Show Notes — Time to Act Episode 3

Rehearsing the Future: Theatre, Education and Possibility in Uncertain Times

In this episode of Time to Act, Kelly McConville speaks with theatre maker Jacinta Yelland about her immersive solo work KOAL and the role theatre can play in helping young people navigate uncertainty, climate conversations and imagined futures.

In This Episode

• Theatre and climate storytelling

• Comedy, emotion and audience connection

• Collaboration in devised performance

• Indigenous histories, Country and belonging

Links & Resources

🎭 KOAL

🔗 https://www.theatreworks.org.au/2024/koal

📖 KOAL publication

🔗 https://playlabtheatre.com.au/shop-publications/new-releases/koal-the-choice-flip-book/

🌱 Time to Act resources

🔗 https://regeneratingfutures.deakin.edu.au/time-to-act/

🎓 Workshops & school partnerships

🔗 Kelly McConville — [email protected]

🎧 Listen to Episode 2

🔗 https://open.spotify.com/episode/0b2LpV5ahJSllwcGWxvgaQ?si=CDaUSpyKSE62_V8LKtmnqg

Key Takeaway

Theatre may not provide simple answers to the climate crisis, but it can create spaces for reflection, imagination and connection. Through storytelling and collaboration, young people can begin rehearsing new possibilities for the future.

The Aside Podcasts are a free resource supported by Drama Victoria – Australia’s oldest Drama Association

In this episode of The Aside, we talk with actor/writer/comedian Greg Larsen about his process as a writer of bold, symbolic and meta-theatrical comedy. We discuss a range of his works, his influences and how he has developed such a unique and accessible form of meaningful comedy.

Greg Larsen writes adult comedy, and much of his online content is not appropriate for children. He is an incredible artist, but viewer discretion is advised.

More about Greg Larsen:

https://linktr.ee/greglarsencomedian

https://libertyartistmgt.com.au/actor/greg-larsen/

The Aside Podcasts are a free resource supported by Drama Victoria – Australia’s oldest Drama Association

In this episode of The Aside, we talk with actor/playwright Brodie Murray and director Beng Oh about their upcoming production of Soul of Possum, opening soon at fortyfivedownstairs.

Soul of Possum 2025 season - Thursday 4 – Sunday 14 December

Tickets here: https://fortyfivedownstairs.com/event/soul-of-possum/

Brodie is an award-winning First Nations playwright whose acclaimed works continue to influence the national theatre landscape. Beng is a critically regarded director and theatre-maker known for championing diversity, new work, and queer theatre/

Show Notes — Time to Act Episode 2

Drama as a Tool for Climate Justice Education

In this episode of Time to Act, Kelly McConville speaks with Catherine Zachest, Nick Mawson and Darcy Kane-Priestley about using drama to engage students in sustainability and climate justice education across early childhood, primary and secondary settings.

In This Episode

• Embodied learning and environmental empathy

• The Lorax as dramatic inquiry

• Eco-anxiety and student activism

• Drama as protest, reflection and creative action

Links & Resources

📄 Time to Act lesson plans & resources

🔗 https://regeneratingfutures.deakin.edu.au/time-to-act/

🎓 Workshops & school partnerships

🔗 Kelly McConville — [email protected]

🎧 Listen to Episode 1

🔗 https://open.spotify.com/episode/0b2LpV5ahJSllwcGWxvgaQ?si=T9O8G6JMSFmSfUvPjwefcA

Key Takeaway

Drama gives students more than information about climate change — it creates spaces to question, imagine and respond. Across all ages, creative learning can empower young people to see themselves as active participants in shaping sustainable futures.

The Aside Podcasts are a free resource supported by Drama Victoria - Australia’s oldest Drama Association

In this episode of The Aside, is a spotlight on one of Australia’s most accomplished theatre makers — Terence Clarke AM. Composer, director, educator, and performer, Terence has shaped the sound and story of Australian theatre for decades. Excerpts from the musical The Venetian Twins, written by the late award winning and honoured playwright Nick Enright, with music by Terence Clarke appear on the 2025 VCE Theatre Studies monologue list. In this episode we discuss The Venetian Twins, learn about it's history and explore its themes.

The Aside Podcasts are a free resource supported by Drama Victoria - Australia’s oldest Drama Association

In this episode of The Aside, we talk with Alana Valentine — playwright, director, and librettist known for turning real-life stories into powerful theatre. Sections of her 2008 play Watermark appear on the 2025 VCE Theatre Studies monologue list. We discuss the play, it's development and we dive into design possibilities as well.

Her book Bowerbird also includes insights into the development of Watermark and can be purchased here: https://www.currency.com.au/books/auto-biography/bowerbird-the-art-of-making-theatre-drawn-from-life/

The Aside Podcasts are a free resource supported by Drama Victoria - Australia’s oldest Drama Association

In this episode of The Aside, we discuss Audience Culture. What the VCAA says it is, and we provide some examples of how you might think about it and apply in in the work you make and analyse.

For the VCE implementation videos click below

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/professional-learning-programs/vce/vce-theatre-studies

Below is from the VCE Study Design 2025-2029

Audience and audience culture

Theatre as an art form is constructed and created for an audience of one or more spectators. In this study, students are both artists and audiences. As artists, they learn about the importance of audience, audience and performance spaces, audience and intended meaning, and the effect of their work on an audience. As audiences, they attend professional theatre for the purposes of analysis and evaluation.

Audience culture refers to the attitudes, beliefs, values and behaviours of a particular group of people who engage with theatre performances. In this study, audience culture pertains to an intended audience and may be directly related to or informed by the historical, political, social and cultural contexts in which a script was written. Audience culture is also related to theatre styles, conventions and movements. Historical plays written for audiences of their time can offer new insights or meanings when performed to contemporary audiences. Contemporary theatre practices offer new insights into the role of an audience, for example a contemporary performance of a Shakespearean play or an immersive performance.

Please feel free to email [email protected] to ask a question. We will try and answer on a future podcast

Show Notes — Time to Act Episode 1

Education, Drama and Climate Justice

In the first episode of Time to Act, Kelly McConville speaks with Dr Jo Raphael and Dr Peta White about how drama, science and interdisciplinary learning can transform climate change education. Together, they explore climate justice, eco-anxiety, collective agency and the role of creativity in helping young people imagine hopeful futures.

In This Episode

• Climate change as a socio-ecological challenge

• Drama as climate pedagogy

• Embodied and interdisciplinary learning

• Imagination, agency and hope

Links & Resources

🌱 Time to Act

🔗 https://regeneratingfutures.deakin.edu.au/time-to-act/

🎓 Workshops & school partnerships

🔗 Kelly McConville — [email protected]

👤 Dr Jo Raphael

🔗 https://experts.deakin.edu.au/3233-jo-raphael

👤 Dr Peta White

🔗 https://experts.deakin.edu.au/11457-peta-white

Key Takeaway

Climate change education is not just about scientific knowledge — it’s about relationships, justice, creativity and collective action. Drama offers powerful ways for students to engage with complexity and imagine sustainable futures.

Welcome to Time to Act, the podcast that empowers educators to bring climate justice and sustainability into the classroom through drama. Brought to you by Drama Victoria and Deakin University’s Regenerating Futures program, this series explores creative, hands-on strategies to engage students and spark real-world change.

Short, practical, and powerful — it's time to act.

Want to become part of the Time to Act movement? Attend one of our upcoming workshops!

Frankston Arts Centre workshop Saturday May 3rd, 10am - 4pm. To find out more and register, head to: https://artscentre.frankston.vic.gov.au/Whats-On/Classes-and-Workshops/TIME-TO-ACT-A-Transformative-Approach-to-Teaching-Climate-Justice-and-Sustainability

Bendigo workshop Friday 23rd May, 10am - 4pm. To find out more and register, head to: https://www.dramavictoria.vic.edu.au/eventdetails/30283/time-to-act-a-transformative-approach-to-teaching-climate-justice-and-sustainability-bendigo

The Aside Podcasts are a free resource supported by Drama Victoria - Australia’s oldest Drama Association

In this episode of The Aside, we talk with Leo Gene Peters, director of Jekyll & Hyde, touring Melbourne venues in 2025. This interview focuses on how Jekyll & Hyde relates to the VCE Theatre Studies curriculum.

Link to tickets

https://chapeloffchapel.com.au/show/jekyll-hyde/

Link to the Trojan War interview

https://soundcloud.com/asidepodcast/the-aside-the-trojan-war-vce-playlist-interview-with-director-leo-gene-peters

Please feel free to email [email protected] to ask a question. We will try and answer on a future podcast