What people say about Full-On Theatre
" A lot of people came up to me and they were like crying and they were like, “that was so good”, “that was an inspiration”. My friend’s whole family, they were all really crying, his mum, dad, grandparents, all crying because it like tugged on the heartstrings a little bit.” – Student - Western Port Secondary College (April 2012 -About Hard Rubbish Day)
“Words cannot describe the benefit of this project on the young people involved. I believe it is life changing.” – Family Life Worker
“Maybe we’re outcasts or there might be something we have to get off our chests or something and we can go do that through ‘Raise the heart’.” - Student
“I’ve been feeling a little more happy. Before the play I was feeling really deflated most of the time and I’d be feeling really sad and I would be moping around the house and wouldn’t be doing much. Ever since this, I found out how to stop being deflated.” - Student Western Port Secondary College (April 2012)
===========================================================================================================================
RE FULL-ON THEATRE
I have worked with Full-On Theatre and Dave Houston on a number of long term theatrical projects in Western Port Secondary College and Doveton College in my position as· Team leader with Family Life SHINE project.
The company create engaging work for teenagers and has a wonderful way of collaborating with students, health professionals and teachers. With the young people they are wonderful teachers of theatre skills and explore issues that can sometimes be hard to talk about. They do this in a creative safe space.
The wellbeing components of the company are excellent. Dave has done residencies at many schools and also been trained by the Royal Children's Hospital. Along with Family Life he has collaborated with many other partners including Headspace, Local Councils, Schools and community groups. He has created theatrical, clown and film projects
The young people have responded well to the residencies. There have been some remarkable stories of change and examples of students finding a place to shine and really be themselves.
There have been some significant themes expressed and explored by,the students including: depression, grief and loss, self harm, suicide and abuse. The company works in a sensitive manner with such these issues, supporting the students and staff and creating wonderful life affirming theatre out of what can be sensitive material.
The play Hard Rubbish Day in particular deals with difficult themes. The theatrical device of 2 young boys being the story tellers is full of comedy, pathos and brilliant acting. The play was developed with Full On Theatre along with SHINE and several
partners at Western Port Secondary College and Dromana Secondary College.
Hard Rubbish Day was created and performed with 25 students on stage and in the band. The play script is of an exceptional.. standard. It is full of wonderful creative imaginative story telling and the use of the hard rubbish props and set is just ingenious.
I hope the play Hard Rubbish Day gets to be seen and studied by as many young people as possible as it is an important piece of theatre.
Yours sincerely
Steve Rose
Team leader SHINE Family Life
===========================================================================================================================
====
Hello,
I want you to know that as a direct result of Dave’s residency in Quambatook, in February, where he spent a week in the town creating an incredible work of digital theatrical art, the Quambatook community successfully applied to FRRR to purchase an outdoor projector. They now run movies nights (and exercises classes) against the towering silos using the projector.
Congratulations to all at Full-On Theatre for the inspiration! An as for Dave's residency is concerned,'WoW' he is welcome anytime. What a generous, creative and kind man he was and everyone involved absolutely loved working with him.
Kind regards
Kirsty
Kirsten Orr | Arts and Culture Assistant | Gannawarra Shire Council
p. 03 5450 9333 f. 03 5450 3023 e. [email protected] | www.gannawarra.vic.gov.au
==============================================================================================================
I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to attend two of the Full on Theatre productions at Doveton College. It is clear that the young people had ownership over the production and it had meaning to them and their community. I was moved to hear the stories of the young people at the end of each of the productions – the journey that they have been on as a result of being part of Full on Theatre. It has been life changing for the young people – what a wonderful experience for them. Staff at the College have also reported significant changes in the behaviour, engagement at school and interactions with their peers. I look forward to seeing future Full on Theatre productions at Doveton College.
Kind regards,
Catherine
Catherine Murphy
Senior Research Officer
Parenting Research Centre
M: 0408 566 476
E: [email protected]
W: www.parentingrc.org.au
06/06/2014
==========================================================================================================================
I just wanted to share my thoughts from our time at Western Port S.C. I firstly wanted to say congratulations on a fantastic show, not only did you cover some very difficult topics but you did it in such a sensitive and respectful way. The children quickly felt safe to share their story which is a reflection on your great work and ability to engage with the youth. I was inspired to watch the children’s confidence grow and I was blown away at the level of talent you were able to uncover within the creative team.
I also wanted to reflect on what a big thing you have offered the children who participated, firstly for many of them it may have been the first time that they have experienced unconditional positive regard and had their talents nurtured and recognised. I watched many of the children be inspired by your natural ability and talent and from there had a desire to work hard. Many of the children prior to this project may not have experienced the high of having a success which you have also shown them. It is also amazing that for some of the students it may also be the beginning of finding a direction in life that is different from their past experiences and offering them the gift of hope and finding their passion in life.
As we discussed during the workshops finding your niche in life has a massive impact on long term mental health and offers a much brighter prognosis for the future for these young stars. Well done guys it has been a pleasure working with you both your enthusiasm and commitment to the project made it an enjoyable experience for those involved to be apart of.
Finally I wanted to thank you for the professional way you conducted the workshops and then rehearsals and your communication with the partnering agencies, keep doing what you do.
Warm Regards
Kerryn
Kerryn McLauchlan
SHINE Family Worker
June 15th 2012
Frankston Family Relationship Centre
Level 1, 146 Young Street Frankston Victoria Australia 3199
Tel: 03 9770 0341 | Fax: 03 9770 2906
Service Provided by Family Life
=============================================================================================================================
"Dave gets it. He works with difficult to engage young people (and with even more difficult to engage local governments and schools). He is an expert in what he does because he seeks input from all parties. My collaborations with Dave have always been a pleasure and I'm consistently impressed with his ability to communicate across multiple disciplines, drawing creativity out of others and being creative himself. I would work with Dave again in a heartbeat."
Aidan Craney
Community Development Officer - Kingston Youth Services
October 2012
====================================================================================================
From Andrew McCrorey
Doveton Secondary College VIC
To Whom It May Concern,
Full-On Theatre's play Hard Rubbish came to our school and was performed in Term 3 2013 as part of the beginning of a 2 term residency. It was the first performance our school ever had and it set a very high standard for future performances. It was a great example for the students to see a well-rounded show and utilize all of the new elements of the stage.
The play was very funny, at times it was moving and full of pathos. Our students could relate to the themes, as the socio cultural status of our kids meant that they engaged in similar activities to the characters in the show.
It covered a number of non naturalistic theatrical styles such as: minimal prop use, story telling, multiple characters, fully developed characters and story arcs, In particular, the stage craft and use of literal hard rubbish as instruments and props was engaging and clever. The students loved seeing their theatre turned into a veritable rubbish tip, then to see something so creative and entertaining come out of it.
The quality of the script was exceptional, but more importantly, it was relatable. Full-On Theatre wrote dialogue and structured a story that the students found engaging. The production qualities were superb. The actors were very professional when it came to setting up and packing down, they were in and out quickly, which is important as the theatre space is used as a teaching space. We also appreciated their ability to answer questions appropriately for the teenage audience. It was well directed and performed. From the moment the actors entered, they had the audience focused and interested.
It was great for our middle school students but it would fit in with theatre studies unit 3 and 4 easily. We used the non-naturalistic elements to spring board into a whole range of activities in drama, including improvisation and
The residency aspect of Full-On Theatre's Work:
Following the production of Hard Rubbish, Full-On Theatre engaged with myself, Family Life Shine team, the school wellbeing team, music and media teachers and twenty five students to create a fabulous project. A student lead project combining many elements of performance, theatre, including acting, singing, playing music, creating short films and exploring stage craft elements such as design.
One day a week over 2 terms to create a play written by teenagers for teenagers and performed to the whole of middle school 7-9. There was much fervor around the school leading up to the performance and it lasted well after. It was amazing how the impact of the play rippled through the college community. The next day we had students enquiring about being in the next performance and others seeking out the well-being team to discuss the issues and concerns they had based on the themes. For us, these were both significant successes, as it meant that we were getting through and making a difference in their lives.
We have further developed great skills in collaborating with students. It was great giving them the steering wheel and watching them go for a drive and almost being a passenger in the back seat, occasionally giving directions.
It is so beneficial working in partnership with school and health professionals. Their insight and abilities to support the students using their skill sets is invaluable. When powerful feelings or questions arose, they were there for them and for us too.
The students loved using our amazing facilities to create their own music and learning how to incorporate them into dramatic performances from the guys.
The students had a lot of free reign to use their own language and write about their own interests and issues. This gave them a sincere feeling of ownership over the play and students who would usually be very truant or disengaged were suddenly on time and excited about their work. We received many compliments and comments from their other subject area teachers as well, about attitudes and performance in their classes. In particular, we received a lot of praise about student's abilities to build relationships after being involved in our programs. For many of them, it was their first positive experience in a school environment.
Yours sincerely
Brett New
Executive Principal
Andrew McCrorey
Drama Teacher
====================================================================================================
“One of the highlights was probably doing the ‘Party’s gone viral’ song, because I did it all by myself and it was just me and the singers and it was just awesome.” - Student
“It’s great for confidence building and all sorts of other skills you’ll use in life.” - Student
I write to enthusiastically and confidently express my recommendation Dave Houston.
Using the themes of History, Culture, Identity and Belonging The Torch Project (TTP) works with communities to address issues in the ‘too hard basket’. In 2007 Dave Houston worked as a Researcher, Writer and Director with TTP and the Laverton community to develop a new engaging piece call ‘The Con’.
His work as with the community was impressive, creating a strong sense of ownership and connection for the community by bringing their voice clearly to the stage. He demonstrated great care and respect for the individuals he was working with and negotiated the challenges efficiently and with great care.
He brings an incredible passion and commitment to all his work, manages his time, resources and energy very well. He is always an active, inspiring and dedicated team member and leader.
He is incredibly generous in his work with communities, encouraging and developing individual’s skills, self esteem and leadership qualities. Since completing the project he has maintained a connection with the community and continues to nurture individuals.
Sincerely,
Lisa Parris
Project Manager
The Torch Project
(October 30th 2008)
====================================================================================================
What audiences have said about Full-On shows and residences
"The kids found it engaging and funny, but they also left the theatre with a good understanding of the themes. Quote from student, "Don't give up on life." Ballarat Grammar 29/5/13
" The concept was a 'much needed' issue - that needs to be discussed in schools. Hard rubbish Day was an engaging play which was in parts very funny, as well as full of pathos, very well acted and opened plenty of doors for discussion. The students thoroughly enjoyed the performance." Judy Heckman - Wellbeing Coordinator - Luther College 4/12/12
"The students were fully engaged with very relevant subject material and an excellent follow up debrief." Brett Brookman - Teacher Luther College 4/12/12
"I loved the variety of characters. The show was a good reflection on a few issues that are relevant to year 9 students looking at mental health issues" Yvonne de Raus - Teacher Luther College 4/12/12
“I’ll never forget the actual play itself because I guess it dwells on some pretty heavy themes” - Student - Dromana Secondary College
(April 2012)
“Words cannot describe the benefit of this project on the young people involved. I believe it is life changing.” – The Royal Children’s Hospital - Festival for Healthy Living - (April 2012)
“I’ve been feeling a little more happy. Before the play I was feeling really deflated most of the time and I’d be feeling really sad and I would be moping around the house and wouldn’t be doing much. Ever since this, I found out how to stop being deflated.” - Student Western Port Secondary College (April 2012)
"I firstly wanted to say congratulations on a fantastic show, not only did you cover some very difficult topics but you did it in such a sensitive and respectful way. The children quickly felt safe to share their story which is a reflection on your great work and ability to engage with the youth. I was inspired to watch the children’s confidence grow and I was blown away at the level of talent you were able to uncover within the creative team."
Kerryn McLauchlan - SHINE Family Worker (April 2012)
“The students are studying a module ‘Imagine Telling Stories’. The performance was a great introduction because it resonated with the way humans make meaning of their lives through telling stories. The performance was highly relevant as it expressed the way we can compose stories, which are ‘fact’ and ones which are ‘fiction’. The performance was excellent. Very professional and engaging.” Alex Listo St Pious X College, Chatswood, NSW. June 2014
“The performers were fantastic the way they portrayed humour and pathos extremely well. The use of the sound track with the acting, and the quick changing of characters and they way they used the hard rubbish props had the students and staff captivated.” Keturah Jones, Nowra Anglican College, June 2014.
“Words cannot describe the benefit of this project on the young people involved. I believe it is life changing.” – Family Life Worker
“Maybe we’re outcasts or there might be something we have to get off our chests or something and we can go do that through ‘Raise the heart’.” - Student
“I’ve been feeling a little more happy. Before the play I was feeling really deflated most of the time and I’d be feeling really sad and I would be moping around the house and wouldn’t be doing much. Ever since this, I found out how to stop being deflated.” - Student Western Port Secondary College (April 2012)
===========================================================================================================================
RE FULL-ON THEATRE
I have worked with Full-On Theatre and Dave Houston on a number of long term theatrical projects in Western Port Secondary College and Doveton College in my position as· Team leader with Family Life SHINE project.
The company create engaging work for teenagers and has a wonderful way of collaborating with students, health professionals and teachers. With the young people they are wonderful teachers of theatre skills and explore issues that can sometimes be hard to talk about. They do this in a creative safe space.
The wellbeing components of the company are excellent. Dave has done residencies at many schools and also been trained by the Royal Children's Hospital. Along with Family Life he has collaborated with many other partners including Headspace, Local Councils, Schools and community groups. He has created theatrical, clown and film projects
The young people have responded well to the residencies. There have been some remarkable stories of change and examples of students finding a place to shine and really be themselves.
There have been some significant themes expressed and explored by,the students including: depression, grief and loss, self harm, suicide and abuse. The company works in a sensitive manner with such these issues, supporting the students and staff and creating wonderful life affirming theatre out of what can be sensitive material.
The play Hard Rubbish Day in particular deals with difficult themes. The theatrical device of 2 young boys being the story tellers is full of comedy, pathos and brilliant acting. The play was developed with Full On Theatre along with SHINE and several
partners at Western Port Secondary College and Dromana Secondary College.
Hard Rubbish Day was created and performed with 25 students on stage and in the band. The play script is of an exceptional.. standard. It is full of wonderful creative imaginative story telling and the use of the hard rubbish props and set is just ingenious.
I hope the play Hard Rubbish Day gets to be seen and studied by as many young people as possible as it is an important piece of theatre.
Yours sincerely
Steve Rose
Team leader SHINE Family Life
===========================================================================================================================
====
Hello,
I want you to know that as a direct result of Dave’s residency in Quambatook, in February, where he spent a week in the town creating an incredible work of digital theatrical art, the Quambatook community successfully applied to FRRR to purchase an outdoor projector. They now run movies nights (and exercises classes) against the towering silos using the projector.
Congratulations to all at Full-On Theatre for the inspiration! An as for Dave's residency is concerned,'WoW' he is welcome anytime. What a generous, creative and kind man he was and everyone involved absolutely loved working with him.
Kind regards
Kirsty
Kirsten Orr | Arts and Culture Assistant | Gannawarra Shire Council
p. 03 5450 9333 f. 03 5450 3023 e. [email protected] | www.gannawarra.vic.gov.au
==============================================================================================================
I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to attend two of the Full on Theatre productions at Doveton College. It is clear that the young people had ownership over the production and it had meaning to them and their community. I was moved to hear the stories of the young people at the end of each of the productions – the journey that they have been on as a result of being part of Full on Theatre. It has been life changing for the young people – what a wonderful experience for them. Staff at the College have also reported significant changes in the behaviour, engagement at school and interactions with their peers. I look forward to seeing future Full on Theatre productions at Doveton College.
Kind regards,
Catherine
Catherine Murphy
Senior Research Officer
Parenting Research Centre
M: 0408 566 476
E: [email protected]
W: www.parentingrc.org.au
06/06/2014
==========================================================================================================================
I just wanted to share my thoughts from our time at Western Port S.C. I firstly wanted to say congratulations on a fantastic show, not only did you cover some very difficult topics but you did it in such a sensitive and respectful way. The children quickly felt safe to share their story which is a reflection on your great work and ability to engage with the youth. I was inspired to watch the children’s confidence grow and I was blown away at the level of talent you were able to uncover within the creative team.
I also wanted to reflect on what a big thing you have offered the children who participated, firstly for many of them it may have been the first time that they have experienced unconditional positive regard and had their talents nurtured and recognised. I watched many of the children be inspired by your natural ability and talent and from there had a desire to work hard. Many of the children prior to this project may not have experienced the high of having a success which you have also shown them. It is also amazing that for some of the students it may also be the beginning of finding a direction in life that is different from their past experiences and offering them the gift of hope and finding their passion in life.
As we discussed during the workshops finding your niche in life has a massive impact on long term mental health and offers a much brighter prognosis for the future for these young stars. Well done guys it has been a pleasure working with you both your enthusiasm and commitment to the project made it an enjoyable experience for those involved to be apart of.
Finally I wanted to thank you for the professional way you conducted the workshops and then rehearsals and your communication with the partnering agencies, keep doing what you do.
Warm Regards
Kerryn
Kerryn McLauchlan
SHINE Family Worker
June 15th 2012
Frankston Family Relationship Centre
Level 1, 146 Young Street Frankston Victoria Australia 3199
Tel: 03 9770 0341 | Fax: 03 9770 2906
Service Provided by Family Life
=============================================================================================================================
"Dave gets it. He works with difficult to engage young people (and with even more difficult to engage local governments and schools). He is an expert in what he does because he seeks input from all parties. My collaborations with Dave have always been a pleasure and I'm consistently impressed with his ability to communicate across multiple disciplines, drawing creativity out of others and being creative himself. I would work with Dave again in a heartbeat."
Aidan Craney
Community Development Officer - Kingston Youth Services
October 2012
====================================================================================================
From Andrew McCrorey
Doveton Secondary College VIC
To Whom It May Concern,
Full-On Theatre's play Hard Rubbish came to our school and was performed in Term 3 2013 as part of the beginning of a 2 term residency. It was the first performance our school ever had and it set a very high standard for future performances. It was a great example for the students to see a well-rounded show and utilize all of the new elements of the stage.
The play was very funny, at times it was moving and full of pathos. Our students could relate to the themes, as the socio cultural status of our kids meant that they engaged in similar activities to the characters in the show.
It covered a number of non naturalistic theatrical styles such as: minimal prop use, story telling, multiple characters, fully developed characters and story arcs, In particular, the stage craft and use of literal hard rubbish as instruments and props was engaging and clever. The students loved seeing their theatre turned into a veritable rubbish tip, then to see something so creative and entertaining come out of it.
The quality of the script was exceptional, but more importantly, it was relatable. Full-On Theatre wrote dialogue and structured a story that the students found engaging. The production qualities were superb. The actors were very professional when it came to setting up and packing down, they were in and out quickly, which is important as the theatre space is used as a teaching space. We also appreciated their ability to answer questions appropriately for the teenage audience. It was well directed and performed. From the moment the actors entered, they had the audience focused and interested.
It was great for our middle school students but it would fit in with theatre studies unit 3 and 4 easily. We used the non-naturalistic elements to spring board into a whole range of activities in drama, including improvisation and
The residency aspect of Full-On Theatre's Work:
Following the production of Hard Rubbish, Full-On Theatre engaged with myself, Family Life Shine team, the school wellbeing team, music and media teachers and twenty five students to create a fabulous project. A student lead project combining many elements of performance, theatre, including acting, singing, playing music, creating short films and exploring stage craft elements such as design.
One day a week over 2 terms to create a play written by teenagers for teenagers and performed to the whole of middle school 7-9. There was much fervor around the school leading up to the performance and it lasted well after. It was amazing how the impact of the play rippled through the college community. The next day we had students enquiring about being in the next performance and others seeking out the well-being team to discuss the issues and concerns they had based on the themes. For us, these were both significant successes, as it meant that we were getting through and making a difference in their lives.
We have further developed great skills in collaborating with students. It was great giving them the steering wheel and watching them go for a drive and almost being a passenger in the back seat, occasionally giving directions.
It is so beneficial working in partnership with school and health professionals. Their insight and abilities to support the students using their skill sets is invaluable. When powerful feelings or questions arose, they were there for them and for us too.
The students loved using our amazing facilities to create their own music and learning how to incorporate them into dramatic performances from the guys.
The students had a lot of free reign to use their own language and write about their own interests and issues. This gave them a sincere feeling of ownership over the play and students who would usually be very truant or disengaged were suddenly on time and excited about their work. We received many compliments and comments from their other subject area teachers as well, about attitudes and performance in their classes. In particular, we received a lot of praise about student's abilities to build relationships after being involved in our programs. For many of them, it was their first positive experience in a school environment.
Yours sincerely
Brett New
Executive Principal
Andrew McCrorey
Drama Teacher
====================================================================================================
“One of the highlights was probably doing the ‘Party’s gone viral’ song, because I did it all by myself and it was just me and the singers and it was just awesome.” - Student
“It’s great for confidence building and all sorts of other skills you’ll use in life.” - Student
I write to enthusiastically and confidently express my recommendation Dave Houston.
Using the themes of History, Culture, Identity and Belonging The Torch Project (TTP) works with communities to address issues in the ‘too hard basket’. In 2007 Dave Houston worked as a Researcher, Writer and Director with TTP and the Laverton community to develop a new engaging piece call ‘The Con’.
His work as with the community was impressive, creating a strong sense of ownership and connection for the community by bringing their voice clearly to the stage. He demonstrated great care and respect for the individuals he was working with and negotiated the challenges efficiently and with great care.
He brings an incredible passion and commitment to all his work, manages his time, resources and energy very well. He is always an active, inspiring and dedicated team member and leader.
He is incredibly generous in his work with communities, encouraging and developing individual’s skills, self esteem and leadership qualities. Since completing the project he has maintained a connection with the community and continues to nurture individuals.
Sincerely,
Lisa Parris
Project Manager
The Torch Project
(October 30th 2008)
====================================================================================================
What audiences have said about Full-On shows and residences
"The kids found it engaging and funny, but they also left the theatre with a good understanding of the themes. Quote from student, "Don't give up on life." Ballarat Grammar 29/5/13
" The concept was a 'much needed' issue - that needs to be discussed in schools. Hard rubbish Day was an engaging play which was in parts very funny, as well as full of pathos, very well acted and opened plenty of doors for discussion. The students thoroughly enjoyed the performance." Judy Heckman - Wellbeing Coordinator - Luther College 4/12/12
"The students were fully engaged with very relevant subject material and an excellent follow up debrief." Brett Brookman - Teacher Luther College 4/12/12
"I loved the variety of characters. The show was a good reflection on a few issues that are relevant to year 9 students looking at mental health issues" Yvonne de Raus - Teacher Luther College 4/12/12
“I’ll never forget the actual play itself because I guess it dwells on some pretty heavy themes” - Student - Dromana Secondary College
(April 2012)
“Words cannot describe the benefit of this project on the young people involved. I believe it is life changing.” – The Royal Children’s Hospital - Festival for Healthy Living - (April 2012)
“I’ve been feeling a little more happy. Before the play I was feeling really deflated most of the time and I’d be feeling really sad and I would be moping around the house and wouldn’t be doing much. Ever since this, I found out how to stop being deflated.” - Student Western Port Secondary College (April 2012)
"I firstly wanted to say congratulations on a fantastic show, not only did you cover some very difficult topics but you did it in such a sensitive and respectful way. The children quickly felt safe to share their story which is a reflection on your great work and ability to engage with the youth. I was inspired to watch the children’s confidence grow and I was blown away at the level of talent you were able to uncover within the creative team."
Kerryn McLauchlan - SHINE Family Worker (April 2012)
“The students are studying a module ‘Imagine Telling Stories’. The performance was a great introduction because it resonated with the way humans make meaning of their lives through telling stories. The performance was highly relevant as it expressed the way we can compose stories, which are ‘fact’ and ones which are ‘fiction’. The performance was excellent. Very professional and engaging.” Alex Listo St Pious X College, Chatswood, NSW. June 2014
“The performers were fantastic the way they portrayed humour and pathos extremely well. The use of the sound track with the acting, and the quick changing of characters and they way they used the hard rubbish props had the students and staff captivated.” Keturah Jones, Nowra Anglican College, June 2014.