Revealing its full family program for 2021, children and families hungry for arts experiences will be treated to a feast of entertainment and excitement at the DreamBIG Children’s Festival this May.
In addition to a diverse offering for South Australian schools, the festival is hosting an assortment of thrilling and inspiring events available to the general public from 19 – 29 May 2021. More than 300 artists will present hundreds of performances across the festival, with families invited to explore 14 shows, four online experiences and more than 20 free activities.
Within the family program, five productions will make their world debut in addition to 12 Adelaide premieres and the first Australian performances of Ecoute Pour Voir: Listen to See by SA’s award-winning Restless Dance Theatre in collaboration with Canadian company Danse Carpe Diem.
Shows on sale now include modern technology and storytelling at its best with Patch Theatre’s ZOOOM and New Zealand company Trick of the Light’s Tröll. In Creation Creation, Windmill Theatre Company will endeavour to answer life’s big questions – everything from the Big Bang to the afterlife.
Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus will animate the mischievous composer’s vibrant music with physical comedy and thrilling acrobatics, while Magic Beach will see the team behind The Gruffalo and the Treehouse series bring to life Alison Lester’s best-selling children’s book.
The program also features a beatboxing superhero (Dr AudiYO’s Giant Adventure), dramatic bus tour (The Narrator) and an interactive installation encouraging audiences to slow down, reflect and wonder – Still Point of a Turning World, a co-production between South Australian and Danish performers. Children of all age ranges are catered for, including under 3s with Our Corka Bubs and Touch & Go.
DreamBIG’s Creative Producer Susannah Sweeney said audiences were eagerly awaiting the biennial festival’s return, with the number of school bookings already up from 2019: “Teachers understand how important this festival is for their students’ development, and the enthusiasm they’ve shown is a great indicator of how well our family shows will be received,” she said.
“In this strange new world that 2020 has delivered, we’re hoping to help young people navigate their way through by fostering a shared sense of humanity and curiosity. This year’s theme of Be Curious is all about encouraging kids to observe their surroundings and come up with new ideas and ways of thinking.”
“DreamBIG Children’s Festival 2021 is full of shows and experiences that will stretch children’s minds, fill them with wonder and help them find their inner explorer,” said Ms Sweeney.
More than 20 free activities will be on offer over the Big Family Weekend on Saturday 22 May and Sunday 23 May 2021. The ever-popular event will converge on Adelaide Festival Centre and includes performances in the Festival Theatre by Teeny Tiny Stevies and Tutti Choir.
It will also stretch out to the Adelaide College of the Arts, Adelaide Rowing Club, Torrens Parade Ground, State Library, South Australian Museum, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide Botanic Garden and Marion Cultural Centre – along with other locations dotted around Adelaide.
To coincide with the weekend’s festivities, Elder Park will host Fork on the Road – South Australia’s premier mobile food truck event showcasing local food and supporting grassroots talent.
“DreamBIG Children’s Festival is woven into the fabric of our collective history as South Australians. Since 1974, more than 2 million children from across the state have taken part in this celebrated festival, and many have gone on to bring their own families,” said Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM.
“Whether you are continuing a family tradition, or starting a new one, you are all very welcome. DreamBIG is the perfect introduction to the infinite world of the arts and live performance. I look forward to seeing you at Adelaide Festival Centre as we unleash the curiosity of a new generation, all ready to dream big!”
The 2021 DreamBIG Children’s Festival runs 19 – 29 May. For more information, visit: www.dreambigfestival.com.au for details.
Image: ZOOOM – photo by Matt Byrne