Spot On(line) Children’s Festival

In the hands of Junkyard Beats, ordinary household items are transformed into extraordinary musical instruments and unwanted junk comes alive in exciting and surprising ways!

The Box Show excites the imagination of children and adults alike. We follow four characters during their daily activities in a world made of cardboard boxes and junk. The contents of an abandoned kitchen and wheelie bins become the greatest drum set in the world; Plastic bags are an amazing musical instrument and the human body becomes a unique sound machine.

Learn about sustainability with this high energy, imaginative music-in-education performance combining drumming, dance, theatre and comedy. With a language of gibberish and rhythm, this show is accessible to any age and nationality. You won’t look at a cardboard box the same way after watching this show!

• When: Friday 17th September at 6:30pm (ONLINE WATCH PARTY); Monday 20th September to Saturday 2nd October (WORKSHOP: ON DEMAND); Monday 20th September to Saturday 2nd October (ON DEMAND)
• Recommended for kids 4yrs+ and their families
• Tickets (members/ non-members): On Demand $8/$10; Watch Party $10.50/$12.50; Workshop and Show $18/$20 (or add on to All Access pass for $3/$5)
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Justine and her band bring all the favourites to this special set as she invites you to join in the fun and sing and dance along with her. Having released her “best of” CD Everybody Roar, she’ll sing her way through classics like Watermelon, I Like to Sing and Dinosaur Roar as well as hits like Everywhere’s a Dancefloor and A Banana Is A Banana. Joined by Sydney’s finest musicians, Zoe Hauptmann on double bass, Evan Manell on drums and Cameron Bruce on keyboards, the opportunity to hear and see this band play all the favourites live and up close is not to be missed.

• When: Monday 20 September at 11am (ONLINE WATCH PARTY); and Tuesday 21st September to Saturday 2nd October (ON DEMAND)
• Recommended for kids 2 to 7 yrs and their families
• Tickets (members/non-members): On Demand $8/$10; Watch Party $10.50/$12.50
• More Info

Dive into a magical world of play and creation, where everyday objects become a universe of fun and adventure. Two strange heroes are hunting for whispers of possibility when they discover a pile of seemingly ordinary objects like sheets, broomsticks and cushions. Watch as they transform them into fantastical places to play and explore using ridiculous clowning, spectacular acrobatics and beautiful visual imagery.

• When: Friday 24th September at 11am (ONLINE WATCH PARTY); Friday 24th September at 1:30pm (LIVE STREAMED WORKSHOP) and Monday 20th September to Saturday 2nd October (ON DEMAND)
• Recommended for kids 3+yrs and their families for the show; and 5yrs+ for the workshop
• Tickets (members/non-members): On Demand $8/$10; Watch Party $10.50/$12.50; Workshop and Show $18/$20 (or add on to All Access pass for $3/$5)
• More Info

Spike is the story of an echidna who is stolen from his nest by a greedy rat. A young girl finds him and the story unfolds, she helps him to discover where he belongs, and he helps her to find her own “spikes” and stand up to the bullies.

Told through the artform of contemporary shadow theatre, Spike is an interactive experience for the audience, with lively original music by Mal Webb. It’s entertaining and fun, as well as a catalyst for a discussion about difference and belonging. Not to mention the unique biology of Australian animals, especially the egg-laying echidna.

After the performance there’s a demonstration of shadow puppetry techniques, introducing children to an expressive hands-on story-telling medium that is highly accessible to young people.

• When: Thursday 23 September at 11am (ONLINE WATCH PARTY); Thursday 23 September at 12:30pm (LIVE STREAMED WORKSHOP) and Friday 24th September to Saturday 2nd October (ON DEMAND)
• Recommended for kids 4 to 10 yrs and their families for the show; and 6yrs+ for the workshop
• Tickets (members/non-members): On Demand $8/$10; Watch Party $10.50/$12.50; Workshop and Show $18/$20 (or add on to All Access pass for $3/$5)
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With the Clown, young audiences will expand their developing understanding of empathy and what it is to have a thought. Through play, we explore the beauty and the agony of life and find ways to honour and transcend difficult emotional states through play and connection.

Both hilarious and deeply moving, audiences will journey with the Clown to dive inside of ourselves into where feelings are made, thoughts are born, and loneliness can be shared.

Can you make a clown laugh?

• When: Tuesday 21st September at 11am (ONLINE WATCH PARTY)
• Recommended for kids 3-8yrs and their families
• Tickets (members/non-members): Watch Party $10.50/$12.50
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This is screen time transformed! An engaging musical workshop for your child that will have them on their feet; singing and dancing along with Jojo. Jojo loves to sing and encourage others to learn to use their voices to tell stories, express their feelings and feel connected to others in song!

In this 45 minute workshop, children will learn new original songs created by Jojo as well as family favourites, all handpicked to support participants in their confidence in musical expression and movement. There’s a song about feelings, songs about silliness, some modern twists on classic nursery rhymes and plenty of musical games!

• When: Wednesday 22nd September at 11am (ONLINE WATCH PARTY)
• Recommended for kids 4-7yrs and their families
• Tickets (members/non-members): Watch Party $10.50/$12.50
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Explore the magical world of Mountain Goat Mountain with a rich, beautiful audio experience that guides families through a theatrical adventure, from set up to final bows – all in the safety and comfort of home. Simply press play and together, you and your family will use an audio device, found household objects, and a little imagination to discover the secret hidden on Mountain Goat Mountain.

Performed in two parts over 40-60 minutes, Mountain Goat Mountain’s audio tracks offer an interactive escape from daily life through the magic of theatre, adventure, and creativity, brought to you by Victorian company Threshold. Mountain Goat Mountain is best suited to children ages 4+ and their families.

• When: Saturday 18th September to Sunday 3rd October (ON DEMAND)
• Recommended for kids 4+yrs and their families
• Tickets (members/non-members): $10.50/ $12.50
• More Info

For more info on the Spot On Children’s Festival and to book, visit Riverside Theatres.