Monkey Baa Theatre Company
Patron Jackie French
Announced as Australian Children’s Laureate for 2014-2015
Monkey Baa Theatre Company congratulates our Patron Jackie French on the announcement today that she has been named Australian Children’s Laureate for 2014-2015.
The Children’s Laureate is run by the Australian Children’s Literature Alliance and promotes the transformational power of reading, creativity and story-telling in the lives of all young Australians.
Jackie French is one of Australia’s best loved authors and Monkey Baa has had a most extraordinary association with her since 2005 when they adapted her novel Hitler’s Daughter which received a Helpmann Award in 2007 before touring throughout Australia. Hitler’s Daughter was also the company’s first production to tour internationally, visiting 15 theatres in the USA in 2013.
Monkey Baa’s creative association with Jackie French continues in 2014 with the production of Pete the Sheep based on Jackie and Bruce Whatley novel. Pete the Sheep will be directed by Jonathan Biggins and will have its World Premiere at Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre in April 2014. Pete the Sheep will then embark on a 54 venue tour to every state and territory of Australia.
Monkey Baa Creative Director Eva Di Cesare said. “Jackie’s generosity of spirit and her incredible and very real connection with young people has always been an inspiration for us at Monkey Baa. She has fast become an Australian icon and today’s announcement fills us with enormous pride.”
In 2016 Monkey Baa will present another Australian story, Jackie French and Bruce Whatley’s Diary of a Wombat. This wonderful novel is now one of Australia's most awarded and bestselling picture books ever.
About Monkey Baa
Monkey Baa’s vision is to inspire young minds and excite the inner child. We create exceptional theatre experiences for young people by bringing to life uniquely Australian stories. Our work invites young people to question and challenge their values, expectations and understanding of the world, and their place within it. We are committed to inclusion; it lies at the very heart of who we are and why we were founded. We strive to ensure that young people, wherever they are located or whatever their economic circumstance, have the opportunity to participate in quality education programs and quality theatrical experiences, that reflect their own, or their community's experiences of life in this country.
