After the international success of its first feature film Girl Asleep, Windmill Theatre Co., the award-winning South Australian theatre company, has announced today the launch of Windmill Pictures, a new arm of the company dedicated to developing and creating screen projects from their range of live theatre projects.
The company has also announced it has successfully secured Screen Australia story development funding for script development of its proposed next feature film, School Dance, based on its multi Helpmann Award winning stage production.
School Dance centred around the friendship of three teenage boys and their awkward adolescent adventures premiered at the 2012 Adelaide Festival, winning two Helpmann Awards including Best Presentation for Children, as well as a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Production for Young People and the Ruby Award for Best Show as a result.
Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Jack Snelling commented saying: “Windmill has proven its ability to deliver a highly successful feature film with Girl Asleep having screened in 25 countries around the world, winning several international awards. This success has highlighted Windmill’s value as a producer with a repertoire of new Australian stories that have been developed and refined over a long period of time, and tested on live audiences. I’m pleased to announce the establishment of Windmill Pictures and the early development of another Australian film project here in South Australia.”
With pre-production beginning in 2018 and shooting roughly scheduled for 2019, School Dance playwright Matthew Whittet will adapt the screenplay for the new film.
Windmill Theatre Co has today also announced its 2018 live theatre season, which will include two brand new shows and one international collaboration.
Firstly in May 2018, Baba Yaga will premiere at the prestigious Edinburgh International Children’s Festival in Scotland, under a co-commission from Scottish company Imaginate. Baba Yaga is a fun look at the traditional Russian folklore character, infused with a modern twist. Baba Yaga will be directed by Rosemary Myers and star award-winning performer Shona Reppe and Christine Johnston of the Australian comedy group The Kransky Sisters. After the festival premiere and a tour of Scotland in 2018, Adelaide audiences will get to see the show sometime in 2019.
In September 2018, Windmill will premiere Amphibian. Amphibian tells the story of a young teenage boy who journeys on his own from Afghanistan to Australia, in an attempt to respond to the world’s refugee crisis. Amphibian will be written by Adelaide playwright Duncan Graham and directed by Sasha Zahra.
Also in 2018, Windmill will bring back family favourite Grug and the Rainbow for a single season at the Space Theatre in April, while Big Bad Wolf will tour New Zealand, regional South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Sydney and regional New South Wales.
You can find Tickets for the 2018 Windmill season available online at windmill.org.au from 1st September 2017.
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