S H A R PE N YO U R S E N S ES

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Sponsors

Principal Theatre Partner

Children’s Theatre Partner

Preferred Accommodation Partner

Preferred Brewery

Frankston Arts Centre thanks all its partners for their ongoing support of

the arts in Frankston.

Principal Media Partner

Exhibition Partner

Cultural Partner

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WELCOME

Welcome to Frankston Arts Centre’s 2020 Theatre Season. The Frankston Arts Centre team extend our sincere gratitude to our audiences for your continued support of the centre and commitment to the arts. To the Frankston Arts Centre team, I thank you for your relentless dedication, passion, talent and commitment to making Frankston Arts Centre the cultural heart of the community. We are proud to be a leading performing arts centre in Australia on the land of the Bunurong people of the South-Eastern Kulin Nation. We recognise and respect their traditional cultural practices and heritage, beliefs, stories and relationship with the land and pay respects to Elders past, present and future.Shared arts experiences have the potential to bridge our worlds, harness the wisdom of different views and engage our imagination to explore new ways of thinking. This sentiment has influenced the program of shows in Frankston Arts Centre’s 2020 Season.The selected performances present diverse voices tackling poignant, current and important issues alongside delightful family shows, inspiring musical collaborations, quirky comedies, favourite classics, globally recognised companies and new Australian works. Embrace the opportunities on offer from the enlightening to entertaining and open the door to experiences that may be new, familiar or entirely different.We look forward to welcoming you soon.

Tammy Ryan Head of Programming

“ Artists can illuminate truth, offer transcendent experience in a far too literal world, challenge us to feel, and connect us to our common humanity.”

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Theatre 3 Postcards of Tango 3 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll 4 Playlist 5 Archie Roach: Tell Me Why 6 Grace Under Pressure 7 Comedy Festival Roadshow 8 The Australian Ballet School 9 An Evening with the MSO 10 Animal Farm 11 Carmen 12 Lamb 13 By a Thread 14 Rovers 15Cube 37 16 Newk: The John Newcombe Story 17 American Song 18 Jude Perl: I Have a Face 19 Spirit Lines: A Musical Reconciliation 20 Hell Ship: The Journey of the Ticonderoga 21 Mental as Everything 22Family Shows 23 The Gruffalo's Child 24 The 91-Storey Treehouse 25 Wolfgang's Magical Musical Circus 26 My Robot 27 Beep 28 Loose Ends 28 Magic Beach 28Calendar 30Theatre Seating Plans 32Theatre Information 34What are you in the mood for? 36

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ORQUESTA BOMBON AND VENTANA FIESTA

POSTCARDS OF TANGO

“ Tango was immigration music…so it does not have a nationality...It’s only passport is feeling.”

CAROLS GAVITO, CELEBRATED ARGENTINE TANGO DANCER

Be transported back in time to the ports of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, where thousands of migrants arrived accompanied by their own unique rhythms and sounds. Through this musical, dance and visual arts journey from 1840 to 2020, you will witness how costumes and customs converged and harmonised to create the modern tango.A cast of 12 musicians, six dancers and two visual artists will powerfully bring this story to life for the first time in Melbourne. This contemporary arrangement will include the musical styles of candombe, tarantella, murga and milonga and incorporates imagery inspired by costumbrista art, filete porteño, street art and more.Join us on this musical and cultural voyage to South America!

Thursday 27 February 8pmTicket prices Member: $30-$39 Full: $35-$45 Concession: $31-$40 Under 30: $27-$35Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 60 minutes, no intervalTango contains highly addictive ingredients, such as pain, pleasure, passion, excitement, connection, freedom, torment and bliss. In seven out of ten cases it takes over a person’s life.

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“ A story of love, heartache, hope and loss…remains one of the theatrical canon’s most moving explorations of the fading of youth and dreams.”

ARTS REVIEW

Ray Lawler’s much loved tale of two Queensland cane cutters is a beautifully observed, humorous and poignant play. Each summer, Barney and Roo travel back to Melbourne for five months of partying and romance with their girlfriends, Nancy and Olive, but this seventeenth summer is different. This year, Nancy's gone and got married and Pearl is taking her place.A triumph at its 1955 Melbourne premiere, and a highly successful West End season, this production of the Australian classic Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, directed by award-winning Denny Lawrence celebrates the history and permanence of this iconic play.

Wednesday 11 March 7.30pm (Open Captioning)Ticket prices Member: $42-$52 Full: $48-$60 Concession: $45-$55 Under 30: $27-$35Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 150 minutes, including intervalAdult themes. Recommended for ages 15+.

Post-show Q&A

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Summer of the Seventeenth DollWritten by Ray Lawler. Directed by Denny Lawrence.

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“ They dance, they share, they speak from the heart.”

SYDNEY ARTS GUIDE

Playlist is Beyoncé meets the women’s marches meets Australian Idol. Five incredible young women share how their favourite female pop stars inspire and shape their personal worlds in this genre-defying dance theatre work. The extraordinary cast represents a unique and powerful cross section of emerging artists in contemporary Australia, featuring Ebube Uba, a Nigerian-Australian actor and dancer; Neda Taha, a Tongan-Iraqi-Australian hip hop dancer; May Tran a Vietnamese-Australian slam poet; comedic actor Tasha O'Brien; and Croatian-Australian pop star Mara Knezevic.Reflecting the cultural diversity of contemporary Australia, this work is a must-see for the strong, young women in your life.

Friday 17 April 12pmTicket prices Member: $30-$39 Full: $35-$45 Concession: $31-$40 Under 30: $27-$35 Under 18: $20-$28Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 70 minutes, no intervalCoarse language, adult themes, strobe and haze. Recommended for ages 14+.

Post-show Q&A

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Playlist Directed by Karen Therese

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Created by Archie Roach

Photo: Adrian Cook

“ He is an inspiring man: deep, thoughtful, taciturn. His songs ring with clarity, his voice richly textured; it is extraordinary to witness the magic he casts over an audience.”

PAUL GRABOWSK Y

Not many have lived as many lives — from stolen child, teenage alcoholic, seeker, lover, father, musical and lyrical genius, to social advocate and First Nations leader — but it took almost a lifetime to find who he really was.He is Archie Roach.Based on his new memoir and companion album, Tell Me Why is an intimate, moving and often confronting account of his resilience and strength of spirit, and also of a great love story. Accompanied by a full band, it’s an extraordinary evening of love and heartbreak, family and community, survival and renewal – and the healing power of music.

Saturday 18 April 7.30pmTicket prices Member: $42-$52 Full: $48-$60 Concession: $45-$55 Under 30: $27-$35Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 80 minutes, no intervalCelebrating National Reconciliation Week

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Archie Roach: Tell Me Why

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By David Williams and Paul Dwyer in collaboration with the Sydney Arts and Health Collective

“ A deeply moving work that is both hopeful and compelling”

ARTS REVIEW

Based on hours of in-depth interviews with health professionals about their experiences of working in hospitals, Grace Under Pressure is a surprising and deeply moving theatre experience that reveals the hidden stories of doctors and nurses in their own words. Ranging from wildly funny to utterly heartbreaking, the stories will leave no audience member unaffected. Beautifully staged and disarmingly performed, Grace Under Pressure is a truly unique theatre experience.Grace Under Pressure was co-commissioned by Seymour Centre and The Big Anxiety, and developed with the support of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, University of Sydney. The Big Anxiety was assisted by the Australian government through the Department of Communication and the Arts’ Catalyst—Australian Arts and Culture Fund. This tour of Grace Under Pressure has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, and the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.

Thursday 30 April 7.30pmTicket prices Member: $42-$52 Full: $48-$60 Concession: $45-$55 Under 30: $27-$35Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 85 minutes, no intervalSome coarse language, description of a suicide attempt, sexual harassment and surgical procedures. Recommended for ages 14+.

Post-show Q&A

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Grace Under Pressure

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Photo: Jim Lee

“ You are guaranteed a night filled with nothing but good feelings and laughter”

PELICAN MAGA ZINE, PERTH (WA)

Australia’s favourite comedy convoy is locked, loaded and hitting every corner of the country!Join the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow as it rolls into town, home delivering the hottest acts direct from Australia’s largest comedy festival to your backyard.Featuring an all killer, no filler line-up of Australian stars, talented newcomers and international performers, we’ve got all your comedy cravings covered. Buckle up for a night of stand-up, sketch, satire, silliness and song in this rip-roaring road trip of a life time!

Sunday 3 May 8pmTicket prices Member: $42-$52 Full: $48-$60 Concession: $45-$55 Under 30: $27-$35Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 135 minutes, including intervalMay contain coarse language, sexual references, offensive material and smoke/haze. Recommended for ages 15+.

Pre-show talk at 7pm

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MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Comedy Festival Roadshow

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THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET SCHOOL

The Australian Ballet School

“ Ballet is creating a sculpture that is visible only for a moment.”

The Australian Ballet School presents a showcase of works by talented students, this performance celebrates the art of ballet from the sophisticated to the sublime. Be thrilled by a wonderful repertoire filled with the energy, dedication and refined skills of the School’s young dancers.

Wednesday 3 June 1.30pm & 6pmTicket prices Member: $19 Full: $21Includes pre-show refreshmentsTickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 60 minutes, no intervalLunch 2 course lunch available at noon for an additional $23

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“ Truly there would be reason to go mad were it not for music.”

TCHAIKOVSK Y

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra returns to Frankston with romantic works that showcase the power of the full orchestra. The music from Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake will enchant from start to finish, and Saint-Saëns’ First Cello Concerto is known for its lyrical qualities. Ravel’s tribute to Baroque style, Le Tombeau de Couperin, completes the program.

Saturday 13 June 7pmTicket prices Member: $57-$66 Full Premium: $65-$75 Concession: $60-$71 Under 30: $27-$35 Group 10+: $60-$71 Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 105 minutes, including intervalPre-show talk

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MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

An Evening with the MSO

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“ Do whatever you can to get a ticket”THE COURIER-MAIL

Revolution has taken place at Manor Farm. The pigs have assumed control and all the animals, fuelled by enthusiastic camaraderie and guided by a set of self-imposed rules, are promised a better life free from the self-serving greed of humans. However, it is not long until the rules that promised equality and freedom become the shackles that bind the animals once again.Animal Farm, one of the most enduring political commentaries returns in a multi-award winning, critically-acclaimed theatre production. Created by shake & stir, George Orwell’s intensely powerful fairy tale promises to be one of the most shocking, relevant and wickedly funny theatre events of the year.

Friday 17 July 7.30pm (Audio Described)Ticket prices Member: $42-$52 Full: $48-$60 Concession: $45-$55 Under 30: $27-$35Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 90 minutes, no intervalHaze, smoke, strobe effects and loud music. Recommended for ages 12+.

Post-show Q&A

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Written by George Orwell. Created by shake & stir theatre co.

SHAKE & STIR THEATRE CO

Animal Farm

LEADING PARTNER

PRODUCTION PARTNER

GOVERNMENTPARTNERS

SUPPORTING PARTNER

NATIONAL TOUR PARTNERS

PATRON-IN-CHIEFDR HARUHISA HANDA

OPERA CONFERENCE

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

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By Bizet

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Carmen is enigmatic and elusive: a femme fatale you can’t forget.Caught between her desire for love and a longing for freedom, Carmen faces an impossible choice.This new production by Opera Australia highlights the colour and vibrancy of postcard Spain, the vintage-inspired costumes evoking an era of bikers and shady police in a post-war setting of teen angst and rebellion.A cast of some of Australia’s finest opera singers assemble with a chamber orchestra and a local children’s chorus to perform one of the world’s most popular operas. Hear some of opera’s most famous tunes such as the Habanera and the Toreador Song when you join us for Opera Australia’s 25th anniversary tour of Bizet’s Carmen.Sung in French with English subtitles.

Tuesday 21 July 7.30pmTicket prices Member: $67-$75 Full: $76-$84 Concession: $69-$77 Under 30: $27-$35Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 155 minutes, including interval

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Carmen

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Written by Jane Bodie. Directed by Julian Meyrick.

“ …simply beautiful storytelling…flawless and inseparably outstanding actors…Lamb feels like a privilege and it will long linger as an absolute heart-warming joy…”

AUSTRALIAN STAGE

“ Sometimes people leave, they go away and you don’t see them anymore. And then sometimes they come back.”

From multi-award-winning playwright Jane Bodie and featuring original songs by Mark Seymour (Hunters and Collectors), Lamb is the story of one family on an Australian sheep farm, over generations – the guilt of those who left; the lost desires of those who stayed behind.Lamb is a new Australian play full of lyrical longing and humour, it is a story of the land, and of lies told and secrets kept to protect those we love – and to stop them from leaving us.

Thursday 3 September 7.30pmTicket prices Member: $42-$52 Full: $48-$60 Concession: $45-$55 Under 30: $27-$35Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 130 minutes, including intervalModerate language and adult content. Recommended for ages 15+.

Post-show Q&A2020 VCE Playlist

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Lamb

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“ ...just as clever as it was mesmerising.”GL AMADEL AIDE

Featuring seven acrobats and 30 metres of rope, By a Thread offers rich visuals of inventive aerial acrobatics from some of Australia’s best circus artists. Like the booms and sheets of a sailing ship the performers are hoisted and swung by one another to create striking imagery and breath-taking dynamics. The actions of one acrobat affect and implicate the movements of others in a precise negotiation of cause and effect. Leaving the realm of the solo act where the performer relies on their individual strength, the acrobats rely on the strength of the group to hold the end of the rope, keeping them aloft.

Saturday 12 September 7.30pmTicket prices Member: $30-$39 Full: $35-$45 Concession: $31-$40 Under 30: $27-$35Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 50 minutes, no intervalPost-show Q&A

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ONE FELL SWOOP CIRCUS

By a Thread

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Written by Katherine Lyall-Watson. Directed by Caroline Dunphy.

“ I remain gobsmacked, with lingering scenes, words and music still rattling around my brain. I want to witness it all over again!”

AUSTRALIAN STAGE

If you’ve ever faced a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, had to keep a family secret or said yes to a crazy dare in a bar, then this funny, heart-warming and crackling ode to Australia, and the tough women she breeds, will be just your cup of tea.Intrepid performers Roxanne McDonald and Barbara Lowing get behind the wheel and navigate audiences into risky terrain, journeying through the heart-lines of their lives and into the hilarious misadventures of the women who made them who they are today.

Thursday 5 November 7.30pmTicket prices Member: $42-$52 Full: $48-$60 Concession: $45-$55 Under 30: $27-$35Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 60 minutes, no intervalRecommended for ages 14+.

Post-show Q&A

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BELLOO CREATIVE AND CRITICAL STAGES TOURING

Rovers

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A N I NTI M ATE TH E ATR E E X PE R I E N C E

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Written by Kieran Carroll

“ NEWK is a wonderful show full of memorabilia and belly laughs. You will remember things you didn't even realise you knew as you travel down one of Australia's iconistic paths.”

WHATDIDSHETHINK .COM

Newk: The John Newcombe Story traces the life of the great Australian tennis champion of the 1960s and 70s. Set in 2014 at Newk’s 70th birthday, Newcombe’s journey travels from naïve 1960s schoolboy, to the No. 1 player in the world, to his time as Davis Cup Captain, to the stroke he suffered in 2003.Performed by Damian Callinan, three time Barry Award nominee and star of recent hit film The Merger, the play portrays a highly determined man burning through a quickly changing world. This comedy drama by award-winning playwright Kieran Carroll is a grand story about wanting life to be a huge ride between Cinzano and Aeroguard commercials!

Friday 14 February 8pmTicket prices Member: $35 Full: $40 Concession: $36 Under 30: $30Book tickets to 3+ Cube 37 shows to get 10% off.

Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 60 minutes, no interval

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Newk: The John Newcombe Story

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Written by Joanna Murray-Smith. Directed by Tom Healey.

“Tragic and timely.”THE AGE

Andy’s experience is common to many of us; the slow accumulation of a good life: love, work, friendship, family. But unforeseen events lead him to places he never imagined. As he heads off to work to give the biggest presentation of his career, he wishes his teenage son Robbie goodbye. Eight hours later, everything has changed.The latest play from acclaimed Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith — a commanding solo performance — American Song tackles the confronting and heartbreaking issue of gun violence, reaching beyond national or cultural borders in an intimate exploration of love, forgiveness and parental responsibility. With Murray-Smith’s characteristically deft wit and compassion, she makes a difficult topic thoroughly gripping.

Wednesday 18 March 7.30pmTicket prices Member: $35 Full: $40 Concession: $36 Under 30: $30Book tickets to 3+ Cube 37 shows to get 10% off.

Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 85 minutes, no intervalSome coarse language and references to gun violence. Recommended for ages 14+.

Post-show Q&A

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American Song

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Created by Jude Perl

“ One of the most insanely clever, comical and talented comedians I may have ever stumbled across... It was the comedy show I had been dreaming about”

AUSSIE REVIEW

Jude Perl’s insight into her personal and relatable mental health struggles of being an adult, will make you want to sing along, cry and laugh all at once. Sometimes labels are super useful, particularly when you’re washing your fave jumper, but at other times, labels can halt your growth and suppress your very existence. Multi-award winning songwriter and comedian, Jude Perl, will talk about some tough stuff, make you laugh and make you feel truly human.

Sunday 21 June 6.30pmTicket prices Member: $35 Full: $40 Concession: $36 Under 30: $30Book tickets to 3+ Cube 37 shows to get 10% off.

Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 60 minutes, no intervalContains some course language, mild sexual references, very mild drug references and themes relating to mental health (anxiety/depression). Recommended for ages 15+.

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Jude Perl: I Have a Face

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“ Music is not what I do, it is who I am. My songs ... come through me from my ancestors and my people … and they tell our stories.”

KUTCHA EDWARDS

Spirit Lines embarks on the journey of harmony and reconciliation by joining the musical energies of Indigenous Australian singer Uncle Kutcha Edwards, three-time Latin Grammy guitarist Daniel Jáuregui, and Anglo-Brazilian percussionist and scholar Adrian Hearn. Edwards’ stirring blues meet Jáuregui’s Venezuelan melodies and Hearn’s deep rhythms to evoke an original harmony. More than 40,000 years in the making, Spirit Lines is a creation of music, dance and imagery – a complete artistic feast for the soul.

Thursday 9 July 7.30pmTicket prices Member: $35 Full: $40 Concession: $36 Under 30: $30Book tickets to 3+ Cube 37 shows to get 10% off.

Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 75 minutes, including intervalCelebrating NAIDOC Week

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Spirit Lines: A Musical Reconciliation

Photo: Anthony Rodriguez

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“ ...an encounter with the extraordinary in one's own family story... A thrilling and moving night in the theatre”

GUY RUNDLE

When news of the ‘fever ship’ reached Melbourne, the city went into a panic. Forbidden to come into port, Ticonderoga was forced to anchor near Portsea where her remaining passengers were either nursed back to health, or allowed to die.In its day, the Ticonderoga was one of the most dramatic and tragic true stories of our maritime history. The saga is largely forgotten as has the story of one of its heroes, the young ship’s surgeon, James William Henry Veitch, who bravely nursed many of the sick passengers back to health.Writer and performer Michael Veitch takes us on his great-great grandfather's journey – one where love wins and families are borne.

Saturday 22 August 6pmTicket prices Member: $35 Full: $40 Concession: $36 Under 30: $30Book tickets to 3+ Cube 37 shows to get 10% off.

Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 60 minutes, no intervalPost-show Q&A

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CHESTER CREATIVE

Hell Ship: The Journey of the Ticonderoga

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Created by Damon Smith and Adam Coad

“ With its wonderful balance of music, truth, and a message to share, Mental as Everything is simply necessary viewing.”

TULPA MAGA ZINE

In this two-man show, creator and performer Damon Smith backed up by his anxious musical cohort Adam Coad, invite you inside their own minds and take you on an often-awkward journey of hilarious onstage buffoonery and original songs about mental illness.Mental as Everything is a raw and honest cabaret performance that explores Damon's journey of his deeply personal experience of living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and bipolar disorder. There’s a sense of intimacy, a hint of sass and there’s more than a hint of the real man behind his work.

Thursday 8 October 7.30pmTicket prices Member: $35 Full: $40 Concession: $36 Under 30: $30Book tickets to 3+ Cube 37 shows to get 10% off.

Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 60 minutes, no intervalPotentially triggering content or themes, including mental health. Recommended for ages 15+.

Post-show Q&ARecognising Mental Health Week

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Mental as Everything

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Illustration: Axel Scheffler

Adapted from the award-winning picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

RP “ ...this brave little offspring of the Gruffalo captures the young audience and keeps it entranced”

STAGE WHISPERS

If you loved The Gruffalo, don't miss the sequel, which returns following previous sold out Australian tours! Join the Gruffalo’s Child on her adventurous mission in this magical musical adaptation of the much-loved picture book.One wild and windy night the Gruffalo’s Child ignores her father’s warnings about the Big Bad Mouse and tiptoes out into the deep dark wood. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist... does he?The team behind The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and The 13-, 26-, 52-, 78- and 91-Storey Treehouses returns with The Gruffalo's Child, bringing together physical theatre, music and puppetry to deliver songs, laughs and scary fun.

School Holidays Monday 6 April 12.30pm & 2.30pm(2.30pm is a Relaxed Performance)

Ticket prices Member: $28 Tickets: $30 Family: $100Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 55 minutes, no intervalAge suitability Suitable for ages 3+.

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CDP WITH TALL STORIES

The Gruffalo's Child

This dramatisation of The Gruffalo's Child is based on the picture book The Gruffalo's Child © illustrations 2004 Axel Scheffler and © text 2004 Julia Donaldson published by Macmillan Children’s Books.

a play by RICHARD TULLOCHadapted from the book by

A NDY GRIFFITHS & TE RRY DEN TON

LIVE ON STAGE!

The 91-STOREYTREEHOUSE

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A play by Richard Tulloch. Adapted from the book by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton.

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“ Dazzles and delights”CANBERRA CRITICS CIRCLE

Andy and Terry’s Treehouse has reached an amazing 91 storeys! It’s now more fantastically dangerous than ever, with a deserted desert island, a whirlpool, and a giant spider!The team behind the 13-, 26-, 52- and 78-Storey Treehouses returns with a crazy trip through this wild, weird and wonderful world for primary schoolers and their adults. Just beware of the Fortune Teller…

Friday 8 May 6pm(Auslan interpreted performance)

Saturday 9 May 3pm & 6pmTicket prices Member: $28 Tickets: $30 Family: $100Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 60 minutes, no intervalAge suitability Suitable for ages 6-12.Small amount of theatrical haze.

CDP KIDS

The 91-Storey Treehouse

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

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“ . . . more feats of gymnastics, acrobatics and balance than you can shake a baton at.”

THE WEE REVIEW

Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus reinvents Mozart’s spirited music in a skilful and illuminating show featuring Circa’s dexterous daredevil artists and a live accordionist. Watch as the notes are physically lifted off the page, all under the eccentric swirl of the conductor’s baton. Straight from the score and onto the stage, the man known as Mozart appears amid a storm of powder, tumbling and twirling, as musical mayhem and movement fuse in this family show with a circus twist.To those who know him, he is Wolfgang, the dart-playing ratbag. To those who are watching and listening, he is the wigged genius Mozart.

School HolidaysFriday 10 July 11amTicket prices Member: $23 Tickets: $25 Family: $95Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 60 minutes, no intervalAge suitability Suitable for ages 3+.

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Created by Yaron Lifschitz with Benjamin Knapton and the Circa Ensemble

CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

Wolfgang's Magical Musical Circus

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Written by Finegan Kruckemeyer

“ While the robotics and special effects in this play are extraordinary, what lies at its heart is a beautiful, poetic tale about acceptance.”

SUBIACO POST

When Ophelia moves with her family to the seaside, she misses her old home and thinks the people in this town are pretty strange.As she unpacks she finds a strange box full of parts with a curious note attached that reads ‘You. Make. Me.’ Ignoring her father’s warnings about the dangers of her ingenious inventions, she builds herself a new robot friend. Is this new friendship smart and brave enough to take on the local bullies and a daring rescue at sea?My Robot is a story bursting with special robot tricks, laughter and bewildered parents.

Friday 24 July 11am & 6pmTicket prices Member: $23 Tickets: $25 Family: $95Tickets 03 9784 1060 or thefac.com.auDuration 60 minutes, no intervalAge suitability Suitable for ages 4-12.Smoke, haze and strobe effects.

Post-show Q&A

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BARKING GECKO THEATRE

My Robot

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“ Full of handmade gadgets and contraptions that will leave children in awe”

THE ADVERTISER

“ Forget Star Wars’ BB-8 or Pixar’s WALL-E, Beep is the most endearing robot of them all”

ADEL AIDE REVIEW

At our beach, at our magic beach…

Ticket prices Member: $23 Tickets: $25 Family: $95Tickets 03 9784 1060 thefac.com.auSeptember School Holidays

JENS ALTHEIMER

Loose Ends

WINDMILL THEATRE COMPANY

Beep

CDP KIDS

Magic BeachA play by Finegan Kruckemeyer. Based on the book by Alison Lester.

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Follow the comical attempts of a strange inventor to find his place in the world...and all the messy bits on the way.With a touch of Wallace and Gromit and Mr. Bean, Loose Ends is a quirky mix of clown powered theatre with custom built contraptions and objects that come to life. It takes you to an eccentric world full of constant surprises, delivering a heartfelt story.This Adelaide Fringe Award nominated family show full of wacky thingamabobs, naughty puppets and madcap clowning is a tale about friendship – don't miss the magic!

In Mort’s village everything has its place, every day is the same and everyone likes it that way. Until one morning, crash, boom, bang…down comes Beep.What is this annoying interruption to Mort’s breakfast molly melon, who is this noisy robot girl, and how will she find her home?With Windmill Theatre Company’s trademark design, gentle storytelling, music and puppetry, Beep tells the story of what happens when someone new comes to town. An ideal introduction to the theatre for the little ones and a story the whole family will love.

Every year, an everyday family go on a beach holiday. This isn’t just any beach – it’s Magic Beach, where everything you can imagine becomes real. But this year is different. As the eldest child begins to grow up, does she have to leave the magic behind?Alison Lester AM’s classic book comes to life on stage in a wonderful world of text, song, light, shadow and movement.This new Australian adaptation is a celebration of the power of the imagination and the differences that make every child special.

Thursday 24 September 1pmDuration 60 minutes, no intervalAge suitability Suitable for ages 5-12.Venue Cube 37Workshop available

Tuesday 22 September 11am & 2pmDuration 35 minutes, no intervalAge suitability Suitable for ages 2-7.Venue Cube 37

Monday 28 September 11am55 minutes, no intervalAge suitability Suitable for ages 3-8.Venue TheatrePre-show storytime

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This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

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CALENDAR February

Fri 14, 8pm Newk: The John Newcombe Story Comedy/Drama

Thu 27, 8pm Postcards of Tango Music/Tango

March

Wed 11, 7.30pm Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Drama

Wed 18, 7.30pm American Song Drama

April

Mon 6, 12.30pm & 2.30pm School Holidays

The Gruffalo’s Child Family RP

Fri 17, 12pm Playlist Dance Theatre

Sat 18, 7.30pm Archie Roach: Tell Me Why Music

Thu 30, 7.30pm Grace Under Pressure Documentary Drama

May

Sun 3, 8pm Comedy Festival Roadshow Comedy

Fri 8, 6pm The 91-Storey Treehouse Family

Sat 9, 3pm & 6pm The 91-Storey Treehouse Family

June

Wed 3, 1.30pm & 6pm

The Australian Ballet School Classical Ballet

Sat 13, 7pm An Evening with the MSO Classical Music

Sun 21, 6.30pm Jude Perl: I Have a Face Comedy Cabaret

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July

Thu 9, 7.30pm Spirit Lines: A Musical Reconciliation Music

Fri 10, 11am School Holidays

Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus Family

Fri 17, 7.30pm Animal Farm Drama

Tue 21, 7.30pm Carmen Opera

Fri 24, 11am & 6pm My Robot Family

August

Sat 22, 6pm Hell Ship: The Journey of the Ticonderoga Drama/Historical

September

Thu 3, 7.30pm Lamb Drama

Sat 12, 7.30pm By a Thread Aerial Circus

Tue 22, 11am & 2pm School Holidays

Beep Family

Thu 24, 1pm School Holidays

Loose Ends Family

Mon 28, 11am School Holidays

Magic Beach Family

October

Thu 8, 7.30pm Mental as Everything Cabaret

November

Thu 5, 7.30pm Rovers Comedy/Drama

Cube 37Theatre Family shows

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Please note: The standard seating arrangement provides permanent wheelchair access in the Front Stalls (Row J, seats J5 and J33).Additional wheelchair access is available in Row J. Please advise the Box Office if required. Two seats are required for each wheelchair. Prams and other large items cannot be taken into the auditorium, but may be stored in the air locks outside each entry door.

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MEMBERSHIPSIndividual Membership $40 (one discount ticket per show)Joint Membership $80 (two discount tickets per show)As a member, you will receive exclusive benefits, including:• Member discounts to FAC Program

shows and other nominated shows• Priority bar service – walk the red

carpet and skip the queues• Advance copy of FAC Season

booklet• Invitation to the FAC Season launch

party to preview upcoming shows• Deferred payment to FAC Season

shows – choose the best seats now and pay later

• Pre-sale booking opportunities• Other exclusive offers

FOOD & BEVERAGESavour our two course pre-show dining experience with a choice between two main courses and two desserts for $55 per person. Look out for this icon:

Dinner commences two hours prior to each show to allow sufficient time to relax and enjoy your meal without feeling rushed.For a quick bite or a drink before the show, you can choose from our bar menu, ranging from mixed sandwich plates, seasonal antipasto to share, cheese platters and various faster food options.Avoid the rush! Pre-order your interval drinks and snacks at the bar before the show starts.

THEATRE INFO

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HOURS 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, 9am-2pm Saturday and 1 hour before performances.

TICKETSBooked tickets may be collected at the Box Office, downloaded to mobile, printed at home or can be mailed for a nominal fee.

ConcessionUnless otherwise stated, concession includes Government Pension Card/Senior Card, full time student or person in receipt of unemployment benefits. Some performances may have limited concessions detailed.

CAR PARKING For undercover parking, enter from Young Street. Fees apply.

CONTACT DETAILS03 9784 1060 thefac.com.au thefac@frankston.vic.gov.au

SPECIAL NEEDSWe provide access for all abilities. Please advise the Box Office when booking.

Hearing Assistance Receivers are available for loan from the Box Office.

Social Scripts Frankston Arts Centre is committed to promoting meaningful access and participation for all. Social scripts, containing information about venue accessibility and the high and low sensory areas of the venue and your visit, are available on request or download from thefac.com.au.

Live Theatre Open Captioning

Audio Described Performance Suitable for patrons with vision impairment.

Auslan Interpreted Performance Suitable for patrons with hearing impairment.

RP Relaxed Performance Suitable for patrons with autism spectrum conditions, sensory, communication or learning disabilities.

Interpreter service: 131 450

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the details in this brochure, however the FAC reserves the right to withdraw, substitute or vary the details of performances and to rectify any errors at a later date.THEATRE INFO

For people who are really going places.

Visit EastLink.com.au

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Show me something beautifulThe Australian Ballet SchoolBy a ThreadBeepArchie Roach: Tell Me Why

Let’s talk about wellbeingJude Perl: I Have a FaceMental as EverythingGrace Under Pressure

Explore new ways of thinkingAnimal FarmPlaylistAmerican SongGrace Under Pressure

Make me laughRovers Comedy Festival RoadshowNewk: The John Newcombe StoryWolfgang’s Magical Musical CircusJude Perl: I Have a Face

Immerse me in a storyNewk: The John Newcombe StoryAmerican SongHell Ship: The Journey of the TiconderogaLamb

WHA

T AR

E YOU IN THE MOOD FOR?

Make every moment count.

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Take me on a journeyPostcards of TangoArchie Roach: Tell Me WhyRoversSpirit Lines: A Musical ReconciliationMagic Beach

Capture my imaginationWolfgang’s Magical Musical CircusBy a ThreadMy RobotAn Evening with the MSO

Surprise me!PlaylistAnimal FarmBy a ThreadLoose Ends

Expand my knowledge Mental as EverythingHell Ship: The Journey of the TiconderogaGrace Under PressurePlaylist

Warm my heart, move my soul!Postcards of TangoThe Australian Ballet SchoolAn Evening with the MSOLambMy Robot

Show me the classicsSummer of the Seventeenth DollAnimal FarmOpera Australia’s Carmen

Frankston Arts Centre 27-37 Davey Street FrankstonTickets thefac.com.au or 03 9784 1060

Frankston Arts Centre is a business unit of Frankston City Council.

Cover Nelle Lee in Animal FarmPhoto Justine Walpole