told me they loved that there were a lot of different elements to the performance that really made it come alive. Staff were also very appreciative of the huge amount of resources and ideas you shared with us. As the person who organised this event, I was very grateful to the support you gave... We're still not sure how you managed to bring the performance and the book to life as well as you did.  Congratulations on a fantastic performance. I hope to book the performance again next year." Michele Hedley, St Fidelis' Catholic PS, Coburg, VIC

 

"The virtual performance was terrific... I absolutely would like to rebook, in Book Week if possible... The children often commented on the extra parts you added to the story, and we discussed why you make those creative decisions. Well done! Always a hit with our students at Buckley House." Grace Molinaro, Teacher Librarian, Ivanhoe Grammar, VIC

 

"The virtual performance was a wonderful experience and it certainly reflected your existing creativity and increasing versatility! The Year 6 students thoroughly enjoyed supporting the performance (we had two shows - K, P, 1, 2; Years 3-6) and the audiences for both performances were extremely engaged. Comments from teachers were very positive, with the general consensus being of greatly impressed and that if these virtual performances are to be the new norm, then we are happy to embrace these opportunities... we would like to rebook for the virtual tour if it can be incorporated for the 2021 Book Week. All the best and very well done!" Rod Linhart, Principal, St Patrick's Catholic School, Latrobe, TAS

 

"Staff feedback... was they loved it. Really engaging and well put together show. Loved the jokes, songs and animations... The kids were full of laughter while watching the show and loved the props, animation and audience interaction as well. They enjoyed seeing the book being performed." Monique Driscoll, Year 2 PLC Leader, Kingswood PS, Dingley Village, VIC

 

"Entertaining for kids and adults. Making kids take part added to entertainment. Interesting storyline. Good use of images. Students really enjoyed the interactive parts." Gracie Prencipe, Teacher, St Martin De Porre PS, Avondale Heights, VIC

 

"I have spoken with some staff and they loved it and the lower levels used the props etc and thought it was fantastic!!" Jodi Keane, Robe PS, SA

 

"A staff member from our school commented that she "loved the live-action engaging and interactive nature of the show. It actually felt like we were at a live theatre show even though it was virtual!" Hanna Draycott, St. Augustine’s Primary School, Frankston South, VIC

 

"The kids and teachers really enjoyed the performance including the layer of adult humour for the teachers." Sharon Hawker, Principal, Canowindra PS, NSW

 

"The year fours seem to be thoroughly engaged, both Y3 and Y4 have particularly enjoyed the semaphore and the "hello" pop-culture references. I'd say you've really hit the mark with the Year 2-4 audience... The five/sixes got into the meta-side of things especially enjoying trying to catch all the puns and looking at how the media-arts technologies were used (green screen and the like). The FAQ was particularly in-depth and useful for this." David Camp, Holy Spirit PS, ACT

 

"The kids are really enjoying your work with Hello Lighthouse. We have received some comments from the kids that reflect aspects of the production they particularly enjoyed... We admire your tenacity and determination to problem solve a very unique situation this year. We really highlighted this to the kids and they were impressed at your predominantly solo efforts. Thank you again for your energy and enthusiasm. The students loved:

-the pop-culture references (Baby Shark, titanic, the 'hello' songs etc)

-the songs and music and how they aligned with the various scenes

-the dancing and the dolls/puppets

-how the illustrations had been changed and had some animations in them.

-the lighthouse keeper theme being played progressively in the background is quite clever and useful to tie the story arcs together.

-The animal puppets - very funny

-the puns/jokes

-the interactivity was great, especially the semaphore

-the Mexican wave looked pretty good with just two classes

-the frequently asked questions section is very thorough. It's nice to give the student's a chance to unpack all that goes into making a production like this.
Many thanks again Tony - it was a beautiful representation of Hello Lighthouse - we loved the literary and historical components of the story." Stephanie Meagher, Teacher Librarian, Holy Spirit Primary School, Nicholls, ACT.
 

"Feedback from the teachers was positive: Students really enjoyed the show. In particular, they liked using the props – especially the flags. The show provided a rich language experience introducing new vocabulary and theatre experience that many of our students need as they don’t have these experiences outside of school... Thank you so much for all the work that you have put in. I watched the show with a year 5 class and they were really involved with the performance – they laughed the most during the dancing scene and were trying to work out if Alice was real. I really enjoyed the performance and after my personal experience making many videos for remote learning have a deep appreciation for your talent! Thank you so much for sharing it with us." Sandy Liddell, Learning Specialist, Chandler Park PS, VIC.

"I got to watch the wonderful performance with 4 classes today. All of which loved it!... Thank you for your amazing work on this production." Katherine Cross, Teacher Librarian, Distance Education Supervisor, Lightning Ridge Central School

 

"Appreciate all the effort you have put into providing the students with an opportunity to celebrate Book Week and performing arts in general in 2020. I think it is very important and a huge part of a balanced education for our young students...The feedback I noticed at our Scarsdale Campus today was lots of laughter and huge smiles!" Eamon Johnson, Assistant Principal (Student Learning), Scarsdale Campus Head, Woady Yaloak Primary School 

 

"Thank you so so so much for all your valuable resources and an amazing brilliant 'virtual show'. Our students were engaged throughout the performance and thoroughly enjoyed watching it, from our Prep students right up to our Year 6 students. The teachers enjoyed it too and gave it a thumbs up. Thanks also for the FAQ video which we will be coming back to. Everything worked well and was seamless which was fantastic. The quality was spot on - so clear that it made you feel that you were actually in the room. If your virtual show is anything to go by then your 'real life' performance must be totally amazing and something to look forward to being able to see, at some stage in the future. You are to be congratulated for what you have achieved in a year like no other and one that none of us would have even imagined... Once again thanks and congratulations to you for all your brilliant hard work, effort, teacher resources and notes, etc, etc and for corresponding regularly to keep me informed as to what was happening. I will certainly be recommending you to my other teacher-librarian colleagues as 'must have' performance for their schools." Kaye Gregory, ICT Leader/Teacher Librarian, St Leonard's PS, Glen Waverley, VIC

 

"All positive feedback from staff and students. The humour was particularly well-received, the fact you performed to the camera was engaging and the range of camera angles, props and effects were terrific. We are definitely wanting to book next year please" Tania Bennett, St Anthony's PS, Alphington, VIC

 

"The show was fantastic. The students had a lot of fun and loved the props." Janelle Gill, Banora Point PS, NSW

 

"I only heard good things about the show from staff and students. You did a great job. I watched it with the grade 6s, then heard afterwards that the preps loved it too. Well done getting the students to interact despite the show being digital. You are a professional." Tanya Boon, Library Technician, Stella Maris Catholic PS, Burnie, TAS

 

"Thank you for the engaging, amazing show! I have a year 1/2/3 class and my students just loved the show! They were all engaged the whole time and when they noticed you dancing with a puppet and then the real girl, they were thrilled!" Peem Henley, Classroom Teacher, Moree East Public School

"I received a lot of great feedback on your show this year. Although they love having you in person and the wonderful theatre vibe that brings, this year's virtual incursion had so many pluses!  It was great being able to have 3 shows in our Hall (we broke it up into JP, MP and UP). It meant there was a lot more room to move about when you had the interactive parts. These were really enjoyable and the students commented they wanted more! They particularly liked the signal flags and by you pointing out into the audience, the students organised who came out the front without any direction/instruction from the teachers whatsoever! We loved all your jokes! The tuning of the lantern was a favourite with the older students and the teachers, while the younger students really enjoyed the baby seals and the tour of the lighthouse with the keeper... Thanks again for the great show you put on this year." Claudia Sychold, Gilles Street Primary School, Adelaide, SA.

 

"I have had quite a few giggles along the way.  It has been very cleverly done!... Loved the dedication at the end of the show. Really makes us reflect on the crazy year we have had." Renee Losiak, Teacher Librarian, Barnier PS, NSW

 

"We did enjoy your show (Hello Lighthouse) last year and have booked again (for 2021's Littlelight)" Barbara Napthine, Assistant Principal, Swifts Creek P-12 School, VIC

 

"The show proceeded without a hitch today. We had the show in several locations & different times which worked well & suited the class teachers. Plenty of positive feedback for show & the comprehensive notes you've been feeding us. We've had some great activities pre & post show time. The history of lighthouses & their locations resonated with the students and sparked great discussions. Our science teacher is going to look at using recent electrical circuit lessons to insert in a model lighthouse, as she wraps up the term... Thanks again - you are amazingly creative." Leanne Sharpe, Teacher Librarian, Enfield PS, NSW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The All New Must Have Orange 430" 2019 "Honour Book" CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show:

 

"It was fantastic!!! I was just walking around, singing your songs and living life:)... I’m so stoked with what you were able to do... Thanks so much, Tony, what a show!!! Many, many thanks, Mike :)" Michael Speechley, author-illustrator of The All New Must Have Orange 430.

 

"Thank you SO much for today's wonderful and entertaining performance of the book "The All New Must Have Orange 430". I have only had positive comments and enthusiastic praise for the whole event from staff and students! Well done to you Tony.... WOW - What an amazing and entertaining show! "The All New Must Have Orange 430" performed by Tony was a fantastic way to kick off our Children's Book Week celebrations for 2019. Staff and students all thoroughly enjoyed the performance, which included music, humour, puppetry, games, important messages and themes - indeed something for everyone!" Inger Robinson, Librarian, Ashburton PS, VIC

 

"Feedback from staff has been overwhelmingly positive, none of us can remember any performance or activity that was so engaging for the whole school, it is rare to find something that caters for F-6 in any meaningful way. The students are still talking about you a week later." Jennifer Clarke, Ruskin Park PS, Croydon, VIC

 

"My staff LOVED the performance you did for us the other week.  Staff found you engaging, entertaining and well prepared.  Staff commented on how well you interacted with the children on and off the stage.  The children loved the performance. We are all so happy that at our Department meeting this week they wanted me to book you in again for next year! What dates will you be touring in our area next year? On a personal note, I have found you easy to work with and communicate with.  Nothing is too much trouble.  Thank you." Karen Coleman, St Philip's CC, Port Stephens, NSW

"Tony and his staff put together a great performance, tailored well for the variety of ages. It was interactive and engaging. Great use of different techniques to keep students totally focused and we really loved observing the excitement around the room during the audience participation. The characters, scenes and reflection at the end which focused on the ideas presented ensured it was a great learning journey for the students." Year 5 Team - Ashburton PS, VIC.

 

"Thanks once again... Our students loved the show and were taking away ideas for our own performance in a few weeks time!" Michael Aquilina, Performing Arts Teacher, Gilles Street PS, Adelaide, SA

 

"YES!!!!!!!!!  Spoke to staff re idea of rebooking and got an absolute YES!  Staff told me that your show was the best thing we had seen all year!" Shiralee Morris, Teacher-Librarian, President: MASLA (Maitland Area School Library Association), Nulkaba PS, NSW

 

"Hi Tony, My name is Wendy Noble and along with the students at Gilles Street Primary school I sat and watched your amazing performance." Wendy Noble, ACEO, Paradise, SA

 

"It was fabulous. I really enjoyed it and the message that it sent to the children. The fact that the children were so thoroughly engaged, speaks volumes.  I for one will be buying that book for my grandies - great message." Linelle Hughes, Stella Maris Catholic PS, Burnie, TAS

 

"To keep a class of 26 four & five-year-olds engaged for a whole hour is a remarkable feat! The use of multi-media was captivating. Seriously impressed!" Shontelle Cocks, Stella Maris Catholic PS, Burnie, TAS

 

"Thank you so much for bringing your energetic show to our school. Staff and students were entranced. We're still singing your songs! Looking forward to next year!" Tanya Boon, Library Technician, Stella Maris Catholic PS, Burnie, TAS

 

"The feedback from staff and students was very positive. The students were engaged with the use of puppetry, song and the activities you had them do. The performance was cleverly done and the students learnt a lot about how a show can be brought to the stage with only 1 person acting. We would like to rebook you next year." Kerri-Anne Hubble, Principal, Dungowan PS, NSW

 

"Thanks again for a wonderful show yesterday. Both staff and students thoroughly enjoyed it." Eamon Johnson, Assistant Principal, Ross Creek Campus Head, Woady Yaloak PS, VIC

 

"Thanks Tony... We would love to have you back next year." Amy Cameron, Level 2 PLC Leader, Kingswood PS, Dingley Village, VIC.

 

"Thanks again for your performance. We had in another group the day after yours and in my opinion, yours shone above. I really like how you think about the space and transform it as well as adding in the games, really makes the kids excited and brings out their enjoyment of the Arts." Nicholas Kong, Specialist Leader, Performing Arts, 5/6 Teacher, Roberts McCubbin Primary School, Box Hill, VIC.

 

"Hi Tony, Once again thank you for yesterday’s performance. It was very entertaining and captured the messages in the book really well. I had many students and staff tell me how much they enjoyed the afternoon. We hope to see you again next year. I have also sent this feedback to our teacher/librarian network as I think not everyone knows that you’re back!" Irene Ovchinnikov, Caroline Chisholm School, ACT. 

 

"Thank you, Tony. I heard great things about the performance. The Students at Gib Gate loved it... We look forward to seeing you again in the future." Lee Ann Marsh, Gib Gate School, Mittagong, NSW

 

"Wow!! Thanks again for your animated show today Tony - "The All New Must Have Orange 430" came to life. The staff were very positive about the presentation and the message for our students." Meg Smith, Teacher Librarian, St Paul's PS, Gateshead

“I thought the performance was excellent... the presenter did a wonderful job to interact with the audience as I observed him choose a range of different audience members ranging in ages. It was also great to see (the) range of tech, props and his movement around the gym too (he did not stay on stage!)... a great performance." Year 7 staff “I thought the performance was entertaining and very interactive. Older students were picked evenly for some things, two even made it on stage." Year 6 staff. "Thanks again for visiting our school!" Sarah Fewster, Newbery Park PS, Millicent, SA.

 

"Hi Tony, Thanks so much for bringing The Must Have All New Orange 430 to life at Ringwood Heights Primary School. The students in my class really enjoyed your performance. Highlights included the puppetry, the voices and songs, and the audience interaction. As a teacher, I really appreciated the deliberate efforts you made to keep the students active and engaged. I noticed the way you used movement and directional changes to prevent them from getting restless. The box dance and games were really valuable in involving them in the performance. Perhaps most appreciated was the question and answer time at the end. Thank you for taking the opportunity to make the lessons of the book really explicit, and challenging the students to think more deeply about the issues raised. I appreciate the time you gave to the thoughtful preparation of this performance. As a teacher and father, time is precious. I think the time you’ve given to The Orange 430 is truly worthwhile. I’m looking forward to your next visit!” Jude Ridley, Ringwood Heights PS, VIC

"I absolutely loved it! Every student in my class put their thumbs up too! They loved that he got them all involved in the games, they thought it was hilarious and very entertaining.” Emily, Woady Yaloak PS, VIC

"Hello Tony...I wanted to pass on a special thank you from all the staff at CGS Malvern for an absolutely spectacular performance of the All New Must Have Orange 430. Your show enthralled us all, from 3-year-olds right up to the "oldies" in the group - the teachers, and even our own Head of Campus!! The staff were so impressed with the way you included all the students, brought the story alive with your engaging performance and encouraged active participation by the children whilst maintaining their concentration and attention at the same time. Question time at the end of the show gave purpose and enlightened everyone even more about a remarkable book. Thank you so much Tony and congratulations on another Book Week spectacular.” Diane Lester, Teacher Librarian, Caulfield Grammar School Malvern, VIC

"Hi Tony, We loved your new show “The All New Orange 430”! It was very topical and had a wonderful mixture of song and text to keep the students entertained and engaged. Congratulations on a wonderful show. We were lucky to have you at IGS again!” Alexandra Lett, Ivanhoe Grammar School, VIC

“I thought it was really great and a wonderful addition to our Book Week activities. All of the children seemed engaged and his teacher background was very evident in the way Tony organised the performance with audience participation, competition and movement. I would like this to be booked again for next year if possible. My kids gave it a unanimous thumbs-up.” Leanne, Woady Yaloak PS, VIC

"The Foundation students loved the show you performed. It was engaging and interesting and highlighted the meaning behind the story. The show was fast-paced and had just the right amount of student engagement.” Alaine Beare, The Foundation Coordinator, Ruskin Park PS, Croydon, VIC.

"Thanks so much for bringing your show to our school last week.  The children thoroughly enjoyed the show. Surprisingly, even the senior kids were hooked in.  I have had a really good response from some of the teachers as well… I would really like to book you in for next year's Book Week if possible… Once again a super big thanks to you.” Catherine Rodgers, St Thomas More PS, Mt Eliza, VIC

"I think the performance was excellent!  The kids were very engaged, interested and very well behaved after what was a busy day.” Stephen, Woady Yaloak PS, VIC

"Thanks, Tony. Great Show.” Faun Palos, Calvary Christian College, Springwood Campus, QLD.

"Hi Tony, Just letting you know how wonderful we thought your play was.  My year 3’s loved it.  The songs were so catchy we were humming them all day! I thought the message was really strongly put across to the students and we were able to reflect and do some work on it that day. The actor was so engaging and I loved the interactivity of the play. Thanks so much for another winner of a production!” Deirdre Capuano, Year 3 Teacher, Ivanhoe Grammar School, VIC

"I asked the kids for a quick “out of 10” after the performance on Monday. The great majority said 10 out of 10. They all had different parts that they enjoyed, but all were engaged; and as we had looked in detail at the story and the author’s message previously, they really understood the show. I thought it was great to expose the kids to a performance of this kind and would be strongly in favour of similar performances in the future!” Wendy, Woady Yaloak PS, VIC

"Hi Tony, Thanks again for an awesome show. We all thoroughly enjoyed it.” Janelle Gill, Banora Point PS, NSW

“Kids really enjoyed being engaged with the show. They thought it was great how students got to be involved. They thought he was funny and it was worth the money. Very enjoyable.” Grant, Woady Yaloak PS, VIC

"Hi Tony, Thanks again for last week's show… Can we rebook for Friday of Book Week next year please?” Deb Cullen, Morang South PS, VIC

"Feedback from my class was that the show was fantastic. They liked how they got to go up on stage and join in and it helped them understand the story more. I would love for another show to be organised for next year.” Jenna, Woady Yaloak PS, VIC

"Hi Tony, We loved the performance last week, so much so that we would love to have you back next year.” Olivia Atanasovska, Assistant Principal, Jennings Street School, Laverton, VIC

"I really enjoyed the performance- I thought it was funny but also had some great concepts for our students to engage in and learn from. I also thought it catered from Kinder to Year 6 and all students seemed to really enjoy it. I also liked how some students were asked to come up to the stage and be involved in the performance, it keeps the students guessing what will happen next!" Kate, Yr5/6 teacher, St Paul's School, Gateshead, NSW

"Hi Tony! Thank you SO much for today... Staff and students feedback was so overwhelmingly positive!!!... Thanks." Melissa Summers, Teacher Librarian, NSW Teachers Federation Women's Contact Officer, Birrong Primary School, NSW

"Hi Tony, Thanks for your performance on Thursday... You did a great job of engaging the kids, and certainly ‘bringing the book to life’!!" Lauren Hawksworth, Library Assistant, Annadale Christian College, QLD

"Hi Tony, I lost count of how many staff members told me how fabulous your performance was last week. They were so impressed with the energy and variety of effects within your show. The inclusion of students was also a winner. The music teacher believes it was the best performance incursion he had ever seen... As teacher-librarian, I was delighted with how you stayed true to the story - following page by page. The artistic license you took in dealing with the woman behind the counter seemed quite appropriate and greatly added to the humour. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and was so pleased to see the children totally engaged. Thank you again for your show. I will be sure to pass on my recommendations to other teacher librarians." Therese Badke, St Mark's School, Inala, QLD

 

"Hi Tony, What a show! The book came to life! The students were enthralled in the performance. There was lots of positive feedback from both teachers and students. The props were very well crafted and the degree of student participation in the show was great. I hope we are able to see you again next year. Thank you" Laura Pecotich, Kemps Creek PS, NSW

 

"Hi Tony, What a great show! Everyone loved it. It had it all - music, comedy, interactive activities and a great message. It ticked all the boxes." Sylvia Milis, Classroom Teacher, Campsie Public School, NSW

 

"Dear Tony, Many thanks - your performance produced some extremely positive comments from experienced staff who thoroughly appreciated the work that went into this year's production. Yes, we would like to book for your 2020 visit" Rodney Linhart, Principal, St Patrick's Catholic School, Latrobe, Tasmania

 

"A Walk in the Bush" 2018 CBCA Winner Picture Book of the Year Show

 

"Tony, You are very clever and wonderfully entertaining. I loved witnessing your talents in action and seeing so many happy involved people enjoying your play, and I was a bit so-so about The Book of Mormon. Break a leg with the rest of your tour, you’re doing things just right and I’m proud and honoured that you chose my book. Gwyn." Gwyn Perkins, Author - "A Walk in the Bush".

 

"Well what a treat that was to attend yesterday. I really enjoyed it – particularly loved the song about what the birds talk about. You really successfully transferred the pace and rhythm of the book to the play. The news is official too – Gwyn’s book has won the CBCA for Best Picture Book. You picked a winner!" Keiran Rogers, Affirm Press (Publisher of "A Walk in the Bush")

 

"Hi Tony, I (was) commenting how interactive the performance was. You read the audience well and it is so energy driven. All the audience were engaged which is testament to your efforts." Geraldine Woolnough, CBCA Victoria from the CBCA 2019 Book Week Family Day.

 

"It was a wonderful performance that was not only enjoyed by the students, but teachers alike. It was a professional performance that engaged everyone and it was great to get students on stage to be part of the story. Thank you again. We would definitely have no hesitation in having you perform again at our school". Susan Grover, Library Teacher/Campus Administrator, Caulfield Grammar School, Malvern Campus, VIC.

 

"Hi Tony, here is some feedback from my Year 4 students: Students enjoyed crowd participation as a part of the performance. The songs were entertaining. Audience participation was great. Having students up on stage was terrific. Enjoyed the creative way the birds were used in the performance. The students enjoyed humour especially the Iggy search aspect... Enjoyed voices of characters. Loved the long nose. Enjoyed stories about the eucalyptus. Likes mini inventions. Suitable for all years levels." David McLean, Ivanhoe Grammar School, VIC.

 

"I only have positive feedback for the show. I loved it and so did everyone that I spoke to. The kids were engaged, the teachers were hooked in and my principal was very pleased. You did an excellent job bringing that book to life and I know it helped a lot of the kids understand the story a little more deeply. Your props were fantastic, even the frightening goanna and the creepily life-like cat puppet, and the music/visuals were perfectly complimentary of the storyline. A job well done to you and the rest of the crew." Maria Lontos, Holy Name PS, Reservoir, VIC.

 

"Thank you for organising the performance for us all on Monday. My students started off a bit ‘cool’ about the whole idea of the one man show however had loads to share when we returned back to class. Being Grade 6, they thought the story was a little simple however the many effects Tony Bones put into the production kept them all hooked in for the duration of the show... Thank you again... for providing this experience for us all." Erminia Foley, Maramba PS, Narre Warren, VIC.

 

"Loved the show on Wednesday.  I’d been really looking forward to it and wasn’t disappointed.  It was amazing to see how much could be achieved in a one man show (I kept looking around for Tony’s support team).  The puppetry was great, the songs were catchy and clever, and the performance was engaging and relaxed when accomodating any unexpected responses from the students. I felt that the content was informative and well geared to stir further interest in the students in the natural world.  The humour was pitched at just the right level and there was a good amount of audience participation.  I was particularly impressed by the puppetry involving the different birds... Great show." Andy Pullar, Camelot Rise PS, Glen Waverley, VIC

 

"I thought the show was very engaging and showcased the many ways in which students can express ideas and bring stories to life. The students were really interested throughout and it was great as they were able to get involved with part of the show. Well done Tony!" Stuart McKenzie, Camelot Rise PS, Glen Waverley, VIC

 

"As you would’ve guessed from my response last week...I LOVED THE ONE MAN SHOW! The incursion was engaging on various levels.  Here are some of my reasons as to why I would recommend this show: - Great to see student involvement / - It incorporated Literacy: Reading, speaking & listening and displayed how a story can be interpreted and brought to life using rich language. Super that Tony based the play on a book re: Book Week. / - The arts : Visual arts and performing arts. The backdrops linked with the unit I recently covered with L1-4 covering different grounds and the element of space. Having students play the instruments provided another layer of entertainment. / - Dancing / - Loved the comedy aspects (quite a few funny lines). / - Providing question time." Mary Katsigiannis, Camelot Rise PS, Glen Waverley, VIC

"Your performance was fantastic, for a moment at the beginning I was concerned it would be a little 'young' for the older students but you were quick to alleviate those concerns. You were incredibly engaging, entertaining and informative, I loved how you kept the kids wanting more through your use of engaging techniques. It was lovely to watch students with such varied interests pick aspects of your performance (such as the use of technology to provide an echo) and respond with delight. Your decision to pick books on the shortlist and bring them to life for students is a wonderful one. Older students often feel that picture books are not for them, but providing such an extensive performance based on predominantly pictures is a fantastic way to engage students in literature at all levels. Your question time and follow up with lesson ideas and details about aspects of the performance is a well thought out addition to the actual performance. I have spoken to a number of friends at other schools already and have recommended you as a wonderful way to enhance book week (or any week!). The feedback from the students and staff alike has been nothing but glowing. Thank you for sharing your passion for books with us." Marnie Skerritt, Mathoura Public School, NSW

 

"I think your performance was fantastic. Looking around the room, all the children were engaged in the performance, including our grade 6s, which was great to see. Having so many children involved in the performance itself was fantastic too. Keep including as much child involvement as you can, the kids really arose to the occasion, in particular the actors, the part with the goanna was very funny. You could see the excitement on their faces when they were chosen and became a part of the show and they all did a great job. It was great how you brought so much more into the show than just what was in the book, and a great variety too! The technology was very clever eg. the birds singing when the kids made the bird calls. Also thought the bird song was great! (birds on the board). Very entertaining for adults too! Thanks again, hope to see you again in the future." Karen Nihill, Sacred Heart Primary School, Tatura, NSW

 

"I took 4W to the performance. I looked at the kids faces and they were just enchanted and engaged the whole time. They loved the interactivity of the event and the performer was in control the whole time and had the children eating out of his hands... Great and very worthwhile." Gail Oakman, Assistant Principal, Barnier Public School, NSW

 

"Thank you Tony for visiting our school last week and bringing “A Walk In The Bush” to life for our Prep-Year 2 students. They really did love it and have been talking about it a lot during Book Week. They were particularly excited to see A Walk in the Bush win for its category. Here is some feedback the Year 2 Team have for you: The students loved it, thought it was really funny. The student involvement and interactivity was great. It was great that it was informative about animals as well as entertaining. We will hopefully see you again next year." Verity Sheppard, Year 2 PLC and Instructional Leader, Kingswood Primary School, VIC

 

"​Hi Tony, we would love to have you back next year please so let me know what fits in with you... Thanks again for a fantastic show the children and the Teachers have not stopped raving about it." Janelle Gill, Banora Point Public School, NSW

 

"Hi Tony, Thank you for visiting CPS! Our Children were VERY excited when I announced A Walk In The Bush was the winning book - your show hooked them into Book Week!... our staff and students were impressed! Please see the feedback below... Tony was very easy to communicate with and book. Arrived on time and was very organised. The show was interactive, with many opportunities for students to partake in the performance. Funny and animated performer. Enjoyable and engaging for the children. Loved the creativity, song, dance and puppets. I liked that the children were involved in the show. I thought he interacted really well with the children. My class enjoyed the show. Thanks again for bringing your show to our school." Krystal Ryan, Classroom Teacher (5/6C), Caulfield Primary School, VIC

 

"Hi Tony, Thank you very much for a wonderful performance at Manning Gardens Public School. I am a teacher in our Support Unit and can I say, the students in my class thoroughly enjoyed it... I have students in years 2, 3 and 6 with varying abilities. I found there was something that catered for all of their needs. It was very engaging and interactive. My students still talk about it now." Rhiannon Hardy, Manning Gardens Public School, Taree, NSW.

 

"A wonderful Book Week performance happening right now at The Gardens...where great things happen! Approximately 300 students and 60 adults being treated to this amazing show!" Facebook Page, Manning Gardens Public School, Taree, NSW

 

"Here is some feedback from students in 3/4F: Everyone was included....I like how he let people volunteer... He was a good storyteller, using voice, face and actions... I like that he made his own instruments without buying anything... It has inspired me to ask to go on a bushwalk...The students clearly enjoyed this fantastic experience!" Kotara South Public School, NSW

 

"Thank you Tony... I have heard many positive comments from (the infants' staff) about how brilliant the show was... I’m glad you got to Melbourne safely and thank you again for coming all the way to Tamworth for our show. It was an excellent performance." Rachel Nicholson, Carinya Christian School, Calala, NSW

 

"A highlight of Book Week was the performance today by Books to Life for our junior students. The adaptation of A Walk in the Bush (Picture Book of the Year by the Children's Book Council of Australia) was humorous and exciting.  Thanks Books To Life!" Clarence Valley Anglican School, NSW

 

"I really enjoyed your show at Manning Gardens this year – it was just fabulous." Debbie Horgan, Community Outreach Librarian, Midcoast Council, NSW

 

"Thanks for a great performance yesterday.” Karen Coleman, St Philip’s Christian College - Port Stephens, NSW

 

"Hi Tony Bones, Thanks for a wonderful show. Both students and teachers enjoyed it." Deb Hudson, Homebush Public School, NSW

 

"Hi Tony, School still buzzing after the show. Enjoyed by all - due to your ability to move show along, engage audience at regular intervals, songs were short, sharp and catchy. We've never had a student so moved by the song about being lonely it reduced him to tears. Of course, the younger students loved Iggy being tossed around / slipping down the stairs / dad jokes. Several very experienced teachers inquired about how I heard about the show & commented on how brilliant it was. K-6 is a wide range yet the performance and organisation lent itself to catering for all age groups. The puppetry / slides were effective. Several teachers enjoyed the story which referenced indigenous culture. Fabulous performance all round... On other note - had a student who took their family on a bush walk on Father's Day and came across a scribbly gum which he proceeded to enlighten his family about how he had heard about the scribbly gum via your great show. This family may have sent you a photo of their child next to said gum tree! The message is getting through! Also the K- 2 staff went to The Gruffalo at the Seymour Centre a week after your show and upon returning to school freely stated the Walk in the Bush Show was far more entertaining and engaging. This augurs well for 2019 and I'll be in touch re. a booking." Leanne Sharpe, Teacher Librarian, Enfield Public School, NSW.

 

"Hello! I am the mother of (a student) who is in year 1 (class 1Z) at Enfield Public School. We went for a bush walk at Muogamarra on Father’s Day and (my son) was so excited to spot Scribbly Gum. He hasn’t noticed it before but since seeing your performance he was so happy to see it. He told us all about how caterpillars leave the track marks. We didn’t know about this (we are Brits although now Aussie too) so the whole family learned something. Ms Sharpe thought you might like to know so I’m emailing you!  Here’s a photo! Thank you! Natalie"

 

"The Windy Farm" 2014 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show

 

“Hi Tony, It was a real buzz seeing your… production of The Windy Farm... Thanks again. Craig” Craig Smith, Illustrator of The Windy Farm

 

" I really enjoyed the production and loved the songs and the educational material on the environment. It was a really great and innovative interpretation of the book." Jane Covernton, "Working Title Press" Publisher of "The Windy Farm”

 

“WOW!… Another fabulous show! The children were entertained from start to end. The songs, dancing and props complimented the performance beautifully. Thanks and we'll see you again next year!" Templeton PS, Wantirna, VIC

 

"Excellent performance, I have already received great feedback from some staff and the school day has not started!! Yes, we will book again for next year. I just wanted to let you know the feedback in the staffroom re your performance this morning has been outstanding. Everyone has commented they thought this was your best one yet!! The kids were engaged and loved participating in the cleaning, power tools and band. I myself saw quite a few students very keen to go out the front and many of our students who normally are hard to engage were fully engaged the whole time! We all agreed the mix of playing instruments, dancing and using power tools was a highlight. So well done and thanks" Southern Support School, Howrah, TAS

 

"An excellent example of live theatre to show the children. It is lively, engaging and thoroughly entertaining. Great story with songs, puppetry and acting. Children's questions all relate to the props or costumes. Well answered by actors at the students levels. A fantastic show as usual." Kotara South PS, NSW

 

"The performance was excellent! A very topical theme. Children liked it. Liked the theme of resilience and we can overcome any problems with Grandpa saying, "Never Mind". Enjoyed the renewable energy theme and the explanation via diagram and song about power, coal, C02!! Top work!!" Sacred Heart PS, Coolah, NSW

 

"Show was fantastic! Staff were professional and very entertaining. We are doing a unit on recycling / sustainability this term so it fitted in really well with what we are doing. Thank you!!" Marra Creek PS, NSW

 

"We enjoyed the show. The children were really engaged and responded well. Fast moving. Covered lots of areas - sustainability, sharing, kindness, not to be greedy. Loved the chat at the end - children liked knowing how things worked. Great feedback, really positive feedback from staff P - 4." Laburnum PS, Blackburn, VIC

 

"The way the shortlist book ‘The Windy Farm’ was presented, allowed our students to see different ways of presenting a story. The scope of using a picture book allows a teacher to prepare for the performance. Our students were totally engaged and felt comfortable enough to instigate their own way of involving themselves in the performance. Thank you! Hopefully we can have another… performance in 2015. Best wishes and thank you." Lightning Ridge Central School, NSW

 

"Very entertaining. Very appropriate for age of kids, variety of media, unbelievable!! Engaging for all children, they loved it! Entertaining on all levels. Professional, great to see the conversations, art, etc to follow up. Loved use of intertextuality. Did really well engaging young children, audience participation was good. Question and answer session was done beautifully. Liked the different media and props, great." Narrabundah Early Childhood School, ACT

 

"A great show - I wasn't sure how the book would be adapted as the concepts were not easy to get across to the age group and the characters in the story are not overly humorous. But once again it was presented in a funny and engaging way which the kids loved and hopefully took on board the messages about sustainability. The best part is the music and songs and the way Tony speaks with the children at the end about the book. He responds to their questions so well!!" Pleasant Street PS, Ballarat

 

"Thank you… so much for such a wonderful show on Friday. Not only did the kids really enjoy themselves, I think they learnt something too! The show was very original, funny and engaging. I look forward to seeing you in 2015 for what, I'm sure, will be another stellar show! Thanks again!" Monash Public Library Service, Glen Waverley, VIC

 

“Students enjoyed the show. Some really fantastic props – which the students responded to in their questioning round. Good techniques regarding learning of wind farms, turbines, etc – through song and dance. Thank you for replacing scenes and animals that did not correspond with the ethos of the school.” Amity College - Prestons Campus, NSW

 

"Students seemed quite focussed and engaged with the storyline due to the well organised presentation. The show helps students' listening comprehension with the help of the different props, songs and equipment. Its great to see the presenters interacting with the students and encouraging them to be active participants... A very engaging show. Students enjoyed being active participants in the show. Excellent use of props. All aspects of the text were well presented. I would recommend this show!... presenters ability to change characters is excellent. Very convincing and engaging... Excellent entertainment. Children highly engaged... Fantastic performance. Students were engaged. Props and character changes were great... Awesome performance. Loved the audience participation. Students engaged for entire show". Antonine College, Cedar Campus, East Coburg, VIC

 

"Our Prep - Year 4 students and staff thoroughly enjoyed the performance. It was an action packed event which kept our students entranced throughout the entire performance." St Mary’s Coptic Orthodox College, Coolaroo, VIC

 

"Hi Tony, The feedback from both performances was overwhelmingly positive, and I have attached the two handwritten sheets with staff comments. We are keen to book in for next year’s Book Week performance... Excellent production! Great story to choose for this level. Loved the puppets, music and acting. Thank you... A fantastic representation of the books and well received by the children!... Fantastic production! The story was well represented and the props were engaging... Wonderful adaptation of the story plus lots of excellent music, puppets (made with different techniques) and interaction. Pitched perfectly... Excellent props. The show fully engaged the students. You allowed for student participation which is great. Age appropriate story line. I liked the book discussion at the end - tied in very nicely. Well done!" Armadale PS, VIC

 

"A fantastic production. The audience was engaged at all times. Your props, sequencing, timing, etc are so well developed. I received enthusiastic response for all and staff want the performance again next year". Gilles Street PS, SA

 

"A fantastic show! Energetic, fun, exciting. It was great to make reference to all the props etc during question time so students can use ideas for end of year concert. This show was enjoyed by all students from K-7, staff, parents and grandparents. This show was highly rated by our students. Thank you" Morgan PS, SA

 

"The children really enjoyed the show. Great storytelling and props. Thank you... Very entertaining. The children loved it... Both actors did a lovely job with bringing the story to life" St Monica's School, Evatt, ACT

 

"Great show! Kids were thoroughly engaged and loving it. Loved your songs, sets, props and puppets. Your rotating windmills were fantastic and looked very realistic. Great energy from (the performers) throughout the show and detailed answers to the kids questions at the end. Thanks again and I hope we can book you again next year". Wanniassa School Junior Campus, ACT

 

"Very informative and entertaining... Great performance, followed book well... Fantastic performance. The kids were very engaged the whole time. They love the questions about how the set and props are made... High engagement from our students in an excellent performance... As always a fabulous show that had all our students totally engaged for the whole performance". Caroline Chisholm School, Chisholm, ACT

 

"Another great... show! All students were engaged and enjoyed all aspects of the show. Grade 1/2 students commented on how many different elements were included within the show (projecting, puppets, voice overs). The show was well organised and the question time at the end was well explained and enjoyed by all students P-2. Thank you for another great show!" Cobden PS, VIC

 

"As usual very entertaining, professional - making the book come to life!" Iona PS, Woodville, NSW

 

"A highly engaging and entertaining show which celebrated the book, 'The Windy Farm' in style! The songs were catchy and the performers were fantastic. The props were cleverly designed and kept the children enthralled in the performance. An excellent link to sustainability and a great explanation of CO2 and its effect - global warming, just added to the overall experience!" Wattle Park PS, Burwood, VIC

 

"The show was very engaging and the students really enjoyed it. The actors were professional and great at their job. The language used was appropriate for the students. The talk at the end was interesting and allowed students to ask questions and share their thoughts on the topic. It was particularly useful that the book was shortlisted for a Book Week Prize as it increased the students' interest in the prize, etc. Best performance we've seen in school for Book Week!... We were very happy with the show. The students found it very entertaining and they were interested in the subject of wind generated electricity. The students were fascinated by the use of the different puppets to create characters. They also enjoyed the songs..FANTASTIC" St Joseph's Catholic PS Springvale, VIC

 

"Thank you. We enjoy you coming out to our small school. 'The Windy Farm' was very entertaining and funny and quite topical in our area. We love finding out how you make the props and sets at the end, too. Looking forward to seeing you again next year". Rugby PS, NSW

 

"Excellent production. Engaging and fun. Stayed true to the book and brought it to life very creatively. Great songs. great to have audience participation. Thank you for a great show!" Ascham Preparatory School, "Hillingdon", Edgecliff, NSW

 

"The kids were very much engaged. They loved the humour and 'silliness'. It's great that kids are involved and that it was also educational! Thanks... The students enjoyed it, especially the jokes and puppets. The performers were excellent... The students really enjoyed the show and the content made strong connections with the things we have been learning about in class which was really good. Thanks. We hope to see you again in the future... It was really engaging for all people. Allowed students to make connections to world and use prior knowledge. It was good that the students were involved". Mountain Heights School, Queenstown, TAS

 

"A wonderful creative use of puppets, music, storytelling and an entertaining and hilarious production. Thank you - a show for all ages. End discussion on staging and planning was very useful, especially for senior students". Tintinara Area School, SA

 

"Very engaging show - the children loved it! The production was very professional and the learning content was great... Very engaging presentation - informative and funny. The children enjoyed the show and learnt about how it was produced... A very engaging and entertaining presentation. The students really enjoyed the production. Loved the explanation of the themes of the book at the end. Well done and thank you... An entertaining and lively show! The children were engaged and learnt a lot. Thank you very much... Great energy on stage and very engaging for the young kids. Not my favourite book, but you guys made it more than bearable!... Fabulous performance. Thanks.... All good... it was good for the students to hear the themes and ideas presented by the author also."". Holy Cross PS, New Gisborne, VIC

 

"Excellent display of talent in so many areas. The students gained so much insight into theatre work. We loved the way you presented 'The Windy Farm' and emphasised sustainability!" Monbulk Primary School, VIC

 

"Funny and great involving the children in the performance. Acting was great. Message of 'Nevermind' (resilience) was great as the children got it. A very entertaining performance. Loved the humour, singing and the underlying message of resilience and sustainability. One of those 'I can't believe I get paid to do this' moments. A great way to spend the afternoon. Funny and entertaining adaptation of The Windy Farm. Serious message of sustainability came through with lots of humour, singing and dancing. Kids loved it (and so did the teachers!)" Elsternwick PS, VIC

 

"Excellent company to work with, very accommodating and flexible. Always professional in set up and dealing with protocols about the production, yet very amiable, friendly and cooperative persons to deal with on human scale. Students love the magic of the show, the transportation into storytelling and the interaction with the characters. Tony... goes a long way into advocating the benefits of live theatre, especially to an audience which is remote from much theatre and entertainment of this nature. Looking forward to the company returning in Term 4!... Was a super show!! ... Super job once again Tony!!!" Mildura Specialist School, VIC

 

"Great to have the Book of the Year presented... Wonderful to have the props explained to the students." St Anthony's Catholic PS, Clovelly, NSW

 

"The whole school, teachers included, loved the show. Great props, fabulous songs, lively dancing and great acting all came together in a magical presentation. Each year our school looks forward to Tony and his production coming to St Joseph's to present his shortlisted Picture Book production. Tony has the special gift of bringing the selected book alive for our students. Their enthralled smiles, excited laughter and involvement in the musical is just so wonderful to see. As we live in a remote community this, for most of our children, is their first experience of live theatre. A most delightful experience." St Joseph's School, Rosebery, TAS

 

"Production was amazing and the Mackay students thoroughly enjoyed it... fantastic performers and very pleasant and approachable. The Windy Farm was a great choice to recreate in play form and the students were engaged at every moment. Teachers and parents were very impressed and gave great feedback". Mackay Regional Council, QLD

 

"Children were engaged throughout the performance. It was fun, entertaining and children were learning without knowing. The music and acting was great! The children really enjoyed participating in the music instruments part. The retell of the story was done really well! Lots of visual. Awesome. Loved the puppets too." Forest Lake SS, QLD

 

"Students were engaged and enjoyed parts where they were able to participate, they enjoyed the puppets and participated in songs and dance. Students were very entertained and engaged. They enjoyed the dancing and clapping along to the songs" . St Therese PS, Mascot, NSW

 

"Very entertaining for all! Students were very engaged in the performance at all times. It was great how the audience... was involved at some points. Props were great! Actors fantastic!! Great choice of story (text) that is both entertaining and can also teach the students something -sustainability -never give up! MUSIC - very catchy, fantastic. LOVE the 'Australian' theme! Good duration - not too long or short. Was great how at the end Tony explained the messages of the story. Great manner with the students!" Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, Sunshine, VIC

 

"Message good. Sustainability theme was great. Kids and staff loved it. Getting kids up and stretch, etc was good to keep them focussed. Time for questions was appropriate. Taking a simple book and creating such a big show with an important message is a great achievement. We continue to be impressed with performances from Tony." Churchill PS, VIC

 

"It was once again a great production and enjoyed by everyone." St Mary's School, Nth Sydney, NSW

 

"Fantastic show, great involvement of the students and catered to the full breadth of students from Playgoup to Grade 6. I felt inspired to get the kids making puppets back at school. The Windy Farm was a such a great choice too." Pyalong Neighbourhood House, VIC

 

"The kids loved it and so did staff". Canowindra PS, NSW

 

"The feedback from the show was very good. Everyone enjoyed the show and was keen for me to rebook.Thanks." Marrickville PS, NSW

 

"I thought that the show was excellent. It was very well planned and delivered and the students were excited and engaged... We, once again, appreciated the high quality, professional performance and would like to book you again next year". Mt Macedon PS, VIC

 

"Overall positive verbal feedback received on both shows. Teachers were pleased with the high level of audience participation and engagement. There were many positive comments on the innovative use of props in both shows... Great to see the everyday props used rather than fancy professional ones - so that kids might be motivated to make their own at home and use their imaginations. Good amount of audience participation to stop 'the wriggles'. Set at an appropriate level for the audience. Plenty of question/feedback time at the end. Amazing range of talents and movement to keep students entertained". Woodport PS NSW

 

"Teachers who attended really commented positively on the quality of the performance and the engagement and attention of the students. They were really impressed. The students really had only positive things to say... Thanks" Ivanhoe Grammar School, Buckley House, Ivanhoe, VIC

 

"The feedback from staff and students was terrific. Staff said it was one of the best performances they have seen. Cheers". Kyneton PS, VIC

 

"It was excellent and the feedback from children has been overwhelmingly positive. They loved the show... The teachers were impressed with the various aspects of theatre demonstrated as in the puppetry. They particularly liked the question time opportunities". Columba Catholic PS, Bunyip, VIC

 

"(The performers) were fantastic, they interacted with the audience so well, the kids were in stitches, especially at the beginning. The fact that they are teachers and know how to control a crowd is so important, especially when you have 9 classes of Kindy to Year 2's as an audience. The wriggle breaks and having some kids chosen to join in is a winner, thanks for that... Thank you once again for your wonderful adaptation and extension of a wonderful book, our school loves having (your show) each year. Best wishes for all your work, we are vocal supporters in this area. " St Columba AS, Port Macquarie, NSW

 

"Engaging, fun and relevant. Loved the question time at the end. Children were excited and interested by all the props / costumes. The actors were also FANTASTIC! Loved it! The children enjoyed every minute! Absolutely hilarious. It was a great idea to explain how the props were made. The actors were great! The kids were engaged and really enjoyed the question time at the end. Children were engaged throughout not only the show but also in question time in creating a show. Brilliant performance - hilarious and very entertaining. Very inspiring and creative". St James Catholic PS, Yamba, NSW

 

"Songs were good. Props were interesting. Great movement around the stage. Good timing with the music... Students enjoyed the performance, they found it funny... Songs were well executed. Students found the performance funny". Moama Anglican Grammar School, NSW

 

"Thank you - this show was excellent. I was a little concerned that it would suit P's, 1's & 2's better than our 5's and 6's - but it was perfect!!! Tony's answers and discussion at the end of the show were sensational. The 100 students were engaged and inspired. Thank you... I was really impressed with your explanation of the book as this imprinted the story in the minds of the students." Goulburn Valley GS, Shepparton Nth, VIC

 

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"My Life As An Alphabet" 2014 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

   

"Wonderful, thoughtful, engaging and stimulating visual performance that did not shy away from the sensitive issues in the text but balanced the performance (in common with the style of the book) with alternating sad, bitter sweet moments and hilarity. It never ceases to amaze me how you utilise theatrical devices to support your 2 'man' show. I love the use of silhouette (matches perfectly with our science unit) especially for the way if captured the despair of the mother. Well done for taking on this fabulous novel - not an easy task. It has been a rip - snorting journey!!" Wattle Park PS, VIC

 

"Thanks for a ripper performance today. I saw My Life as an Alphabet and enjoyed it immensely... We talked about the performance for about an hour afterwards in class... The discussions ranged far and wide. A quick vox-pop of the G5 students found them to be very moved and engaged also." Richmond PS, VIC

 

"Enjoyable performance. It generated a lot of classroom discussions about many issues the family faced. Children keen to read the book. " Laburnum PS Blackburn, VIC

 

"Very informative. Students enjoyed the performance... Numerous issues (cleverly presented) / relevant to curriculum. Students very engaged. Great performance... Very cleverly presented. Students were engaged. Some very good issues were touched on. Great use of puppets / props etc... Loved how it discussed death in family (cot death) (problem solving). Very engaging. Presenters are excellent... I'm excited to read the story. They showed us the real challenges and issues in our daily lives." Antonine College, Cedar Campus, East Coburg, VIC

 

"I absolutely loved reading the book and thought the theatrical presentation was spot on. The characters were brought to life on stage as I had imagined them throughout the text". Templeton PS, Wantirna, VIC

 

"Loved it! Couldn't believe how many issues you covered in a very caring way in an hour. Thoroughly enjoyed it!... Very well presented. Gave the students a deeper understanding of the issues in the book which were presented in a really sensitive way... Cleverly put together considering so many topics to cover. The kids thought it was funny and liked the way two characters were able to cover five characters... A great production which was so varied in presentation. Kids and I loved it. Come back soon". Holy Cross PS, New Gisborne, VIC

 

"Hi Tony, The feedback from both performances was overwhelmingly positive, and I have attached the two handwritten sheets with staff comments. We are keen to book in for next year’s Book Week performance... Very appropriate for Year 6 - the language, concepts, etc (kids talked about the humour) - great! Good discussion afterwards... A fantastic production. Really well covered some of the tricky life concepts. Loved the use of a variety of puppetry techniques, Tony!!... Great!... Wonderful... Absolutely fabulous! A relatable and beautiful experience for the students. Some tricky concepts for Grade 3's but was handled spectacularly. Opened questions for some great discussions in the classroom". Armadale PS, VIC

 

"Great presentation of characters. Interesting, funny and entertaining. Students enjoyed the show!... A great performance, my students really enjoyed it. A fantastic job to condense a novel into a 50 minute show. Well done!... Well done. Some lovely theatrical ideas and props. Strong story. Convincing performance by 'Candice'... Very good performance. Touched a lot of ISSUES in an interesting way". St Monica's School, Evatt, ACT

 

"Students enjoyed contemporary links to book e.g. 'twitter'. Students thoroughly engaged and entertained throughout performance". St Therese PS, Mascot, NSW

 

"Our children really enjoyed the performances. The performers were well organised and punctual. The show ran smoothly and the children were thoroughly engaged". St Joseph's PS, Rockdale, NSW

 

"I really liked 'My Life As An Alphabet' because they kept the base of the story the same. There was some great acting involved. They kept it on the story and then made it funny. Thanks!... I thought the play 'My Life As An Alphabet' was really good because they played their characters really well and made the play funny. I thought it was good how the different parts (were performed) a few different ways... I really enjoyed 'My Life As An Alphabet' because I thought it was really funny and even though you changed it a bit I could still tell what bits were in the story. Thanks for the experience!" Students from Hartwell PS, Camberwell, VIC

 

"The kids loved it and so did staff. "My Life as an Alphabet" was particularly good." Canowindra PS, NSW

 

"All good... it was good for the students to hear the themes and ideas presented by the author also." Holy Cross PS, New Gisborne, VIC

 

"Our students loved the book. Most had read all or part of the book... Captured the book well. Liked singing - funny. Mixed media was good... The discussion after the performance was good." Cornish College, Bangholme, VIC

 

"Loved the show... hope that the book you choose next year is one that is as suitable for secondary schools as My Life as an Alphabet! " St Peter's College, West Campus, Cranbourne, VIC

 

"We watched My Life As An Alphabet. I loved how they tackled some difficult themes but in a manner that is accessible to students. I think it had a great moral lesson and would be helpful to students. Plus it was extremely entertaining". Watsonia Heights PS, VIC

 

"Tony explains the story has sensitive issues before the play started... Children seemed interested / engaged as the actor performed on stage. Excellent use of props to tell the story i.e. shadow puppetry (images), large human like puppetry. Humorous parts and very serious parts. Acting superb, convincing and expressive. Several themes addressed through the story... Good use of different techniques in drama e.g. singing, freezing, gesture. Overall well done! I loved the way we had 'serious' and 'humorous' mixed together - it was a great balance. Really engaging - it would have been even better if we had prepared students with plot and character development... a fantastic performance that has inspired us all to READ! A fantastic show dealing with many life issues. Thank you for the valuable tips regarding acting as the children are nervous about their production. I have one child in my class reading the book at the moment. I am sure others will now read this great book. Thank you". Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, Sunshine, VIC

 

"Overall positive verbal feedback received on both shows. Teachers were pleased with the high level of audience participation and engagement. There were many positive comments on the innovative use of props in both shows... Great, appropriate, clever use of props especially in the way they were moved within/in and out of the set as needed. Inspiring for children to make their own props and use materials in a creative way. Specific comments on the use of 'tree prop' and the grandmother's shadow effect to bring the story to life... Year 5 and 6 teachers were very impressed with the show and said it was highly appropriate and engaging." Woodport PS, NSW

 

"Teachers who attended really commented positively on the quality of the performance and the engagement and attention of the students. They were really impressed. The students really had only positive things to say... Thanks" Ivanhoe Grammar School, Buckley House, Ivanhoe, VIC

 

"Good energy and props... Content had many themes running through the performance" Moama Anglican Grammar School, NSW

 

"The feedback from staff and students was terrific. Staff said it was one of the best performances they have seen. Cheers". Kyneton PS, VIC 

 

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"Herman & Rosie" 2013 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show

 

"Terrific engagement of students. Loved the involvement of the children, eg. making the crown, etc. Excellent music and dancing. Great to have the children dancing too. Good review of book at end - was very good to keep it short. Thanks for your efforts - it's a sparkling start to our week! :) Great Show students really enjoyed the show and we had lots of feedback from parents the next day." - Ararat North PS, Ararat, VIC

 

"Thanks for organizing the show. My class were thoroughly entertained and so was I. They always combine so many different elements in their performances... I love doing Book week shows...its a little different to the normal teaching week... I loved the book week show. I think it is important for the children to see some sort of live theatrical performance. I had read the book several times with my children, and completed a few activities of my own .... so the story line was easy to follow- I think that is really important! Thanks for organising this for us!!" - Arundel SS, Arundel, QLD

 

"Terrific Performance! The children absolutely loved it. All children were engaged and it was great to see lots of student involvement. Very interesting and detailed props and backdrops. Also a very important message portrayed through the story and performance. We were able to easily link class discussions and wellbeing sessions to the performance. Levels 1 and 2 thoroughly enjoyed the performance! It was great to have children up and involved and the mix of dialogue and music was great. The staging of the show was very imaginative - the students loved seeing how the puppets worked and how the scenery operated. It was such a lovely story and the discussion at the end about being lonely even though you may be surrounded by other people, so it's good to find people you have things in common with, was great. We all thought that the hot dog selling donkey was very talented and has a bright future. Thanks again!" - Camelot Rise PS, Glen Waverley, VIC

 

“Loved it! Both actors were full of personality and connected with the children immediately. The play brought the book “Herman & Rosie” to life and kept the children’s attention..... Loved your interpretation (pig jokes much appreciated). You successfully mesmerized our Year 2 class. Thank you!... You totally engaged ALL our kids. Thank you for your passion – it enthused us all!... Kids were very engaged – definitely a highlight of Book Week... Very high energy & really made the book come alive! Was great how the kids got drawn into it.... Kids commented that they enjoyed the humour, miming – very impressed by shadow puppets and puppetry in general... To be honest, I was too busy enjoying the show to notice if the kids were too. Seriously though, an awesome production!... Loved the use of pun in your conversations. Kids were very engaged!... Very engaging & interesting show for the kids, very well presented! Well done, Thanks... Loved it. And the involvement of the students. Clearly presented and entertaining... Laugh out loud fun! Keep up the good work!!... “These pretzels are making me thirsty!” Love it. The kids loved it too. So engaged!... My kids who are 4 & 5 cannot usually pay attention that long. Very enjoyable.” St Philip's Christian College, Nulkaba, NSW

 

"Absolutely wonderful. Love everything about this show. Inspirational. Great work!" - Highfields PS, Lindfield, NSW

 

"The performance of "Herman and Rosie" to celebrate Book Week was of an excellent standard. Better than myself or the school expected. After minimum interest in the library by schools locally, they have already said they would like to be involved next year. We would certainly like to book your Book Week performance for 2014... Your props were amazing." - Lerderderg Library, Bacchus Marsh, VIC

 

"Thank you for making Herman and Rosie come alive." - Lightning Ridge CS, Lightning Ridge, NSW

 

"I just wanted to pass onto (you) how much the students and I enjoyed the show. It was very entertaining and a good interpretation of the book that stayed true to the spirit and themes of the book. I am sure the students got a lot out of the show especially with the question and answer part at the end. Thanks once again." - Monash Public Library Service, Clayton, VIC

 

"An innovative presentation which kept the audience fully engrossed. Thanks" - Macquarie College, Wallsend, NSW

 

"Very well done. The children were engaged for the entire session. The props were amazing. Very simple but helped bring the book to life... Fantastic performance. Very engaging for the students... Wonderful performance, students loved it! All the different drama elements kept them engaged throughout. It was great, thank you... "Great example of different performance styles. Dancing, singing, puppets, etc. Students were all very engaged... Fantastic Performance - great to show students a range of skills (reading, speaking, listening, music, drama). Students loved it! Well done!.. Fantastic show! Really enjoyed the music and props! Thanks. Students really enjoyed looking behind the scenes at the end I'm sure!" - Mt Pleasant PS, Mt Pleasant, VIC

 

"It was a great representation of the book. The actors were excellent. Total production flowed well. Students and teachers enjoyed the show. Thought it was excellent how the audience was engaged and involved. Well done!" - Sacred Heart PS, Coolah, NSW

 

"Great show, children were very engaged and enjoyed the acting, props, music and audience interaction... Fabulous show, students were very engaged and loved to be included in the show. Great job guys!... Great show, very engaging. Great use of props and music. Students loved being involved. Excellent show.... Great use of music, instruments, and brilliant children involvement! Well done!... Awesome, very entertaining and funny. Children were engaged the whole way through... Fantastic - kids were really engaged. Loved the singing and you guys were really great... Fantastic show. The children were engaged and really enjoyed it! So impressed with the way in which the book was brought to life!... Thoroughly enjoyable, great message, great to expose children to music and jazz!" - Al Sadiq College, Greenacre, NSW

 

"The performance was very interesting and engaging. The props were used very creatively which stimulated students' interest. Acting was very engaging. Students were able to respond to it very well. The sound effects and lighting were very effective - students really liked the sounds (of) the musical instruments, the city, the ocean, animals etc... an excellent performance suitable for all ages." - Amity College, Prestons, NSW

 

"Kept staff and students very entertained for the whole time - thoroughly enjoyed it. A great performance! Loved the combination of puppets, singing, dancing and acting. Very entertaining and engaging. The students from primary school all took something away. Engaging and exciting. It was a great performance and all students were engaged. All the little nuances in Herman and Rosie were explored. The performance was fantastic. Engaging! Fantastic!! The students loved it. One student asked a question about the sets and it was fabulous seeing how lots of the props and sets were made. Once again a fabulous performance. All our students loved it." - Caroline Chisholm College, Chisholm, ACT

 

"The performance was really good. My class loved it. They enjoyed the singing and it was great that it was interactive and involved the students. Thanks!... The performance was good, my students engaged well and liked the songs and the interactive part of the performance. Thanks... The performance was really really good. My students loved it. They loved the characters and also being able to get involved.... The performance was good, particularly the amount of interactive participation... They enjoyed the silliness! Thanks!" - Mountain Heights School, Queenstown, TAS

 

"On behalf of our Prep-2 teachers, once again, Tony presented a fantastic show. The props and music were original and engaging for the kids. It's great when the audience are given opportunity to participate at various times, and the discussion/question-answer time at the end are what the kids love as well." - Pleasant Street PS, Ballarat, VIC

 

"As usual another wonderful performance. I enjoyed the humour - keep ringing that bell for the pig jokes! The students are always amazed at how simple and effective the props and set are. Any time there is a requirement for audience participation - the kids love it. Keep up the great work Tony... and Co. We look forward to next years performance! Thoroughly enjoyed the fabulous performance of Herman and Rosie. Music and songs were perfect and the students were entertained and engaged throughout as were the teachers! A fantastic performance that both the students and teachers enjoyed. Thank you." - Wattle Park PS, Burwood, VIC

 

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"Other Brother" 2013 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

"A very original and entertaining performance. All kids were fully engaged throughout the entire performance. We all thought it was a very unique and highly engaging way to tell a story with a message! Well done!" - Woodport PS, Erina NSW

 

"Role playing brought the book to life. While many had not read the book, turning the text into a visual drama was very beneficial. The content was age appropriate. The issues presented would be consistent with what a student could go through. The back drop/setting with the light and outlines of people, allowed for a 1950's feel to the performance. Presentation quality was excellent - voice control, eye contact etc. The students were captured by the drama of the story. The music also helped to set the scene and keep the kids connected to the story." - The Pittwater House School, Collaroy NSW

 

"Students were very attentive, performance kept students interested, lighting and sounds were effective, good show. A lot of work has gone into preparations and acting. Well done to get the story across with two people. Great effort, lots of effects. Students seemed interested and attentive. Students listening carefully. Good topic to promote tolerance. Great story. Well conveyed. Students highly engaged. Great moral! Great show. Students watching (were) spellbound. Children are interested, good show! Thank you for exposing the students to a fantastic show. Definately enjoyable!" - Amity College, Prestons PS, Prestons NSW

 

"Engaging. Enjoyed the singing element - the actors had great voices. Students are engaged and entertained. Themes are relevant and characters are relatable. Great sound and loved the singing/songs. Thanks." - Al Sadiq College, Greenacre NSW

 

"Great Play - The delivery was clear and precise. Students were really engaged. Good use of higher order thinking questions to see if students understood the theme or moral of the theme or moral of the story." - St Mark's Coptic Orthodox College. Wattle Grove NSW

 

"I really appreciated the discussion and questioning at the end of the show. It was aimed at high-order and inferential thinking. This was also well modelled for teachers." - Camelot Rise PS, Glen Waverley VIC

 

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"No Bears" 2012 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show

 

"Good audience interaction, fast-paced, funny! Actors able to include all grades K-12. Awesome! Audience enthralled. Very entertaining!" Goodooga Central School, Goodooga, NSW

 

"Great production - Year 6's loved it. They really enjoyed the "older" jokes!... Children loved it all - very memorable... Loved it, very very good. Children loved it.... Divine! Loved the bear!... I loved it. The children loved it. Very entertaining and worthwhile". Ruyton Girls School, Kew, VIC

 

"The children were very engaged and enchanted by the performance. I particularly like how Tony described a narrative and the variety of ways to retell a story. Excellent... The children really enjoyed the performance and were very engaged with the story. They enjoyed the costumes, the jokes and the props. I thought it was wonderful to see a story being brought to life in such a unique and interactive way... Our class thought it was an enjoyable and an amazing performance. It was put together really well and the props were awesome, they looked like they were real! It was really good!!!... The students really enjoyed the performance, Tony was amazing at engaging the students. The props were fantastic... We loved that Mrs. Haines was in the performance. We loved the bear (pick me!). At the end, we really loved the party. We give it 10 out of 10". Mount Pleasant PS, Ballarat, VIC

 

"Our junior students loved the show. The teachers mentioned how wonderful the student involvement was. One teacher mentioned how clever the songs/sound track was. I loved how you brought the book to life - it wouldn't have been easy. Our students were very impressed with the props/sets. Thank you for a wonderful Book Week show". St Monica's Primary School, Evatt, ACT

 

"Brilliant, very funny, the children and adults were in stitches. Great sets and music, the kids were engaged throughout. We were impressed last year with the "Book Week" production and will certainly book again next year! Good audience participation". Swansea PS, Swansea, TAS

 

"Excellent presentation! It kept the children and adults entertained. The singing was great (and the) costumes and props outstanding. Getting the children involved and making it interactive was fantastic. Well done... we definitely don't need "Bears" in all our fairytales". Reids Flat, Rugby and Bigga PS, NSW

 

"Just a quick note to say the K-2 students thoroughly enjoyed the 'No Bears' performance last Thursday. A comment in the school newsletter remarked that it was a fabulous presentation. Students were entertained by the performers as they brought the storybook to life. Thank you again for assisting to coordinate this very special event for our school". Moree PS, Moree, NSW

 

"So impressed by the whole performance. Loved the way that it was also designed to inspire the students and teachers to use books in other ways. The props were fantastic... Another outstanding performance. I think I enjoy it more than the children (almost) thank you... I always love these performances and look forward to building up the excitement for it with my class. They couldn't stop talking about it afterwards and loved all the funny bits. It's also great that the children are involved. All your different voices are wonderful!.. Thank you again. Love your engaging ideas, the 50 minutes just flies by as you sing, dance, change voices and the pace of the show. Always surprising and impressive. Excellent after show reflection and tying up of the "how to" information about creating your show... All the students thoroughly enjoyed the performance! The high energy of the performers, songs and wonderful props brought the book to life in a way that kept the children excited and mesmerized. Students LOVED the audience participation opportunities. We can't wait for the next... production".St Columba Anglican School, Port Macquarie, NSW

 

"Fantastic! Students were totally engaged for the whole show (years K-6). Loved the student interaction and Tony's insightful discussion at the end with the students... Wonderful show! Very entertaining, students loved it!.. Fabulous interactive performance. Very engaging. Wonderful... Fantastic! Everyone thoroughly loves it!.. Captivating performance! Insightful discussion. A spellbinding afternoon". St James Catholic PS, Yamba, NSW

 

"The students, the staff and the parents that attended at the end of the show all loved the performance. Comments were made on the overall excellence of the script, the staging, backdrops and the fabulous singing." Marrickville PS, Marrickville, NSW

 

"As for previous shows, we all loved the presentation by Tony... of 'No Bears'. The kids were completely engaged and loved the opportunities for their involvement. The music and props were fantastic, Tony always goes out of his way to spend the time at the conclusion of the show to talk to the kids and answer their questions." Pleasant Street PS, Ballarat, VIC

 

"Very entertaining... I really enjoyed the performance... It was a really funny story... It was a great show... they had great expressions... The 'No Bears' story was really funny... The bear was my favourite character... I loved the story because I liked the parts with the monster in it... I like the part when Ruby opened the map and we saw the 'No Bears' signs... It was funny and I really enjoyed watching it." Richmond PS students, Richmond, VIC

 

"Children were thoroughly engaged, Very enjoyable. Thank you... The actors were fantastic - very enthusiastic. Kept the children engaged... Excellent use of props and visual clues... Very entertaining. The children were very responsive and engaged... Great use of visuals to engage children.... Great props and sets... Monster character - very entertaining... Nice to see acting, singing and dancing... Well suited to age group, children were engaged throughout... The children were engaged the whole time. Very entertaining... Very engaging. The students really enjoyed the show." St Therese PS, Mascot, NSW

 

"It was an amazing performance. The children were engaged throughout the entire performance. The use of the audience was great. Your knowledge of children's attention span (or lack of) was great. Getting the children up and down throughout the performance was really good. The elevated platform along with the props, sound, music and singing was a highlight... Your performance was more captivating than reading the story. Well done to you both. Keep up the great work and we look forward to seeing you next year and the year after that... Fantastic! All children were kept entertained and engaged through the entire performance. I particularly liked the references made back to the book and the discussion about the book and why it was chosen at the end of the performance. the performance was very closely linked to the book. Well done! Thank you... Great stuff! All kids obviously enjoyed it as did I. It gave us a great platform to discuss our story writing that we are doing. Kids that were involved were very excited. A great performance. Well done!" Templeton PS, Wantirna, VIC

 

"We were very lucky to have this visit. Thank you, we enjoyed the show!... Infants students watched a fun packed lively show, from the Book Week Picture section, called “No Bears”. This story shows us that kids can create wonderful stories and craft with simple things like scissors, crayons and pencils. Some lucky people got to go up on stage and join in the show... During the performance, two actors created the scenes in the books using simple costumes, music, songs, puppets, props and active back drops to tell the story. Tony showed us the secrets on how to make these props and back drops work... We liked that they used things we know like “Happily ever after”, “Once upon a time” and “The End”. (Year One)... "I liked that you could shout NO BEARS because that is how it is in the book. Capitals means shout.” (Kinder)... “It was so funny that we couldn't stop laughing, especially the monster part”. (Year Two)... “I liked it when the monster kept saying and doing funny things, and when Ruby said NO BEARS loudly” by Ashley S. 2/31... Jett C. 2/31 liked “when the monster did a dummy spit behind the curtain.”... Nathan 2/31 – “My best part (was) when I was watching the show, was when the monster fell at the end. The funniest part was when Adam went up on stage and held up the fairy god mother when it was talking. It made everyone laugh." Forster PS, Forster, NSW 

 

"Terrific engagement of students. Loved the involvement of the children eg. making the crown etc. Excellent music and dancing. Great to have the children dancing too. Good review of book at end - was very good to keep it short. Thanks for your efforts - it's a sparkling start to our week!" Ararat North PS, Ararat, VIC

 

"It was absolutely fabulous!! I wish I could see the other show too... My preschool class sang the monster chant 'oogie boogie....(however the rest goes)' for the ENTIRE day!! they loved it... I thought it was lots of fun (obviously my kids loved it) great timing, not too long. Really good!.. It was wonderful! Very engaging, very funny and the book chat at the end was brilliant too, particularly the part about students having all the materials they needed to write their own stories! My students all had fantastic things to say and I heard lots of positive chatter while I was on duty in the preschool too!.. It was a fantastic show and kept the students very engaged... I've seen many shows and I was blown away by the talent and professionalism... I am astounded at the sheer depth and quantity of ideas and elements they teased out and packed into the show so seamlessly (dance, song, poetry etc.) the audience involvement, the age-appropriateness, the Q and A session. Absolutely flawless! I just want to know when we can see them again! Pretty please make it an annual thing!!... The kids thought it was absolutely fantastic and could't stop talking about the bear, the monster and Ruby. They came away with some brilliant ideas for their own writing and as soon as we got back to the classroom, put pencil to paper!.. Very entertaining, for children and adults. Funny, informative, creative. Fantastic use of costume, song and voices... I thought the... performance was professional, lively and appealing to all ages. Well done!.. I love live theatre opportunities so even though I am the Numeracy coach in the school – I snuck in. The unbridled joy on the faces of the children was worth every cent we paid. It was a lovely interpretation of the book (in fact it made me rethink my opinion of the book) and the kids could not have been more engaged. Photos of staff and kids will show there was great enjoyment and learning. Well done!.. At lunch after the show, I listened to some children in the library choosing picture books off the shelf and working out how they would make it into a performance... My kids ran up to me after school so excited about what they saw. The youngest said it was amazing and the older child (3/4) said she and her friends were going to open their own performance company and travel around Australia doing that." Harrison School, Harrison, ACT

 

"Very engaging - love the way you included volunteers to help make props and get involved in the story... Kids loved it! Lots of laughs and love the way it follows the book so well... Very creative story with (what I think) was a hard novel to work with for your show! Such clever props and the door backdrops were a great idea. Thanks again for so many laughs!.. Another great performance - the children were very engaged. Very entertaining, great props and interpreted story really well!.. Fantastic! Had the kids in fits of laughter! Love the added details and songs to compliment the story. Impressive props and backgrounds... Interpreted the story very well and made it easy for students to follow. Props were again really well made and matched details in the book. Another very entertaining performance! Students were really engaged during the whole performance." Ringwood Heights PS, Ringwood, VIC

 

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"Bungawitta" 2012 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

"Congratulations on bringing Bungawitta to life. Tony... did such a professional job. I've read the story aloud many times and you both did justice to the 12 characters and all of their characteristics. Our students loved the sets and props and talked about the puppets after the show. Thanks for a great Book Week experience." St Monica's PS, Evatt, ACT

 

"Terrific show, The acting was really good and the cast were convincing in the range of characters. The use of 'back drop' character worked well, and gave interesting breaks from focus on the 2 central characters as well as bringing Bungawitta to life... I like how they used the mouths to talk and used different expressions... It was funny... I liked the projections so you could see what it looked like... I liked the audience participation." Richmond PS, Richmond, VIC

 

"Students engaged and enjoying the show. Clever inclusion of supporting characters... Set was innovative, creative and engaging. Good adaption of book. Great interaction with audience... Lots of fun, and lots of laughs, the kids enjoyed it too... Music was fun and lively. Enthusiastic actors, the use of name tags was good due to a large cast... Great use of props and characters. High energy and very entertaining, kids were riveted!.. Engaging and fun. Excellent use of props and character interaction with the children... Captured the interest of the children. Great range of props... Fantastic variety of props that captured children's interest. Well done... Engaging. Great use of props, variety characters. Children interested." St Therese PS, Mascot, NSW

 

"We all enjoyed the performance. The children were very engaged... Good story. I liked having read the story prior to the show. It was a quick, easy, enjoyable read. The show was awesome! The actors voices were especially good with changing dramatically for each of the 12 characters. The drawings of the characters were very cleverly created and used to tell the story in a very entertaining way. Our students were mesmerised by the show." Forest Lake Secondary School, Forest Lake, QLD

 

“Primary students watched amazing drama on the Book Week story, “Bungawitta”, set in outback Australia. This story showed how kids can achieve so much, like saving a town. Tony showed us simple ways to make props and backdrops and how to make plays come alive.” Forster PS, Forster, NSW

 

"The show was fantastic, engaging and very entertaining!! The students loved it! The summary of the show, as well as the question and answer time at the end was really informative too... Personally I liked the show. It was a classic Aussie story of a small town surviving... I thought Tony... did a great production of the book Bungawitta. The set design was very clever and I really enjoyed the different ways they incorporated the characters. They are fantastic story tellers!” Harrison School, Harrison, ACT

 

"What a brilliant way to portray all the characters. We had wondered how you would do it. Very clever staging. This was an excellent interpretation of the book." Ringwood Heights PS, Ringwood, VIC

 

"Very impressed with the set incorporating puppets and with how two performers could portray so many characters.We were also very pleased with the way Tony explained how the set was made and operated and the time he gave to the children after the performance.The performance itself was excellent." Bayside Christian College, Langwarrin South, VIC

 

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"Two Peas in a Pod" 2011 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show

 

“Tony, we all enjoyed the show. Jackie even had tears in her eyes when Marvin is left alone. Congratulate both the performers and thanks! P.S. the editors from Allen and Unwin are going to the Melbourne show tonight” Chris McKimmie - Author of the "Two Peas in a Pod"

 

“Dear Tony, I just wanted to say how lovely it was to meet you... the other night and to see your BRILLIANT performance of Two Peas in a Pod. I've been raving to everyone about how terrific it was. Bravo! Looking forward very much to seeing what you do next! Best wishes,” Erica - Editor from Allen and Unwin

 

“Anything that stirs your emotions will be remembered. (Your) performance "Two Peas in a Pod" will be remembered.” St Columba Anglican School, Port Macquarie, NSW

 

“Actors were great!... Very exciting and creative, the kids had a great time... Actors were energetic and engaging. Loved how they (actors) come down to see Kindy artwork.” Charlton Christian College, Fassifern, NSW

 

“Very enjoyable. The children were engaged the whole time and were eager to participate in the performance. They like the way the original story was expanded upon and teased out to provide shorter stories within the original one. They like the movement of the actors around and through the audience, They LOVED the slow motion slapstick on the beach in W.A. Well done! A hit with teachers and children.” St Joseph's School, Wonthaggi, VIC

 

 

“Lots of laugh out loud moments for "dinosaur" staff. I liked this better than the book, my kids said it was hilarious... A wonderful and entertaining show. A credit to the two actors for their enthusiasm... The content was suited to all ages. My students thoroughly enjoyed the show... This was a fantastic adaptation of "Two Peas in a Pod". It had me in stitches and the students enthralled. The presenters made the show, their timing was exceptional and they were very equipped to answer any questions the students asked them. Thank you.” Woodburn PS, NSW

 

“Great interpretation of picture story book. Fantastic puppetry and singing and dancing. Very enjoyable, very funny, great audience participation... Sensational performance, the children (and the staff) were enthralled throughout and all were thoroughly entertained!... Fantastic and engaging performance. Very entertaining and it was a buzz amongst the students... Great, engaging, kids loved it. Well directed because it caught the attention and interest of the whole school, kids and teachers... Very entertaining, well-paced and engaging. Great use of text and illustrations to retell story. Good level of student participation, very versatile "gnomes" and a great way of using audience as train carriages. The props were fantastic - especially the dog!” Churchill PS, VIC

 

“I liked the way you examined the story's structure. It was also good to discuss the illustration of the "lone" items and how that was used to convey the sense of loneliness and distance. Also, the song you sang was poignant; I loved it. Lots of fun, Thank you... The students enjoyed the performance greatly. Your follow up at the end was excellent. As a teacher of 5 and 6 year olds not all students connected to what the story really told and its hidden messages, after viewing your show they have a greater understanding... A great show. All of my grade loved it and understood the book much better. Thank you for a great performance. Loved the train and the slow motion scene! Loved the way you brought the story alive. Loved all aspects... Another great performance - you made the book come 'alive' and the children really enjoyed the way you told it, lots of music and fun things happening - we would love to have you on our staff... It was a pleasure to watch your show. The way you interact with the audience was great!... Fantastic performance - enjoyed by all students, well explained.” Cobden PS, VIC

 

“Congratulations on such a great theatre production which you managed in such a tight time frame. It was excellent. All very positive and enthusiastic comments from both staff and students... did a fantastic job - well done to you all. We are looking forward to next year now.” Mansfield State School, QLD

 

“Love it! Particularly loved how the props were "childlike" i.e. train/used readily available materials, simple but effective. Students loved the puppets and how the actors did the voices, etc.... The students were very involved and loved being chosen to participate... The sad part made some of our sensitive kids cry! Well performed and dealt with!” Melrose Park PS, West Ryde, NSW

 

“FANTASTIC story - The children were totally engaged. They loved the whole show. The Prep children know the story very well. A great way to portray the book. Props were really exciting! Singing fantastic! Thank you...... Puppets as part narrators and breaks within the story worked really well... Characters very funny and engaging for students... Audio and visual props worked well... Children involved in the train - really fun for them.... Wow! Amazing! Children were totally engaged and involved in the performance. Props were amazing. Thank you!... The puppets were fantastic - the Preps (and all students) LOVED them... Student involvement was great, it kept the children focussed and engaged... The costume changes for each character were very entertaining... WOW! Kids loved it - so did we!... Great bringing all the "background" parts of the picture into prominence. We will do that in looking at stories from now on... Thanks - a super show, one of my boys even cried in the part about Violet leaving.... Fantastic - Kids and teachers loved it... All children were engaged and enthusiastic... Really great - also gave students deeper insight into the book, Thanks" Resurrection PS, Keysborough, VIC.”

 

“Children really enjoyed the performance... Good adaptation of the book. Songs are well written to include language from the book.” Kersbrook PS, Kersbrook, NSW

 

“The show was very suitable for our students – fast moving and action packed. It held the attention of the audience.” Newstead School (Southern Support School), Newstead, TAS

 

“The play was entertaining and the actors were engaging and kept the audience’s attention well. The costumes were good and added to the characters. The music/songs were fitting to the story. Very friendly/approachable attitude to the children during question time, all questions were answered sufficiently.” Highfields Preparatory School, Lindfield, NSW

 

“Clever and creative staging of this story opened up depths and a breath that reading the book alone did not achieve. Variety kept all ages engaged and entertained. Love the gnomes and the train, slow motion sequence was great. The very emotional song about parents separating, deeply affected some students. The actors and the story line “picked them up” again and they were soon laughing again. Will happily recommend this to other schools.” Mountain District Christian School, Monbulk, VIC

 

“Once again a fantastic show and the kids loved it. We had read the story to the children beforehand and were very curious about how you would translate it to a stage performance. All the staff commented that they wanted to re-read it and find all the things they hadn't noticed and only discovered through your performance. It is a great way for the kids (and teachers!) to learn how to delve into a story and discover the writers intentions and at the same time have fun. We also want to promote a love of music & drama as they learn so much from seeing a performance close up.” Pleasant Street P.S., Ballarat, VIC

 

“Very well done. ALL our students enjoyed the performance, so if all our students got something out of it you have got to be doing something right. Staff enjoyed the show too. I saw a normally “smile less”…just constantly smiling. All good. Thank you.” Lightning Ridge Central School, Lightning Ridge, NSW

 

“Fantastic show, once again brought the book to life, engaged children and adults. Can’t wait till the next one!" Romaine Park PS, Burnie, TAS

 

“Fantastic presentation, excellent integration of the story & music. Best yet!” ~ (Arts Coordinator)... “Fantastic presentation, loved every moment of it. Well done”. ~ (2/3 class teacher)... “A superb performance. You kept the students spell bound for 60 minutes. A compelling portrayal of friendship family and separation. Humour was cleverly interwoven. Our emotions rode a wave from hilarity to sadness.” ~ (PE/Health Coordinator)... “Wonderful! The students were thoroughly engaged during the entire performance.” ~ (3/4 class teacher)... “Absolutely wonderful and thoroughly entertaining.” ~ .. “Very engaging. One of my favourite activities of the year. I thought that the discussion at the end was really valuable in terms of re-engaging the students with the actual book. Well done.” ~ .. “A magical adventure into a picture story book only Tony... can present. Grade 5/6 children thought it was “awesome”" Mt Pleasant PS, Ballarat, VIC

 

“A very professional performance, humorous, moving. The children were involved just enough to keep them involved in the narrative. I loved the way that you were not high tech. Thoroughly enjoyable! Thank you!.... Really enjoyed myself and it was obvious the children had a ball! The props are fantastic and engage the children immensely. Thanks for all your hard work.” Rye Park PS, NSW

 

“Fantastic! Great performance that kept everyone entertained & involved. Very motivating & engaging. We’d love to see another show. Thanks!” Rugby PS, NSW

 

“We enjoyed it enormously, thank you. It was really professional and kept the children really involved. I loved the way you included them. Plenty of variety. You made the book come to life.” Bigga PS, NSW 

 

“Wonderful - just wonderful. Brought the book to life but added depth to the many messages of the story. Everyone was engaged from beginning until the end, children & adults. Thank you." Reids Flat PS, NSW

 

“It was very funny, even for Grade 6, and highly informative... It was an excellent presentation - engaged a range of emotions in a powerful way. A very clever & creative mixture of humour, music and drama/theatre to bring the book to life. Valuable reflection & explanation at the end. Also valuable for teachers to see possibilities for using aspects of these media to enhance children’s experiences with literature & develop higher order thinking skills.... I thought the show was great, there was a bit in it for all age groups. All of the students enjoyed the performance... I loved it. The kids loved it! And, as one of our teacher aides commented the fact that our ASD Asperger’s student stayed for the whole performance, including the discussion at the end, was a compliment indeed to the quality of the performance... Once again another brilliant... performance. We look forward to seeing you again!” St Philips Christian College, Port Stephens, NSW

 

“A very engaging performance…a seamless production “~ (Teacher/librarian)... “A fabulous performance- puppetry & props excellent. Feedback from kinder children was amazing after the performance. Brought the book life, music tops!! Thank you.” ~ (Kinder teacher)... “Great, wonderful…I enjoyed it as did the children. Very entertaining & thoughtfully done!” ~ St Patrick's PS, North Parramatta, NSW

 

“The performance was so entertaining. The kids were enjoying the show... Excellent. Real variety and children were always involved and attentive... Enjoyable. Good audience interaction held the children's interest well... Excellent. Very entertaining. A varied, fun performance that had the children enthralled... The kids really enjoyed the show and were "part" of it and involved, they didn't get restless... Congratulations on a great show. You turned the book into a sensational story and brought the characters alive... Fantastic show. Energetic. Exciting and the children were totally engaged... The children laughed and talked about the show all the way back to class - Well done!... The show was very entertaining, involved the children, loved the train and how you expanded the story. Well done!” Highbury PS, SA

 

“Fantastic Puppets... Helped children use their imaginations... Great characters and excellent portrayal of book characters... I loved how the children were involved in the performance... Interactive and applicable for all ages. We had 3 year olds to 18 year olds - all enjoyed it... The book came alive - Great!” Goodooga Central School, NSW

 

“The performance was fantastic. Very entertaining and the kids talked about it for ages after, there were some great innovations on the story and "extra" bits that the kids hadn't picked up on in the story like the dinosaur lady and the songs. Overall, a fantastic show... This was one the best productions that I've seen relating to a dramatization of a book. The performers engaged the Kinder - Grade 2 and special education students by encouraging participating and the children LOVED it. E.g. train carriage. Of particular note was how they dealt with emotion i.e.. the brother and sister having to leave each other - this was related with empathy and professionalism. I'm sure the author would have been pleased. It tapped into my emotion. I loved the puppetry and props. Their slow motion segment was brilliant... please ask them back! Just great!... Fabulous performance! Students and adults all totally engaged. I loved all the "plays on words" as well as the acting, Thanks!... Excellent and entertaining representation of the book. Enhances and explains the book to children who may be having trouble understanding the meaning. Very talented actors and a script which involved the audience in a fun way. Children and teachers enjoyed every minute.” Evatt PS, ACT

 

“Introduction engaged children's interest immediately (puppetry). Great songs - appropriate for young children. Lots of "catchy" songs. Plenty of visual experiences adding interest to the performance. Loved the chook and the dog! Slow motion skit was fantastic - really well done. acting - amusing, expressive and engaging. The children were really amused by the characters and related to all the actions and expressions used. Appropriate use of humour. audience participation e.g. train, was really interactive with the children - they loved it! Props are bright and eye catching. Wonderful presentation! Great promotion of the book "Two Peas in a Pod." Thank you... Children extremely engaged, evoked all kinds of emotions. Lots of laughing, some tears, but quickly perked up again. Good for discussion on what makes a good story. Well done!” Templeton PS, Wantirna, VIC

 

“Congratulations... for wonderful performances of these stories. Feedback from teachers was very positive and the children loved all the shows. The library funds these shows each year (since 2010) as part of a literacy program which is funded by Communities for Children (an Australian Government program to support families with children aged 0 - 12 years). I believe this is an important part of our program as it gives all Primary children in our area the opportunity to experience live theatre based on high quality Australian Children's Literature.” Community Outreach Librarian, Greater Taree City Library, NSW

 

“Very engaging and entertaining. Great referencing back to the physical book. Humorous presentation... Wonderful show - great performances, had the audience in the palm of their hands.” Lansdowne PS, NSW

 

"Wonderful show, very engaging.... Great show and engaging for all. Good use of comedy... Great show - great presenters and audience engagement... Great show, very enjoyable, children really loved it.... Fantastic - very engaging and funny!... Excellent presentation. Kids loved it. Very funny... Great! Kids really engaged with it... Great! Kids were engaged throughout the show. Good themes." Chatham PS, Taree Area, NSW

 

"Fantastic show. Very engaging and the children always enjoy participating in the show.... Fantastic show. Great performers. Kids are loving it." Mt George PS, Taree Area, NSW

 

"Wonderful. Children loved the comedic element. Students were all engaged and could contribute. e.g. voices/singing. Tinonee PS, Taree Area, NSW

 

"Excellent presentation - enthusiastic performers - terrific amount of audience participation - all spellbound." Cundletown PS, Taree Area, NSW

 

“Wonderful to see children attentive, laughing and enjoying the show... A great show, good flow, kept all the children interested... Great to join other schools and for kids to see a live performance... Nice to see a story been brought to life. Children enjoyed characters and songs. Great to be with other children and schools... Great interaction. Nice balance between narration and audience participation... Interactive, funny, energetic. Kept children interested and involved... Great show. Love the children interacting. Great props.” St Joseph's PS, Taree, NSW

 

“A vibrant, humourous and very engaging production... "WOW" a great presentation. It will make all the girls want to read the short listed books. A well-paced presentation that was appealing to all girls from Prep to 6 (and teachers too)... An engaging, energetic production! Both the students and staff thoroughly enjoyed the narrative and performance. Thank you... Just great - Thanks Tony.” Ruyton Girls School, Kew, VIC

 

“Just to pass on how much fun my Year 1 students had during the... performance. It was entertaining and funny, particularly the slow motion scene. Some said they cried during the scene when he’s expressing how alone he felt when Violet left. I think it was very real for them. We have had two students who have left our class this year, and it was something they could really relate to. They were able to express they felt a bit scared during the ghost scene... It was a great message about using our imaginations and getting off the computers. It was very interactive, and the students were really happy to be able to actually participate in the show. And the end, when Tony came out to talk to the children and answer questions was very beneficial. Thank Tony very much, from all of us... We loved the performance. It was full of energy, brilliantly performed with great variety and entertainment. The singing and dancing was superb. The ‘bringing to life’ of the picture book was so imaginatively and creatively put together. Will be chatting with the students tomorrow about what they learnt and liked about the show during our English lesson.... Would love to have them again, next year... A fabulous production! Congratulations... Thanks for today I thoroughly enjoyed the performances and appreciated how you arrived on time and were so organized” Flinders Christian Community College, Tyabb, VIC

 

“Great performance - wonderful props. Very entertaining. Children really enjoyed the experience. Thank you... Terrific use of props - loved T Rex and Wolf!! And the tree in the park. Great song - good for follow up for similes. Children were very keen to participate on the train and with "scary noises". Lots of humour - some of the jokes the children even got!! Loved the songs and slow motion effects. See you next year!... Excellent props and puppets. Good to involve children at times... Very entertaining. Kids were engaged for the whole performance... Great acting, engagement of students and interaction! Really good use of music and props! Enjoyed by all!... Very cleverly paced show. Wonderful voices. Sensational props. Loved by all. Marvellous!... A lovely performance - great voice animation. Children very engaged. Very enjoyable - Thank you!... Great use of puppets. Involved the audience - kept their attention. Sound system was clear. Adaption of story was well done. Music fitted in well with the story... Very well presented and entertaining. Kids were very engaged and enjoyed the performance. I liked the discussion about the book at the end... Good interaction with the audience. Liked combination of music and acting. Interesting themes in book... Sound system fantastic. Great scene changes. Excellent adaption of the story. I liked the use of props. I thoroughly enjoyed the production and I am sure the students did as well.” Wattle Park PS, Burwood, VIC

 

“The Preps were very engaged and enjoyed the performance. It had the right balance of dramatization, singing, talking, dance, humour and sensitivity throughout. All the comments made by the Preps were very positive and they had been given important messages about friendship, play, care for pets, being resilient in sad times, recycling, etc. Thank you for a great experience... As above! Children wrote great pieces about the performance. Thank you... Prep children were very enthusiastic when discussing the performance in the classroom. They related to the aspect of friendship in the story. Very enjoyable! Well done!” St Macartans Parish PS, Mornington, VIC

 

“Very engaging and highly entertaining. I loved the sentiment. He is a very skilful actor that has you laughing one minute and tugging at your heart strings the next... Excellent and entertaining. Children from Kinder to Grade 6 enjoyed and were engaged at all times... The children (and teachers) enjoyed every minute! Was an excellent experience!... I really enjoyed it! The children seemed to really enjoy it too! Great afternoon" St Oliver's School, Harris Park, NSW

 

“Great show. Very positive feedback from our students... very entertaining and humourous.” Caroline Chisholm School, Chisholm, ACT

 

“Great Production! Kindergarten thoroughly enjoyed it. The audience participation was excellent! The characters emotions were portrayed really well. Loved the slow motion part! Very entertaining! Thank you... As the performance became more involved the students really enjoyed it. Younger kids loved it all... Really energetic performance, witty jokes. Interesting story and good range of characters as performance progressed. Great use of song and kids in carriages – very interactive for all ages! Good explanation of the meaning behind the book. Liked addition of puppets. Fantastic expression from actors – I like how they mingled with kids and involved them. Good variety throughout the performance. Loved the ending sequences and mime. We look forward to seeing what you come up with for next year!” Clarence Valley Anglican School, Clarence Valley, NSW

 

“A wonderful show that the children enjoyed. Expanded on the previous insights that we had explored prior to the show.” Mount Macedon PS, VIC

 

“Clever use of puppetry and voice overs to introduce each new scene with jokes. Great music, singing and dance to introduce the characters. Interaction with audience – excellent. Clever props – dog (Wolf) and hen (T Rex). Excellent acting to make the street ‘come alive’. Simple scenery worked well to add atmosphere. Making the games come to life which Violet and Marvin played – excellent involvement with audience. Loved the train! The time lapsed/slow motion scene at the end worked very well.” Mansfield State School, Mansfield, QLD

 

“Children loved the puppets and music. Good elaboration/expansion on text and illustration. Great energy in presentation... Humorous! Captive audience! Great characters!... Children responded with attention and laughter. Great characters... Excellent characters. Great presentation of characters with lots of energy and engagement. Excellent use of props. The train was great, Woo-woo!!... Good audience involvement. Great variety of experiences.” St James PS, Yamba, NSW

 

“Kids loved the intro and puppets. Good use of space and seating. Great use of props... Effective props and language. Students enjoyed the musical side. Good link with the book... Very interactive, students are all engaged and are enjoying the props. Great music to accompany the story telling... Held the children enthralled from the very first minute! Great costuming and props... Students were engaged. Great entertainment. Theatre was age appropriate... The students loved the performance from the start right through to the end. The funny costumes and props kept them engaged throughout the performance... Children were engaged from the beginning. Use of costumes and props was great!... Engaging, interactive. Held the children’s attention... The children loved the puppets and being involved. Great use of props, very engaging... Very enjoyable! Puppets were a hit.” St Therese PS, Mascot, NSW

 

“Excellent in every respect. Nothing to improve on. Girls rapt! Good way to handle separation. Theme well developed." Queenwood Junior School Medway Library, Mosman, NSW

 

“An entertaining show! Great audience participation... Enjoyed by all children from Kinder – Year 6. Very interactive... A very enjoyable, interactive show... Kids loved the show. An engaging experience for all. Great actors too!... Great crowd participation... Kids loved the train... Great music – engaging and interactive for all ages.... Great show, loved the interaction with the kids, they were really engaged the whole show, well done.... All kids from ELC – Year 6 engaged – well done – not an easy feat!... Fabulous performance – very engaging for all levels!... A great way to engage children with literature.” Woodleigh School, Frankston South, VIC

 

“A fantastic performance!! The children were enthralled the whole time and loved the jokes and songs. The two performers were brilliant. Hope to see you back here again... A lovely performance! Great characters with wonderful interpretation of the book. Children were really engrossed. Thanks!... Loved it! Thanks so much! Children were so engaged and entertained. Loved this year, last year and hope to see you again next year." Sandringham East PS, VIC

 

“Very interactive. Great use of student volunteers. Excellent sound – microphones and music worked perfectly. Exactly right amount of time.” Tintinara Area School, Tintinara, SA

 

“I liked how the children got involved. Not only being called up to do something, but being told that we were the flowers.... I liked how the characters of the book came alive. I enjoyed this more than reading the book... I enjoyed how they added bits into the story, and the echo box... The puppets were a great way of introducing characters rather than a narrator. The jokes were great too!... I thought the slow motion but was super!... The actors were using fabulous expression and made it more interesting.... The girls thought the production was really funny and enjoyed the humour. They thought the group had put a lot of effort into it and it was fantastic. It really helped the girls realize the importance of using their imagination. They loved the puppets and how they worked." St Catherine’s School, Toorak, VIC

 

“It was very funny, even for Grade 6, and highly informative.... It was an excellent presentation – engaged a range of emotions in a powerful way. A very clever and creative mixture of humour, music and drama/theatre to bring the book to life. Valuable reflection and explanation at the end. Also valuable for teachers to see possibilities for using aspects of these media to enhance children’s experiences with literature and develop higher order thinking skills.... I thought the show was great there was a bit in it for all age groups. All of the students enjoyed the performance... I loved it! The kids loved it and, as one of our teachers aides commented, the fact that our ASD Aspergers student stayed for the whole performance, including the discussions at the end, was a compliment indeed to the quality of the performance.... Once again another brilliant (theatre) performance. We look forward to seeing you again!... A very engaging performance, a seamless production.... A fabulous performance – puppetry and props excellent – feedback from kinder children was amazing after the performance. Brought the book to life. The music was tops! Thank you.... Great, wonderful. I enjoyed it as did the children. Very entertaining and thoughtfully done!" Larmenier School, St Leonards, TAS

 

“Great show. Very engaging. Kids loved the puppets and songs. The props were simple and the children loved getting involved.... Very engaging. Children loved the show and are still singing songs a week later! Pitched perfectly for preps.... One of the best I have seen. Very engaging and easy to follow. Read book later and students understood it so well!... Feedback from students – they like the singing and participation. Thought Marvin and Violet were very funny. Loved the jokes and slapstick (e.g. Slow motion scene). Students were engaged and were able to relate to the characters and plot quite well. Thanks!... It was engaging and the children were keen to participate in the acts. The explanations at the end were good.... A fantastic presentation that the staff and students found engaging and fun! Thank you for the time you took at the end to explain the process and have questions. Fantastic!... A very engaging performance – great adaptation of the story. Good props and held the students attention for a long time. It was great to talk to the students about process and ideas behind the play.” Camberwell South PS, VIC

 

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"Duck for a Day" 2011 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

“…And then the very next day something happened. I had a genuine career highlight, and it was this: In April this year, my book Duck for a Day was adapted for musical theatre by Tony (Appleby). Since they only tour on the east coast, I didn't get to see the show, but last week, the lovely Tony himself sent me a DVD of one of the performances. And I feel a little ridiculous, but watching it made me a bit teary.

 

Firstly, it was gorgeous. It was so well done - so cleverly adapted, so professionally and engagingly presented. The kids in the audience were clearly completely absorbed by the show. Then at the end, Tony talked about the book - why they chose it and how they adapted it, which I found really interesting and which in fact taught me a bit about narrative structure, and what I was doing without even realising it.

 

Secondly, it made me remember the few shows that I got to see when I was a kid, when performers came to our school, or we walked into town in a long crocodile line ("Just remember who's in front of you and who's behind you and we'll all be okay"). Those experiences have stayed with me. They have a certain glow that persists to this day. And I can't help but be moved by the possibility of that being true for some of those kids, that my story, brought to life so wonderfully, will stay with them. I know that books can work in the same way, but having Duck adapted feels different somehow. Which brings me to my third point ...

Seeing other creators adapt my work made me feel like my story was becoming, in a small way, part of the fabric of things, becoming more embedded in the creative landscape. It's hard to articulate what I mean, but it's something I found enormously satisfying.

 

Fourthly, and finally, Max as a marionette. Just saying.

 

So, there you are. A career highlight. A real one. Thanks, Tony." Meg McKinlay, Author “Duck For a Day"

 

“I wanted to say how very much I loved the performance of Duck for a Day. I was simply amazed at what you did with it. You were a fantastic Mrs Melvino and a gorgeous Noah. It was just so clever - the way you did it with such a small cast and minimal props. I had no idea such a thing was possible. I still can't get the songs out of my head - aQUAtic! It's become an ear worm… thanks again. I couldn't be more thrilled… I really did love it to an unreasonable degree. There were points at which the characters, or certain story elements, were presented differently to the way I imagine them, but I find that fascinating in itself - I'm really interested in the adaptation process and to what extent the new format creates its own text rather than a 'version' always relative to the original, if you like. It's also useful to me to reflect on the way things are in my head versus what actually made it onto the page. It's easy to forget that there's a whole invisible world behind the characters that no one sees but me and it's so interesting to see how they come across to others. I also loved the little talk you did at the end; was really glad that part got filmed as well. And that's more than enough ramble from me, I suspect. Thanks again, Meg” Meg McKinlay, Author “Duck for a Day”

 

“The show was fantastic and enjoyed immensely by students and teachers alike. It was very entertaining and followed the storyline from the book very accurately and effectively. The characters were brought to life beautifully by the performers. All in all, a very worthwhile experience for the students.... The performance was engaging and thoroughly enjoyed by the students who attended. The children enjoyed the interaction, and the children were able to follow the story through having read the book.” Malek Fahd Islamic School, Greenacre, NSW

 

“Congratulations on such a great theatre production which you managed in such a tight time frame. It was excellent. All very positive and enthusiastic comments from both staff and students.... did a fantastic job - well done to you all. We are looking forward to next year now.” Mansfield State School, QLD

 

“Clever use of puppets and props... Students were very engaged... They really enjoyed the songs... Selected appropriate sections of story to dramatize... Interaction with students was good. They liked being asked to click and call the duck... Clever improvising when school announcement made... Great first performance!... Good explanation of dramatic techniques during question and answer time.... Great diction and expression, props and puppetry excellent... Obviously well-rehearsed, good pace, volume level was good too... Humour was pitched really well. Well done! Would highly recommend your show... Very accurate to the text... Voices audible and captivating for the students... Children’s attention indicates the effectiveness of actors. Their text was also very clear... Mrs Melvino - great character acting... Simple props very effective... Excellent production... Great to talk to audience at the end to explain choice of book and also about acting.... Good use of sound effect and music... Use of puppets was very entertaining... The actors spoke clearly and easy for students to understand... I like the character "Mrs Melvino" because she's funny. When she talks and acts she's got the student's FULL attention... Singing with music was very good... The music, different characters and your great acting helped students to use their imagination and tune in with the story... Wonderful show! I really enjoyed it... Great performance Tony... A brilliant show which the children absolutely loved! They were engaged the whole time... The props then singing, not just talking made it more enjoyable... The use of comedy was great - for the children who understood, especially when Noah wasn't really knocked out... It was great that the actors moved around the perimeter of the group as it further engaged the audience... we loved the way the characters improvised and used the loud speaker announcement into their performance, it was funny! There was a great laugh from all of us... An ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT SHOW!... Extremely engaging, entertaining and funny, well done!!... Thank you so very much! Keep doing these awesome shows!!!” Grade 3 - Grade 6 Teachers, Resurrection PS, Keysborough, VIC

 

“Fabulous performance! The students loved the characters, the puppetry and the songs! Mrs Melvino was outrageous. Loved it and will look forward to another production.” (Teacher/Librarian)... “I was as engrossed as the kids. Loved the staging, props, and costumes. The actors were spell binding. Thank you.” (Yr 6 teacher)... “Students totally engrossed in production. Intrigued by the use of props, accents and song.” ~ (Yr 5 teacher)... “Fantastic performance. It was comical, fun, and well executed. I was just as engrossed as the children. I loved the duck. Great prop!! Actors were full of enthusiasm.” ~ (Yr 5 teacher) St Patrick's PS, North Parramatta, NSW

 

“The kids enjoyed it and I think it would be great to have him back next year. Very entertaining, loved the duck!" Goulburn Valley Grammar School, Shepparton, VIC

 

“A great performance of the book. Entertaining but remaining true to the book. Very entertaining and fabulous interpretation... Highly engaging. Imaginatively interpreted. Loved the fun improvisation too! The characters were brought to life. "Max" was wonderfully utilised as "Mrs Melvino" used the audience as the cast. The kids were completely absorbed. Sound effects and music added to the atmosphere. Always amazed at what you can achieve with 2 people and a screen!... Totally engaging for the children and the adults. Music pieces were great - really broke up the presentation. Great interpretation of the book. Great acting as usual. I detected a little bit of "little Britain" in Mrs Melvino. Was she modelled on one of the two ladies?... Great use of puppets. Involved the audience – kept their attention. Sound system was clear. Adaption of story was well done. Music fitted in well with the story.... Very well presented and entertaining. Kids were very engaged and enjoyed the performance. I like the discussion about the book at the end.... Sound system fantastic. Great scene changes. Excellent adaption of the story. I liked the use of the props. I thoroughly enjoyed the production and I am sure the students did as well... Good interaction with the audience. I like the combination of music and acting. Interesting themes in book.” Wattle Park PS, Burwood, VIC

 

“Girls were engaged and captivated by the performance, use of puppets, humour, dance and song fabulous. Sound effects great. Performance from actors excellent. Talk by Tony at end (was) valuable as an educational tool. Staff and students all enjoyed this great show. Would book again and recommend to others. Thank you!” Gilmore Girls College, Footscray, VIC

 

“Well acted, very professional, timed well! Thank you.” Teacher/Librarian, Bossley Park High School, NSW

 

“Very interactive. Students loved the enthusiasm and energy of the production - and the actors. Clearly you knew your lines well and the change of costumes and your ability to get into character was excellent. Great use of props and nifty changeover of props - great! The performance clearly reflected the book and really made the story come to life. Looking forward to next year’s production! P.S Great interaction with the crowd.” Hartwell PS, Camberwell, VIC

 

"Excellent, students really enjoyed this story. Wonderful props. Well done!... Children absorbed following story line well. Simple props - works well... The children were totally engrossed, the props and storyline resonated with the children's interests and humour." Tinonee PS, Taree Area, NSW

 

"Great performance... Wonderful, the students loved it... very talented... Children are engrossed and appear to be thoroughly enjoying it." Chatham PS, Taree Area, NSW

 

"Interesting story, children appeared to really enjoy it.... Well done! Songs added to the performance.... Engaged the children well, they loved interacting with the duck. Well done!!!" Cundletown PS, Taree Area, NSW

 

"Fantastic. Totally engaging. Very valuable. Well done.... Great show. Children obviously enjoyed it. Good message, loved the puppets... All children were engaged... (You) were articulate and brought the students into the experience of narrative through drama." Manning Gardens PS, Taree Area, NSW

 

“The performance was engaging and exciting. It maintained children’s interest and the characters were very entertaining. It was an excellent representation of the book. The set was clever and the kids like the costumes (puppets).” Evatt PS, ACT

 

“A very enjoyable performance. Well performed and great audience involvement which children enjoyed. I like the props and character changes. Thanks... Children engaged throughout. Good crowd interaction, Cheers.” St Macartan's Parish PS, Mornington, VIC 

 

“Very true to the book – using direct speech from the book – well developed characters of Noah and Abbey. Simple props and costumes worked well. “The Duck” was a very effective prop. Audience involvement well done.” Mansfield State School, Mansfield, QLD

 

“Congratulations... for wonderful performances of these stories. Feedback from teachers was very positive and the children loved all the shows. The library funds these shows each year (since 2010) as part of a literacy program which is funded by Communities for Children (an Australian Government program to support families with children aged 0 - 12 years). I believe this is an important part of our program as it gives all Primary children in our area the opportunity to experience live theatre based on high quality Australian Children's Literature.” Community Outreach Librarian, Greater Taree City Library, NSW

 

“Easy to work with. Co-operative and worked within the schools limitations. Performance engaged children from the start – very engaging... Good to have read the story in previous weeks. Puppets (duck in particular) really effective and engaging, the children loved it. The story choice relates to the children’s own experiences... Very engaging. Students all interested... Lots of fun for all ages... A good variety of resources used to tell the story, very clever... Very interesting with the role play of the different personalities, voices, costumes etc. engaging also with singing and actions. Thanks for organizing this performance... Students enjoyed the interaction. Age appropriate. Great acting and improvisation... Props were funny and inventive. Noah’s legs over the fence were good humour. Coming around to the back of the crowd with Max was excellent – the students were excited... Props and sets worked well, interaction with children was positive. Actors clear, fun and entertaining. Really enjoyable!... Entertaining and engaging for all age ranges. Excellent use of stage area and props. Puppets and Max were very funny... Interesting and entertaining. The children were enthralled to see a book come to life in a live performance... Good variety of props – puppets, change of scenery ease. Good, clear voices. Very funny movements. All students were engaged.” St Therese PS, Mascot, NSW

 

“Very well presented and great to see logistics of props and costuming to enable scene changes. Excellent too to see close following of the original text." Queenwood Junior School Medway Library, Mosman, NSW

 

“Fantastic!! Age appropriate!! Children all engaged!... Just wonderful, really a great take off of the story. Both Mrs. Melvino and Abby gave an amazing performance, very true to the book. Grade 3’s loved the story and the performers... Children entertained and the performers were lively and enthusiastic. Great... Entertaining. Nice story. Great duck.... Very smooth scene transitions. Liked the way you involved the children... Fantastic. The children were very engaged,” Sandringham East PS, Sandringham East, VIC

 

“I had a senior class after the show – they appreciated the preparation involved to stage such a show – they have just completed a major musical production themselves! We enjoyed the songs – very musical. Many thanks!... My children enjoyed the show – was aimed well at middle school age group. Particularly good was the use of props, costumes, set and chat after the show. My children were inspired to create their own plays. Thanks!” Camberwell South PS, Camberwell, VIC

 

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"Schumann the Shoeman" 2010 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show

"Hi Tony, I'd like to give the highest possible praise for the standard of (your) work presenting 'Schumann the Shoeman' at Geelong on Sunday. It was absolutely outstanding and was the perfect presentation for the CBCA event - celebrating families reading together. It was a great 'thank you' to families who know that reading together is important and fun, and a wonderful surprise to those who had not seen your company's work before. As we over heard one child say during the performance 'This is REALLY great!' Everyone was mesmerised as the attached photo of the audience shows. I am so very grateful that you were available to accommodate the time and venue and I'd be reluctant to do it again (we are already talking about a repeat next year) without Tony... and we are discussing the potential for 2012 already... Thank you so much again" Christine Oughtred, Geelong Book Council

 

"Hello Tony, Congratulations on such an entertaining and moving show this morning at California Gully Primary School... The skill and energy of the performance is something to behold. You have clearly mastered the logistics of doing shows with two people doing everything: extraordinary." Peter Butler, Lecturer in Music Education at La Trobe University, VIC 

 

"Hi Tony, My students simply adored your performance at Cobden Civic Hall last week. Some of the recounts that emerged from the experience showed the depth of their involvement. We had read the book and done a follow-up activity prior to seeing your presentation but to actually see you work it on stage was delightful. They loved (the) cat-walk and (the) comedy. I liked the way (your production) handled the death of Schumann. It was wonderful. Thank you for providing such enriching moments for us all...A very clever production involving student participation and kept the attention of the audience. The book 'chat' after the show inspired children to want to make their own play/script when they returned to school...A colourful and robust production that both children and teachers enjoyed. The chat after the show was very interesting and thought provoking...Brilliant! Entertaining and enjoyed by all. Great information at the conclusion of the show about the author, illustrator, etc. Thank you and well done." Cobden PS, Cobden, VIC

 

"We would just like to extend our warmest thanks for your fantastic stage show of Schumann the Shoeman...It was unlike anything I have already seen and as you noticed on the day, the audience was just as impressed. What was especially impressive was the time you took after the show to answer questions about the production and show the kids how they could do it too! Once again, thanks for the tremendous effort you put in to pull off such an amazing show." Maitland City Library Program, Maitland, NSW

 

"It was a wonderful experience for the children. The Q + A was terrific as it allowed for the contrasting of characters and unveiling of themes and issues. Well done!...Brilliant opportunity for the students to connect to these morals on another level. The students loved getting to know (the) characters and becoming personally involved with the storyline...Fantastic production enjoyed by staff and students. Students were engaged with the right mix of actions, songs, listening, etc! THANKS!" St Michael's Parish School, Ashburton, VIC

 

"Very engaging, really enjoyable for the kids - and the teachers too! Love the interaction with the children especially the catwalk part. The kids dressing up was great...Very entertaining for children and teachers...Wonderful interpretation/adaption of the story - you brought it to life! Great props and songs. Loved having the kids in the fashion parade...The children were really engaged in the show and loved the interaction with the actors. It was fantastic too and I would love to see another show...Thank you for a wonderfully entertaining performance - a vibrant rendition of a beautiful book...engaged both students and teachers alike...This is a great introduction to devising their own performances from famous picture books. A fabulous performance." Sandringham East Primary School, Sandgringham East, VIC

 

"Very entertaining...Great - the children were engaged...Children were entertained. I enjoyed it myself...Outstanding - moved well to keep the children entertained. Great fun! Humour was terific..An entertaining recant/performance of a wonderful story...Children were very entertained and excited. Well done...An amazing performance. The children were engaged for the entire performance. The actors were sensational. Great voices...Great job! Very entertaining for the kids and myself!" Templeton PS, Wantirna South, VIC

 

"A well presented, professional performance which beautifully told the story. Lots of props, costume changes and interaction with the audience kept the students focussed...Absolutely loved it! Having the book on show and repeatedly referring to it was a good idea. The chat at the end about why you chose that story was great and inspiring also. All children were fully engaged for the entire show...A wonderful performance! The students loved it and were engaged. Great interaction of students. Loved the music; it created a terrific atmosphere...The story was great with many thread-through plots. The visual antics, voices, costumes, etc were very stimulating. Preps enjoyed the student participation opportunities. It was great to see the person behind the mask at the end...Pupils were engaged. We had a good discussion in the classroom about props used to show the setting of different scenes as well as the different voices used by the various characters." St MacArtans PS, Mornington, VIC

 

"What a fantastic educational opportunity for the students! A wonderful story promoting positive values which comes alive with your outstanding theatrical representation. The great characterisation, comic scriptline and resourceful range of recycled props and costumes truly engaged the students and left them pondering the important issues raised. Truly loved it - can't wait to see you again next year!" Caulfield Grammar School, Wheelers Hill, VIC

 

"Great to have some singing/musical aspects in the show. The audience participation was great. The discussion at the end was also very helpful to link back to the book." Pleasant St PS, Ballarat, VIC

 

"Excellent - particularly pointing out that every one is an individual and that we should celebrate that. Great performance, everyone enjoyed it...Amazing! I loved it and so did the children, can't wait for next year...What lovely messages you sent to the children - be individuals, make your mark on the world. I really enjoyed it, well done...The children all loved your show and were full of stories when we returned to the classroom. You were both amazingly funny and talented...Fantastic show - true to the book and it highlighted aspects studied in class. Great audience participation too...Our expectations were well and truly filled. Tony's theatre performance managed to deal with such a difficult concept - death - in such a wonderful 'child-accepting' way!" Mount Pleasant PS, Ballarat, VIC

 

"It was funny. Children loved being involved. Loved the different accents, great humour for children and loved the teacher involvement." Woodport PS, Erina, NSW

 

"The play was highly entertaining. We loved the use of the innovative props that brought the characters alive. Both staff and students immensly enjoyed the show." St Mary's Coptic Orthodox College, Coolaroo, VIC

 

"Great book, great performance! ...wonderful to have at our school. The show was very well done...Absolutely loved it! I was so inspired. The kids said it was really, really fantastic [and to] please invite them again." Charlton Christian College, Fassifern, NSW

 

"The girls loved the play and the staff were very impressed with the music and lyrics and how well they fitted the story." St Catherine's School, Toorak, VIC

 

"The show was fantastic. It was thoroughly entertaining...so funny and intriguing. The children were captivated by the props and the puppets. It was so well done. There has been so much talk and conversation back in classrooms about the book and its show." St Columba Anglican School, Port Macquarie, NSW

 

"We loved the show!... worked very hard to present the book in a very enjoyable way. Props were great... followed the storyline of the book very well...Thank you and well done!" Shoalhaven Heads Primary School, Shoalhaven Heads, NSW

 

"We have all enjoyed rave reviews (from the students) about the performance. Thank you!" Churchill PS, Churchill, VIC

 

"Children thoroughly enjoyed the show. The question time at the end was particularly good. The kids loved it!" Bungendore PS, Bungendore, NSW

 

"A very visually attractive and stimulating presentation of a Book Week book...A very good job with minimal use of actors and clever use of props and puppetry to tell the story." MLC, Burwood, NSW

 

"Our students and staff really enjoyed your show. It was entertaining, well paced and well rehearsed, with the right amount of audience participation. A great mix of music, drama and helpful hints regarding the props at the end for budding young actors." Waniassa School (Junior Campus), Waniassa, ACT

 

"Excellent for all kids from Kindergarten to Grade 6... Particularly liked the way you told the kids they could easily make their own similar props. Well done including kids from the audience as well." Bega PS, Bega, NSW

 

"A fantastic adaptation!...Well received by students. Loved the music...Great audience involvement and the music was a winner...Fantastic! Children were engaged. Well written and very professional production. Inclusion of elements of pop culture to relate to the students was outstanding." Florey PS, Florey, ACT

 

"This was an excellent production. The book/storyline was translated into a wonderful piece of live theatre which was great for Kindergarten to Grade 2 students. The use of props/puppets/costumes and dance-moves was terrific. Students were engaged the entire session. Length was good - 40 minutes. The question time/answer time was very helpful and useful... very good, talented performers." Blaxland East PS Blaxland, NSW

 

"An entertaining re-telling of the story, the children really enjoyed it....Loved the student interaction and the discussion time at the end...Excellent, engaging performance. Children said it was amazing...Music arrangement was great...Fast moving, incorporated dance, singing, puppetry, storytelling and music. Enjoyed by all." Highbury PS, Hope Valley, SA 

 

"Excellent adaptation...Engaging and entertaining...I found it very engaging and funny, I really enjoyed it...Professional standard - kids were really lucky to have this opportunity...Reallly entertaining! Kids were really engaged...Fabulous show - all kids were engaged." Caroline Chisholm School, Chisholm ACT

 

"Great level of audience participation, good length of time, age appropriate - handled the death scene well, good connection with book on stage, question time was great, good mix of song and dialogue, effective props and clever ideas, excellent versatility from performers...Performers were very talented, musical score was great! Question time at the end was useful, a great choice of book and well justified...Great that the props could be made/used by the children after, involvement of audience really added to the show." Canberra Grammar School, Canberra, ACT 

 

"All the teachers agreed that the show was a huge hit with the children. They were engaged all throughout the performance and there was no need to tell the children to listen, they chose to listen. We discussed how we thought it was explained very well to the children, particularly the question and answer time at the end. We had a great time and would love to see you again." Good Shepherd Parish School, Wheelers Hill, VIC 

 

"Very entertaining,suitable for Prep to Year 7. True to the written story, very enjoyable, great props...Fantastic! Kids loved it. Costumes were great. It told the story in a very new way, made the book come alive. Well done...The kids enjoyed the performance, the music, humour and costumes told the story very well. The complex ideas in the story were handled well, thanks!...Children really enjoyed the performance and liked the way it was presented. Follow up comments and ideas about the book were excellent." Kersbrook PS, Kersbrook, SA

 

"An excellent performance suitable for our students. Plenty of colour and action. Audience participation was encouraged...thank you for performing for us." Southern Support School, Howrah, TAS 

 

"Great! Loved the way you tied in the themes and morals. All seemed to enjoy…An excellent presentation…Very engaging and funny!...So much fun!...Very entertaining. Kids really enjoyed it…A great story - children fully engaged…Fabulous. Great fun, great props, gave children a great look at staging of a performance. Lots going on. Great music. We all really enjoyed it...Very impressed by the performance. Thankyou...Great opportunity for children to experience live theatre...Engaging. Great opportunity to extend children's understanding of book...Suited the age of the students...Wonderful. Students totally engaged and enjoying themselves...So much effort put in - has paid off. Students absolutely loved it!" Bradbury PS, Bradbury, NSW

 

"A wonderful performance. The music and singing were very entertaining and suited the show well. The students were focused throughout the show and including students from the audience made the show even more enjoyable for them. Costumes and voices were great. Thankyou for a great performance!...Performance was at their level. Children were entertained for the hour. Children understood the storyline and asked sensible questions. The singing voices were great - in tune and clear. Costumes and props were effective...Absolutely brilliant! I enjoyed it as much as, if not more than, the children...Lovely. Thank you so so much." Our Lady Queen of Peace, Greystanes, NSW

 

"Once again a great choice of book and a wonderful production. All students K-6 were totally engaged and well entertained (and us adults). Wonderful!...Terrific actors/singers and well staged...A fantastic and engaging story that was performed very well. Actors gave an entertaining but also educational performance. Great props and costumes, as well as having audience participation. A great show very much enjoyed by all students...Loved the clever costumes and the humour. Plenty of change of pace and enough singing not to lose the children." Melrose Park PS, Melrose Park, NSW

 

"Excellent performance. The children and staff were all enthralled by the terrific production. Recommend it to all schools. Loved the book too!...I like the way they followed the story, using the storybook and the audience participation - very entertaining." Greater Taree City Library, Taree, NSW

 

"Very captivating, allowed students to participate and become involved...Great show!...An excellent show, very entertaining... A wonderful show! Bright and vibrant! Great use of voice - clear and easy to hear. Stunning singing! Thank you." Manning Gardens Public School, Taree, NSW

 

"Great props and costumes made the excellent performances engaging...Excellent choice of costumes, matched the book very well. All kids engaged. Great to see some audience participation as well...Such a wonderful opportunity for the children to see a live performance - and related to a book! Simple, yet very effective costumes and props - the show kept the children very entertained...A great production. The children loved the opportunity to participate in the show. Wonderful costumes and excellent use of the book during the show. Thanks." Manning Valley Anglican College, Cundletown, NSW

 

"We loved it! Thanks for the opportunity for our children to actively participate. The students were enthralled with the performance....Sound production is great. Children very involved...Very entertaining and professional...Interactive, educational and enjoyable. I hope these very professional productions continue." Upper Lansdowne PS, Upper Lansdowne, NSW

 

"An excellent production. The children were totally enthralled in the story. It was wonderful they used the book during the production." Tinonee PS, Tinonee, NSW

 

"Well done! A great show which made great use of the book. Great costumes and child participation. Fantastic show!" Mount George Public School, Mount George, NSW

 

"Interesting and entertaining. Had children's full attention!" St Joseph's PS, Taree, NSW

 

"A good variety in the production. Held the children's attention...Very enjoyable. Like the way they use the book during the performance. Children were attentive - obviously enjoyed it...Loved the humour throughout. Simple but effective props." Chatham PS, Taree, NSW

 

"A wonderful, entertaining and educational experience for the children to experience. Schumann the Shoeman came to LIFE!!" Cundletown PS, Cundletown, NSW

 

"Fabulous adaptation of the book. Loved the songs. Props are clever - simple but effective. Shows students and teachers that props and settings don't have to be elaborate. The themes of Schumann the Shoeman are quite complex. The finale, with the celebration of Schumann's life, and the songs about following your dreams and being unique, really helped explain them at a child level." East Maitland PS, East Maitland, NSW

 

"Fantastic performance. We all enjoyed it thoroughly. Props were great." Coopernook PS, Coopernook, NSW

 

"Fantastic entertainment. Everything you could want in a theatrical performance. Very funny, beautiful singing, dancing, props and costumes." Kotara South PS, Kotara South, NSW

 

"Great audience participation - current music and names identifiable! Belching machine very humourous. The book to the side was a great reference point - children had visited the book earlier with librarian. Little puppets - GREAT! Schumann's death handled well. Silence soon led to fun with chicken and audience participation - good fun. Good to revisit characters [from earlier in the show]. Loved all clapping together! "One of a kind kid"- good motto, will use in class. Great ending - all in all very enjoyable. Thank you!...Engaged children very well. Related well to children's interests - "belching" - but able to put point across. Liked the simple set and the way the book was incorporated into the story. Ending beautifully done. Would recommend this especially years 3-6. Good follow-up about the book." Mansfield State School, Mansfield, QLD

 

"Excellent presentation of the book. Children were engaged at all times. Props were colourful and an integral part of the play...Thank you. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the children did too. It's a beautiful book and you played it really well." Mayrung PS, Mayrung, NSW

 

"Students enjoyed the show and enjoyed all the characters. Their reaction with laughter and applause was spontaneous (without teacher direction). Personally, I enjoyed it and thought it was the best performance I had seen in the last few years... did an outstanding job explaining techniques, costumes and the book superbly. Discussion of the book prior to the performance was invaluable. Student testimonials: "Really liked the acting. I liked the personality of the people and how they took time to explain things to us...It was awesome and I loved it. I liked the chicken. It was great." Conargo PS, Conargo, NSW

 

"Thank you for coming to Lightning Ridge Central School. Your interpretation of the text "Schumann the Shoeman" gave our students a different way to "see" the story. Looking at students' faces I saw that they enjoyed the performance and the audience participation brought a different pace to keep students interested. All good! Thank you." Lightning Ridge Central School, Lightning Ridge, NSW

 

"Great show. All the children were engaged. Plenty of audience participation… Great enthusiasm, excellent costumes and props. Sound excellent…Wonderful show, the kids were all eager to participate. Interesting characters...All were thoroughly engrossed and enthralled. Loved the hidden meaning regarding "always be yourself"....Great fun. Showed the story really well. Children really enjoyed it." Mt Macedon PS, Mt Macedon, VIC

 

"The show was highly enjoyable and engaging for staff and students. It was well received by all who attended. The costumes and props were great and the performers knew how to engage children. The audience involvement was excellent. Thank you for an enjoyable show. We look forward to next year." Lake Cargelligo Central School, Lake Cargelligo, NSW

 

"Year 4 students enjoyed the performance greatly. They particularly liked the story you had chosen. They enjoyed the music and thought it was terrific entertainment. I loved the simplicity of your show... your performance carried the show... The performance was fantastic. The girls were captured from the moment it began. It was fantastic having the explanation about the book and questions at the end of the play. Well done, it was an amazing performance...The production was highly relevant to our work in classroom about energy and environment. The students really enjoyed the simple use of props, the pace of the play and the audience involvement! You were able to bring the book alive and even 'move' the audience with the poignant life and death of Schumann. The session afterwards was so valuable, I thought it was fabulous that you did not rush the girls' questions and took time to really listen to them. Thanks for a very special afternoon." St Catherine's School, Toorak. 

 

"Students K-6 from our school attended the performance and all were engaged and appeared to enjoy it thoroughly. Variety of mime, music, dance, puppetry and reference to the text maintained student focus. Segments of student involvement were great - particularly the fashion parade. Underlying themes of quality workmanship vs mass production and profits and environmental degradation, also the place for individual creativity were all treated beautifully. A very lively, professional presentation!" Telegraph Point PS, Telegraph Point, NSW

 

"Entertaining, professional, nice moral included, pitched at a good level, appreciated audience involvement, enjoyed the "talking about drama" how-to for the kids. Great tie-in to Book Week and show how to dramatize from a book. Students were engaged and interested. Thanks." Cambewarra PS, Cambewarra, NSW

 

"Very entertaining. All the children were engaged. I thought it was great using the children in the performance…Very professional presentation. Well sequenced. Very creative…Catering for all levels - including adults!...Great expression. Clever props and very engaging. Thanks!...It was fantastic!...Great, sensational. The experience of live performance is priceless. The intimacy of the setting allowed the students to feel as though they were part of the performance... Singing, dancing and constant change of clothing was very entertaining...A great show - I could just see the excitement and joy on the children's faces. Thanks for bringing books to life!" Holy Spirit PS, Carnes Hill, NSW 

 

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"Matty Forever" 2010 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

"Songs incorporated enhanced the story. Student questions were answered exceptionally well...(the) performers explained (the) behind the scene workings." All Saints Grammar School, Belmore, NSW

 

"Great performance. Excellent story telling that engaged the children with a variety of speech and song. Great story with a great moral...Enjoyed it very much... Another fantastic performance, a very good book choice... Great book choice with themes that were relevant to the year group. Excellent story telling which engaged students...Great performance. The story was a good choice as the children could relate very well to it, Thank you... What a fantastic storyline to explore with the children. It really touched in on social and emotional learning and different issues facing many children today. A great story to explore further with our students. Thank you." St MacArtan's PS, Mornington. VIC

 

"A fantastic production! An insightful, sensitive interpretation of the story which connected with our students. Themes of friendship, trust and loyalty were conveyed so well via wonderful characterisation and excellent props, costumes and music. Opportunities for interaction with performers provided students with many ideas, encouragement and motivation to develop their own creative talents. Well done Tony! We look forward to seeing you in 2011." Caulfield Grammar School, Wheelers Hill, VIC

 

"The presentation was excellent. The verbal, visual and imagery was fantastic. The story was told in a way that it could be used in many ways in the future. A good example of recounting a story, book reviews, visual imagery (and) using adjectives to give the reader a picture of the story. The students really enjoyed the presentation." St Columba Anglican School, Port Macquarie, NSW

 

"Thank you....what an entertaining afternoon the Matty Forever session was...The kids loved it. I thought the conversation at the end was great: (it) expand(ed) the kids understanding of issues covered in the book….Thanks again - fantastic performance!!" Goulburn Valley Grammar School, Shepparton, VIC

 

"Children thoroughly enjoyed the show. The question time at the end was particularly good. The kids loved it!" Bungendore PS, Bungendore, NSW

 

"Fantastic interaction with the audience!...The actors were wonderful. Their enthusiasm and energy were engaging and entertaining for the students…Brilliant story told through an energetic and exciting performance…Excellent to go over important issues/concepts from the story after the performance...Kids were captivated. Really enjoyable!" Richmond PS, Richmond, VIC

 

"The performance was excellent. It was entertaining and delivered powerful messages that students could relate to. Question time was an effective way of making students reflect on the themes covered. I think our students got a lot out of the performance. Thank you!" Gilmore Girls College, Footscray, VIC

 

"Very clever and entertaining. Excellent representation of the book. Loved it!...So animated and exciting. Kids enthralled...Great performance!...Very engaging with characterisation and storyline they could relate to...It was a great adaptation of the book...Excellent, great narration and kept kids engaged from beginning to end." Bradbury PS, Bradbury, NSW

 

"Engaging actors... Children can just enjoy the experience. Well worth the visit...Very entertaining, audience was captivated!...Maintained audience engagement without all the accessories. Well done, as it ensured students were focused on the story and message." Greater Taree City Library, Taree, NSW

 

"Exciting and very entertaining!...Children could relate to story previously read to them - came to life well. Great acting and it captured their imagination....The changes within the show keep the children's interest." Manning Gardens PS, Taree, NSW

 

"Maintained audience attention; entertaining...Excellent presentation - addressed many issues relevant to children of grade 3-6 age. They were totally enthralled. Well done." Tinonee PS, Tinonee, NSW

 

"Very entertaining. Easy for students to relate to. Providing lots of opportunities for follow-up discussion of issues." Taree West PS, Taree, NSW

 

"Very good! A great way to cover some difficult issues faced by children this age...Kept the children interested...Highly entertaining and fully engaging.." Manning Valley Anglican College, Cundletown, NSW

 

"Amazingly the production covered the whole story of Matty Forever. The two actors developed well the characters in the book. The students' attention didn't waver throughout the performance. They were totally involved. Stage, props, costumes, music all added to a wonderful performance. Such a great book - a brilliant adaptation. Thank you." East Maitland PS, East Maitland, NSW

 

"This show was a good experience for children. It was fast-paced and entertaining and followed the book well so children could easily identify with the story. The characters were realistic with great and suitable costumes and wigs. The use of puppets to introduce the characters showed children how they could do this in their own plays. The characters made great use of the performance space and hopefully children will do the same. The discussion at the end was beneficial." Mansfield PS, Mansfield, QLD

 

"Thank you very much. The acting was great and very demanding physically. Loved the songs and Isabelle's character. (The characters) were presented just as they are in the book." Cecil Hills High School, Cecil Hills, NSW

 

"The play related really well to issues and concerns that children in Yrs 5 & 6 deal with. It was good for the children to see how a problem that the character faced could be resolved, i.e., demonstrating conflict resolution skills (integrating well with curriculum/programs taught in class)...Very appropriate for the age group as the children were very engaged and attentive...Great performance! Well done." Holy Spirit PS, Carnes Hill, NSW

 

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"Nobody Owns the Moon" 2009 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show

 

“Tony - it's wonderful! Funny, moving and really entertaining. I so appreciate how you "get" my books and pick up on details others might miss. Humphrey heads sound great - and right! Can't wait to see it. Good luck with it - have fun - and hope it's a huge hit for you….. I enjoyed it! Congratulations to you and your actors. I thought the actors were really good - funny and lively and kid-friendly - and I was impressed with your various solutions for staging: loved the dancing bear, the lights, the dress-circle seating for Humphrey and Clive during the 'play', and the factory scene. I also appreciated that you picked up on things like the Latin phrase and Walt Whitman's poetry - nice touches.... I heard many good reports from people I know who made it to the Nobody Owns the Moon school holiday shows (in Penrith, Ryde, Bondi Junction and more). Congratulations to you and your actors…. Cheers, Tohby.” Tohby Riddle, Author & illustrator of "Nobody Owns the Moon"

 

"Hi Tony, Thanks for sending these (lesson plans) to me as we'll use them for follow up activities. The performance was great. The children and staff really enjoyed it and you could see that the variety of entertainment really engaged the children and they were all eager to participate and interact with the excellent performers." Tasman District School, Nubeena, TAS

 

"Hi Tony. Many thanks for the great day. The kids loved it!.... Both performers were excellent and enthusiastic... Good to see the performers got the children and teachers involved out of the audience." Berwick Lodge PS, Berwick, VIC

 

"The actors retold the story accurately, as well as adding extra elements to add interest. The actors also engaged the audience by asking for volunteers from the audience." St Mary's School, Alexandra, VIC

 

“Fantastic, Fantastic, Fantastic. It was so good to see the students, some for the first time, experience live theatre. Thank you so much for including us in your program. We will be booking with you again… Performers were easy to deal with – set up, etc... and friendly nice people” Lightning Ridge School, NSW

 

"The junior performance was very engaging. We thought you had chosen a very difficult book to interpret but you made it come alive. Performers did a great job… We will try to get a few local rural schools to book next year at the same time as us.” Araluen PS, Sale, VIC

 

"We thoroughly enjoyed the show. I'm sure the tour will be a great success." Blighty PS, ACT

 

“The performance was very good. It engaged the children and gave them the sense of fun that the performers were trying to convey. Thank you.” Sassafras PS, Mt Dandenong, VIC

 

"The children really enjoyed the humour and the puppets in particular. As a teacher I liked that you choose a story with a particular message and that you incorporated the actual book into the play. I also liked the audience participation and how you kept the children engaged before and after the show." The Patch PS, VIC

 

"Fantastic performance. Thoroughly enjoyed by all children. Story well captured and understood. Very entertaining. Very suitable for grade 3-5... A worthwhile experience of live theatre for the children." Narre Warren Nth PS, VIC

 

"What a wonderful play!... wonderful with the children... held their attention and involved them with their actions and facial expressions. The staff loved the show and enjoyed the adult humour which was included. The children are still talking about the play and the ‘best bits’ whenever they see me (10 days later). Congratulations on a wonderful adaption of the book!" Good Shepherd PS, Amaroo, ACT

 

"An excellent show that was enjoyed by ALL students and adults. The play captured the moral of the story very well and the variety of props and characters added to the performance. The performers were excellent and were enthusiastic and highly capable; interacted wonderfully with the students and were very entertaining. Yet again this was a wonderful performance by Tony... and I’m sure we will book again next year... Good value for money, very entertaining and well suited to primary students. Interaction great! Great show. Well done!... Excellent – great discussion afterwards... very entertaining – a lot of variety... Great lead in to the performance. Very entertaining. Wonderful use of simple props. Humour just LOVED by children. Tremendous crowd participation. Great singing and acting. Thank you". St James Catholic School, Yamba, NSW

 

"A very good performance that was well received by both staff and students. It is good for our students to be exposed to singing, dancing, puppets and the variety of props... and that we were able to relate it to Book Week activities was a real bonus... Great performance. Comedy relevant to both teachers and students. Well presented with great props and music. Actors had clear voices and are great singers.... A great show. My class is still talking about it today. I’d like to commend the actors on their performance... A wonderful experience – entertaining for both students and staff. A great release of endorphins. The kids are looking forward to next year". Woodburn PS, Woodburn, NSW

 

"Excellent performance – very engaging and entertaining... Lots of laughs from the children and plenty of audience participation... Great effort! Very talented performers and entertaining. Well done!" St Joseph's PS, Wonthaggi, VIC

 

"Thank you for a great show! The book was brought to life in a fun and entertaining way and the children really enjoyed it... Excellent show! Presenters were fantastic. Very enthusiastic. Students really enjoyed the show... Totally engaged the students and made a real connection to the story line... Absolutely fabulous! Feel that your additions re songs, etc actually made the story easier to understand!" Nulkaba PS, Nulkaba, NSW

 

"Nobody Owns the Moon performance was a great success with Year 3 and 4 students. They loved the silliness of mixed-up words, the ninja turtles and hats thrown in the air.... (the children) thought the music, songs and interactive bits made the story more enjoyable". MacArtan's PS, Mornington, VIC

 

"A fantastic show which was an excellent, very entertaining celebration of the story. All audience fully engaged - teacher and students alike. Major theme and message of the story clearly explained! Fantastic!!!... A great interpretation of this book. I wondered what this play would be about for 50 minutes. It was fun, entertaining and really passed on the message of this book beautifully. A great celebration of Book Week. Thanks!” Wattle Park PS, Burwood, VIC

 

"Outstanding introduction! The kids love the hats! Great little ‘celebration’ song and book intro. Fun, catchy songs and actions. Very humorous script. Great characters, costumes and special effects. The involvement of the students on stage was excellent. It made the whole experience more real and lots more fun. The perfect way to kick off our Book Week experience! Thank you." Caulfield Grammar School, Wheelers Hill, VIC

 

"Bringing to life the book "Nobody Owns the Moon", was done in a very creative way. The girls loved the different mediums of puppets and voice overs to enrich the story. I was teaching Year 3 that day and they were very excited that the children became part of the production. A very clear production. Well done... The student involvement was excellent. It was engaging and funny. Provides the students with another avenue on how to enjoy books. The acting and singing was super!" St Catherine's School, Barbreck Junior Campus, Toorak, VIC

 

"Hi Tony, I am writing to convey my appreciation and the enjoyment we received, on the weekend. My (wife) and I together with our children went to see the Friendly Fox on Saturday morning at Halls Gap... (you) put on a great show.... It was a great show and a highlight of our Holidays, I just wanted to convey our appreciation... and we will be watching the Melbourne Child for forthcoming plays." Andrew Wright, Public Show, VIC 

 

"I was fortunate enough to stumble across a write-up on Kidspot.com.au about the above production and took my three children aged 5 - 9 yo on Wednesday. To ensure they knew the storyline, I borrowed the book from our local library and they have read it (several times over). As a lover of live theatre since high school I thought it would be a nice introduction to live theatre for my children - and I was not disappointed! All three, but especially my 5 yo son were totally and utterly enthralled and haven't stopped speaking about the show. I am sure it has been the highlight of the school holidays for them. 

My son was in stitches of laughter throughout the performance and all three cannot wait to go to another show. Given their 150% enjoyment of the show I felt it fitting to drop a note to encourage you to keep up with these wonderful shows and to pass on my gratitude. Your company... ignited a new area of thought in my children and I am grateful. Again, many thanks, and keep up the wonderful work." Mary Geracitano, Public Show, NSW 

 

"Hi Tony, I am a teacher / respite coordinator for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Wollongong NSW. On the 3rd of October this year I sent a small group of these children to a play which was organised by your company and put on at Oak Flats neighbourhood centre. I would like to thank your staff for an excellent show and how our children were included in audience participation activities. They all had a great time. I would like to be informed of any other local performances which you may have planned for this area as these opportunities are not often available for our access… We were so pleased that we took the chance to turn up to see if tickets were available at the door as the experience was great for our children and we look forward to attending future activities in our region." Leanne Micallef, Teacher, NSW

 

“The show brought the book to life and gave depth to our understanding of the story”. Brooklyn PS, Burnie, TAS

 

“Kids loved the participation... loved the songs – great music and meaning... Great presentation... Our children don’t get to experience many shows and they love this sort of presentation”. St Mary’s School, Cohuna, VIC 

 

“Excellent performance. Kids really engaged... Great show... Enjoyed it very much”. Caroline Chisholm School, ACT

 

“We thought the deep message of the book was a bit beyond the understanding of our kinders when we read it to them. However the play helped convey things more obviously. The children enjoyed the performance... I thought the performance was very entertaining and the kids loved it..... It was great to see the kids get into reading with a book coming alive. The kids loved it... funny, clever, enjoyed by students... The children loved it and said they would like to see more of their productions. Very enjoyable." Duffy PS, ACT

 

"Having the children (in the show to) work in the factory was fantastic. Beautiful backing music. Children engaged by variety of presentation. E.g. singing, dancing bear, involvement in factory, conqueror statue. Loved the vocals and music changes. Very Broadway!!! Great costumes / props very true to text. Really helped children understand Humphrey’s feelings as it was acted out.... Fluent providing a great variety of change in order to maintain engagement and focus of children e.g. sitting, marching, factory scene, individual involvement”. Kalinda PS, Ringwood

 

“Introduction – Celebrate very fun. Captivating. Great way to get children to read. Costumes appropriate. Puppets excellent. Great how picture book is displayed. Music / dance very entertaining. Shadow puppetry – sensational. Props fit in with the story. Thank you for doing a wonderful performance and for letting the children have times to interact with the performance. You must be teachers!! Great mime. Thank you for an entertaining performance”. Mater Dei Catholic PS.

 

“An energetic show that involved all the students. It was an incredible learning experience. The actors incorporated original songs, poetry, dance, puppetry, mime, voice overs and jokes with the actual story. From the beginning children were engaged in the story through clever use of props, music and excellent presentation. History and culture were well portrayed through costumes, voices and incredible attention to detail. (Tony) took the original story and extended it into a terrific stage show.” Our Lady Queen of Peace, Greystanes, NSW

 

“Both shows! Wonderful! Very professional. You certainly made the books come to life. The children were so engaged and mesmerised by your performance. Thank you”. Iona PS, Woodville, NSW

 

‘Lots of fun and very entertaining. Longest we’ve seen the Principal stay still (as the statue on stage). Fabulous voices! Great singing and acting. Very talented folk”. North Rock PS, NSW

 

“The children at our school very much enjoyed the performances... Once again the children looked for funny bits and silliness when they talked about it. They loved the characters and got a lot out of it. I think the teachers all appreciated the effort that your company had gone to in the show. The actors were excellent... a great experience and I look forward to hearing about next year’s performances”. Dobroyd Point PS, NSW

 

“Great use of voices and accents. Children seemed to enjoy props and costumes... got all children involved by asking questions and asking for special helpers... Great involvement of students during the show... Interesting use of a variety of puppets to tell the story... Children certainly enjoyed the performance. Interaction with audience worked well... The performers brought the book alive through their ability, singing and story telling. The children were involved and participated very well. I’m sure they'll want to read the book again and see the illustrations come alive... The performance was very entertaining. It certainly made the book come alive for the children. The children enjoyed all the signing, dancing and acting. It was amazing how many characters from the book were brought alive. Certainly a great experience!... A fabulous way of bringing the picture book to life for students. We will definitely read the story again. The students enjoyed all the different elements of story telling that were used throughout the performance... A very engaging performance... The songs and singing enhanced the familiar story. It was great to see student and teacher participation throughout the performance.... Great use of song and dance. Good balance of humour and seriousness. Excellent performers. They really brought the book alive!... Thank you for a well prepared version of the book. Props and costumes were simple yet effective. Children seemed to really enjoy it and it was very engaging.” St Therese’s PS, Mascot, NSW

 

“The performance suited K to 6 students – It displayed different types of puppets ; shadow, hand and stick. It told the story of Nobody Owns the Moon through dance, singing and drama so all the styles of the creative arts were covered. The actors showed the students that costumes do not have to be complicated, by using simple items you can tell your story and show your character. Well done! My students thoroughly enjoyed your show... Performance was lively and entertaining. Students thoroughly enjoyed themselves... As above. Excellent! All students loved it... All students thoroughly enjoyed the performance... As above. The students listened and liked it. I enjoyed it as well (acting and humour).” Ariah Park Central School, NSW

 

 

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"Audrey of the Outback " 2009 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

“I think what was included was perfect. It related to the theme and the being a man thing fitted psychologically with the missing dad and the swaggie. Would have done the same myself... Well done, all round. I couldn't help but think of the quote - can't remember who it was - that said, 'I didn't know what my book was about until I finished it.' Watching my work on stage was a rather Freudian experience. Thanks again.” Christine Harris, Author “Audrey of the Outback”

 

"Entertaining. Lovely singing. Children enjoyed the different characters and costume changes.... puppet idea was good." Cambridge PS, Cambridge, TAS

 

"The children LOVED the show! They were engrossed the whole time. No behaviour issues and no lack in concentration at all (and there were a lot of them in the hall!)... Lots of factual info contained in the play as well. Well done!... The Grade 6’s were very impressed with the professionalism of the show. They stated that both the actors were brilliant and the music and singing “sounded like a CD.” High praise from Grade 6! From a teacher's perspective the show tied in perfectly with our Australian History Integrated Unit and there was plenty of discussion afterwards about swaggies and the colloquial language of the day. Many thanks for a fantastic show". The Patch PS, VIC

 

"The kids and I were half way through the book when we saw the play. It was fantastic to see it come to life by people who enjoyed the text so much. It was a professional, entertaining and engaging play." St Marys School, Alexandra, VIC

 

"Very animated... Great story! We'll be reading this in class... Great characters and look at our past history. Good reflection and relating the characters to stereotypes in Australian history / male / female roles. Dramatic play using the junior book awards is an excellent way to bring literature to life." Kalinda PS, Ringwood, VIC

 

"An excellent performance and students were engaged the whole time... Entertaining, engaging performance. Very professional presentation... Wonderful performance!! Energetic and fun. Children really enjoyed the show... Great show! Even though I have read the book I couldn't tell where events had been left out. The action and flow were seamless from one story section to the next!" Nulkaba PS, Nulkaba, NSW

 

"A very entertaining presentation. Thoroughly enjoyed by children and teachers! A great addition to our Book Week celebrations." Wattle Park PS, Burwood, VIC 

 

"...fantastic energy and enthusiasm. Clear line delivery and a great rapport with the kids. Great characterisation and use of simple props/puppets/sounds effects. Love the two songs... An interesting text - great to touch upon Australian history / roots... The discussion at the end was very valuable in linking both play to book and to make it relevant for Book Week activities." Caulfield Grammar School, Wheelers Hill, VIC

 

“An entertaining adaption of the book. Fun, enthusiastic actors held kids attention from beginning to end.... A simple but highly effective adaption of the book. The children clearly enjoyed the production... Use of lighting and sound for the mothers’ character was different and effective. Enthusiasm of actors was great. Students were interested throughout... A great adaption of the book. The main characters were energetic and enthusiastic. The children were entertained... Good characterisation and involvement / interaction with the students. Very entertaining!... Actors did a great job to keep students entertained. Students clearly enjoyed themselves. Thank you... Held the audience’s attention throughout performance! Simple yet effective use of ‘props’ and stage. Thanks for an entertaining performance!... Very entertaining – many laughs from the children throughout! Good use of different props and ways of presenting. Well done... the children really enjoyed the show. The performers versatility – acting, singing, characters kept their interest throughout. Good fun play and great props too”. St Therese’s PS, Mascot, NSW

 

"A thoroughly enjoyable show. I loved the portrayal of all the characters... I enjoyed the costumes and the use of the silhouette puppet and the doll. The music was catchy and the words appropriate.” Flinders Christian Community College, Tyabb, VIC 

 

“Both shows! Wonderful! Very professional. You certainly made the books come to life. The children were so engaged and mesmerised by your performance. Thank you”. Iona PS, Woodville, NSW

 

“The children at our school very much enjoyed the performances on Monday.... It was very entertaining. The children loved the dunny being blown up and they loved the characters, particularly Mr Akbar, I think. I thought Dougie was done very well and I liked the way you did the mother. It held their attention right through.... I think the teachers all appreciated the effort that your company had gone to in the show. The actors were excellent... a great experience and I look forward to hearing about next year’s performances”. Dobroyd Point PS, NSW

 

“Excellent, storyline matched the acting. Great how you discuss the story at the end as a narrative... Excellent exposure for the children to see puppetry, shadow puppetry, etc as drama forms. Great singing. Humorous (we all love to laugh). Entertaining. Clear voices / sound. Able to relate to the age group. Great connection with the children. Use of Australian slang. The play fits in with lots of HSIE units on early Australians”. Mater Dei Catholic PS, Kooringal, NSW

 

“A great show. A great book... a true representation of how I interpreted the book. The voices harmonised beautifully”. Araluen PS, Sale, VIC

 

“Believable, well characterised. Carried the storylines through very well. Singing was fabulous. Used the stage really well. Creative and inspiring”. St Joseph’s PS, Wonthaggi, VIC

 

“The presentation by the two actors was well constructed... the singing was the highlight, particularly the harmonies. The story was faithful to the book”. Our Lady Queen of Peace, Greystanes, NSW

 

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"The Night Garden" 2008 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show

 

"I think your ideas sound fantastic!... Your ideas for puppetry and dance elements are just what I would have imagined - although I hadn't thought of the paintings - very nice! I think it would be a very fun experience for the kids... Thanks for all of the thought you've already put into it. I think it should be wonderful… Thanks so much for the DVD of the shows - fantastic!! What a talented bunch you have there…. It was a lovely experience to see my book come to life like that. I hope we all get to work together again.” Elise Hurst, Author “The Night Garden”

 

"We were very pleased with the whole experience of our show. The team were on time and well prepared for the show. They adapted really well to our area that the performance was done in. The children, staff and parents were engaged all the time. The amount of participation was perfect and perfect children chosen.... We were extremely pleased and would have no problems recommending this company to any other groups. The adaption of the story "The Night Garden" was quite amazing as I had no idea how you would interpret it. Great job and on behalf of St Mary's thank you very much". St Mary's PS, Hastings, VIC

 

"Great energy. Kids loved participation opportunities (so did teachers)... Real singing and dancing!!! Not technology based (fantastic). I liked the idea of clapping the book... Fantastic show." Kendall PS, NSW

 

"Thanks guys for an absolutely enthralling & thoroughly entertaining rendition of "The Night Garden". It's definitely going to stay with the children as an inspiration to them of what creativity and fun can be had through books. We loved the entertainment for the "grown ups" as well. What a fun & lovely way to finish a school day. Thank you - fun, powerful, professional & inspiring." St Joseph's School, Benalla, VIC

 

"Energetic, bright, good props / costumes. Clear for children to hear / understand. Children enjoyed participation.... Very good. Thank you. Dancing was great for children to join in with. Thank you very much." Highfields Preparatory & Kindergarten School, Lindfield, NSW

 

"It was fantastic... Singing and dancing was really good.... Very professional. Great lesson in drama." Blighty PS, ACT

 

"Love your props! Great performance - our kids were really engaged... Staff enjoyed it also. Fabulous! Definitely again! Younger students mesmerised by the singing." Caroline Chisholm School, Chisholm, ACT

 

"The show brought flat pages to life. The show included an educational aspect, that covered Book Week and theatre - not just a simple show". Parkes Shire Library, NSW

 

"Excellent props. Simple and effective. Performance flowed well, students were engaged all show. Songs were well written and performed. As with last year, students and teachers alike enjoyed the show - see you next year!" Lake Cargelligo Central School, NSW

 

“Dear Elise, I was speaking in Newcastle for Chn Book Week and saw the touring... performance of your 'The Night Garden' picture book. I think you would have been artistically delighted. I’m writing partly because the actors said you hadn’t seen the final version in performance and I know that I would want another author’s reactions if it were my book-play. It was an energetic and passionate performance by two highly skilled and versatile actor-singer-gymnasts. But what was special was the depth of script linked to your book and the imaginative portrayal of additional characters via the backdrop portrait puppets from op shop materials. Ingenious way of conveying multiple characters but also giving the audience ideas to model. Extremely good stage craft in multiple use of props and timing to do so. Well paced. I’d give it a 9 ½ /10 as far as theatrical adaptations and performances go. And I’m a tough critic... This script had the symbolic depth but also the fun of activity the younger kids needed. I was watching audience reactions, both child and adult and it kept both groups all 50 minutes. The actors ‘sharing’ during the question time afterwards was also valuable in giving a depth to the reasons for portraying the story in that way. There’s something magical about a picture book skillfully crossing over into theatre. And it was achieved." Hazel Edwards” Author ‘There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating cake’

 

"Puppets as part of backdrop were a great idea - Children were engaged from the first minute when they walked into the room. Great interpretation of story, humour and deconstruction session. Children enjoyed "the Knight" garden... Children enjoyed wolf howling and judges... Tempo was good, great range of jokes appealed because of increased maturity of children". Trinity Catholic PS, Kemps Creek, NSW

 

"Scene setting had all children connected from start. Props very effective. Visual demonstration of drawing on window a good impression. Musical/singing parts clearly telling story - added to total presentation - messages sung were catchy and repetitive. Costumes and puppets were great. Very funny for all ages, even teachers! Very professional. Loved Sonya Kruger!" Barnsley PS, NSW

 

"The performance had the children entertained from the beginning. Fantastic! Vibrant! Full of energy! A great show!... Children totally engaged in performance. Great songs and adaptation of story with clever props and costumes. Very enjoyable for teachers as well! My preps didn't stop smiling! A perfect balance of narrative, humour, music and dance. A wonderful performance - a great adaptation of the book! We were all entertained." St Francis Xavier PS, Frankston, VIC

 

"Wonderful motivation and audience rapport. Excellent acting. Clear diction. Great observation of details in the illustrations in "the Night Garden". A lot of audience participation. Many elements of theatre used throughout the performance. Amazed that you were able to use so much comedy with a book like "The Night Garden". Fantastic show enjoyed by teachers and students". Somersby PS, NSW

 

"This performance of "The Night Garden" was thoroughly entertaining for both children and adults. I have never laughed so much at a performance and enjoyed the level of adult humour. The costumes and set were engaging and the performance overall held the children's attention at all times. Student participation ensured engagement from the students as well. Also really enjoyed the innovation of the text ie. the talent show part of the performance. Well done Tony... An absolutely fantastic show, which brought the book to life. The children and staff had a great time and were totally engaged throughout the performance. Wonderful characters and great balance of singing and action!! The children loved Sally and the amazing, unstoppable, Strange!! Loved the bush - eat your heart out Priscilla! Enthusiastic, comical, engaging with students and staff, great costumes.... Explanation about the book and knowledge about the top list/ running of book was simplistic and perfect for kids" Wattle Park PS, Burwood, Vic

 

"Fantastic. It was great with the different characters and voices. Having opportunities for the children to join in was great also, especially the Preps. Thank you! Great... Good interaction with the children. They really enjoyed it... Really enjoyable. Children thoroughly entertained and loved the interaction!" Watsonia Heights PS, Vic

 

"Very entertaining show that kept the audiences attention throughout. Moved from one scene to another smoothly - Varied format to keep audience captivated. Subtle use of humour - suited to the year level. Both presenters were dynamic and the audience was wanting to see what was going to happen next. Had some very strong "messages" within the dialogue about values and relationships". Liebler Yavneh College, Elsternwick, Vic

 

"Absolutely fabulous! So much fun and a wonderful interpretation of the story. The actors were great. Puppets coincidentally, fitted right into our present unit of work and gave children good ideas". Fantastic! Very funny! Lots of humor for the adults. Fantastic, so funny... I was the one at the back crying with laughter!... Super show again, Tony... Sets a high standard each year, and always delivers a well put together and well rehearsed show. Great at getting the kids involved, too. 10/10 Congrats! An excellent production. Great use of music, dance and puppets. Appreciated the dual text and use of humour too.... "A really great show! Really brought the story to life through the actions, personality and humour of the central characters. Fabulous interpretation, the kids adored it, so did the adults! Great music and humour balance." Donvale PS, Vic

 

"Brilliant work. Thoroughly enjoyed by all! Loved the cat! Students totally engrossed throughout performance. They talked about it enthusiastically after the performance. Exceptional delivery... Excellent show, children really enjoyed the interaction throughout the performance." Nulkaba PS, NSW

 

"Fantastic! The kids enjoyed the whole show - well done! The kids laughed their heads off and had a great time! The children thoroughly enjoyed the performance." St John Vianney's School, Mulgrave, VIC

 

"Talking to teachers and students around the school, the performance was greatly enjoyed by all. Costumes great, performers very skilled and professional, props, lighting, sound all very professional. Good job." St Michael's Lutheran School, Hahndorf, SA

 

"The children enjoyed the performance which kept them interested from beginning to end. The humour captured us as the book was brought to life in an exciting and commendable way!! Well done... The children enjoyed the performance - much excited giggling at many points through the time of the performance... Great performance. Thanks for adapting it for our special needs. The kids loved it and it certainly held their attention." Marantha Christian School, Doveton Campus, VIC

 

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"Amelia Dee & the Peacock Lamp" 2008 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

"Most enjoyable; great characters; simple and effective props... We all thoroughly enjoyed it - (as we have in the past!). I viewed both shows today. They were both fantastic and enjoyed by us all. Both books brought to life by two very talented presenters! They were very entertaining - we are already looking forward to next year! I love that we can hear the author's voice through the characters. The masks and great use of props (such as rubbish bins) was inspiring in creating our own mini productions. The follow up discussion added extra insight... We all loved it!" Wattle Park PS, Burwood, VIC

 

"I thoroughly enjoyed the show, as did the students. It was very funny and we loved the individual characters. The masks and mannerisms were very entertaining as well as the singing. Great Show! This was a fantastic performance. The delivery was spot-on and the character traits were incredibly funny! So refreshing to see that all age groups (young and old) were catered for. A sensational show. I thoroughly enjoyed the change of characters and the simple set... I appreciated the humour that was woven into the show." Watsonia Heights PS, VIC

 

"Enjoyable, entertaining, good variation in production techniques demonstrated. Children's response was positive.... positive experience. Thank you... Fantastic adaptation, thought it was great to incorporate humour to maintain student interest. The characters were well developed and the props assisted fantastically in understanding a character's history. The students gave great feedback and seemed to understand the main concepts. Thanks... Thank you, I thought the show was very entertaining. My class haven't read the book yet, but it was very easy to follow. The kids could relate to the humour used and all enjoyed the performance. Excellent show... We really enjoyed the show, even though we hadn't read the book. The students now want to read it! Both actors were very clever." Donvale PS, VIC

 

"Absolutely fabulous! Very entertaining! To have year 5 boys stop me in the playground after seeing "Amelia Dee" wanting to know if Tony... is coming next year with looks of great anticipation and remarks of "That was awesome!" says it all!! It was fantastic! The kids thoroughly enjoyed it. It was very amusing, the kids were involved as part of the performance. A great way to involve the children in the book!! Students engaged and thoroughly enjoyed show. I received very positive feedback from my students. They appreciated the humour and quality of performance." Nulkaba PS, NSW

 

"I only saw a small part of the performance but stayed longer than I had to because I was enjoying the performance so much. I was very impressed by the way you set up and packed up and the way you went about your job with little or no assistance. A very professional approach!" St John Vianney's School, Mulgrave, VIC

 

"The response from teachers and students was very positive. Production was very professional. Comments were made on the excellent singing voices of the actors! Most enjoyable." St Michael's Lutheran School, Hahndorf, SA

 

"Students enjoyed the play. They laughed & were engaged. The story was well acted and the play followed the story line of the book closely". Maribyrnong College, VIC

 

"I liked that it was true to the story and used many of the same words and Odo Hirsch's style. Stage, lighting, music was very good. Children like the puppets. Children enjoyed - elevator, singing, music, Star Wars, accent, sound effects, acted convincingly, made them laugh!" Trinity Catholic PS, Kemps Creek, NSW

 

"Excellent show. The acting was outstanding. Followed the book very closely with attention to details. Held the students' attention the whole time. Humour was great; I laughed as much as the children. Accents were very clever too... I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters were portrayed with humour, the props were simple yet effective, the children's attention was held throughout. My students particularly enjoyed it when the characters involved the audience. The props used above the curtain were a hit (the Rulers and Star Wars characters). The accents were mimicked for the next day by many Grade 4's! Great show, fantastic acting. Movement backstage, amazing. Loved the way you used the space - top, left, right! Students enjoyed the teacher and one of their own incorporated in the dialogue as well as using the bell and announcements - Fantastic ad lib." Maranatha Christian College, Endeavour Hills, VIC

 

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"Water Witcher" 2007 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show

 

“Dear Tony, I am very pleased and excited that you have chosen Water Witcher to perform. My head is buzzing with anticipating how you might decide to adapt and perform to work. My hunch is that you will have fun with those teasing sisters. If only I could be a fly on the wall during your scripting and rehearsing, watching the ideas develop, but as I live in the UK.... I just hope you will be able to send me a video of the performance in time. Break a leg, I hope you and your team enjoy working with the book. I am truly delighted the ideas will be dramatised and brought to life for children by your company. Very best wishes, Jan… "Dear Tony,... thank you for the DVD of your delightful performance of Water Witcher. I enjoyed it a lot, thought you expanded it cleverly and thoughtfully, and I LOVE your long legged silly walks! Well done, and thanks again. Very best, Jan" Jan Ormerod, Author “Water Witcher”

 

“Performance was fantastic! Children were engaged throughout the show... Both my class and I loved the performance. I liked how you pointed out to the students that it is okay for a boy to act the part of a girl and vice-versa. Great story, acting and songs to match. 10/10 for a great performance.” Flemington PS, VIC

 

“Kids loved the show. Getting them moving kept them all interested in story... Great show – lots of interest for the children. Terrific incorporation of the story line and music... Fast moving, enjoyable show. The story chosen was appropriate to Australia’s present water situation." Westmeadows PS, VIC

 

“The concert was great. The students were completely engaged from Kinder to Year 4. The actors did bring the book alive and it was clever how musical songs were written into the story. Great use of the book in the drama to draw on the students’ previous learning.” The Scotts School, Bathurst, NSW

 

“Very well put together – funny and entertaining.” St Francis Xavier, Frankston, VIC

 

“The children were fully engaged in what was happening. It was a delight to watch the various expressions on the children’s faces. The performers did an excellent job, always talking to the audience as well as including them during performance. Clear articulation and good costumes... Excellent show. Meaning behind the story clearly conveyed. Props, costumes good. Children engaged well with story line – post-play discussion was worthwhile. Children loved the music and comedy... The children thoroughly enjoyed the show. The music was superb and the choreography spot on. Children were entertained and learnt some important things about saving water as well. Well done and thank you... Fantastic! Great level of energy. Nice and colourful and the students were engaged for the whole time. Great discussion about drought at the end... I loved it. It was great seeing the story come ‘alive’. I loved the harmonies (great voices) and the dances. You certainly pour your hearts and souls into it. Also loved the humour. The kids? They loved it too!” St MacArtan's’s PS, VIC

 

“Loved the musical aspect. Added depth and loved the volume – loud, to keep the kids interested. Costumes were great. Was great how you involved crowd and came into audience, kept them alert. Creative, funny and fantastic performance. A great way to explore such a fabulous story. Good re-cap on the book at question time... Was a great performance. Very engaging. The kids seemed happy. Getting them involved was good... Kids loved the suspense at the beginning. Children were very engaged throughout the entire performance. Songs are great! Choreography great too! Costumes were great and simple. Dream sequence was fabulous! Dougie was excellent. Digging sketch great! Involvement of kids with actions was AWESOME! Very nice ending... Great intro – got attention, fun, children loved it. Songs were great. Audience participation was good – children loved that (me too!). LOVED that chook costume!! Great fun and energy. Loved the adaptation. Great choice of book – topical issue as well as one that affects us all. I love the family aspect too – how families help each other. I really liked the re-cap of the book at the end – beginning, middle and end (what we concentrate on in class) Great rapport with the audience. Question time was really well done too. Thanks a lot – we had a great time.” Donvale PS, VIC

 

“Fantastic. Awesome. Entertaining. Totally engaging. Thought provoking... Children loved it (so did teachers!). Very funny. Stimulated much discussion comparing book to performance... Wonderful show. Engagement of the children was excellent, especially pre-show. Promoted excellent discussion about issues... Tony’s shows are always fantastic. They reach across the ages so that everyone enjoys themselves... Each year the performance is dynamic, all-engrossing and the children leave wanting more and feeling great about things!" Mt Pleasant PS, Ballarat, VIC

 

“This was a fantastic production – perfect for the age group! I really liked the way reference was made regularly to the book, and the simple ways in which the book was acted out/portrayed. Discussion at the end of the show was fantastic – the best I have seen! It maintained the focus on the book, highlighting the main features. The Year 2 students loved this production, and I thought it was a very worthwhile presentation. Thank you so much... I loved it! It was very relevant, funny, informative and age-appropriate. Excellent, A+” St Catherine’s College, Toorak, VIC

 

"Great way to bring the book alive. A lesson in history, literacy and drama. So practical... Great! Discussion afterwards was valuable – just planned my literacy and art lesson for Wednesday... Fantastic book and relevant. Discussion afterward was wonderful too!...Fantastic show – very educational and enjoyable.” Glen Katherine PS, Eltham, VIC

 

“Fantastic performance as usual. Kids loved it. Great songs – children engaged the whole time. Talking about it the next day. Most suitable for all ages. Very professional. Good extension i.e. comments re: water saving etc. Holistic performance. Topical. A complete package – dance, music, action.” Abbotsford PS, VIC

 

“This show was just fantastic! Very interactive and the music/songs were great – thank you very much... Another excellent performance... Water Witcher - a very worthwhile and educational event.” Frankston Library, VIC

 

“A worthwhile performance. The children really enjoyed it and learnt important issues to do with drought! A fantastic performance enjoyed by all... Great performance – students really enjoyed it. Follow-up activities were great!!...Very well performed! Definitely a worthwhile activity!...A great performance – children really enjoyed it and were very eager to talk about it after – we talked about how we could act stories out... Fantastic presentation Tony... Positive feedback from all concerned. The students in particular loved it. Keep up the great work.” Thomastown PS, VIC

 

"Both the children and the staff all seemed to enjoy the show. The entertainers were very professional and obviously enjoy what they’re doing... Thanks. The children really enjoyed the show...The show was very entertaining and the children love the songs and actions... Very entertaining. Full of energy. Suited the children. It brought the book to life – thank you... Fantastic. All children enjoyed the show. Enjoyed being able to dance and move around." Corpus Christi PS, Cranebrook, NSW

 

“Appreciated the variety of the performance (story, drama, dance and song). Costumes were well done and explanations at the beginning and end. Also good to have questions at the end. The students were totally absorbed in the performance – very creative. Many thanks. Come again!...The performance was outstanding. The children were so engaged and gauged very well for a young audience. It was really good that the children were involved also. Thank you! Looking forward to your next performance... Absolutely fantastic! The children and I were thoroughly entertained!! We all loved it – so appropriate for young children – lots of movement, variety and songs. Well done, and thanks!...Fabulous. Very engaging and thoroughly well-organised! Would love them to come back... Absolutely outstanding! The standard of performance (acting and singing) was superb and at times very moving. This was a wonderful medium to experience books, drama and music in a live performance. Exactly what we wanted. Thank you!...This is the first time I’ve seen such a production and it was fabulous. Recently, I’ve been taking more interest in children’s books and the possibilities of making them ‘singable’ so this was exactly what I needed! All students were engaged for the entire duration and I could see that they thoroughly enjoyed it too." Caulfield Grammar School, Wheelers Hill Campus, VIC

 

“Fantastic! Thoroughly enjoyable for both teachers and children. Gave valuable insight to plight of farmers dealing with the drought. Linked beautifully with the Prep classes and German as we are studying ‘The Farm and the needs of Living Things’. The junior grades were engaged and follow-up discussions and activities in class revealed they had absorbed lots and enjoyed the performance. All actors looked like they enjoyed the experience too. Thanks for an enjoyable and valuable performance.” Amsleigh Park PS, Oakleigh East, VIC

 

“You made the book come alive in a most entertaining manner – it was wonderful! I liked the simplicity of the set and props; it has inspired me to try something similar with children. The question and answer session at the end was not only informative, but extremely well stage-managed. THANK YOU for a truly memorable experience!” Overnewton College, Keilor Campus, VIC

 

“The performance had something for everyone. Students were captivated with the story and enjoyed participating. Students were informed and entertained. Story was brought to life through catchy songs and costume. Teachers were pleased with the performance and we are happy to have you back next year." Naranga School, Frankston, VIC

 

“The teachers were very impressed by the group's performance. They were pleased with the content and thought that the show was very professional. Really liked the Q and A time at the end." Woodleigh School, Junior Campus, Frankston, VIC

 

“Fantastic clear presentation of concepts. Loved the presentation of how drama/casting/sets created. Loved the reinforcing of ideas... Brought back lots of childhood memories – of life in a farming district – and water diviners... Outstanding responses from class (drawings etc.) - result of fantastic show... Excellent performance – kept all children absolutely mesmerized. Great incidental learning throughout. Followed literacy terms and structures that children use... Absolutely brilliant! Excellent acting, singing and dancing. Relevant message... Excellent! Children were enthralled the whole time. Very suited to this age group... Amazing! The kids were enthralled and the links to English syllabus were superb – fantastic!...Very entertaining. Children enjoyed it...Very professional presentation. Fantastic... Excellent. Kids got a lot out of it!” Nulkaba PS, NSW

 

“We read ‘Water Witcher’ again today - the day after the show, and saw it so differently to the first time we read it. A huge discussion around the sisters and how they were funny - yet what they were doing wasn't funny at all - it was teasing/bullying Dougie (cheap humour). Kids absolutely loved the show… They thought the costumes were realistic and they really felt a sense of dryness on the farm." Kew PS, VIC

 

"Very professional! Kept kids' interest throughout show. Many favourable comments!" Albert Park Library, VIC

 

"Thanks for last week's performances. Our staff and students loved them. Our older kids have seen your shows now since their Prep years and have learnt so much about the nature of performance as a means of story telling. The question time for all groups is really valuable. Could you please book us a time for 2008." Ringwood Heights PS, VIC

 

“What an absolutely fabulous show! Congratulations on producing such a professional piece of theatre. Staff and students alike were involved, laughing and mesmerized!" Comments from schools in the Wallsend area, NSW

 

“Can I say how well you guys presented the book plays... We saw the Water Witcher and the play was both funny and sad and adults and children enjoyed it equally well”. Araluen PS, VIC

 

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"Being Bee" 2007 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

“Very enjoyable. Very good performance. Professionally presented and pertinent to certain students living/family situations. The number of tears in the audience was an indication of how well the story touched the students. Students were very engaged... All comments from the children were positive. Students were excited by the characters and were keen to discuss the relationships acted out between each character. Some students were obviously touched by the emotions openly displayed by each of the characters. The visit by Tony... was timely, as our unit of study this term (3) is theatre.” Flemington PS, VIC

 

“Really enjoyed the show. Was clear in its representation of some confronting issues. Really enjoyed the duet between the girls. Liked the break-down at the end... Allows us to enter into the issues that every child faces, we read the book and had a fantastic discussion above family structure... The characters had heart and cleverly avoided stereotype but were still clear and “simple” to understand... Great to see dramatization after we had read the book. Wonderful light and shade to engage students. Explanation at end most helpful to understandings.” Kalinda PS, Ringwood, VIC

 

“Excellent story-telling! I was really enthralled as were the students. Very age-appropriate and relating well to their experiences of families. Students who are in this very position were glowing with the links you make to their situations... Excellent play that captured the attention of the students and told the story very well. The chance for the children to ask questions was also worthwhile and added to the experience... An excellent play that covers many themes. The characters of the story were played/portrayed extremely well. The play generated excellent classroom discussion afterwards. Thank you." St MacArtan's PS, VIC

 

"Enjoyed by all. Dealt with real life issues, humourous and great acting... Enjoyed by the whole grade. Harley portrayed really well. The content in the play was relevant to this age group... Some really important issues that our students have to deal with involving families. Children really enjoyed the book and also the portrayal of Harley.” Glen Katherine PS, Eltham, VIC

 

"The play was very well done, particularly the balance between the spoken script and song. The message of the book was communicated clearly in a manner that all students could identify with. Giving the students an opportunity to ask questions was fantastic as it allowed them to not only better understand the story, but also the process of how a play is put together... Good interpretation of the text. Songs worked well to break up play.” Greenacre PS, NSW

 

“The play explored the themes of grief and mental illness in a light and highly sympathetic manner. The actors were flexible and funny and the students enjoyed the performance. The play was spiced up with entertaining musical items. The actors studied well mannerisms and language of high-school students... Pacey, fast, visually entertaining. Great character performances... Great acting with minimal props. I enjoyed the character portrayals and the singing was fabulous... Excellent transition from character to character, engaging. Well done... Well performed and engaging, good coverage of the issues involved in the story line” Glen Eira College, VIC

 

“This is the fifth year I have seen Tony... at various schools and as always, loved it! Both performances were of outstanding quality with brilliant acting and a purposeful message. I appreciate the value in questioning/reflective time at the end and love how my drama students have picked up on some of your theory about characterisation and prop use. Keep up the amazing work and can’t wait to see next year!” Caulfield Grammar School, Wheelers Hill Campus, VIC

 

"You handled the issues in the book sensitively and appropriately for the age level. I really think that the children valued the debriefing at the end and again appreciated the Q and A time. Prompted interesting discussion in the classroom. Loved the costumes and the music.” Woodleigh School, Junior Campus, Frankston, VIC

 

“Very relevant to family life issues. Children all enjoyed it. Acting and singing was excellent... Some deeper thinking issues dealt with what would be relevant to a number of children. Also many of those themes link well with our ‘Bounce Back’ topics. Good mixture of emotions... Tremendous energy from all actors. Singing was fabulous – really strong voices…Well done!” Westmeadows PS, VIC

 

“Congratulations and thank you for an entertaining and thought-provoking performance. The feedback from the Year 7 girls was overwhelmingly positive and reflected their enjoyment and involvement in the show. The characters were portrayed strongly and the girls could relate to many of the issues explored in the text. The performance was amusing but sensitive and achieved a great balance. The theme of relationships can be both simple and complex and the students were able to discuss the many and varied friendships that they have with others. Most impressive was the inclusion of the mental health issue. This challenged many of the girls and they identified with some of the problems that can arise when people avoid situations. Many of the girls have been motivated to read the novel and it is fabulous to see the non-readers showing an interest in a particular book. We all loved the energy created by the characters and the combination of dialogue and singing worked effectively. In their Drama classes the girls have been working with minimum props and the concept of playing a variety of characters. Therefore your performance satisfied the VELS interdisciplinary component. Thank you – we all appreciated your work.” Kilbreda College, Mentone, VIC

 

“The short time spent after the performance talking about the many themes was great - it helped the kids to think about mental illness in our community which was wonderful. I even heard from a Grade 3 (who had a Grade 6 sibling) that the book was about people with schizophrenia! Amazing what kids pick to take away from a play and talk about at home!" Kew PS, VIC

 

“Thanks for last week's performances. Our staff and students loved them. Our older kids have seen your shows now since their Prep years and have learnt so much about the nature of performance as a means of story telling. The question time for all groups is really valuable.” Ringwood Heights PS, VIC

 

“I thoroughly enjoyed the performance. The balance between humour and drama was excellent. The actors, costumes and sets were great. I enjoyed the way the actors involved the audience. The introduction of songs was an enjoyable surprise. I had read the novel but the production made me focus more clearly on the major themes. I thought Tony was excellent in his discussion of these themes at the end of the performance. He involved the children effortlessly. The College appreciated your sensitivity to the Christian school ethos in the presentation and follow-up discussion. The teams’ setting up and dismantling was very smooth and made it easy for the teachers. The sound microphones were great...The plot was very relevant to today’s society and the values taught were sound. A job well done!... The play was very professional and age-appropriate. The ideas presented in the performance are very real in some of our students’ lives. The students understood the content of the play and were able to join in discussion when returning to the classroom. All actors were professional and showed professional understanding of learning outcomes. The students are keen to see another... production... Thanks for such a great production. My class and I were really excited to discuss the story when we get back to class. We also discussed the issues raised especially about treating others the way we should. The variation in the production was great. We were impressed by the excellent standard and the professionalism of all the players... Well done and thanks” Flinders Christian College, Tyabb, VIC

 

“This production was excellent. The students were enthralled and totally involved. I felt the issues in the book were much more powerful when seen on stage…Staff were extremely professional and pleasant. Looking forward to hosting you again!” Comments from schools in the Wallsend area, NSW

 

“Excellent, excellent, excellent. The look on the children’s faces said it all. The questions they asked showed some depth too. A lot of children connected with the text in a very personal way that they wanted to share, and it was good for them to consider issues from another's point of view. Acting, etc – fantastic. The summary at the end was very effective – made more so by giving children stretching, movement activities first. A very good choice of text. Congratulations. Come again!” Araluen PS, Sale, VIC

 

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"Irving The Magician " 2006 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show

 

"Dear Tony, Just writing to thank you for sending a DVD of your "Irving the Magician" show. You've done it again! I really enjoyed it - so did my wife, who watched it with me. The script, the songs and the performances were good and funny. And I liked the way you handled the ideas in the book - keeping a nice balance between lively, witty entertainment and sometimes more reflective narrative and meanings in the book. It must have been a challenge, but I think you nailed it and I thought the result was a rich piece of children's theatre. I also appreciated your presentation of the ideas underpinning the book at the end of the show. Very clear and insightful. It was an education for me too. You're doing a great job - I hope it's all going well for you... Best wishes” Tohby Riddle, Author “Irving the Magician”

 

"I’ve had many observations of children’s performances over the years, but none have come close to yours. The whole staff thought the same. It was energetic, professional and extremely humourous. Please come back again." Merriwa Central School, NSW

 

"Absolutely sensational!!" Dromana Primary School, VIC

 

"Outstanding performance – I love the way you bring the story to life... Fabulous, really inspired the children to act using books and things in the environment... a top production... Quality entertainment! You had a great mix of acting, songs and story that thoroughly entertained both kids and adults. Top Stuff!!... A very talented team." Maranatha Christian College, VIC

 

"Excellent show... Another fantastic performance from a top class group. The children were spell bound... Great songs, dances. Can’t wait to see next year's show.... Fantastic the way the children were involved the whole way through the show... Very slick and credible tricks!" St Mary's PS, Swan Hill, VIC

 

"HILARIOUS!...Fantastic, engaging show... Loved the songs!... wonderful!... great fun!!... Children were totally entertained and engaged.... thanks for ‘the Magic’ you bought to St Margaret's!" St Margaret's Primary School, VIC

 

"Fantastic! Fun and interactive, catered for all levels and linked well with the book... Excellent and entertaining for all ages! What a wonderful way to present a story!... Really enjoyed Tony... would like to see him every year. Really engages the kids... Teachers and children were captivated by the performance." Mt Pleasant PS, VIC

 

"What a fantastic way to bring a book to life! I would recommend Tony (& his company) to other schools. The children loved the show. It is a great way to really get children to look into books.... Great performance" Wattle Park PS, VIC

 

"Well prepared. Active and energetic - great! Good involvement for one and all... Thank you for a great show and for adapting to our time schedule." Doncaster Gardens PS, VIC

 

“An engaging performance of the book and the humour was appropriate for the age group.... Good control over the group throughout the performance. The children were really able to engage... Children enjoyed the humour and understood the story and the messages it contained”. Serpell PS, VIC

 

"Tony... Thank you for your dedication and support of Moomba Waterfest 2007" Lord Mayor John So, City of Melbourne Moomba Waterfest 2007

 

"Dear Tony, Moomba Waterfest 2007 - Thank you! On behalf of the City of Melbourne I would like to thank yourself... for your involvement in the Moomba Waterfest 2007 Children's Garden Program... as a result we have had exceptional feedback on all areas of the Children's Garden program. Thank you for your performance and we hope you enjoyed the experience of performing at the 2007 Moomba Waterfest! All the best. Yours sincerely, Michelle Bell" Michelle Bell, Project Coordinator, Moomba Waterfest 2007

 

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"To The Light" 2006 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

"Hi Tony, Great job! I really enjoyed reading the script, especially your song lyrics…. You're the expert. Cheers, Pat… Hi Tony, I received the DVD of "To the Light" yesterday and had a look at the two performances last night. Congratulations, you and the team did a great job. Very professional and I'm particularly impressed with your comic timing as an actor and scriptwriter. Well done with the props also. It wasn't an easy task! Hope we can do it all again in future years. Cheers." Pat Flynn, Author of "To The Light"

 

"I thought it was fantastic! The children thoroughly enjoyed it and we followed up with discussions in the class about ‘growth’ of character.... A great show. It highlighted the book very well. Good for the kids to see that you don’t need elaborate sets, costumes etc to produce a quality performance. Definitely book for 2007... Congratulations – they loved it! The post discussion was particularly relevant in ensuring all the 3/4’s understood the plots/sub plots. Thank you for a great show... We enjoyed the book. The show was great – simple but effective props, great characters & story. Very enjoyable." Wattle Park PS, VIC

 

"Really funny and entertaining. Great to see the way the personalities/characters were changed a little from the book. The Dad was very funny. Actors were fantastic – loved the 6 pack on Mal. Bright and entertaining songs, with a great message/connection to the story line. Set was very effective – great waves." St Mary's PS, Swan Hill, VIC

 

"Excellent – best incursion I’ve seen. Valuable at several levels. Debriefing at the end really locked in a lot of understandings... Wonderful : one of the best incursions we have had. I sincerely hope we see you again next year.... Great entertainment for cost. Advantage of this group is that they are educators and connected at kids level... Fabulous performance! Well worth the money. Both children and teachers responded with much enthusiasm and praise. Thanks for the valuable discussion too... A great show. Good fun and entertaining." Montrose PS, VIC

 

"The students were totally engaged in the story. It was great to observe a creative way of approaching literacy using drama (particularly as I’m a student teacher of Drama). Really interesting use of simple sets and props. Loved the idea of the sound track... A well thought out and executed play. The play captured the imagination and attention of the students even those who have a reputation of having a short attention span... Excellent production with very effective visual (minimal) clues. Characterization was spot on. Students were totally engaged and all comments were very positive. Thank you." Glen Eira Secondary College, VIC

 

"Excellent themes, very appropriate for our children who are moving to high school. Fantastic ability to connect with and manage audience. Question time was great... The children thoroughly enjoyed it as did the teachers. Actions and expressions of characters were depicted very well. Props and costumes suited the characters very well. Followed the novel ‘to a tea’ as we have read it." Queen of Peace Parish School, Altona Meadows, VIC

 

"Fantastic effort! There was so much meaning throughout the story line that different personalities of children will get so much out of it. Lots of discussion and activities will come out of this. The children could relate so well to the story line. Your enthusiasm was great!" Dromana PS, VIC

 

"This was another great show that held the children’s attention throughout. The story delivered a strong message of self worth in an amusing but very realistic context. The characters were easily identifiable with the audience and it was great to see them grow through the story. The show demonstrated the versatility of the actors and gave the children an enjoyable worthwhile experience. Thank you." Watsonia Heights PS, VIC

 

"Enjoyed the characters. Kept children engaged. Great message, Thanks." Kew PS, VIC

 

"The performance was excellent – book messages were clear. Students were engaged at their own level of understanding. Great to see song being included... Great, really hit the spot... The performance was excellent – Presentation, character presentation and messages were all in keeping with the book. A great time was had by all. Great for the children to see the story ‘come alive’." St Scholastica's PS, Burwood East, VIC

 

"Excellent standard, Kids were enthralled. Lots of ‘messages’ put across very well. Great fun. Great changeover of characters. Big wave was very clever!! Also paddling on surfboards at beginning – great props." St Jude's PS, Scoresby, VIC

 

"Very engaging and a worthwhile experience, which has initiated much discussion within the class... My class thoroughly enjoyed the performance, particularly the talented actors!!... My grade enjoyed the fact that the show portrayed the story extremely well... An entreating performance, thoroughly enjoyed by all! Thank you" Flemington PS, VIC

 

"Thank you for two wonderful performances on ‘Bring a Bloke Day’. You certainly had all the children and blokes thoroughly engaged by your performances. Mornington Primary School appreciated and enjoyed your performances." Mornington PS, VIC

 

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"At The Beach - Postcards From Crabby Spit" 2005 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show

 

"Very entertaining performance. You certainly brought the book to life. Acting, singing, props all excellent... Great performance - kept all children engaged P-6 (and teachers). Well done... Very energetic. Love the way you involved the children. Great show... Animated performance. Upper students appeared interested... Possibly gave students a focus for their drama sessions? ... The children had a great time and were really engaged. It was great to have children moving about regularly. You really brought the book to life. Well performed... Plenty of energy. Well orchestrated. Very relatable. Very clearly delivered... Your energy was full-on from beginning to end and kept the kids entertained and focussed. Even the Grade 6 boys were doing the sheriff's dance! ... I specifically like the way you spoke to the kids at the end of the performance and related it to them. Makes it relevant... You certainly allowed the children to make "connections" to authentic experiences and the world of the imagination. Thanks, I have picked up some inspirational ideas to add / include when sharing stories / books with the children." - Nichols Point PS

 

"Very entertaining. Children from Prep to Grade 6 thoroughly enjoyed the show (and adults). It was simple and easy to follow. Children knew what kind of things to expect e.g. the bike rider (Roland), writing a postcard, posting it. The involvement of the children was great. They were able to move around and so were not made to sit still for the entire session. Question time was very good: informative and interesting. Tony was able to talk to the children in an easy manner, answering questions in a way that the children could understand. Was well worth having at school. Would book this company again and would recommend them to other schools." - Coimadai PS

 

"Wonderful performance yet again! I really appreciated your adaptation of the book and the excellent staging. Let's hope letter writing is a wonderful spin-off from Book Day reading! ... Well done again! The kids said on their evaluation forms that the best parts were: the 'kissing' scene and the 'Rock Pool' scene. It was so good to see the children's faces as they watched - they were really enjoying it. The audience participation was excellent too. The performance really brings the book to life and enhances the desire to read that book and books in general (which is exactly what we want!). Thank you... Outstanding performances!! Really brought the story and the characters to life. Loved all the levels of humour addressed by the script! ... Always look forward to your visit. Once again, an absolutely magnificent performance!!" Maranatha Christian School, VIC

 

"Very energetic and fast moving. Involved the students. Colourful and kept children engaged throughout performances. Good how they kept referring to book page. Brought in many environmental elements - pollution, recreation at the beach. I laughed and laughed. Just so well presented for both students and adults. Fantastic. Explanation at the end by Tony was a real benefit - could tell he was very emotive about the book and the subject. Projected voice and interacted with students to give a thorough explanation about the book. Showed props and how they were made and explained they could be made by students themselves... A very worthwhile show. Lots of action for the children. Lots of laughs!! Also educational. Well done! Great end of session interaction with the children." - Cann River PS, VIC

 

"Excellent - Great to involve the children so much. Explanations of questions very good. Humour related well to year level... Fantastic performance - Children all enjoyed it - great follow up activities - well done... Thanks again for another wonderful performance. All who have attended have been wonderfully entertained" - Swan Hill PS, VIC

 

"We loved your performance! All students and staff thought it was wonderful. As the children had previously read the book, they were able to identify the characters and scenes. Involvement of the students was great" - Mentone Boy's Grammar, VIC

 

"Fabulous as always! Loved the songs and humour. Great student involvement. The kids absolutely LOVED it! I also loved the way you explained elements of the story afterwards (i.e.: dreams). Congrats and keep up the great work! ... Every year you put on an outstanding production. The students loved participating and you've encouraged kids to enjoy and read books! ... Great music and beat. Slow-mo part fantastic. Great control of children... Fantastic - very interactive, involving children in all aspects of the text. High energy and engaging performance. Music, jokes, opportunity for individual students to perform on stage - excellent!! Too funny and jokes for adults appreciated! ... It was great!! The children were engaged for the whole show and it was very evident how much they enjoyed it. The music, acting, and jokes were fantastic. Looking forward to next year's!!!... Very entertaining! for both the children and adults, fast paced, opportunity for children to join in and a wonderful message of friendship and having fun on holiday... Our class loved it - they had read the story and it was wonderful to see a story transformed into such an entertaining and imaginative show... Congratulations for a fun and interactive show. The children were fully engaged and loved watching, listening, singing and joining in the various activities. The feedback from the children was very positive and they loved the opportunity to focus on their own dreams" - Roberts McCubbin PS, Box Hill South, VIC

 

"Tony... I thought you were all fantastically brilliant. I had the best laugh plus all the other teachers did too! We were all so entertained for that hour and we all spoke very highly of you. The children were equally entertained and including them in your performance was a great way to keep their attention. They thought you were very funny and animated. The children all had special parts of the story they liked best. Well Tony, we will definitely have you back at our school again - no doubt about that!" - Chelsea PS, VIC

 

"Congratulations on a great show. Highly entertaining - kept children fascinated. Their laughter and enthusiasm was evident throughout. We raced to the library to get the book straight after the show - the children "argue" over whose turn it is to look at it!! An excellent activity for Book Week as has certainly helped to immerse the children in books. Highly recommended!! Thanks... A joyful experience for both children and teachers. I particularly liked the simplicity of the props and the use of the postcards. Opportunity for children participation was excellent. Congratulations on a great job. I will buy the book for my personal library. P.S. Children enjoyed writing about a shared experience... I thought it was a very novel and enjoyable way of introducing a storybook to the children. They all enjoyed it immensely and wrote at length about it when we returned to school. The acting was very professional and the singing voices were great. On the whole a great effort by all concerned. Would be very interested in seeing next year's performance - You made the book come to life. All the children are anxious to read it now to see the similarities and differences from the performance. Hats off to you... Well done!"- St Peter Apostle School, Hoppers Crossing, VIC

 

"The best children's theatre I've ever seen. I have seen and organised many visiting entertainments and Tony (& his company) was by far the best. Quality of acting and the effectiveness of their production was perfectly geared to the age groups for which they were arranged.... I was only able to see a little of both performances, but was impressed with the quality of the productions. Children and staff both reported most favourably. We look forward to seeing you in 2006... The show was very bright and exciting... Great, loved the dolphins. Very, very amusing!! Lots of time to answer questions - good!" Fairfield PS, VIC

 

"Response from everyone has been very positive. You engaged all of our children and we have some difficult ones. The most popular scene was "the kiss". I like the way you stuck closely to the book - it made it very meaningful for the children. Music - fabulous. A great show, hope we can see you again in the future. Many thanks for working around our timetable." Morang South PS, VIC

 

"Very funny performance. Children enjoyed and were engaged throughout the session. It was great to involve the children in the performance. Discussion at the end was insightful and encouraged children to develop an understanding of the 'behind the scenes' action of a theatrical performance. A great performance!!!... Children were positive and able to discuss the performance after the show." - Flemington PS, VIC

 

"Once again the children were fully engaged. They loved it... I thought it was excellent - funny, creative and I loved the pace! ... Very enjoyable, funny and creative. Great.... Great, entertaining and interactive. Thanks for a well produced show... Well done, the children were really looking forward to the production and I'm sure they weren't disappointed - Great show!... Well done. All of the audience (Prep to 6) were fully entertained... Enjoyed by all! Lots of energy. Thank you... My kids were glued to the show. Well done" - Holy Eucharist PS, East Malvern, VIC

 

"Excellent to use the characters and postcards from the book. The music was really well done, especially the Rock Pool. Great to have children join in. Good use of humour and "kid" language. You were on time and had really good equipment and props. Very good to have book on display. Good use of Roland Harvey between scenes. Well done." - St John's PS, Clifton Hill, VIC

 

"Great funny, enlightening, fabulous characters that seem so lively and real. Relating the play to a book gives the production a longer life in children's minds. A great opportunity for country children to experience live theatre. Pink dress was a great touch, many comments afterwards. Great costumes all around. We admire your stamina in doing 3 back to back performances. We appreciate your commitment - trying to adapt to each group." - Alexandra Library, VIC 

 

"The whole show was great. The children were very engaged throughout the whole show. The songs were terrific. I loved the way you included the children. The children loved the show and definitely got the 3 messages from the book, as you discussed at the end. Thanks for a top show. Hope to see you back next year. (I thought last year was good but this show was even better!)" - St Mary's PS, Swan Hill, VIC

 

"Extremely entertaining and wonderful how the audience was involved throughout the show... Entertainment plus. Kids loved the corny reappearance of the bike, dog, etc. Characterisations were very appropriate - kids identified with them. A very clever dramatisation of the book. You guys always come up with great ideas... Great show that was entertaining, fast moving and visually appealing. The characters were energetic, and the children appreciated the athleticism... Very entertaining and amusing show. Great enthusiasm by the actors. Students loved the dog popping up with the objects that went missing. Terrific show... Excellent performance and good follow up activities provided... Terrific depiction of the "structure" of the book - including the "author" as "character". Difficult to involve the senior primary children, but you managed it beautifully! ... More than just an excellent show of entertainment. The discussion of the book and themes gave teachers and children an extended appreciation of the book" - Watsonia Heights PS, VIC

 

"The P-4 children and staff thoroughly enjoyed "At The Beach". In fact they are still talking about it. Must have been good as many staff also provided feedback - which certainly says a lot. Thanks once again. I look forward to next year's shows... Really enjoyed the performance. It was very funny. 10/10... Fantastic. The kids loved it and so did I! ... Excellent performance... Congratulations on ensuring children from Prep to Grade 4 were wonderfully engaged. They adored it! ... The children enjoyed the performance, were well engaged and all participated! ... Thoroughly enjoyable - children loved it. So did the teachers... The preps thoroughly "LOVED it". They especially liked the dog puppet. Teachers enjoyed it too! ... Very entertaining for both children and adults. Well done... It was very entertaining for all. Fantastic!" - Wattle Park PS, VIC

 

“Great show. Great energy.... Excellent organisation. Well thought out”. Doncaster Gardens PS, VIC

 

“I thought the play was lots of fun and very good to cater for such a wide age group. Everyone including the adults had a fantastic time. Thank you very much... A great production. You kept the children engaged and the humour was well received. Well done... Well done for keeping such a wide age range interested and laughing. Also enjoyed the look behind the scenes at the how to of the performance... Once again a great performance. All the children enjoyed the performance, even the grown-ups. Thank you for talking to the children about how they can take on different characters and what they can do. Well done”. Sassafras PS, VIC 

 

“Absolutely love the show. This is the second show I have seen and I can’t wait for the third!!! The students were totally engaged and were involved with the production which will be something they will always remember. The teachers and parents always enjoy the show!!! 10 STARS... Fantastic show. Draws the kids and adults in from the word go. Really funny, engaging and the kids love joining in. Well done!" Pyalong PS, VIC

 

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"Billy Mack's War" 2005 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

“Hi Tony, I see from the feedback on the website that the production of Billy Mack’s War kicked butt. That’s awesome – well done… Again, I’m glad that the production went so well. I’m working on the third Captain Mack book now – maybe in a couple of years we could do it all again! Cheers, James… Hi Tony, I received the DVD today and watched it all the way through. I was really impressed with the way you trimmed down the script, and the acting was really good. It's weird watching your own story acted out, and I actually found myself being very moved by the scene with Mrs Teirney in particular. Thanks again for representing my books so well. Cheers." James Roy, Author, "Billy Mack's War" (Tony's company also performed James Roy's first installment of this story "Captain Mack" in 2000-2001)

 

"Students and teachers thoroughly enjoyed the performance. Our students have not had much exposure to drama / live performances, so they were really captivated by the acting and singing. The actors did a fantastic job. The students were amazed that there were only 3 actors playing all those characters! Many of the students are now interested in reading the book, which is great. Many thanks for a great performance." - Simonds Catholic College, West Melbourne, VIC

 

"Another fabulous performance - the first dramatic one I've seen. It was terrific, engaged the children who appeared captivated throughout. You captured the essence of the story well and made us feel a whole gamut of emotions. The scenes you selected to portray were well chosen (the children were happy for the fight scene with Barry!!)... All in all - a wonderful show. Thanks so much.... Thank you all again. Great development evident in your program. Especially the question time. Students appreciate your patience and generosity... Fantastic performance of a very good book. The question time at the end was very useful and allowed students to consider and think about the book and the important parts that make up the story. Fabulous acting, very believable characters. Extremely entertaining. Thanks.... Excellent performance. Dramatic, emotional and intense. Very well choreographed. Explained issues in the book a bit more clearly. Look forward to next year's show! ... Loved the drama of the book... As always a fantastic production... Thanks for bringing alive a book that was difficult for the children of Year 4 to comprehend. The way the children enjoyed the play is a credit to you. A very meaningful insight to history and life for the children. The introduction that Tony gave and the follow up is excellent. It allows the children to reflect on the book and play together... Thank you for such an engaging and enjoyable show. The story line was easy for all the children to understand and each character was portrayed perfectly. It was great that I have read the book to my class as I feel it made it easier for them to follow the story line. The costumes, songs, voices were great. I could tell the kids loved it because they were engaged the whole time! Well done for keeping them quiet for an hour. Look forward to seeing you next time! ... Congrats on presenting a wonderful show based on "Billy Mack's War". The story based pre-war was really well structured, with some fantastic acting that was able to captivate the audience. The singing and props complimented the theatre show. Well done!" - Warranwood PS, VIC

 

"Tony, both performances were fantastic! The grade 5/6's are planning to read "Captain Mack" as a class serial. They were very inspired. ... Thanks once again. I look forward to next year's shows... Enjoyed by all - appropriate for today... We enjoyed the performance... Well done." - Wattle Park PS, VIC

 

"Children enjoyed characterisation of people in the story, they thought the musical numbers were great. Many are now inspired to read the book. A moving performance.... A great performance" - St Peter Apostle School, Hoppers Crossing, VIC

 

"Staff and students were impressed by the performance... The boys were amazed at how you managed to have a number of different characters with only 3 cast. Some thought you had more." - Mentone Boy's Grammar, VIC

 

"Great for children to see a visual representation of the book. Perfect length of time. Crucial scenes were included. Extremely high standard (especially the singing). Fantastic manner during interaction with the children. Once again, brilliant presentation. We look forward to next year's! Thanks heaps." - Roberts McCubbin PS, Box Hill South, VIC

 

"Very professional and most entertaining. Well organised, well paced. Dramatic. Brave. Follow up questions very useful in relating to the book. The costumes for this show were spot on and created the right atmosphere straight away. It was exceptional to see the depth of drama, the children were initially stunned and a bit embarrassed as they probably hadn't experienced that much emotion in public. Your adaptations of stories into music and drama were fabulous and have given the books new life. We are sure it will start a reading wave." - Alexandra Library, VIC

 

"Great singing and music - very dramatic (i.e. shot the cow). Encouraged you to use your imagination... Enjoyed the songs. Great singing in character" - St Mary's Primary, Swan Hill, VIC

 

"An excellent performance, it really engaged the grade 3/4's attention.... lot's of discussion from the children!" - Flemington PS, VIC

 

"Grade 5/6's was great for them to see the seriousness of the play. It was very engaging and was a good introduction to theatrical productions" - Chelsea PS, VIC

 

"Children really enjoyed the show. A lot of the children were moved by certain parts and it led to a really good discussion about war, the Victoria Cross, parents, etc. A great show. Thank you... The children found the story very touching and some nearly cried. They were interested that three people played the parts and props were minimal. The show was very enjoyable. Thanks... Well done! The children were very impressed with the variety of roles played. It really entertained them. A thoroughly enjoyable show. Thanks... Thank you for an interesting and insightful performance. You certainly held the children's interest... Well as you can see your show was a great success. Thank you all for a fantastic morning of entertainment" - St Michael's Grammar, St Kilda, VIC

 

"Excellent performance. 200 Year 8 students were attentive and entertained while learning something about P.O.W.s in WWII. Performers were set up and ready to start on time. Tony understood the desirability of question time lasting until the time students needed to be dismissed, thereby avoiding a short but potentially difficult time back in the classroom. He kept up the question / answer discussion very well." Whittlesea Secondary College, VIC

 

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"Milli, Jack & the Dancing Cat" 2004 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show 

 

“A fantastic show, thoroughly enjoyed by students and teachers!…The children loved it and they listened to the message behind the book – ‘Be Yourself’. Very talented group of performers. Great show!” Swan Hill PS, VIC 

 

“Fantastic full performance. You covered it all… Loved whole package… (You) had them enthralled from the start by ‘over the top’ – ‘kid friendly’ humour and silly, funny stuff they immediately related to…Great partner comedy. Such versatile performers!!... Fantastic voices and characterization…Colourful costumes and props and music. Fun choreography. The book came alive building a colourful set piece by piece. A completely captivating performance”. Kalinda PS, VIC

 

“Outstanding for both teachers and children. Totally enjoyed by my whole class. Fantastic. All the different components were excellent and everyone had a great time. Thank you… Loved the combination of storybook, acting, singing, dancing and audience participation. Congratulations on a very uplifting performance” Mt Pleasant PS, VIC

 

“Great choice of book to dramatise. It was excellent… Had an important message… The message of ‘You Can Do It!’ was also clear. Terrific!... Wonderful to see the children actively involved… Dancing was lots of fun…Most appropriate performance, obvious by the children’s excitement and involvement throughout the show. Loved the personalities that shone through in this production – the more gregarious ‘Jack’ and the quiet achiever ‘Milli’. Great show, great fun.” The Peninsula School, VIC

 

“Fantastic, animated performance – the children were entranced from the first moment…you appealed to all age groups.... It is wonderful to see and hear P-6 laughing from their bellies. They just loved it, and I did too! … Excellent! Interesting! Can see you have put a lot of time and effort into your presentation. You enjoy what you’re doing. Keep it up. Really brought the book to life. Great experience to celebrate Book Week.” St Margaret’s PS, Maribyrnong, VIC

 

“Fantastic as always. Entertaining for both adults and kids... Very talented... Very impressed with the songs. Well done!” Tylden PS, VIC

 

“A show much enjoyed by all the children… they were unanimous in their appreciation of the humour, all finding it interesting as well… Thanks for an enjoyable and worthwhile learning experience.” St Jude PS, Scoresby, VIC

 

“Fantastic... I thought it was great. Children loved it – Book again for next year”. Geelong Grammar, Glamorgan Campus, VIC 

 

“Great performance, slick yet interactive. We enjoyed the start and discussed why it was introduced that way making the performance a colourful, surprising event! Both the performances were fabulous. The kids really enjoyed them and have constantly mentioned them in the library”. Cheltenham PS, VIC 

 

“Fabulous! The children clearly understood the message of the performance. Their drawings were beautiful and indicated pleasure and understanding. Thanks very much. Excellent. Entertaining. Colourful performance.” Good Shepherd Lutheran PS, Croydon, VIC

 

“Can I join you? I had a fabulous time and the kids just loved it. Tony’s expressions were just so animated... After the performance the dancing went on and so did the praises for a job well done. I especially appreciated the time you spent explaining and answering the children’s questions. I feel the children did as well. Thank you for your time and again very well done. Thank you!” Western Port Christian College, VIC 

 

"Show was great, all children enjoyed it very much. You held their attention for the whole performance." Craigieburn South PS, VIC 

 

“Our children really enjoyed the performance. They enjoyed the humour which permeated the whole performance." Toolangi PS, VIC 

 

“A lively performance that did justice to the book!... Great Actors... Was entertaining, moved quickly, kept all the kids entertained.” Middle King Lake PS, VIC 

 

“It was magical, colourful and very entertaining. I liked the way the kids were invited to be an active audience from the start... An excellent way to share a story. The amusement of the show kept the students well entertained – the overall effect was terrific. You really brought the book to life.” Hughesdale PS, VIC 

 

“Tony... made the story come alive. There was a strong sense of fun and humour. The story was well chosen because of its characters and plot. The underlying message came through. The children gained a huge insight into behind the scenes details in question time as well. A fantastic show!!” Ringwood Heights PS, VIC 

 

"Very professionally handled from initial contact through to presentation... Students loved it – evident by their faces. Best part is that the students have extra enthusiasm to borrow from the library." Glenroy Specialist School, VIC

 

“What a wonderful experience for children of all ages. You were able to bring the book ‘alive’. One child said they “laughed so hard my tonsils hurt”. You had all the audience in the palm of your hand. They were held captive for all the show. The music, dancing, facial expressions, body movement and interaction with the audience was fabulous. Thank you for a ‘high-class’ valuable experience of real theatre. Well done – musicals are the best!” Cranbourne South PS, VIC

 

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"Stella By the Sea" 2004 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show 

 

“Tony... brings a professional yet fun approach to the production which balances the serious aspects of the novel really well with the humour of some of the characters. The production is well structured, well produced and well presented and covers music, dialogue and action really well. The following discussion makes the actors even more ‘human’ and ties the work to the book. Really valuable and valued" Ringwood Heights PS, VIC

 

"Lots of humour which engaged the children… Great themes about community…An engaging, vibrant production… Fantastic! Moved along at a great pace. All characters were very good… Question time- great explanations… Fantastic! Very enjoyable for Years 4-6 – funny but also tells a story. The people and format changes hold the audience’s attention... An engaging, vibrant production.” The Peninsula School, VIC 

 

“Students very interested… Audience participation was excellent… Excellent production… Fantastic presentation of book… Worthwhile incursion… Actors relate well with the students… Very professional… Good price… Thank you for a wonderful production”. Endeavour Hills Campus – Maranatha Christian College, VIC 

 

“Engaging performance. Humorous, energetic, entertaining. All students were totally engrossed, even the reluctant ones! Thank you for this positive experience… Very entertaining. Held our attention throughout. Wonderful portrayal of characters. Was inspirational. Great stuff!... Our students were engaged in the fast, energetic performance of “Stella By The Sea”. Very good – the students were very involved... Good interaction – story well suited for age group. The acting talent was very good and it all flowed. Enjoyable performance for both staff and students!” Glen Eira Secondary College, VIC 

 

“Thoroughly enjoyable… Very professional script, props, costumes… Good values teaching through the presentation… Great music… Excellent timing of all aspects. Cast members very much enjoyed what they were doing – It showed. Was able to see last year's performance also – Looking forward to 2005”. Croydon North PS, VIC 

 

“Great delivery - all characters terrific, especially facial movements and acting. Loved movement all around audience area and how some kids were bought into play." Kalinda PS, Ringwood North, VIC 

 

"Great show, very good interpretation of the book... Another dynamic performance." Hughesdale PS, VIC

 

“Excellent production. It was great to see how closely you stuck to the story text, but at the same time bought an extra dimension to it! I loved the way the characters popped in, out and above the action. Actors presented the personalities of the story really well. Engaged the audience and kept them tuned in. Fantastic. We'll look forward to having you perform for us again in the future... Great to include the children (they love it). Children love the overacting (especially of the mother and Jeffrey). Humorous characters.... Fantastic entertaining performance... Actors had excellent rapport with the audience. Great characterisations. Altogether a great production! Good to see the text followed through in such an entertaining presentation! Humour appreciated by the audience. Enjoyed the addition of song into story... Script very similar to text – great! Characters speak very clearly and kept children’s attention for whole duration. Very funny... Professional acting. Appeals to this age group. Most entertaining. Appealed to drama lovers. Helps students appreciate musicals. Songs add variety to the spoken content. Good choice of material – backyard pet theme children can relate to. Good contrast of sound – quiet voices / loud voices, sound effects from P. A. System (microphone) helped for students concentration. Use of space – stage excellent. Variety added by characters performing above the screen. Variety in accents / voices / props.... Inspiration for drama in class... Comedy and music are always good for the students. Audience participation is the best way for an enjoyable show. Most students were able to read the story before viewing the show which made it more effective. The props were very good, music / sound effects were excellent and all actors could be heard easily”. Narre Warren North PS, VIC 

 

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"Bear & Chook" 2003 CBCA notable-listed Picture Book of the Year Show

 

"Best performance I have seen... The children of all ages enjoyed it... Interaction with children with dancing and singing encouraged participation... Catered for all age groups, including teachers.... Performers just fantastic - so much energy, so clearly presented... Easy to see it was prepared by teachers - so appropriate... Fantastic, lively, informative... very entertaining...... Engaging interpretation of the book... Just wonderful... Will be booking the company again next year." Wangaratta PS, VIC

 

"A song, dance and action routine that kept all the children's attention. The audience interaction was great and coming off stage amongst the children as all part of the magic of live performance. Props were good, singing and dancing great and the costumes were excellent." Murrindindi Library Service, VIC

 

"Enjoyable, fast paced, bright and lively... I was impressed by the amount the children were able to recall, explain and discuss the following day, even some of the smaller parts.... I thought some of it would be 'lost' on these students but was pleasantly surprised." Milgate PS, VIC

 

"Fantastic performance! Witty, lively, interactive. The children were engaged throughout the performance. The laughs and smiles on their faces said it all! Highly recommended for all age groups." Holy Eucharist PS, VIC

 

"Racy... entertaining... captured children's attention... changes of pace interested kids... captured children's attention... entertaining songs... children laughed at gags... interaction with audience great for stopping children becoming restless... chance to yell is especially good for older children... Easily interpreted by all ages with simple but effective costuming... Audience participation and movement throughout was well controlled and appreciated. Movement a great idea. Great simple acting that students can emulate... Well structured and pitched for our children (Prep - Year 6)... Excellent idea to involve kids and allow them to wriggle. Followed story and extras were very well suited. Fantastic!!... What more can I say? You were... absolutely brilliant! The children will remember this performance! Thank you!" Clayton Nth PS, VIC

 

"Excellent. Children were enthralled. Enjoyment from start to finish. Quality of songs was excellent." St Finbar's PS, VIC

 

"Brilliant, engaging, the children loved Bear and Chook... Just terrific - entertaining, very cleverly constructed, lively and humorous... Very entertaining for both the children and the teachers... You have brought the characters to life... Excellent, humorous, the children loved it!" Croydon Nth PS, VIC

 

"It was fantastic... Very entertaining... Very well acted. Fast and furious performance. Kept children interested and involved... The children loved it as did the teachers... Very dynamic. Question time at the end was valuable and informative." Watsonia Heights PS, VIC

 

"A fabulous show - our children and staff loved your interpretation of Bear and Chook's characters. Lots of action, music, singing and dancing and very creative props made for a fantastic performance." Ringwood Heights PS, VIC

 

"Great performance once again. Singing was exceptionally good... Props were cleverly done... Engaged the children so well. It was great to see them laughing spontaneously... Thanks for an excellent show." Maranatha Christian College, VIC

 

"Fantastic, fun and the kids just loved it - this teacher did too!... Age appropriate - I love seeing children improvise play and this was a great model for this. The children's faces were a delight to watch... Excellent show. Children very much involved and loved it. Keep up the good work... I was very familiar with the text and loved how you interpreted it. Your presentation was most professional and thoroughly enjoyable. All the students enjoyed it and I think the 'breaks' were introduced in such a way that the children thought they were the performers. Thanks." Hughesdale PS, VIC

 

"Great costumes and the kids loved the slapstick humour... Very funny, I liked the way they extended the story and used suggestions from the children... Very creative and good use of imagination." Kingsville PS, VIC

 

"The performance was entertaining and relevant for both students and adults." Barnawartha PS, VIC

 

"Engaging performance. Entertaining, lively and relevant. Keep up the great work." Literature Live!! Roberts McCubbin PS, VIC

 

"All of the students thoroughly enjoyed the show 'Bear and Chook'. They laughed, sang, danced AND enjoyed the book." The Basin PS, VIC

 

"Energetic, engaging... Brilliant!! Great way they very originally acted out story with music and song... My group thoroughly enjoyed Bear and Chook." Geelong Grammar School, Glamorgan Campus, VIC

 

“It was an involving, funny play that entertained the children the WHOLE time. Great idea to get them up and moving. Super acting. Thank you. We all loved it... Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic! Bear and Chook was funny, entertaining and educational. Well done!... You were wonderful! Thanks for a fabulous show and for sharing your great skills with us... Thank you for a wonderful production. The kids raved about it, even the tough Grade 2’s!... thank you for a wonderful performance. You certainly brought the story to life. Audience participation was fantastic and kept the interest of everyone including teachers. Come again!” Mt Dandenong PS, VIC

 

“Very well acted, fast and furious performance. Kept children interested and involved.... Thought it was very entertaining. The children loved it as did the teachers... The children thought it was funny and it showed the characters emotions very well... Entertaining and covered the story very well... Very entertaining. Stayed close to the story. Very dynamic... It was fantastic, the children thought it was really good... Very entertaining. Question time at the end was valuable and informative”. Watsonia Heights PS, VIC

 

“We all thoroughly enjoyed the show and will look forward to more entertainment in the future”. Christian College, Highton, VIC

 

“A very enjoyable performance that was well received by the students in my class. They made comments about the costumes and music when they went back to class and showed interest in learning the dance. It was very appropriate for their level of understanding... Good performing. Very entertaining. I liked the bear’s costume.... Songs and dance are also very good... I thought your performance was extremely entertaining. It was very interactive and engaging. I think you catered for all levels well and all the children thought it was fantastic. I look forward to seeing you next week... Interesting and entertaining. They really got the audience involved which is very hard to do (especially with the older students). This show should definitely be something we participate in annually... a very amusing performance of “Bear & Chook”. Most enjoyable... Hopefully we will see you next year”. Abbotsford PS, VIC

 

“It was great!! We loved it and so did all of the kids. It captured their attention and engaged them. The feedback during the follow up in the room was fantastic. Well done!” Tootgarook PS, VIC

 

“A well rehearsed and written performance. Very funny and enjoyable for everyone!... Well suited material for this age group with a good balance of humour and drama. The music was interesting and engaged the children. It was enjoyed by all... Well set out. Loved the songs! Very entertaining!... Acting excellent. Costume great. Very funny using the book in conjunction with acting. Good play. Music great... Everyone enjoyed the humour as mentioned in their ‘reviews’... Children really enjoyed when they could physically participate with songs. Great songs and movement. It was enjoyable”. Wonga Park PS, VIC

 

“The show was fabulous. All ages from Prep to Grandma were entranced... Again excellent. Well paced... The looks of the faces of the audience spoke volumes. Level of questioning at end indicated good connection with and understanding of the story line and the presentation style. Great... Totally involved the children and adults. Liked the breaks of activity. A terrific presentation enjoyed by all age groups. They especially enjoy the discussion time at the end of the session”. Newham PS, VIC

 

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"Tom Jones Saves the World" 2003 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

“A fantastic show, thoroughly enjoyed by students and teachers! The children loved it and they enjoyed the performance and listened to the message behind the book (be yourself). Very talented group of performers. Great show!” Swan Hill PS, VIC

 

“I thought it was great. Children loved it – Book again for next year”. Geelong Grammar Glamorgan Campus, VIC

 

“Outstanding for both teachers and children. It was great how you included the audience into your performance. Totally enjoyed by my whole class. Thank you”. Mt Pleasant PS, VIC

 

“Fantastic full performance. You covered it all… Loved whole package… Tony... had them enthralled from the start by ‘over the top’ – ‘kid friendly’ humour and silly, funny stuff they immediately related to…. Such versatile performers!!... Fantastic voices and characterization… a completely captivating performance”. Kalinda PS, VIC

 

"Excellent... Wonderfully acted... Portrayed the idiosyncrasies of a young boy so well... Audience were captivated and I'm sure it would have given them many avenues to explore in class discussion... Congratulations to all cast members. Coming down amongst the audience was a good way to bring the play and character right home to them and gave the play another dimension." Murrindindi Library Service, VIC

 

"My grade finished the book the morning of the performance. We loved both the book and the show. The students were engaged throughout the entire performance, and were able to make links between what we had and hadn't read and your version. We've looked through the teacher's notes and have some great ideas for follow-ups. Thank you and well done." Yea PS, VIC

 

"An outstanding production. Very entertaining for both students and teachers... Laughed till I cried! It was fabulous. The children loved it and continued to talk about it afterwards with great enthusiasm... Excellent production - the children were entertained for the entire show and all enjoyed it. Well-presented - funny... music... dance... great story line - it had everything. Thank you... Great presentation - kept the kids very engaged. The simplicity of production allowed for more focussed attention on the story line. Incredibly funny - really enjoyed it. Thanks!" Croydon Nth PS, VIC

 

"A brilliant performance, which totally engaged our Level 4 students and staff.... Witty, fast moving, engaging, thoughtful and sensitive. Dealt with some big issues in a very realistic way. Great interpretation of book." Ringwood Heights PS, VIC

 

"Highly entertaining, slick performance, funny, well suited to audience. Well done, encore!... Excellent. Really amusing - kids loved it (as did the adults)... Fun, energy filled performance. Script very close to original story. The children responded very well to the antics - well done and thank you!" Hughesdale PS, VIC 

 

"First class dramatisation of an excellent story - students were still singing the song and laughing over incidents next week in the library... Entertaining, funny, thought provoking... This was a very enjoyable performance and the feedback from the students was very positive... I thought the play was terrific! Very thought provoking and wonderfully performed. My students came back totally energised and excited... a great message and performed so cleverly. One of my students was almost wetting himself over the moves Tom was capable of. Thank you!... The students of 5G thought it was an excellent show. They found that there were messages within the performance that made them think and consider their own lives and the way they behave. A very funny and clever performance... Had the students completely engaged. Enjoyable, well-performed, great starting-point for classroom discussion" Christian College Middle School, VIC

 

“A well written and presented play which perfectly targeted our middle years students. Entertaining, humourous and thought provoking. The children were captivated throughout. It was great to follow up in the classroom about issues involving change, communication, generations, connections, family, etc. Interesting discussion initiated by students about the title ‘Tom Jones Saves the World’ until we focused on ‘What’s the most important thing in your world?’ Thanks and well done”. Dromana PS, VIC

 

"Very creative and well presented.... Enjoyed the music and singing.... Students could really relate to contextual themes, characters and setting... Perfect timing re: song, dance and action... Actors involved the children periodically in the script - this kept them focussed and involved with the humour.... The script was age appropriate for 5/6 children... The humorous antics were received with laughter... Great depiction of characters. Very true to storyline... Engaged children beautifully." Kingsville PS, VIC

 

“Children were very impressed with the performance and found it very funny. I found the quality high and enjoyable. It was great as an incentive to read a book the children otherwise may not have read”. Tootgarook PS, VIC

 

“Very entertaining. The acting and singing was fabulous! The children could relate to the characters and some of the emotions they were feeling. Fantastic show!... Funny, excellent drama, great music... Hysterically amusing! I thought it was extremely well done with fantastic acting. Thanks a lot!” Wonga Park PS, VIC 

 

“Fantastic! Loved it! We had read all the book which really helped. Brought it to life and will now help with follow up. Sense of humour was terrific. Keep up the great work!... An excellent performance! We all loved your adaptation of the book and it cemented the children’s ideas of the story. We enjoyed your sense of humour and the ad libbing! Look forward to seeing you next year!" Warranwood PS, VIC

 

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"Horrible Harriet" 2002 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show

 

"Your presentation was brilliant, the music, the acting and the singing were all outstanding… engaging and educational. The students learnt different ways to deal with bullies at school…extremely imaginative, entertaining and creative. You focussed on some really good messages of bullying" Abbotsford PS, VIC

 

"Meaningful story that gave good examples of how children can react when being bullied so that they are not a victim…Had children totally engaged, terrific audience participation and timely activities…A great performance." Warranwood PS, VIC

 

"A great show that appealed to Prep to Grade 6." Colac West PS, VIC

 

"Fabulous. The students were captivated by the exciting characters (and) did some great follow-up activities…The characterisations were not only amusing, but carried a very important moral theme. Great production." Hallam PS, VIC

 

"EXCELLENT! …Great activity, marvellous music/ singing - a real delight." Holy Eucharist PS, East Malvern, VIC

 

"Excellent performance. Great improvisation, great audience interaction. Amazing acting. Good discussion points… The children were watching with great interest and were thoroughly engaged (and) were humming the songs for the rest of the day!" St Jude's PS, Scoresby, VIC

 

"The feedback from all parents was very positive and enthusiastic, and reports were heard from near and far, as parents visited other libraries raving about it" Ringwood Library, VIC

 

"Brilliant acting... excellent characterisations and terrific depiction of anti-bullying strategies…A fantastic performance…The children were captivated and completely engrossed by the story line and characters…Teachers and students alike were enthralled…I believe that this group of performers are excellent." Watsonia Heights PS, VIC

 

"Tremendous…Fantastic. The faces of the kids said it all! They were absolutely absorbed throughout the whole performance…Absolutely brilliant!" Monbulk PS, VIC

 

"Loved 'Horrible Harriet'. It was entertaining, funny and educational. There were so many potential discussion topics raised... The performance was fantastic and they portrayed the story and the different characters very well." Scotch College Junior School, VIC

 

"Kids haven't stopped talking about the show. Really showed the meaning and understanding of bullying and ways to combat it. Great show!!!…Fantastic... You really made the book come alive… If only we could do that for every book." Clyde PS, VIC

 

"FANTASTIC. Story well acted/ performed, children engaged, well pitched for age group, good wriggle session in middle, great rapport with children, easy to follow, moved well. Crowd control good…good follow-up activity…definitely value for money." Roberts McCubbin PS, VIC

 

"Excellent production! An inspiring way of presenting a children's book. … I'm sure they'll remember the lesson taught on bullying and hopefully be more aware of this problem. …Lively and entertaining. Good to see the positives about changing the behaviour of a bully coming out at the end. …Absolutely Fantastic!! Your performance was not only thoroughly educational - in that children were exposed to the reasons underlying bullying behaviour and how to respond to bullies - but also extremely entertaining from start to finish. The dramatic styles used engaged children and teachers alike. Keep up the BRILLIANT job. I always look forward to your visit."  Maranatha School - Doveton Campus, VIC

 

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"My Story - A Different Sort of Real, The Diary of Charlotte McKenzie, Melbourne, 1918" 2002 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

"Best performance ever! 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 

 

"Thank you for an excellent interpretation of a book with difficult concepts. Charlotte had a huge role and performed it with expertise and the necessary anxiety of the character…the actors portrayed events extremely well. The songs were beautifully sung. Thanks for allowing the children a reasonable question time." Malvern Valley PS, VIC

 

"Excellent performance by the cast. Story lines easy to follow, good pace to follow... excellent. Entertaining performance that largely held the attention of all students. Lots of good questions showed the high interest level of the children. 'My Story - A Different Sort of Real' allowed the children to have a glimpse into an era they know nothing about! Songs/ singing excellent, good contribution to the presentation! Welcome back anytime! 10/10 A+." Maranatha School, Endeavour Hills Campus, VIC

 

"Many of the children are looking forward to reading the book." Holy Eucharist PS, East Malvern, VIC

 

"The performance was very interesting and portrayed what life was like after W.W.I. very well. The play covered some delicate subjects which at times are hard to talk about and yet they spoke and acted them very well. After the performance we talked about this in class. From what the boys said, I could tell they thoroughly enjoyed the play and freely talked about war, it's affects and what life was like in Melbourne in the 1920's. It also motivated some boys to buy the book at the "Book Fair" and read it!" Scotch College Junior School, VIC

 

"Fantastic performance of the book. It really brought the characters and the reality of the times to life. The songs fitted in really well and were performed so professionally. A real bonus! Even though it was abridged, all the essential elements of the story were drawn together and allowed the children to have a fantastic understanding of the themes in the book." Narre Warren Nth PS, VIC

 

"Very topical for the children considering our past topic studied was related to this theme of conflict/ resolution. This prior knowledge would enable children to make valuable connections with what they studied. Well performed and captured everyone's attention…Great content and excellent acting. Kept the audience's attention… Great performances by actors. Students were engaged (and) had good questions which showed their interest." Warranwood PS, VIC

 

"Excellent program. Appropriately pitched for students, children involved, production related closely with text, lots offered as a discussion follow up, characterisation / setting / depiction of times / comparisons with today. Professionally presented and delivered. Valuable as a vehicle for literacy as well as drama." Roberts McCubbin PS, VIC

 

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"When Dogs Cry" 2002 Shortlisted Older Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

"Very well performed. The material was very relevant to the students. A measure of its success was the fact that almost all the boys were riveted to the performance. Several teachers commented on how attentive the students were, especially the boys…I was very impressed with your professionalism and your handling of questions from the audience. I haven't seen as many of our students willing to ask questions of visitors as they did after this performance." Nhill College, VIC

 

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"The Singing Hat" 2001 CBCA Shortlisted Picture Book of the Year Show

 

"Hi Tony, I've just read your adaptation of The Singing Hat. Well done! I think it is nicely pitched to its audience, funny, intelligent and sensitive to the meanings in the book. I would be very happy to see this performed as you propose and wish you well with it.... Congratulations to you... on your wonderful script and performance of 'The Singing Hat.'… I'd like to say that I thought you... were terrific! I really enjoyed the show. It was a thrill to see the book come to life like this. I appreciated your clever and thoughtful interpretation (funny but meaningful) of the story; the way you very skillfully tailored it to your audience; and what you added to the story with your admirable acting and writing talents - you have put your stamp on it in a really nice way - some catchy tunes too! Congratulations...I wish you and your company every success with this and your other shows - I think you're onto a good thing…. All the best, Tohby" Tohby Riddle, Author "The Singing Hat"

 

Congratulations on a very successful show…… The children obviously loved every minute and we received lots of excellent feedback from all the staff involved." Melbourne Museum - 2001 Victorian Launch of Book Week

 

"Yours was the most talked about show of the programme. Everybody commented on it on their way out about how good it was … looking forward to working with you again in the future." Children's Book Council of Australia - 2001 Victorian Launch of Book Week

 

"Thank you. Your show was absolutely brilliant (a 2-tissue job - laughed so much I cried)... It was the best I'd experienced. All bases covered: content, interpretation and elaboration, humour, song, dance, movement, characterisation, costume, props, awareness of children….. I couldn't fault it!... Thank you for a truly wonderful experience. Would love to be informed of future shows." Williamstown PS, VIC

 

"Absolutely FANTASTIC guys!! I was entertained as much as the students were. Keep up the terrific job. See you next year... Clever! Great blend of story and fun. You were most entertaining. Great voices too... Age appropriate. It kept all children interested from Prep - 4 which is quite remarkable... Really enjoyable show. I loved the enthusiasm and talent... It helped the students get a much better understanding of the book. Thanks... Very entertaining. The children and teachers really enjoyed it" Maranatha Christian College, VIC

 

"Both the children and the staff here loved the performances and it was wonderful to see short-listed books performed. Also thank you for the lesson plans!... The students wouldn't stop talking about how much they loved the show and the characters in it" Wesley College, VIC

 

"Both adults and children alike really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really enjoyed it, and I don't exaggerate... Children loved the use of costumes and voices. They also enjoyed the way that you both took turns being the bird, etc... They enjoyed the music... Teachers appreciated the lesson plans... We would definitely be interested in hiring you to perform at our school (again)" Altona Library / Seaholme PS, VIC

 

"Very entertaining. Relevant to the students and the book that they knew. Humour and improvisation added to the performance. Children really enjoyed it.... The presenters were very talented and entertaining... Some of the staff now want to join your company" St Anthony's Coptic Orthodox College, VIC

 

"Quality performance. Good interaction with children and high expectations of them. Good humour, even for adults. Great price - makes it affordable for our children... Loved the show. Students were totally engaged... Great way to communicate an excellent book... Fantastic! The children enjoyed it all. Great interaction with the children, especially in "spur of the moment" situations... The children were all talking about it... The children loved it... Performers were talented. It was great that the humour was geared to the children's level... Excellent rapport with students. Able to engage and modify with the group. Ability to read their audience was great... Very entertaining. All the children were enthralled and entertained... The children were captivated... Looking forward to next year... The students were caught sneaking off from class to see the show again. We particularly liked the way you were able to deal with students we have trouble with everyday" Albanvale PS, VIC

 

"Very professional. Most entertaining. Variety of Arts medium presented.... Great show! One of the best I have seen - suited Prep/ 1 age group. The children sat engrossed for an hour... Fantastic!! Had a real laugh. Managed to keep Preps and Ones entertained for the whole hour - no mean feat!!... Fantastic show - kept the children's attention. The children enjoyed it and haven't stopped talking about it. Great job!!... The children are still talking about it days later. We all loved it!" Cranbourne West PS, VIC

 

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"Something's Fishy, Hazel Green!" 2001 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

"An excellent live production that presented an important and relevant message in an entertaining and engaging format.... The use of character and the actors' ability to play different roles showed the students confidence and clarity in performance.... The drama involved the audience and entertained them. During follow up work the kids were willing to try different accents and mannerisms.... An excellent and entertaining performance!! Hope to see you next year during Book Week." St Albans East PS, VIC

 

"Totally awesome. Very professional, the students enjoyed every minute. Inspired the students to get more involved in their own reading. Very funny and entertaining... A brilliant performance. The children were captivated by your humour and talent. It certainly inspired the children to read the story" Maranatha Christian College, VIC

 

"It was a huge step for that child to admit that he also couldn't read, just like the character in the play. Obviously the theme of illiteracy and bravery struck a particular chord with him" Toorak Library, VIC

 

"Fabulous show! Everybody understood the messages in the play and loved the performance... Funny! Very funny! I don't think I've seen the students laugh so hard... Great use of a variety of dramatic styles. Kept students interest while teaching valuable drama theory" Cheltenham PS, VIC

 

"Everyone loved the show. We will definitely be booking you again." Geelong Regional Libraries, VIC

 

"Great characterisation by the actors. Children and teachers loved the "gawky" comedy which was very clever, real and hilarious... Our follow up work was a fantastic discussion and character profiles of each of the main players, particularly focussing on the evidence in the play of personality traits. The children had very clear insight into these... The theme was very well delivered without being preachy. Congratulations and well done!... Many of the children are now reading Odo Hirsch works so they've been inspired." Williamstown PS, VIC

 

"Very amusing! Children absolutely enjoyed whole performance... Excellent performance. The students and I could not stop laughing - especially at the 'floppy hair do.' Got the message across, especially about relationships.... Great fun - just what we needed.... Terrific!! Kids commented that it was 'great.'... The children's faces said it all. Very creative and inspiring!" Cranbourne West PS, VIC

 

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"Touch Me" 2001 CBCA Shortlisted Older Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

"Can I take a few minutes to congratulate you once more on your adaptation of "Touch Me" to the stage. Sometimes, when a novel becomes a stage play or a film, the author is tempted to sit back and count the number of changes and omissions to his original story. Not on this occasion. I was completely absorbed by the performance and thoroughly entertained, let me add. You brought the story to life for the audience in a new and exciting way, using all the advantages that stage has over text on the page. The song and dance routines could have been way over the top but they managed instead to add another dimension to the relationship between Xavier and Nuala. Wonderful stuff! More pleasing though, was the way you were able to retain the deeper themes I was trying to explore in my story and through the characters of Xavier, Nuala and Alex. To do so with only three actors was an amazing feat. Thanks again for inviting me to St Catherine's and congratulations on a fabulous performance. Cheers, James Moloney" James Moloney - Author of 'Touch Me'

 

"The kids were engaged for the whole time and didn't lose interest... All students and teachers had positive comments... Staff said it was great - lots of laughs and some well thought out scenes to make key points... Themes were relevant and provoked interest... We a certainly interested in having you out again next year!" St Albans Secondary College, VIC

 

"The students raved, loved the honest language, actors' directness to audience and the choice of story" Stonnington Library, VIC

 

"Very entertaining. Good representation of the book. Good interaction with the audience. A good mix of serious and fun scenes to maintain the students' interest. Enjoyed by students who are now keen to read the book. Liked ad-libbing. Pitched well to age group"  Kilbreda College, VIC

 

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"Captain Mack" 2000 CBCA Shortlisted Younger Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

 

“Tony, Sorry it's taken a while to get back to you. I liked the play a great deal… I thought the actors were all terrific. Your Scottish accent was even passable! I'm going to watch it again... But let me say now that I thought it was a very well adapted version. Excellent job, and thanks again for choosing Captain Mack. BTW, loved CM's attempt at a MI combat roll! Laughed a lot. Cheers, James” James Roy – Author “Captain Mack”

 

"Well presented, engaging, funny... Kids certainly responded well.. We are certainly interested in having you out again next year!" St Albans Secondary College, VIC

 

"Excellent performance! We'll have to get you out to do more shows like this" Newcombe Library, VIC

 

"Amazing reaction by the students and fabulous interpretation of a meaningful book. Everyone loved it" Cranbourne Christian College, VIC

 

"Our children were entertained and challenged by your performance. All of us thoroughly enjoyed the show" The Basin PS, VIC

 

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"Tyro" 2000 CBCA Shortlisted Older Reader's Book of the Year Show

 

"Your performance was most impressive. It struck a comfortable balance between education and entertainment. So skilful was this that it satisfied what I consider to be a 'nightmare' audience, Year 10 in an average secondary school environment, bells, announcements and all.... The play was well adapted from the novel, allowing for themes and character interaction to be both well developed and accessible. The interpretation allows for follow-up discussion in class... The actors skills were appreciated by the entire audience; they brought the characters to life. The shades/ development of Andrew Kinnear's character was a highlight for me.... Performances like this allow students to access text in a different way. For our students it is also an important avenue to show them that acting is not confined to a screen, whatever it's size.... The performance was very useful for the students. Some who had said that they found the book boring, enjoyed the play very much. Some of the students a). had not completed reading the novel, b). have literacy problems. Having the novel presented in this manner gave them access to the work. Thanks!" Croydon Secondary College, VIC

 

"We've never seen the students so transfixed by a performance, so attentive and entertained... The play related to the students on a personal level, effectively identifying issues in their everyday lives, then showing solutions" Berengarra School, VIC

 

"The boys absolutely loved the show in every way. We would be more than happy to provide a reference to any school for your work" Scotch College, VIC

 

"You immediately captured the attention of a rowdy and excitable crowd. They loved every minute" Maribyrnong Secondary College, VIC

 

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