Love Monkey Baa Theatre

Love Monkey Baa Theatre.

Did you hear that?

Love the talented trio – Directors Eva DiCesare, Tim McGarry and Sandra Eldridge.

Love the whole team of Monkey Baa lead by the GM Penny Watts and the International Theatre Manager Vicki Middleton.

Vicki is presenting I AM JACK at the IPAC showcase in Philidelphia in January 2013.

Monkey Baa’s ‘Hitler’s Daughter’ by Jackie French will be touring the USA February -April 2013 – a moving production.

THANKYOU to the Monkey Baa Directors who adapted my I AM JACK into an outstanding play which will be having another season March 2013 at the Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre.

THANKYOU to the Monkey Baa Directors for their reading of the film script “I AM JACK’ which amalgamates my three JACK books – they were amazing and brought me to tears.

LOVE YOU ALL.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

Room to Read endorses I AM JACK www.roomtoread.org

Innovative, extraordinary, fabulous, exciting – what am I talking about?

READING, READING, READING!!!!!!

The National Year of Reading 2012 has taken author ambassadors all over this beautiful country

- from the outback to the capital cities.

It has brought my much loved writing organisations together as they celebrate the power of reading to open the way to personal fulfillment, community, literacy and fun and love.

Partners include:-

SCBWI – www.scbwi.org

Room to Read – www.roomtoread.org

Monkey Baa Theatre – www.monkeybaa.com.au

Books in Homes – www.biha.org

and more

As one of the ambassadors, I have had the privilege of

-speaking to 1000s of kids, teachers, librarians, parents, grandparents

- bringing the message of NO to School bullying through ‘I Am Jack’ from the ocean to the desert

- sharing my refugee background through the joy of  finding home in ‘Ships in the Field’

Having so many adventures and I’m going to shed a tear on 12th November when I go to Canberra to farewell this extrordinary year of reading.

THANKYOU to the wonderful librarians of Australia for a remarkable year.

ww.love2read.org

I left Sydney at 4 am in the dark to get to Barrington Public School on the North Coast.  Nearly fell asleep at the wheel. Not good.  However I did make it, otherwise I wouldn’t be blogging now. Ha!

Nestled in the foothills on Barrington Tops, is the quaint village of Gloucestor. I stopped off at the bakery with the locals and enjoyed a cappuccino and sweet bun with the local tradies.

A little further through fields of cattle and rolling hills is the tiny village of Barrington .

I had the delight of speaking to the kids of Barrington Public School. Quite of a few of the kids had seen Monkey Baa Theatre’s production of ‘I AM JACK’ at the Newcastle Civic Theatre. They thought the actor Tim McGarry was fabulous. That’s true.  He does 11 characters in a one man show. He’s brilliant.

Thankyou to the welcoming librarian Leanne Simes and the school.

Then I spoke to beautiful kids from kindergarten to year 12 at Gloucester Public School. We had such a good time. I loved the kids and that beautiful school.

TODAY TONIGHT Channel 7 TV – took us on a fabulous day with the charming James Thomas TT reporter.

We had the best head massage ever from BLOW DRY BAR at the top of Kings Cross

A glorious sparkling day overlooking our harbour

Crab and salmon cooked to perfection from MANTA at Finger Wharf

Champagne, champagne and champagne

Shopping at Tiffany’s, DIOR, Bvulgari ….. with funny, fast, fantastic over 50s gals embracing life

Julie Schoneveld from Marketingeye travelling the world, bringing Tourism Thailand to Sydney – LOVE Thailand

Annette Guerry – committed to COURAGE TO CARE – promoting peace through Holocaust survivors

Me – just back from the IBBY Congress LONDON where I spoke about ‘Ships in the Field’ my beautiful new picture about everyone having the right to home.

AND totally excited that I AM JACK is published  in the US by Kane Miller

AND MonkeyBaa Theatre’s adaptation of JACK which  will tour the USA from Florida to Alaska

AND and guess who’s going with the brilliant actor Tim McGarry and the wonderful production manager Sam Johnson on the tour of the USA with I Am Jack?

- ME.

Watch our for the feature film coming- I AM JACK – (includes all my JACK books) and in the Billy Elliot genre. Can’t wait!

It’s hard to get to 50 and beyond but if you can get there, work out divorce, caring for families, work and suddenly find you’re free to pursue your dreams – what a trip!

Monkey Baa Theatre’s I AM JACK is back:-Starring the brilliant TIM MCGARRY

ONLY 10 shows – so it’s first in – love you to come along

Booking:-

2013 School Season :11–15 March 

At Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre 

Terrace 3/1-25 Harbour Street 

Sydney NSW 2000

 Tel: (02) 8624 9341 Fax: (02) 8209 4977

email: [email protected] 

www.monkeybaa.com.au

I’m flying back from the USA Convention where I launched ‘I AM JACK’ in the USA, to celebrate and network a the fabulous, fantastic, favourite – SCBWI Australia & New Zealand Conference in Sydney.

It’s going to be amazing with:-

- the best illustrator showcase ever with the best and brightest

- the best publishers and top agents

- amazing authors and illustrators

- NSW Writers Centre Kids and YA Literature Festival

-pitching and partying

and Meredith Costain author extraordinaire at the baby grand on Saturday night- bring allow your best singing

It’s a conferences of STARS – delegates and speakers !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Partner of National year of Reading – NSW Writers Centre and SCBWI with ambassadors of National year of Reading 2012 – Hazel Edwards, Deborah Abela, Frane Lessac, libby Gleeson, Christopher Cheng and Susanne Gervay.

I LOVE MonkeyBaa Theatre.

Tim MacGarry, Sandra Eldridge and Eva Di Cesare, the Directors of Monkey Baa Theatre are creative, passionate and have done a brilliant job adapting Australian children’s lietrature for the stage.

Their adaptation of Jackie French’s ‘Hitler’s Daughter’ will be touring North America next year.

Next year opens with Tim Winton’s Bugalugs – it’s booked across Australia.

However the piece de la resistance is the adaptation of Duncan Ball’s ‘Emily Eyefinger – it was magic – the comedy, the digital support and animation enhancing the talented actors. Of course Tim McGarry (who plays my JACK in ‘I AM JACK’) was the star to me – he was hilarious.  They were all great and played to full houses.

The Christmas party was fun with cast members, production manager Sam Johnston (who did I AM JACK – love Sam), the Monkey Baa team. board members and of course … actors. Love them all.

J

We are in script development and loving it – had a great session today over red wine, crisps and I Am Jack.

The Alannah & Madeline Foundation keeps children safe from violence and is successful against school bullying.

The Alannah & Madeline Foundation endorses ‘I Am Jack’ as significant in creating safe schools – NO TO SCHOOL BULLYING!

The brilliant Monkey Baa Theatre will be performing “I AM  JACK’ 7 p.m. 4th November at the Seymour – tickets $30 with all proceeds going to The Alannah & Madeline Foundation.

I’ll be there – please say hello to me – and to the actors. Tim McGarry the iconic JACK is mingling.

Bookings: – [email protected]

Love from Susanne

Yianni Johns is the ABC Radio Central Coast,  Arts presenter, an artist and a fellow Australia Day Ambassador  which we both LOVE!

We had fun this afternoon in the fishbowl in Erina – the glass window is exposed to shoppers and passer-bys – so everyone sees you.  Scott Levi is a great interviewer and has a great banter with Yianni.

Chatted about MonkeyBaa Theatre’s ‘I AM JACK’ at the Seymour and invited everyone across Australia to support the charity performance of ‘I Am Jack’ for The Alannah & Madeline Foundation, keeping children safe from violence – 7 p.m. 4th November at Seymour [email protected].

As Breast Cancer Month comes to a close, it was fitting to talk about ‘Always Jack’ which is endorsed by the Cancer Council – making it safe for kids, parents and community to talk about cancer and celebrate life.

Book at:-

[email protected]

Susanne Gervay’s

I AM JACK

7pm, Friday 4 November, 2011

Reginald Theatre, Seymour Centre

BOOKING FORM

Name  _____________________________________________________________________

Tickets available:-

Address ____________________________________________________________________

Telephone (bus) _______________________           (mob) _____________________________

Email ______________________________________________________________________

PAYMENT

I have enclosed cash / cheque / money order payable to Monkey Baa for the total of $_______

or please charge my credit card – visa/mastercard (please circle)

Card No:  ________________________________________ exp date ___________________

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Please mail this form toPO Box553, Broadway 2007 or via fax:  (02) 9036 7037

* tickets will be available for collection at the door.

Susanne Gervay's I AM JACK with Tim McGarry, Monkey Baa Theatre, Seymour Centre

Monkey Baa Theatre’s I Am Jack’  just returned from the Ipswich Festival of Children’s Literature where it was the feature event, performed to 1000′s of young people and adults.

Tim McGarry performs the 11 characters in a brilliant one man show.

JACK’s having a return season at the Seymour 24th October to 4th November.

From: Adam Kronenberg – Artistic Director Outback Theatre for Young People

In the finest tradition of the one person show Tim McGarry gave a stunningly good performance. It was like watching Billy Crystal for school kids: terrific range of characters, excellent direction, simple in terms of no need for pyrotechnics and yet so sophisticated in terms of requiring the audience to invest a great deal of belief and understanding of the theatrical devise of the one person show.  

Contact: Monkey Baa Theatre

Bookings: [email protected]

PH 02 9351 7938

FAX 02 9036 7037
www.monkeybaa.com.au

My Book Week has become book months – from 1 August to end September.

Robert Townson Public School is set among fields on the outskirts of Sydney.

Hundreds of great kids poured into the school hall where we cheered ‘I Am Jack’ & NO SCHOOL BULLYING.

I spoke at St Brendan’s School too. The kids and teacher was so responsive. There were special moments with great comments and questions.

I especially loved Jordan’s comments that ‘We need to be survivors, not victims because then we can be everything we can be.’

Tim McGarry has come straight out of performing Duncan Ball’s ‘Emily Eyefinger’ to the Ipswich Festival of Children’s Literature.

Hundreds of kids poured into the quasi-theatre at Woodlands. They were spellbound at times, laughing at other times and ethusiastically applauding.

 I loved the kids and teacher librarians and teachers from Bethany School, Hattonvale State School, Jundalee State School Fervale, WMAC and IESS – all fabulous!

Crowds of kids and teachers wandered around the Ipswich Festival at Woodlands. Loved the art stalls with the workk of talented illustrator Lachlan Creogh and upcoming ilustrator Christian Bocquee.

Post talks, authors & illustrators are loving the community of children’s writers and hang out at Woodlands -Christopher Cheng, mark Wilson, Kerry Borwn and Gus Gordon

What should welcome me, but a real live PONTO – created by the wonderful school librarian Ian McLean at Penrith Public School.

What is a PONTO?

It’s Jack’s experiment of joining a potato and an onion.

Kids and teachers piled into the school hall excited about JACK – they LOVE his jokes, photos and experiments especially his potato-onion.

                                                                                                           It’s growing thanks to Ian!!!!!!