Creativity Meets Curriculum
In-School Workshops
Collaborate with artists to make creative connections to the curriculum.
Tantrum is a local leader in devised theatre processes, with a team of artists ready to bring their professional arts practice into your school. As actors, makers, musicians, devisers, dancers and digital storytellers, Tantrum’s experienced teaching artists will create unique artful experiences with your learners with hands-on workshops that bring the curriculum to life.
Each artist will lead learners to explore the making process, build confidence in performance and critically appreciate work, while sparking creativity, collaboration, and joy in art making.
Artists in Schools: Arts Menu
Artists in Schools is a thrilling new menu of in-school workshops from Tantrum, connecting teachers and learners with some of the Hunter’s most dynamic performing artists. From the immediacy of improvisation to the power of multi-media, as well as movement, sound and devised theatre, every workshop aims to fuel both artistic passion and curriculum engagement.
Step 1: Pick your artist.
Click the side menu to display workshops. On mobile, scroll down to click.
Penelope Kentish: Building the Ensemble
Syllabus Links: P1.7, P2.5, H1.4, H2.4, H3.5
Penelope is a theatre maker and the Creative Director of Tantrum. Her artist-led practice places the young artists at the centre of their experience, supporting them to share their ideas while stretching their existing skills to a new level.
The Building the Ensemble workshop deepens trust, cohesion and creative responsiveness within groups, preparing students for the group performance.
Phoebe Turnbull: Ideas from Nothing
Syllabus Links: P1.2, P1.5, P1.7, H1.3, H1.4
Phoebe Turnbull is a theatre maker and hopeful performer with a socially engaged practice that explores ideas of care and attention. Phoebe’s work as a performer and facilitator spans scripted and devised work.
In this workshop, students collaborate to devise original theatre pieces inspired by social themes or contemporary issues.
Sarah Coffee: Performing Real Stories
Syllabus Links: P1.5, P2.4, P3.4, H1.3, H3.1 .
Sarah Coffee is a theatre maker and academic. She is co-director of performance collective Paper Cut, whose verbatim work has toured across NSW. Paper Cut’s work is highly visual and physical performance which uses found text and other traces.
In this workshop students learn how to collect, shape, and perform real stories with ethical awareness and creative technique.
Barney Donaghy: Instant Theatre, Go with the flow!
Syllabus Links: P1.2, P1.3, P2.1, P2.5, H1.3, H2.4
Barney is an in-demand working actor for the stage and works in both scripted and devised processes as an actor. Barney’s creative practice lies within pushing comfortabilities, producing entertainment for entertainment’s sake, and cultivating positive, comedic environments to create and perform in.
In this workshop students build confidence, creativity and spontaneity through games, ensemble exercises and live creation – key skills for performance and collaboration.
He has a Bachelor of Communication (Theatre/Media) from Charles Sturt University.
Hannah Armstong: The Serious Business of Being Silly
Syllabus Links: P1.3, P2.1, P2.4, H1.1, H2.4
Hannah Armstrong is a theatre maker, director, producer and clown. She has trained with some of Australia’s best clowns, including The Listies, Hayden Spencer (The Performologist) and Holly Austin (Deadloch).
This workshop is a joyful exploration of clowning and comic play, developing physical awareness, timing, vulnerability, and connection with the audience.
Alana McGaughey: Transforming into Character
Syllabus Links: P1.1, P1.2, P2.4, H1.1, H2.1
Alana McGaughey is a theatre maker and drama educator. She works with young people throughout the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter regions in drama workshop facilitation, and is a writer, performer and producer.
In this workshop students explore characterisation, motivation, and sustaining roles through practical acting exercises.
Bethany O’Sullivan: Soundscapes and Storytelling
Syllabus Links: P1.4, P1.5, H1.7, H2.2
Bethany O’Sullivan is a multi-instrumentalist muso, lover of noise and creator of playful, energetic sound.
In this workshop students learn to build aural environments and original soundtracks for live or digital drama performances.
Jada Laurie: Animating the Inanimate
Syllabus Links: P1.3, P2.4, H1.3, H2.4
Jada Laurie is a Warrimay, Birrbay woman, performer and multidisciplinary artist who is loudly passionate about creating joyful art.
In this workshop students will develop physical performance and design skills through puppetry, exploring non-verbal storytelling and ensemble play.
Joshua Ingle: Virtual Performance
Syllabus Links: P1.4, P2.2, H1.7, H2.3
Joshua Ingle is a VJ and installation artist who creates responsive pieces using light, sound, and code to explore habits and ritual. Josh’s practice focuses on crafting interactive and immersive experiences that invite audiences to engage physically, emotionally, and conceptually.
In this workshop students combine projection, sound and lights to create multimedia theatre experiences.
Tara Barrington: Telling a Physical Story
Syllabus Links: P1.3, P2.4, H1.1, H2.1
Tara Barrington is a movement artist. Tara views dance as a natural form of self-expression and creates routines with the intention of helping others to connect with their bodies and to feel more empowered.
In this workshop, students explore physical theatre techniques, ensemble work, and non-verbal storytelling.
Shaana-Anne Crisp: Sculpting for the Stage
Syllabus Links: P1.4, P2.2, H1.7, H2.3
Shaana-Anne Crisp is a multidisciplinary artist who works mostly in sculpture, drawing, painting and wearable art.
This workshop is a creative exploration of set and prop-making through sculptural techniques, texture, and material storytelling.
*Multiple artists available to deliver.
Step 2: Share your preferred time and dates.
Step 3: Provide the number of students, number of workshops, and year level/s.
Step 4: Add any special requests such learning outcomes and accessibility.
What happens next?
Once Tantrum has received your enquiry, we can then provide availability of artists and a quote. As a registered charity, every dollar paid to Tantrum enables the organisation to make change: supporting children and emerging artists to connect and create.
Once you are happy to proceed, we’ll arrange a booking form and schedule an artist video call to make sure we plan the best workshop. Then, all we have to do is arrive at your school and get creative!
Each of Tantrum’s artists have a valid Working With Children Check.
Ongoing In-Schools Programs
We are also able to offer ongoing in-schools drama programs for young people. This can be for a single term or for multiple terms, and towards a specific outcome or not, depending on your school’s needs. Our workshops can be delivered in class time, during sport time, or after school.
If you are interested in establishing an ongoing Tantrum workshop program in your school, please do contact us!
UniSteps program, University of Newcastle
The feedback from staff and students was all positive. All teachers said this was relevant or highly relevant.
Cardiff High School
“I am really proud of how the show went and people were still buzzing on Wednesday about the show. I am really glad we had the opportunity to work together on this.
Tantrum were the perfect choice for the Play in Three Days vision for my school. [The facilitators] were wonderful to work with and listened to and then responded to the needs of my school context.
They really engaged the students and skilfully facilitated the students toward the development of a performance. The students were so excited to see them on our performance night – there was a real buzz.”
Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College
“[The facilitator] was organised, professional, energetic, enthusiastic. He created a great atmosphere straight away where the students were willing to trust him and each other to take risks.”