A partnership between highly regarded Tim Bray Theatre Company and leading educational resource provider Essential Resources has been heralded as a bold step in opening up new learning opportunities for children in early childhood settings.
As Essential Resources Managing Director Nicola Smith sees it, Tim Bray Theatre Company’s interpretation of popular children’s literature, now captured on high-quality videos, is a natural fit with the educational expertise of her publishing team.
Likewise, Tim Bray Theatre Company has found that Essential Resources enables them to reach a much wider audience.
“Essential Resources provides us with the platform to reach the majority of early childhood educators in Australia,” says Founder and Artistic Director of Tim Bray Theatre Company, Tim Bray, QSM. “Together, we can create a highly affordable, dramatic experience that is accessible to children regardless of where they live or what early childhood setting they attend.”
More than just an online play
Early childhood educators are now able to easily access the theatrical interpretation of Greedy Cat. Greedy Cat – Online is based on the children’s books by acclaimed author Joy Cowley (illustrated by Robyn Belton). The Online Theatre production has been developed in collaboration with the author to accurately translate the essence of the printed word into the world of the stage, offering a unique presentation of the nine Greedy Cat stories for children of a range of abilities visually, aurally and kinaesthetically.
Accessible learning
Everyone has the right to enjoy the magic of theatre, regardless of need or ability. Greedy Cat – Online puts special focus on providing strong visual cues to support what is being said onstage in order to give young audience members the highest possible level of understanding of the text.
Through this approach, Online Theatre serves a wide range of learning abilities, including children with English as an additional language and those who are hearing, blind or visually impaired.
Available via a seven-day subscription, Greedy Cat – Online comes with a simple ‘how to’ video to set you up for success in screening the production. Educators can access the Online Theatre without any additional equipment or training outside of a standard remote learning programme.
Quality learning resources
Greedy Cat – Online is accompanied by a high-quality educators’ resource guide that makes connections with the Early Years Learning Framework. It offers suggestions for a variety of possible experiences for children in relation to reading. It also serves to enhance the experience of viewing Greedy Cat – Online.
Explore the magic of online theatre
Children from all over Australia are familiar with cheeky Greedy Cat and his adventures. Greedy Cat – Online is a fresh way to connect with these charming stories and ignite your children’s creative minds. As Nicola Smith says, “Online Theatre is an incredibly exciting medium for taking the printed page to the stage for as many children as possible.”
