Opera House launches new kids program of theatre, music & workshops
The Sydney Opera House has unveiled its 2023 Kids and Families program featuring an array of local and international performances, workshops and experiences to inspire the next generation of creative thinkers.
“I’m delighted to launch our 2023 kids program, which offers a range of experiences for all ages and interests, from exciting interpretations of classical myths to international stories of migration and adventure. Our heartwarming page to stage adaptations will delight lovers of the classics, and technology-led First Nations storytelling will immerse audiences in a breathtaking fusion of dance and art. Complementing our performance program is a suite of immersive workshops created especially to inspire young minds through hands-on learning and creativity,” said Sydney Opera House Head of Children, Families and Creative Learning, Tamara Harrison.
“Visiting the Sydney Opera House is an essential cultural experience, one that every young Australian enjoys and remembers. This inspiring Autumn-Winter season presents a wonderful opportunity for the whole family to enjoy a range of immersive and age-friendly experiences at the iconic venue, shaping unforgettable cultural experiences,” saysNSW Minister for the Arts, Ben Franklin.
Little ones (ages 0-2) can look forward to Touch & Go (21-30 March), a tactile collaborative dancing game designed to expose babies to different sensory elements; and the ever-popular monthly Kids Music Café and Baby Music Jam are back.
Kids (ages 3-12) can enjoy a bumper program of the best local and international children’s theatre. Monkey Baa’s award-winning creative team adapts the beloved Mem Fox classic Possum Magic (11-22 April), with audiences joining Grandma Poss’ whimsical mission to make Hush visible again. Kids can immerse themselves in the stunning light design of Saltbush (14-17 April), an interactive journey through Australia’s First Nations culture told through projections, sensor and infrared cameras; and enjoy a heart-warming stage adaptation of David Walliams’ popular tale, Mr Stink (1-16 July).
Spin out with the Flying Fruit Fly Circus in their in-the-round extravaganza, Spherical (8-16 July); or jump onboard with Alphabetical Sydney: All Aboard! (20-26 September), a playful musical journey around the world’s most famous harbour city combining puppetry, theatre, projections and creative play with irresistible music by Greta Gertler Gold, inspired by the picture book of the same name by Hilary Bell and Antonia Pesenti.
Teens (age 10+) can dance the night away in a euphoric hip-hop inspired journey through Greek mythology in The Gods The Gods The Gods (4 April) – an award-winning hybrid of live music and theatre from Wright&Grainger (UK). Young theatre-goers can experience unforgettable storytelling staged in a yurt in a uniquely candid and sensitive child’s perspective of the asylum seeker experience in We Come From Far, Far Away (20-21 May); and go on a hero’s journey from China to the Australian goldfields in the dramatic tour-de-force, Yong (24 June).
An exciting program of hands-on creative workshops designed for all ages from babies to kids and teens will go behind the scenes with the creative teams from Possum Magic and Saltbush, inspiring kids to develop skills including dancing, singing, circus skills and theatre making. For regional and remote audiences unable to attend in person, online drawing workshops with a practicing artist will be livestreamed to audiences everywhere, exploring the creative inspiration behind the Opera House’s design.
Visitors big and small can also join a Junior Adventure Tour to discover how the magic of the Opera House comes to life, or experience the popular Junior Day Pack, which includes a tour, a performance ticket and harbourside lunch.
To view the complete 2023 Autumn-Winter Children, Families and Creative Learning program, click here.