DRAMA WORKSHOPS
Backbone offers a variety of extracurricular drama workshops for Young Artists Aged 8-18. Held at our venue in Seven Hills, our term-based workshops offer a creative community, skills-building, and Personalized coaching from our team of teaching artists.
The Backbone Drama programs are divided into Primary (Ages 8-11) and Secondary (Ages 12 - 18) classes. Browse the workshop programs below for term dates, content outlines, and registration information.
YOUTH DRAMA TROUPE
Monday After School Workshops focused on acting and performance skills, readying young performers for stage and screen. Working with contemporary and traditional texts, students will develop acting and script-work skills.
For those looking for acting skills, script-work and performance preparation.
COMING SOON
YOUNG CREATOR’S WORKSHOPS
Saturday Workshops that offer an energetic, curious, and supportive environment for young people to nurture and develop their imagination, creativity, and collaboration skills.
For those looking for creative experimentation, collaboration and playful imaginaton.
IN - SCHOOLS
Looking for something closer to home? We can come to you!
Our school programs can be tailored to your needs. Get in touch if you would like us to create a Backbone experience at your school!
You can reach Jaycob via email on Jaycob@backbone.org.au
MEET THE TEAM
LEAD FACILITATOR JAYCOB BEVEN-DELANEY
Jaycob Beven-Delaney is a Meanjin/Brisbane-based artist specialising in children’s theatre and his own independent work. For almost a decade Jaycob has been working for Cheeky Monkey Club performing for children across South East Queensland through public performances and festivals. Through his independent work he has created several shows ranging from the parody satire, Jack Sharpe and the Curse of the Forbidden Fruit and the improv comedy, Harold’s Christmas Wishlist. Jaycob has also become a valued collaborator, working on projects like Juniper's Kiss List and Pierrot (2022).
FACILITATOR MARTELLE SIMON-GREEN
Martelle Simon-Green is a Meanjin-based theatre maker, who works primarily as a performer and director. Graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Drama & Literature) , she has gone on to create and perform work both locally and internationally. In 2022, Martelle was an Artist in Residence at Backbone, writing and directing a theatrical work titled Pierrot for Backbone Festival and Fringe Brisbane. Martelle has been a performer for physical theatre ensemble NDRNCE, completing a residency at Metro Arts in 2021 for their work Tangerine Hour. In 2018, Martelle and her collaborators developed the Matilda Award Winning piece of immersive theatre La Silhouette (winner: Best Independent Production 2019 Matilda Awards, Nominated: Lord Mayor’s Award for Best New Australian Work). This work was not only presented in Australia (Backbone Festival 2018 and Brisbane Powerhouse Melt Festival 2019), La Silhouette was also presented in the UK at the Homegrown Festival 2019. More recently she has been a director and dramaturg for Dominoes and Rum (dir. Prince Brown) during its 2022 season. Martelle began as a teaching artist with Backbone Youth Arts Young Makers Program in 2021 and is developing a Youth Arts and education portfolio. Currently, Martelle is the Associate Producer and Lead Facilitator for Backbone Youth Arts.
Martelle’s creative credits include (as creator and performer unless otherwise stated): Obstacle (as Co-Director, Backbone Festival 2023), Bloom Girl (As Assistant Director, dir. Elise Lamb, Thomas Dixon Centre 2023), Pierrot (Director & Writer, Backbone Festival & Fringe Brisbane 2022) The Wilted Rose (As 2nd AD, Short Film, Dir. Elise Lamb, 2022), Dominoes and Rum (as Assistant Director, Dir. Prince Brown, 2021-22), An Intimate Evening with The Architects of Sound and Friends (as Producer, Metro Arts 2021), Tangerine Hour (Metro Arts 2021, dir. Gina Tay Limpus), La Silhouette (MELT Festival 2019, Battersea Arts Centre UK 2019, Backbone Festival 2018), STONEWALL (Metro Arts 2018), There’s No Sex ‘til the Third Act (as Director, Anywhere Festival 2018, QUT Showcase 2016), Hot Cult (Anywhere Festival 2017), Yowies! (Visual Bulk TAS 2017), AWFUL/BIG ADVENTURE (Anywhere Festival 2016, Winner of Anywhere Festival Award), 16 Days on a Sterile Hospital Floor (FAST 2016), The Moon Men (Anywhere Festival 2016, FAST 2015) and naïve. (as Writer and Director; QUT Create X 2016, Freshblood Festival 2016).
FACILITATOR MAISIE CROSDALE
Graduating from QUT with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Drama) with Distinction, Maisie Crosdale is an emerging Independent Theatre-Maker, Producer and Performer. Maisie has a background in classical ballet and contemporary dance and is now reconnecting how movement and theatre can work collaboratively —namely through Physical Theatre and Visual Theatre. Maisie is currently training with Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre Company, working as a facilitator with Zen Zen Zo's Teaching Team and in 2022 completed the company’s internationally renowned Creative Internship Programme. In 2022, Maisie produced and performed a new work in Brisbane and Moreton Bay’s Anywhere Festival, titled A Matter of Material – a non-verbal Puppetry and Object Theatre work focusing on sustainability and environmental conservation, which received the 2022 Queensland Communify Award. Maisie also worked with Dead Puppet Society in their 2022 Academy, Lab Programme - working with BLAT Productions as Movement Director and Puppeteer to curate a work titled Ta-Da!, which debuted at the Brisbane Powerhouse.
Maisie has also explored the world of academic research, working across two projects with QUT and Dr David Megarrity as a Research Assistant. Firstly on a project titled Sideshow where she researched the importance of authentic, young people's voices in playwriting and research, through a series of interviews with Empire Theatre Youth Arts in Dalby. Secondly, with David Megarrity’s Bear With Me by Tyrone and Lesley. A project at Metro Arts, where Maisie interviewed children, aged 3-8, and their beloved teddy bears - empowering children to be experts of their own imagination’s and articulate their identities through the form of plush toys.