2025 Youth and Education Program

A Belloo Creative production. Produced by Performing Lines

A true-life testimony to people, power, and persistence. 

Priya and Nades left war-torn Sri Lanka and found each other in regional Queensland. They married, had two daughters, worked hard and settled into a simple but happy country life. The community welcomed them with open arms — but four years later came a knock at the door and they were ripped away in a dawn raid. Their story could have ended there, but a brave band of Biloela women weren’t giving up on them so easily.

Fighting alongside the young refugee family, they launched a grassroots, people-powered campaign that galvanised hundreds of thousands of ordinary Australians to demand the family be brought back to Bilo. This is the remarkable true account of one family’s ordeal in the nightmare limbo of immigration detention, a story of how love is stronger than fear, and of how persistence and togetherness can win against crushing odds.

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Venue

Bille Brown Theatre, Queensland Theatre

Year Levels

10-12

Style/Form

Theatre, Integrated Technology, Music

Senior Units

Drama – Unit 1: Share, Unit 2: Reflect, Unit 3: Challenge

Drama in Practice – Unit option B: Community, Unit option C: Contemporary

Arts in Practice – Unit option A: Issues, Unit option D: Showcase 

Themes

Community, Refugee experience, Resilience

Presented by Brisbane Festival and Queensland Theatre

By Francis Greenslade

The Platypus is a strange creature. It’s composed of odds and ends, as though evolution got tired one afternoon and stopped paying attention to what it was doing. It seems wrong, strangely put together, a curiosity — just like this play about the messy end of a relationship.

Written and directed by well-known actor Francis Greenslade (Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell, Winners and Losers) and performed by John Leary (The Good Place, Glitch, The Letdown, Upper Middle Bogan) and Rebecca Bower (The Spooky Files, Offspring, Wentworth), The Platypus is a genre-busting delight — an outrageously clever, wildly entertaining play about theatre, relationships, and the roles we all play. Says Francis, "There's a bit of Shakespeare, a bit of Oscar Wilde and even some Sondheim-inspired musical theatre... It reflects the struggles of a very recognisable family, with plenty of easter eggs for theatre nerds thrown in."

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Venue 

Cremorne Theatre - QPAC

Year Levels 

11-12

Style/Form 

Physical Theatre, Dark Comedy

Senior Units

Drama – Unit 1: Share, Unit 2: Reflect, Unit 3: Challenge

Drama in Practice – Unit option C: Contemporary

Arts in Practice – Unit option A: Issues, Unit option D: Showcase

Themes

Relationships, Family, Marriage

Warnings

Smoking on stage, Adult themes, Coarse language.

Presented by Brisbane Festival in association with Queensland Performing Arts Centre

By Joshua Hinton

Woven from the threads of a sweeping family epic, A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen (or How to Make the Perfect One-Pot Chicken Curry) is charming, funny, and moving. 

Theatre-maker and singer-songwriter Joshua Hinton fills the theatre with music, memories, and exotic smells as he attempts to make his grandmother’s chicken curry, live on stage. Sharing childhood memories and family folklore passed down through generations, Joshua transports the audience from the backstreets of Sri Lanka to a bustling city in India, from a schoolyard in Iran to a South African farm, and from his family's iconic Brisbane restaurant to his home in Wollongong. It’s a show for anyone who’s searched for where they belong in this world, lived between different cultures, or loved and lost family.

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Venue 

Cremorne Theatre - QPAC

Year Levels

10-12 

Style/Form 

Theatre, Storytelling, Monologue

Senior Units 

Drama – Unit 1: Share, Unit 2: Reflect, Unit 3: Challenge

Drama in Practice – Unit option B: Community, Unit option C: Contemporary

Arts in Practice – Unit option A: Issues, Unit option D: Showcase 

Themes

Memories, Family, Culture

Presented by Brisbane Festival in association with Queensland Performing Arts Centre

By Leah Shelton. Directed by Ursula Martinez

Hysterical, hormonal, deluded, irrational... Throughout history, women have been silenced, sidelined, and pathologised by a simple label: "crazy". 

BATSHIT is a wildly theatrical, darkly comic, and deeply intimate reckoning with the myths and misconceptions of female madness. Fresh from an award-winning run at Edinburgh Fringe, the renegade feminist, guttural, and Prozac-laden dark comedy returns to Brisbane Festival. A requiem for the creator’s grandmother Gwen, who was incarcerated for seeking independence in 1960s Australia, BATSHIT draws on personal stories, in-depth research, and pop culture to unpack how psychiatry has been shaped by gender bias. Created by psycho-siren Leah Shelton (AU) and directed by Olivier award-winning Ursula Martinez (UK), this one-woman tour de force tears apart the labels used to control and undermine women through razor-sharp wit, raw storytelling, and unflinching performance.

“Moving and thought-provoking visual theatre that’s also terrific fun” — ★★★★★ The Age

"Tells a deeply political truth about the pathologising of female pain with unflinching courage and intelligence" — ★★★★ The Scotsman"

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Venue

Powerhouse Theatre - Brisbane Powerhouse

Year Levels

11-12

Style/Form

Theatre, Autobiographical, Cabaret

Senior Units

Drama – Unit 1: Share, Unit 2: Reflect, Unit 3: Challenge

Drama in Practice – Unit option C: Contemporary 

Arts in Practice – Unit option A: Issues, Unit option D: Showcase

Themes

Feminism, Mental Health, Stigma

Warnings

Haze machine, Coarse language, Smoke machine, Sound pressure effects (loud noises), Strobe effects, Sexual references.

Presented by Brisbane Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse, Leah Shelton & Quiet RIOT

By L.A. Dance Project. Choreography by Benjamin Millepied

A landmark Australian exclusive and world premiere, Gems by Benjamin Millepied (Black Swan), is presented in its entirety for the very first time at Brisbane Festival.

This bold contemporary ballet trilogy by L.A. Dance Project, in collaboration with Van Cleef & Arpels, reimagines the spirit of George Balanchine’s revolutionary Jewels through a modern lens. Since 1896, Van Cleef & Arpels has maintained close ties with dance, inspiring many creations. A pivotal partnership between Claude Arpels and George Balanchine led to the masterpiece Jewels in 1967. Forty-five years later, Van Cleef & Arpels CEO Nicolas Bos and Millepied envisioned a new contemporary ballet continuing Jewels' legacy. This led to Millepied’s trilogy, Gems. Each chapter, Reflections, Hearts & Arrows, and On the Other Side, serves as a contemporary counterpoint to Balanchine’s Rubies, Emeralds, and Diamonds. Together, they form a dazzling triptych of distinct works, each chapter is inspired by the brilliance and character of its namesake gem.

The first chapter of Gems, Reflections, premiered in 2013 and was conceived as a true artistic collaboration, not only between choreographer Benjamin Millepied, composer David Lang, and artist Barbara Kruger, but also between Millepied and the dancers of L.A. Dance Project. Reflections is the contemporary counterpoint to Balanchine’s Rubies. The stark essentiality of Kruger's artwork captures the sensuality and ephemeral feelings of longing and desire that run through all of Millepied's work. David Lang's minimal score for piano solo is a unique selection from This Was Written by Hand/Memory Pieces, carefully chosen by Millepied and Kruger during the collaborative workshop process in Los Angeles, now performed in Brisbane by pianist Yanfeng (Tony) Bai from Trio Azura.

Hearts & Arrows premiered in 2014. Millepied has described this trilogy of ballets as “an emotional journey” with “a strong and hopeful sense of lasting love and community amidst the uncertainty in which we live.” Hearts & Arrows is inspired by diamonds and the idea of light and serves as a contemporary counterpoint to Balanchine’s Diamonds. The dancers in this act will be accompanied by Camerata — Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra. Choreographed by Benjamin Millepied with visual concept by Liam Gillick and music from composer Philip Glass, The New York Times described the work as “a propulsive, kinetic stream of movement...[that] offers a glowing display of Mr. Millepied’s craftsmanship — the way he keeps his eight dancers constantly moving through asymmetrical and contrapuntal patterns...Everything is unexpected, everything feels serendipitously right.

Set to a suite of piano études by Philip Glass, with jewel-toned velvet costumes by designer Alessandro Sartori and a remarkable set by Los Angeles artist Mark Bradford, On the Other Side features eight dancers who ebb and flow naturally between ensemble dancing, pas de deux, solos, and groups of three or four. This sustains choreographer Benjamin Millepied’s high lyricism and emotional momentum through the ballet’s pensive conclusion, once again joined by pianist Yanfeng (Tony) Bai. On the Other Side is the contemporary counterpoint to Balanchine’s Emeralds.

Now, twelve years since the project began, the entire Gems trilogy is presented together for the first time. This groundbreaking dance event celebrates the unity of dance, music, and visual art.

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Venue

Playhouse - QPAC

Year Levels

10-12

Style/Form

Contemporary Dance, Ballet

Senior Units

Dance – Unit 1: Moving bodies

Dance in Practice – Unit option B: Industry, Unit option D: Showcase

Arts in Practice: Unit option D: Showcase

Themes

Desire, Love, Community

Presented by Brisbane Festival in association with the Queensland Performing Arts Centre

By Australasian Dance Collective and Club Guy & Roni and Studio Boris Acket

Brisbane Festival exclusive, Bad Nature, combines awe-inspiring movement, multisensory design, international collaboration, couture, and more to push the boundaries of perception.

Australasian Dance Collective (ADC) and the Netherlands’ Club Guy & Roni (CGR) bring together an international team of celebrated creatives, including multidisciplinary artists Boris Acket, Maison the Faux, and HIIIT, in this epic world premiere that looks unflinchingly at our relationship to our environment and to one another.

The thrilling dance project, led by ADC Artistic Director Amy Hollingsworth and Associate Artistic Director Jack Lister alongside Guy Weizman and Roni Haver of CGR, will see an extraordinary ensemble of 12 dancers — six from ADC and six from CGR — perform alongside two HIIIT musicians and an independent Australian percussionist.

World-renowned Dutch designer Boris Acket creates the synthetic world of Bad Nature, with transformative environments that blend sound, light, and kinetic sculptures to mimic the natural world. These hypnotic installations morph and mutate throughout the performance, heightening the sense of change and volatility in a striking portrayal of our world, serving as both a canvas and a container for the performers. The costumes of the 12 performers have been designed by fashion house Maison the Faux.

Bad Nature is a production of great scale and ambition, reflecting the best and worst of humanity. Confronting and tender, this unmissable work is rich with allegories of control, love, destruction, and ultimately, hope.

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Venue

Powerhouse Theatre - Brisbane Powerhouse

Year Levels

11-12

Style/Form

Contemporary dance, Installation

Senior Units

Dance - Unit 1: Moving bodies, Unit 2: Moving through environments, Unit 3: Moving statements Unit 4: Moving my way

Dance in Practice – Unit option B: Industry, Unit option D: Technology

Art in Practice – Unit option A: Issues, Unit option D: Showcase 

Themes

Technology, Connection, Nature

Presented by Brisbane Festival and Brisbane Powerhouse

By Joshua Taliani

Unveiling Shadows is a profound exploration of survival, self-discovery, healing, and culture. 

Woven through intimate storytelling and the language of movement, Joshua Taliani boldly confronts inner demons, revealing the layers of silent struggles.

Joshua is a First Nations (Bidjara/Kullali/Wakka Wakka) Italian Artist and Performer. His signature style is heavy on open choreography, infused with the art form of vogue (a part of the Ballroom culture). Working across genres, from street dance to dance theatre, Joshua’s practice is grounded in hip-hop, with experience that includes contemporary dance. 

Joshua is also the Father of the trailblazing House of Alexander — a leader in the queer BIPOC community which continues the legacy of Harlem’s Ballroom culture of creating space for, and helping to nurture, Trans and queer BIPOC.

Seamlessly blending the intricate web of trauma, silence, and the spectre of self-destruction with the power of artistic storytelling, Joshua’s debut solo work illuminates the often-unspoken challenges within the human psyche. Unravelling the intricate tapestry of life and memory, viewers are taken on a compelling yet haunting life journey through Joshua’s personal experiences and transformations.

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Venue

Metro Arts

Year Levels 

11-12

Style/Form 

Dance, Theatre, Vogue

Senior Units

Dance – Unit 3: Moving statements, Unit 4: Moving my way

Dance in Practice – Unit option B: Industry

Art in Practice – Unit option A: Issues, Unit option D: Showcase 

Themes

First Nations, LGBTQIA+, Identity

Warnings

Haze machine, Sexual references, Strobe effects, Adult themes.

Presented by Brisbane Festival and Metro Arts

By Stephanie Lake Company

Pulsing with energy and sensuality, The Chronicles explores the cycles of life and the inevitability of change.

Twelve of the country’s top contemporary dancers meet a masterful electro-acoustic score by Robin Fox, which blends driving rhythms with the stirring, ethereal sounds of a children’s choir and a solo baritone singing live on stage.

The hourglass runs until spent; across the sands of time, we each have the opportunity to become the best and worst versions of ourselves. The ecstatic energy of the twelve shows us the extremes of manifestation, strife, renewal, and cessation. 

Stephanie Lake is one of Australia’s most prolific visionaries of contemporary dance. She is a multi-award-winning choreographer, dancer, and artistic director of Stephanie Lake Company (Colossus, Manifesto). Lake’s choreography — her signature blend of explosive dynamism and poetic introspection — navigates the cycles of life in The Chronicles with tenderness and power.

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Venue

Thomas Dixon Centre

Year Levels 

8-12

Style/Form 

Contemporary dance, Multi-Artform

Senior Units

Dance - Unit 1: Moving bodies, Unit 3: Moving Statements, Unit 4: Moving my way

Dance in Practice – Unit option B: Industry

Art in Practice – Unit option A: Issues, Unit option D: Showcase 

Themes

Lifecycles, Change, Transformation

Warnings

Haze machine

Presented by Brisbane Festival

Co-created by Sprung Dance Theatre

You might think bleachers are just for sitting on, but this is our playground, and we make the rules.

Stories of loneliness and togetherness sit side by side in this new disability-led dance-theatre work by Sprung Ensemble, a collective of ten d/Deaf and disabled artists from Bundjalung Country in Northern NSW.

Rooted in the artists’ lived experiences, BLEACHERS delves into stories of isolation, connection, relationships, and belonging. Drawing from regional showgrounds and communal spaces, the work explores the human desire to be part of something — to sit together, be together, and understand one another. A custom-built bleachers set piece is at the heart of the performance — a space for interaction, storytelling, and movement. The artists perform on, around, and through this central structure, reshaping it in real time to explore the tension between separation and connection. The bleachers become a powerful symbol for how we come together and how we remain apart, sparking conversations about inclusion and belonging.

“It’s simple, we sit next to each other. We feel life together. We show up for each other in the ups and the downs. We come as we are and all that we bring. We are gentle, and we listen."

With embedded access including Auslan, captions, and relaxed performances, BLEACHERS ensures that diverse audiences are welcomed and engaged. BLEACHERS is more than a show — it's a conversation about who we are, how we connect, and how we can create spaces where everyone belongs.

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Venue

Bille Brown Theatre - Queensland Theatre

Year Levels 

10-12

Style/Form 

Dance, Physical Theatre

Senior Units

Dance – Unit 1: Moving Bodies, Unit 2: Moving through environments, Unit 3: Moving statements, Unit 4: Moving My Way

Dance in Practice – Unit option B: Industry, Unit option D: Technology 

Art in Practice – Unit option A: Issues, Unit option D: Showcase

Themes

Relationships, Belonging, Disability

Warnings

Sexual references

Presented by Brisbane Festival and Undercover Artist Festival 

By Stephen Page

In his first major commission since leaving Bangarra Dance Theatre, creative visionary Stephen Page brings his contemporary ceremony, Baleen Moondjan, to his hometown.

Inspired by a story from Stephen’s grandmother from the Ngugi/Nunukul/Moondjan people of Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island), Baleen Moondjan celebrates the First Nations’ relationships between baleen whales and Communities’ totemic systems. The signature elements that have defined Stephen’s career are all present in this work with dramatic storytelling, striking choreography, and haunting live music integrated into an epic visual world from Jacob Nash. Set amongst giant whale bones floating on the Brisbane River, Baleen Moondjan tells the story of a proud Elder, a curious granddaughter, generational legacies, and the day a baleen whale comes close to shore. 

Stephen combines contemporary dance and narrative storytelling with songs in English, Jandai, and Gumbaynggirr/Yaegl as he conjures up the elements of theatre in a dynamic outdoor setting. His long-term collaborators — designer Jacob Nash, co-writer Alana Valentine, composer Steve Francis, costume designer Jennifer Irwin, and lighting designer Damien Cooper — help bring this vision to life. 

Visually spectacular and beautifully told, Baleen Moondjan is a celebration of our First Nations’ stories and Culture, the bonds between humans and animals, and the sacred resilience of Country.

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Venue

TBA

Year Levels 

5-12

Style/Form 

Dance, Music, Installation

Senior Units

Dance – Unit 1: Moving Bodies, Unit 2: Moving through environments, Unit 3: Moving statements

Dance in Practice – Unit option B: Industry

Art in Practice – Unit option A: Issues, Unit option D: Showcase

Themes

First Nations, Culture, Resilience

Presented by Brisbane Festival