Education & Families Series SEASON
From the TheatreDirector
Education & Families Series
I’m incredibly excited to share my very first full year of programming with you as we open the pages on our 2026 Entertainment Venues Education and Families Season. What a line-up! From the smallest theatre-goers meeting everyone’s favourite dog, Spot, for the very first time, to older students diving deep into Shakespeare’s Macbeth with Bell Shakespeare, or exploring powerful contemporary storytelling through Grimm by Shake & Stir Theatre Co, there’s something here to spark every imagination.
I’m especially thrilled to see our regional stages come alive with creativity and curiosity. Whether it’s Andy Griffith’s YOU & ME and The Land of Lost Things taking kids on a wild adventure, Erth’s Shark Dive plunging audiences into the deep, or Circa’s Wolf bringing strength and storytelling together in breathtaking physical theatre, I think you’ll be spending as much time at our performing arts venues as I will!
Our season isn’t just about watching; it’s about connecting to ideas, to community and to each other. In most cases, Teacher Resource Kits and Activity Sheets are provided once you’ve made a booking. So don’t wait - hand over your performing arts education needs to us and we’ll make it happen!
I’m genuinely looking forward to meeting this community’s young people (and their elders!) who, I have no doubt, will laugh, gasp with wonder, and dream with us throughout the year.
Here’s to a year of inspiration, imagination, transformation, and shared wonder in Tamworth’s theatres.
Roz Pappalardo Manager, Entertainment Venues Tamworth Regional Council
To Make Your School Booking
Please contact our Ticketing & Marketing Services Officer, Kirsty Rust at the Capitol Theatre via k.rust@tamworth.nsw.gov.au or complete the online Booking Form at capitoltheatretamworth.com.au/schools
You
the following
Payment
• At the time of booking, you
and payment
• An invoice
your school
when your final group
SECONDARY TERM 1
Recommendations:
Creative Arts K – 7
Dance 7 - 10
Early Stage 1- Stage 3
Learning Areas:
• Drama
• Music
• Media Arts
• Visual Arts (Design)
• English
Themes:
• Performance appreciation
• Composition and choreography
• Safe dance practice and technique
• Non-verbal expression
• Exploration of visual art elements and techniques
• Interdisciplinary links – connection with Music (composer, score), Visual Arts / Design (costume, lighting, set), English / Storytelling (theme, myth, ritual).
Price:
School Student $35.00
Resources: A education resource pack will be available.
• The Company will offer 2 Company Dancer workshops, information (location and application details) to be advised.
• Sneak Peek – Saturday 21 February, 2 – 3pm (stay tuned for detail). This fly on the wall experience offers participants access to a behind-the-scenes experience of Sydney Dance Company’s rehearsals.
• Stay for the Q and A post show
contact Kirsty Rust k.rust@tamworth.nsw.gov.au
Intricate, geometric and with enjoyable attention to detail.
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
SPELLBOUND
Where light, love, and movement collide
Sydney Dance Company returns with a triple bill of bold and captivating new works, offering Tamworth audiences an evening of extraordinary contemporary dance.
Spell, by internationally acclaimed choreographer Rafael Bonachela, explores five distinctive rituals – “spells” that merge music, light, and movement into a striking theatrical experience. Set to an evocative score ranging from Ólafur Arnalds to Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, and featuring designs by Kelsey Lee and Damien Cooper, Spell is dance at its most powerful and precise.
Inspired by the power of love stories, Love Lock, by choreographer Melanie Lane, reimagines the love song, crafting a dynamic, futuristic folk dance that reflects both the joy and complexity of love. With striking costumes by Akira Isogawa and a score by Clark, this work brims with energy and imagination.
Finally, Somewhere between ten and fourteen offers a poetic study of dusk - a luminous ode to change, transformation, and the fleeting beauty of light.
Recommended age: 12+ years
1 hour 35 minutes | Includes Interval Saturday 21 February | 7:30pm Capitol Theatre Tamworth
Presented by
By David Morton
Something long asleep has
Far beyond the outskirts of the big city, near a tiny town that nearly everyone forgot, lay a dry creek bed of no special significance.
Once upon a time it had been called Washpool Gully. But the world had moved on from insignificant things, and no one had time for dry creek beds. Except in Washpool Gully something was stirring. Shaken by the rumble of engines and darkening of the sky, something long asleep had decided to wake up.
Combining old-fashioned storytelling with contemporary puppetry and miniature sets, The Riddle of Washpool Gully is a reimagined tale of Australian mythology about the incredible creatures that might still live in the uncharted corners of our vast country.
Recommended age 6+ and their families
Recommendations: Stages K - 6 Years 7 - 12
Learning Areas: Drama, English, Art, Design, Music.
Themes:
• Contemporary Theatre including Design Led Theatre
• Visual Theatre including Object Theatre, Puppetry and Small Scale
Price:
School groups 10+
$15.00
1 teacher’s comp per 10 student bookings applies
Resources: A resource pack and a range of workshops will be available including activities focusing on visual theatre, puppet manipulation, puppet construction, shadow and object puppetry.
To book please contact Kirsty Rust k.rust@tamworth.nsw.gov.au 02 6767 5200
Dead Puppet Society’s
wake
PRIMARY / SECONDARY TERM 1
Recommendations:
English K – 10
Creative Arts K – 6 / K- 10
Learning Areas:
• English
• Creative Arts
• Personal Development and Wellbeing
• Science
• Human Society & its Environment
Themes:
• Storytelling
• Language and imagination
• Creative writing
• Drama / performance
• Visual arts (sets, costumes and illustration)
• Music and dance
• Nature and environment, sustainability
• Decision making and consequences, ethics and responsibility
Price: School groups 10+
$15.00
“
Mischief, adventure and charm for young and
old alike
ELLIE GILLETT
A delightful journey into Beatrix Potter’s magical world
1 teacher’s comp per 10 student bookings applies
Resources: An education guide and suggested activities are available via our website.
To book please contact Kirsty Rust k.rust@tamworth.nsw.gov.au 02 6767 5200
FIND OUT MORE!
Five delightful tales including Peter Rabbit, The Tailor of Gloucester and Jemima Puddle-Duck are interwoven with the fascinating life of their creator, Beatrix Potter, in this enchanting, enlightening entertainment for all ages.
The play moves back and forth from the fantasy world she created to the intriguing story of Beatrix Potter herself.
Both entertaining and educational, this play is a must for any child --or adult-who has ever fallen under the magical spell of Peter Rabbit and his many friends.
Special school matinee performances will be held on Wednesday 25 March at 11:00am and Thursday 26 March at 11:00am
Schools are invited to stay for a Q&A session following each performance.
Secondary Schools are invited to a warm up and characterisation workshop, 1010.30am, prior to each matinee.
A Sensory Friendly performance will also be offered on Thursday 26 March at 11:00am.
Recommended age 6+ and their families
60 minutes | No Interval Fri 20 March - Sat 28 March* Capitol Theatre Tamworth
Presented by
Q&A’s after each show
* Sensory Friendly ShowThursday 26 March at 11:00am
CDP Kids Production
Well… actually, lots of things. A guinea pig. A lucky rabbit’s foot. Possibly the plot! So they’re off on a wild quest through the Land of Lost Things –a world of snapping turtles, flying socks, treasure-hungry pirates, and a very anxious bull.
It’s a dangerous adventure – but with a bathtub boat, a guinea pig detector and just a little bit of luck, they might just make it home. That’s if they don’t get eaten by sharks. Or tricked by Johnny Knucklehead. Or trapped in the Lost Foot Empawrium…
The team behind the 13-, 26-, 52-, 78- and 91-Storey Treehouses brings Andy Griffiths and Bill Hope’s brilliantly bonkers book to the stage in a hilarious new theatrical adventure for children aged 6–12 and their adults.
Get ready for action, imagination, and extremely questionable navigation. And whatever you do… don’t lose your ticket!
Recommended age: 6+ and their families
Recommendations:
English K – 10
Learning Areas:
• English
• Literacy
• Drama
• Performing Arts
• Multimodal
• Media
• Wellbeing
Themes
• Narrative structure
• Imaginative storytelling
• Creating imaginative texts
• Responding to literature
• Physical theatre
• Problem solving and confidence
Price:
School groups 10+ $15.00
1 teacher’s comp per 10 student bookings applies
Resources:
A Full Teacher Resource Kit will be available prior to the 2026 tour, via CDP Education, our online platform for Australian teachers and registered home schoolers to access our educational resources. Free registration required to access.
PRIMARY, SECONDARY TERM 2
Recommendations: K–6 & 7–10
Learning Areas:
• Visual Arts
• Human Society and Its Environment
• English
Themes:
• Making and appreciating art
• Creative expressions
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
• Interpreting and responding to texts
Price: Free Entry
Resources:
Joblink Plus will be offering interactive and hands on workshops, artists talks and more. Reach out to Joblink Plus, events@joblinkplus.com. au for more information. To
A
The Joblink Plus First Nations Art Competition is back for 2026, and this year it’s bigger than ever, taking pride of place at the iconic Tamworth Town Hall.
First held in 2017 with just 36 works in a shopfront window, the competition has grown into a much-loved state-wide event. In 2024, almost 300 artworks from 159 artists were showcased, and 2026 promises to be even larger.
Open to First Nations artists from across New South Wales and New Zealand, the exhibition features four categories: Painting & Drawing, Weaving & 3D, Youth (11–17 years), and Children (11 years and under). Every piece is for sale, with no entry fees for artists and no commissions taken, meaning sales go directly to the creators.
Celebrate culture, creativity and community at Tamworth Town Hall, and maybe take home a piece of art with a story to tell.
School groups welcome and workshop opportunities available –please email events@joblinkplus.com.au for more information and enquiries.
Recommended age: all ages
Fri 1 May | 10:00am (Opening Day) Sat 2 - Sun 10 May | 10:00am - 2pm daily
Tamworth Town Hall
CHRISTINE SHEWRY JOBLINK PLUS
Eric Hill’s beloved puppy comes to life on stage
a CDP Kids & Salspot Ltd production
Based on the books by Eric Hill
Spot is one of the most loved dogs in the world, and he’s coming to Australia!
Spot and his friends are off on a new adventure to visit Spot’s Dad on the farm and meet the farm animals. But when they arrive, all the animals are lost! Can Spot and his friends find them all? They might need a little help from their new friends in the audience…
Eric Hill’s beloved puppy comes to life on stage with puppetry, songs, and puzzles for children.
Recommended age: 18 months+ and their adults.
Wednesday 10 June | 6:00pm Thursday 11 June | 10:30am & 12:30pm Capitol Theatre Tamworth
50 minutes | No Interval
Recommendations:
• 18+ months
• Early Stage 1 / Early Childhood (Birth–5)
Learning Areas:
• Drama
• Music
• Dance
Themes:
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Cognitive / learning through play
• Music & rhythm
• Wellbeing & social skills
Price:
School groups 10+
$15.00
1 teacher’s comp per 10 student bookings applies
Resources:
A Full Teacher Resource Kit will be available prior to the 2026 tour, via CDP Education, our online platform for Australian teachers and registered home schoolers to access our educational resources. Free registration required to access.
To book please contact Kirsty Rust
Presented by
Presented by arrangement with Salspot Limited, part of Penguin Random House.
Learning Areas:
• English
• Drama
Themes:
• Literary voice
• Challenging assumptions
• Gothic theatre
• Tradition vs change
• Love lost and found
• Power and revenge
• Family and duty
• Societal expectations and influences
• Freedom and autonomy
• Poverty and riches
• Fortune vs fate
• Wonder vs realism
Price:
Resources:
TALES FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM
TALES FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM
RIMM, the latest tour de force from nationally acclaimed Shake & Stir Theatre Co beckons you into a world where fairytales are reimagined with a profound intensity. Be warned – these bedtime stories may cause nightmares…
Within darkened corridors and haunting landscapes, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and many other intriguing characters emerge from the shadows, the truth behind their stories – warts and all – boil and bubble to the surface.
From the company behind the award-winning stage spectacles –Frankenstein, Jane Eyre and A Christmas Carol – comes this bold adaption of tales from the Brothers Grimm in a bewitching theatre experience.
Adapted by Nelle Lee, directed by Daniel Evans and costumes designed by Australian fashion icon Paul McCann – expect a lavish, loud and lucid night.
Tuck yourself in…
Recommended ages: 14+ years
Warning: Contains adult themes, sexual references, simulated violence and gore, infrequent coarse language, depiction of alcohol consumption, smoke effects, strobe lighting and loud sound effects/music. Happily, ever after? Never.
SHAKE & STIR THEATRE CO, QUEENSLAND
& Stir Theatre Company's
SHAKE & STIR THEATRE CO, QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE AND BRISBANE FESTIVAL PRESENT
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler published by Macmillan Children's books
How the cat purred and how the witch grinned, As they sat on their broomstick and flew through the wind…
The witch and her cat are flying happily on their broomstick – until a stormy wind blows away the witch’s hat, bow and wand.
A helpful dog, bird and frog find the witch’s lost things, and they all hop on the broom for a ride. But this broomstick’s not meant for five and – CRACK – the broom snaps in two! When a hungry dragon appears, who will save the poor witch? And will there ever be room on the broom for everyone?
Following sell-out seasons across Australia, the team behind The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child return with songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 3 and up - and their grown-ups...
Recommended age: 3+ and their families
55 minutes | No Interval Friday 24 July 10:30am, 12:30pm & 6:00pm Capitol Theatre Tamworth
Recommendations:
Early Stage 1 / Kindergarten
Learning Areas:
• English
• Creative Arts
• Music
• Visual Arts
• Personal Development
• Health, and Physical Education
Themes:
• Storytelling and responding
• Dramatic play
• Experiment with sounds
Price:
School groups 10+
$15.00
1 teacher’s comp per 10 student bookings applies
Resources:
A Full Teacher Resource Kit will be available prior to the 2026 tour, via CDP Education, our online platform for Australian teachers and registered homeschoolers to access our educational resources. Free registration required to access.
To book please contact Kirsty Rust k.rust@tamworth.nsw.gov.au 02 6767 5200
SECONDARY TERM 3
Recommendations:
English and Drama K - 10
Stage 6 English / Advanced English
Learning Areas:
• English
• Drama
Themes:
• Character study
• Language & rhetoric
• Performance analysis
• Contextual study
• Critical thinking
Price:
School Student $39.50
Resources:
A education resource pack will be available.
To book please contact Kirsty Rust k.rust@tamworth.nsw.gov.au 02 6767 5200
Bell Shakespeare’s
Macbeth
By William Shakespeare Director Peter Evans
Shakespeare’s most haunting thriller
Following a bloody battle, Macbeth and his comrade Banquo are met by three Weird Sisters who prophesy Macbeth will one day be king.
Unable to shake the thought, Macbeth tells his wife, Lady Macbeth. Driven by an insatiable hunger for power, posterity and certainty, they commit a murder and set in motion the unravelling of their sanity. With blood on their hands, they face the dire consequences of their despicable actions.
A terrifying portrayal of moral collapse, Peter Evans’ Macbeth, with Anthony Taufa in the title role, will take you on an intense journey into the dark heart of humanity.
Recommended Age: 14+ years
2 hours 20 minutes | Includes Interval Saturday 26 September | 7:30pm Capitol Theatre Tamworth
A jaw-dropping adventure the whole family can enjoy – a breathtaking blend of theatre and puppetry, Erth’s Shark Dive brings the ocean’s giants to life before your eyes.
ROSS
Erth Visual & Physical Inc. production
School Holiday Fun
LIVE ON STAGE
Plunge into the dark depths of the sea with Erth’s Shark Dive, a powerful theatrical experience that will transform how you see sharks and the oceans they call home.
This spectacular stage show brings you face to face with Australia’s iconic sharks and a fascinating cast of marine life, from ancient ocean dwellers to present-day species.
Replace your fear of these awesome beasts with respect and wonder, as you explore the crucial role sharks play in the delicate balance of marine ecosystems.
PRIMARY AND EARLY SECONDARY OCTOBER SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
Recommendations:
Stage 3 and 4
Learning Areas:
• Science
• English
• Creative Arts – Drama
• Geography
• Personal & Social Capability
Themes:
• Science & geography
• English & literacy
• Creative arts
• Critical thinking & wellbeing
Price:
School groups 10+ $15.00
1 teacher’s comp per 10 student bookings applies
Through exquisite puppetry and transformative staging, Erth’s Shark Dive will challenge you to rethink this apex predator, respect the ocean, and leave with a renewed sense of empathy and responsibility for protecting our shared world.
Recommended age: 5+ years and their families
50 minutes | No Interval Tues 6 October | 6:00pm Wed 7 October | 10:30am, 12:30pm, 6:00pm Capitol Theatre Tamworth Brave the deep. Discover connection.
Resources: A resource pack and a range of workshops will be available. To book please contact Kirsty Rust k.rust@tamworth.nsw.gov.au 02 6767 5200
SECONDARY
TERM 4
Recommendations:
Stages 5 - 6 / Years 7 - 12
Learning Areas:
• Drama
• Dance
• English
• Wellbeing
• Philosophy / Ethics
Themes:
• Identity and belonging
• Instinct and emotion
• Community and isolation
• Movement as storytelling
• Sound and design
Price: School Student $35.00
Resources: A education resource pack will be available featuring a range of workshops lead by Circa’s Touring Directors.
by Circa
Created by Yaron Lifschitz with the Circa Ensemble Produced by Circa and Chamäleon Berlin Co-produced by La
The world is going to the dogs. Be a wolf.
Wolf A gasp-inducing acrobatic thrill ride.
Clad in designer Libby McDonnell's form-hugging costumes and set to DJ Ori Lichtik's relentless primal rhythms, the cast of ten extraordinary Circa artists grasp, tear, climb, leap and balance with fierce abandon.
To book please contact Kirsty Rust k.rust@tamworth.nsw.gov.au 02 6767 5200
For Director Yaron Lifschitz, the wolf is a symbol of our untameable selves: liberating, anarchic and savage. In two contrasting acts, the wolves evolve from disruptive forces of chaos into a ferocious pack whose intense choreographies overflow with raw energy and astounding physicality.
Wolf is circus with fangs. Join the pack.
Recommended ages: 12+ years
1 hour 40 minutes | Includes Interval Wednesday 14 October | 7:30pm
Presented by
Comète.
They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky!
The world’s favourite gothic family takes to the stage in The Addams Family Musical.
Each year, Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester, Grandma and Lurch gather with the ancestors in the family graveyard for their annual celebration of life and death. But this year, Uncle Fester stops the ancestors from returning to their graves—because the Addams’ way of life is about to be turned upside down.
Wednesday Addams has fallen in love with a boy from Ohio, and his parents are coming to dinner. Suddenly two worlds collide, with Gomez and Morticia desperate to keep the family together while Pugsley, fearing he’s losing his sister, plots some mischief of his own. Add in Grandma’s potions, Fester’s unlikely romance and a raging storm that traps both families together, and you have one hilariously dark night. Through the chaos, comedy, passionate tangoes and surprising moments of truth, everyone is compelled to grapple with love, loyalty and acceptance.
Full of big laughs, catchy songs and a heart-warming message, The Addams Family Musical reminds us that “normal” is vastly overrated.
Recommended 8yrs+
SECONDARY TERM 4
Recommendations: Years 9 – 12
Learning Areas:
• Creative Arts (Drama, Music)
• English
• PDHPE
• Cross-Curriculum Priorities
Themes:
• Making - acting, movement, design, and direction
• Performing - vocal and physical expression
• Appreciating - evaluate satire, parody, and gothic aesthetics
• Music
• Responding and composing
• Language, identity and culture
Price: School Student $33
To book please contact Kirsty Rust k.rust@tamworth.nsw.gov.au 02 6767 5200
Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa Based on Characters Created by Charles Addams
Presented by