Live independent theatre company La Mama have taken to a different medium to keep their actors engaging with audiences. Thanks to the City of Melbourne COVID-19 Arts Grants – helping employ artists to produce content for children during isolation – the west’s youngest audiences will be treated to Super Jenny, an online video series for preschool aged children.
Created by Jennifer Monk, a long-standing performer and theatre maker at La Mama, the online format offers the program a potentially Australia-wide audience.
Jennifer and her cast from Girls Act Good were ready to hit the road in March with their regional Victoria show Ladies of the Bay, but the tour was postponed due to COVID-19.
“It was disappointing to have done months of rehearsals and preparation for the La Mama Mobile tour to be then put on hold only days before we were due to leave. But when La Mama asked me to create an online children’s show I jumped at the chance to be able to perform and create something new.” said Jenny.
Each episode incorporates fine and gross motor skills, Auslan sign language, shape recognition, singing, dancing and musical terms. Super Jenny encourages creativity, imaginative play and cognitive learning that goes hand in hand with enhancing young children’s physical and intellectual development.
“It has been great making a show for children with the help of children. Even though this time of isolation and uncertainty has shut doors for many artists, perhaps there is a silver lining… by having a forced rest and a chance to re-group the world is being exposed to new ways of producing and presenting creative content. I would be quite happy if Super Jenny became my new employment!”
Super Jenny will premiere on Facebook:
Episode 1: Tuesday 30th of June at 1pm.
Episode 2: Saturday 1st of July at 11am
