Blue Roo performances and activities assist the performers through an action learning process to learn performing arts skills. The performers learn acting techniques, stagecraft, chorus work, voice, singing, movement, dance, and different performance styles: melodrama, devised, audience participation, narrative, comedy, physical, visual and digital theatre.
The performers learn to understand their relationship with other actors on the stage, with the audience and how these relationships fit the story to enrich performance. They engage in processes that support their ability to undertake improvisation and ensemble work.
Through gaining knowledge and understanding of these performance skills and feedback provided in each drama session, the performers achieve the required ability to present themselves in public performances in high-profile theatres and other spaces.
We measure our work through Culture Counts evaluations, organisational evaluations and feedback from our stakeholders, peers and the performers themselves.
The Full Performance
Once a year, Blue Roo has a main house performance in Brisbane in the last quarter of the year. Each live performance is filmed and archived digitally. Being a community engagement activity, practice is long-term. We recognise the learning abilities of the performers and structure a process that supports this learning.
It is important to note that Blue Roo has a reciprocal partnership with the Queensland Performing Arts Centre of shared significance. Blue Roo collaborates with leading Queensland artists and musicians through this and similar collaborations.
Melodrama Ensemble
Melodrama is a style of theatre that was prominent in the Victorian era. It uses exaggeration and stereotyped characters to appeal to the audience’s emotions.
This style of theatre is all about comedy and fun.
Digital Productions and Visual Podcasts
In 2019 with the health and performance disruptions of COVID, Blue Roo pivoted to a hybrid model of live and digital productions. Our productions are now devised to move between the stage and the digital world, as COVID allows. My Life, My Story, our first narrative digital production, was successfully premiered globally via YouTube in July 2021.
All Blue Roo live performances are digitally recorded and archived on our YouTube channel. The themes of our digital performances underpin the development of future stage performances, and stage performances underpin the development of new digital products.
You can view and subscribe to the Blue Roo Theatre Company You Tube Channel here or by scanning the QR code:
Commedia Dell’Arte
In the wonderful tradition of Commedia dell’Arte, Blue Roo Theatre Company brings the theatre offering steeped in the classical Italian comic style. Performed in original masks, live music and with complete mayhem the ensemble brings a touch of chaos, as Arlecchino, Isabella and Silvio, attempt to foil Pantelone’s avid greed.
It is a small-scale touring production which consists of seven performers and Blue Roo’s musical and artistic directors can be adapted on to any traditional or non- traditional playing space.
The tours respond to the wishes of the community, particularly minority demographics. The performers tour throughout Queensland delivering performances and inclusive performing arts residencies. Previous tours include, far West and Northern Queensland connecting with the inclusive regional and remote Queensland.
In 2019 the company tour visited three indigenous communities in far North Queensland – Yarrabah, Wujal Wujal and Hopevale. It performed and delivered workshops in the communities nursing homes, primary schools and community/art centres.
Artist In Residency Program
A six-month, Artist in Residency programme, which engages with students, teachers and support staff to deliver a tailored cross-curriculum programme focussed on broad-range skills development and culminating in public performances.
These residencies have been successfully undertaken at Clifford Park Special School in Toowoomba and Sunnybank Special School in Brisbane. The residencies have attracted funding from the Arts Queensland Artist in Residency programme.
The performance outcomes of these residencies have achieved excellent audience capacities, and large data public evaluation evidence of 90% considered the work excellent or good.
Each year Blue Roo delivers an Artist in Residency program at a Queensland school with students who have special/additional needs. Blue Roo’s Movement Director delivered the 2019 residency at Clifford Park Special School in Toowoomba. It is cross curriculum in approach and culminated in a public performance at a high-profile venue in Toowoomba.
In 2018, with hard work and focus the ensemble reaped a reward for perseverance and achieved one of its goals. For the first time, they performed at the Centacare 2018 Awards Day with Musical Director, Luke Scott.
bluerootheatrecompany.com 