We’re so excited for you to join us for our brand new show – Whale Song!
Whale Song is a multimedia outdoor theatre procession that celebrates the humpback whale migration season. The show includes video projection, giant illuminated puppets, and community creature creations, all led by a moving soundscape embedded within our puppets. During the event local community and audience participants are invited into the show; through both workshops prior to our performance, and invitation to join in our moving parade.
From the Creative Producer
Each year, humpback whales navigate the vast soundscape of our seas in search of temperate climates and abundant food. The waters of our ocean cradle a large body of sound- filled with the songs of these marine giants, who rely on safe passage between feeding and birthing waters. As I gaze upon the shores of the east coast of Australia, I watch our Humpback whales kiss the surface of the water, breaching the tension between land and sea. I am reminded of the connection my coastal community shares with our ocean. ‘Whale Song’ is a celebration of the seasonal cycles of nature, a marking of that which connects the communities of the east coast- a love of water.
In creating ‘Whale Song,’ I wanted to immerse our audience in the world of sound and movement, mirroring how whales experience their environment. Through this journey, I invite you to explore the interconnectedness of our oceans and communities, as vast echo chambers- through which we learn to listen, express, and navigate. Just as a young male humpback learns to string sound into a symphony, it is my hope that our communities may draw our collective ideas together in harmony.
Elli Eckersley-Gilmour,
Creative Producer & Artistic Lead
Artistic Director’s Notes
We are ridiculously excited to be presenting you with ‘Whale Song’, the latest large scale production from Curious Legends. This comes with months of work behind the scenes, as our wonderful crew of creatives has breathed life into this show. For Curious Legends, this is breaking new ground, and comes with the question – “What happens when we create a large scale, immersive theatre experience, in an outdoor procession with giant whales, and a unique soundscape?” We can’t wait for you to join us, and find out!
Mitchell Reese,
Artistic Director
Program
Performance:
We have one massive performance on the evening. This will be preceded by a 30-minute performance workshop for anyone who desires to take part in the main event – We invite you to join us and become a part of the show!
Date: Saturday, September 28th, 2024
Times:
* Workshops: 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm
* Performance: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location:
Newcastle Beach, 30 Shortland Esplanade, Newcastle East, NSW
Starting at the ‘Newcastle Canoe Pool’ end of the beach.
Cost: Free!
Cast & Crew
Artistic Director: Mitchell Reese
Creative Producer: Elli Eckersley-Gilmour
Puppet Design: Conor Fox
Lighting Design: Alex Fairclough
Puppet Making: Conor Fox, Rahkel Bose, Pete Parslow, Georgia Gaffney, Elli Eckersley-Gilmour
Music & Soundscape: Naomi Dart & Christopher Sutherland *Storm Track created collaboratively with St Joseph’s Primary School
Sound Operation/Tech: Alex Fairclough, Eloise Cuthbert, Zippie Tiffenright, Tamara Mckeown, Howling
Performers:
Rahkel Bose
Georgia Gaffney
Conor Fox
Harley Duguid
Laurence Garcia-Villada
Phoebe Carter-Swain
Pete Parslow
Scott White
James Erdmann
Jamie Sy
Marion Giles
Athea Lesay
Ivy Boehm
Layla Boehm
Auntie Tammy
Naomi Wilde
Special Thanks
Thank you to Newcastle City Council and New Annual for hosting us, and to Create NSW for their support in this production through our 2024 annual funding.