We acknowledge and pay our respects to the Elders, Ancestors and leaders of the Kulin Nations on whose unceded lands ILBIJERRI Theatre Company is based.
We extend this respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, recognising their resilience and ongoing connection to land, water and culture, despite ongoing colonial interruption and genocide.
Always was, always will be, sacred Indigenous land.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples should be advised that this website may contain images of deceased persons.
THE SCORE
THE SCORE is a short play with big energy about footy, friends, dancing, and hook-ups...
Teenagers, Billy, Sam, and the rest of their crew, are ready for a mad night out. They’re all heading to the footy finals after-party to hang out and have fun. In this story, you’ll meet Aunties, Uncles, tiddas, and brothaboys, who throughout the night will have some good times and have some big choices to make.
But after a couple of adventures – what happens in the end is up to you, the audience!
HOW’S THAT?
THE SCORE is a short play (10 minutes) that could end in all sorts of ways – a choose-your-own-adventure all about friends, dancing, and hook-ups. Everyone is welcome to come for a feed, watch the show, and stay for a yarn after, to give their ideas about it all.
After the show, the ILBIJERRI crew will run some theatre games and workshops for young people who wanna get involved.
NEXT STOP
ABORIGINAL WELLNESS FOUNDATION - WYNDHAM VALE
Wunggurrwil Dhurrung Community Centre
19 Communal Road
Wyndham Vale
VIC 3024
YOUTH WORKSHOPS (ages 12+)
Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 September
11am-4pm
COMMUNITY SHOW (everyone welcome)
Thursday 28 September
6pm
THE GAME PLAN
This unique theatre model begins with a Kick-Off performance of THE SCORE, a 10-minute, high-energy play that features strong representations of mob we all know and love (Aunties, Uncles, Brotha-Boys and Sista-Girls), in a world of full of excitement and some pretty common challenges, set at the scene of a football grand final after-party.
After the Kick Off Performance community (aged 14-25 years) will be invited to join the project as story advisors, performers, behind the scenes and community champions, with free theatre workshops in the same week. They will work alongside the ILBIJERRI crew to develop skills in making theatre and talking about sexual health and relationships.
Together the team will build scenes and characters to create a Grand Final Performance for the whole Community to watch at the end of the week. Bring your family, friends and all the mob along to this one!
THIS PROJECT IS BIGGER THAN A PLAY
The Score has been developed with actors based in Melbourne - as well as with Wemba Wemba, Wotjobaluk, Gunditjmara, Ngarrindjeri, Badu, Yorta Yorta, Wiradjuri, Birri Gubba Birriah, Merium Mur and Bunuba Peoples to strengthen Community connections. Through this, we've been able to make works that help break the stigma and shame talking about sexual health and healthy relationships. Giving the opportunity to skill-up in theatre-making, through free workshops to create new scenes, characters and storylines for THE SCORE.
HOW IT WORKS
STEP 1 The Score will be performed in Community - at schools, health service venues or youth groups.
STEP 2 Audience members will be invited to participate in the yarn at the end of each show, including discussion about what’s next for the characters. Those in the audience who want to take it next level and upskill in theatre-making, will be encouraged to join the rehearsals for a drama residency, where the play will be developed even further - based on the original The Score scenes.
STEP 3 The group will add their own storylines and character ideas over the next 3-5 days workshop style - with plus sexual health support workers there to help keep the message on track. Together they’ll bring in new characters and storylines, to ensure everyone that should be represented is included in the final play. These Community participants can also bring their own skills to the project, whether they are interested in dance, music, visual art, theatre - all skills can be incorporated in the project. Plus the workshops will skill up the team in storytelling, theatre performance, and writing.
STEP 4 The final play will be performed to a whole new Community audience at a local venue such as a footy club or community centre. Through the development, the team will learn all about getting tested, using protection, positive sexuality, decision making, practical solutions and the potential for all community members to be ‘community heroes’ when it comes to sexual health.
ILBIJERRI’s PARTICIPATORY THEATRE MODEL
ILBIJERRI’s participatory theatre model pushes our social impact work further by centering the work on participants’ stories and experiences, giving community members ownership over material being explored, and agency in discovering culturally safe ways to reduce stigma and address health. Our methodology privileges Indigenous knowledges and cultural values, emphasising the cultural determinants of health in addressing best practice in public health.
ILBIJERRI is working closely with The University of Melbourne Dean’s Research Fellow (Dr Sarah Woodland) and the Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health to track our progress. Dr Woodland’s research addresses gaps in evidence, program design, and research evaluation methodologies for effective health promotion and education among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. This research partnership has the capacity to inform current strategies being developed at Federal and State level for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, with potential to influence public health and related policy settings.
This project is supported by the Victorian Government through the Department of Health.
