12 Apr - 13 Apr 2021
55 Minutes

Magic Beach

A play by Finegan Kruckemeyer
Based on the book by Alison Lester AM

Come on an adventure to Magic Beach these Easter School Holidays as Alison Lester’s classic book comes to life on stage in a wonderful world of text, song, light, puppetry, shadow and movement.

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?

From the team behind The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child, this new Australian adaptation by multi award-winning playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer is a celebration of the power of the imagination and the differences that make every child special.

General Public: Suitable for ages 3 – 12 and their families
Groups: Suitable for Vacation Care, Preschool/Early Learning Centres, Playgroup, Daycare and Home School Groups, aged 3 – 8 and their supervisors

We strongly recommend all staff and visitors (12 years and older) wear masks inside The Joan.


MAGIC BEACH FREE READINGS AND COMPETITIONS

To celebrate Magic Beach coming to Penrith, The Joan and Penrith City Library have teamed up to bring you a free reading of Alison Lester’s beloved picture book prior to the midday performance each day. The reading will be followed by a prize draw of our Alison Lester Book Search Competition. In addition, we have also created two fantastic competitions. Enter for your chance to be in the draw to win some magical prizes! Scroll down to the ‘Bonus Fun’ section to find out more.

Cast & Creatives

Alison Lester / Book Author and Adaptation Consultant

Finegan Kruckemeyer / Playwright and Adaptor

Liesel Badorrek / Director

Isla Shaw / Set, Costume and Puppet Designer

Gail Priest / Composer and Sound Designer

Nicholas Higgins / Lighting Designer

Kate Betcher / Sally

Jade Fuda / Lucy

Alex Packard / Danny

Sharna Galvin / Company Stage Manager

Adrienne Patterson / Assistant Stage Manager

James D Morgan / Production Stills

12 Apr 2021 12:00 pm

12 Apr 2021 6:00 pm

13 Apr 2021 10:00 am

13 Apr 2021 12:00 pm

13 Apr 2021 2:00 pm

Vacation Care and Childcare Centre Bookings and Resources

Vacation Care, Childcare Centre and Home School Group Performances
Magic Beach is recommended for Vacation Care, Preschool/Early Learning Centres, Playgroup, Daycare and Home School Groups, aged 3 – 12 and their supervisors. The performances include:

Monday 12 April at 12pm and 6pm
Tuesday 13 April at 10am, 12pm and 2pm

Duration
55 minutes (No interval plus 15 minute Q&A following the performance on Monday 12 April at 12pm)

Booking Form
To book this production for your Vacation Care, Preschool/Early Learning Centres, Playgroup, Daycare or Home School Group, please click here and complete our School Holidays Booking Form.

Enquiries
To discuss your groups booking further, please contact Box Office on (02) 4723 7600 or boxoffice@penrith.city

Vacation Care, Childcare Centre and Home School Booking Button

Bonus Fun

Magic Beach ReadingsWe are excited to announce a FREE READING of Alison Lester’s beloved picture book prior to the midday performance each day. The reading will be followed by a prize draw of our Alison Lester Book Search Competition.

Enhance your Magic Beach experience – Plan your day out and book now to see the show and the reading. Hurry, tickets are selling fast!

Dates & Times:
Monday 12 April at 11am
Tuesday 13 April at 11am

Price:
Free, bookings essential. Limited capacity – first in, best dressed!

Gallery

Extras

Alison Lester – Book Author and Adaptation Consultant

Alison Lester headshotAlison Lester AM is a bestselling Australian author and illustrator who has published over 25 children’s picture books (including Imagine and Noni the Pony) and two young adult novels.

In 2018, Alison was the first children’s author to win the Melbourne Prize for Literature. In 2005, Lester won the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Picture Book of the Year for her children’s book, Are We There Yet?: A Journey Around Australia. Alison was Australia’s Inaugural Children’s Laureate from 2011 to 2013. Alison’s books have been published worldwide and are beloved by generations of children.

Since its first publication in 1990, Magic Beach has sold over 400,000 copies and continues to sell strongly with 75,000 copies sold in the last 2 years. A true Australian classic, Magic Beach mixes imaginary worlds with everyday life, encouraging children to believe in themselves and celebrate the differences that make them special.

Alison lives on a farm in the Victorian countryside, and she tours extensively to schools across regional Australia to help students and teachers develop their own stories.


Finegan Kruckemeyer – Playwright and Adaptor

Finegan Kruckemeyer headshotAdelaide-based Finegan Kruckemeyer is one of Australia’s most critically acclaimed playwrights. His 92 commissioned plays have been performed on five continents and translated into eight languages. He has received 35 awards (at least one each year since 2002) including the 2017 Mickey Miners Lifetime Achievement Award (for services to international theatre for young audiences), the 2015 David Williamson Award for Excellence in Australian Playwrighting, and an inaugural Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship.

To date, Finegan’s plays have had seasons in: 200 international festivals; all Australian states/territories; eight US national tours; five UK national tours; and at the Sydney Opera House (six works), Scotland’s Imaginate Festival (four works), New York’s Lincoln Center for the Arts (three works), DC’s Kennedy Center for the Arts (three works), Ireland’s Abbey Theatre (two works) and Shanghai’s Malan Flower Theatre (two works).

A COVID-19 Safety Message

We're COVID Safe imageThe Joan is a registered COVID Safe venue and is following strict NSW Government guidelines and expert public health advice. Your health and safety is our priority.

Please click here to view our full COVID Safe Plan and our new ticketing Terms and Conditions.

Please note safety measures may change. We regularly update our processes based on the latest government advice.

In accordance with the recent update to NSW Health regulations, The Joan is operating at 100% capacity from 29 March 2021.

There will be no vacant seats between bookings in seated indoor venues for all events at The Joan from 29 March 2021.

It is the responsibility of every individual to help stop the spread of COVID-19. If you have experienced cold or flu-like symptoms in the last 14 days, have a temperature and/or been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, it is our right to refuse you entry into our venue. The health and safety of our patrons and staff is extremely important to us. Please contact us before your event if any of the above applies to you.

We strongly recommend all staff and visitors (12 years and older) wear masks inside The Joan.

For more information on how you can help us keep our community safe, please click here.

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