Author - Craig Christie
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Why CONNECTED?
It crept up on me. I had heard stories, read some in the papers or circulated online and then there was an incident involving the daughter of a friend of mine. Even so I was unprepared for how profound and serious the problem of cyber bullying was until I decided to explore the issue to prepare writing a short show to tour into schools. I was horrified as incident after incident outlined the pain inflicted on the helpless, the misery caused by the cruelty of faceless cowards, the thoughtlessness and ignorance of those who ought to be caring and protecting and the tragic consequences. And all this was occurring
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I chose the form of a musical to tell the story as songs have the ability to distill moments, express eloquently the inarticulate speech of the heart and to grab attention and engage the audience.
Finally, despite the headlines that occur and the stories that are circulated, the reality and occurrence of cyber bullying has not diminished. The script and the story it presents remains frighteningly relevant. Hopefully it will engage readers, performers and audiences in the characters and the situations that unfold in the narrative and in doing so will make some impact in teaching people everywhere to be kinder and more responsible cyber citizens.
Finally, despite the headlines that occur and the stories that are circulated, the reality and occurrence of cyber bullying has not diminished. The script and the story it presents remains frighteningly relevant. Hopefully it will engage readers, performers and audiences in the characters and the situations that unfold in the narrative and in doing so will make some impact in teaching people everywhere to be kinder and more responsible cyber citizens.
About Craig
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For the past 25 years, Craig Christie has been at the helm of No Mates Productions, creating original plays and musicals in educational, community and commercial settings. These innovative productions have toured extensively throughout Australia and internationally. More than 40 of his shows have had professional productions since 1990.
A former teacher (English, Literature, Drama and Humanities), Craig has written original musical productions for primary schools every year since 1992, celebrating Children’s Book Week. These have been seen by over 2.5 million children in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Singapore and Papua New Guinea. The 2017 production, SUPER DUPER is currently in development for a tour of schools in Australia during which it will play to over 120,000 students in August/September. |
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Several of these young audience shows are in development for the family theatre market, including JUNGLE BUNGLE which, after a successful season at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, premiered in Tampa Bay Florida, USA, in May 2015.
Craig first came to prominence in the field of commercial music theatre with CRUSADE (1998), a ground breaking concert production (in the then Melbourne Concert Hall), before going on to a season at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2000) where it received standing ovations and rave reviews. Other musicals include THE WHITE ROSE (2003) which opened in Melbourne, then toured Singapore, and the international hit EUROBEAT. From humble beginnings at the 2004 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, EUROBEAT went on to win Best New Musical at Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2007), followed by an acclaimed UK tour and London West End season (2008). It was nominated for Best New Musical in the Evening Standard and was voted third most popular New Musical of 2008 in the Whatsonstage awards.
During 2008, EUROBEAT also toured South Korea, headlining at the Daugu Music Festival. Later (2009), EUROBEAT delighted more Australian audiences in a season at QPAC, Brisbane. August 2016 saw the world premiere of the sequel EUROBEAT – MOLDOVA as the marquis production at the Pleasance Grand at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it earned four and five star reviews and Best Musical from Broadway World.
As a playwright and songwriter, Craig’s work spans a number of fields. He has a passionate interest in the use of storytelling and song writing in a positive social context, applying these skills to pioneering community projects such as WATER INTO WINE (2000) and RIGHT WHERE WE ARE (2002). In 2009, Craig was commissioned by the Department for Cultural Enrichment of Vanderbilt University Hospital, USA, to conceptualise and develop a musical for hospital nurses, performed by nurses. HEY FLORENCE! premiered in September that year to standing ovations at every performance, followed by celebrated performances in New York. It has since enjoyed further standing ovations in Singapore (2011) and a return season in Nashville, November 2011. It is currently in development in the USA for television.
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More recently, Craig has explored the theme of cyber bullying and relationships within social media, firstly with MY FRIENDS DOT COM (2009) receiving an excited response in schools throughout Australia and New Zealand, and continues to tour. These themes were further examined for the commercial theatre industry in CONNECTED, which premiered at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, then toured New South Wales schools in 2015 as well as premiering in New Zealand. Starting in May 2016 an exciting partnership with Bully Zero and the Essendon football club saw a seven week Victorian tour. Connected has been licensed throughout Scandinavia for a series of productions and premiere in Helsinki in May 2017 for an acclaimed, sell out season at the Svenska Teatern.
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Currently, Craig is working on exciting new projects for stage, film and television across the globe. These include a new musical, VILLAINY, which has had readings in New York and London, and project development with British writer Amy Golden. Titled GET ON WITH IT, this work explores Amy’s life as a person with severe cerebral palsy and premiered in London in July 2016. His body of work was celebrated in March 2016 by the release of the Craig Christie Songbook published by Origin Theatrical – the first songbook by an Australian Music Theatre writer to receive a commercial release.
For more information about Craig Christie/No Mates Productions
http://nomatesproductions.com
Facebook.com/NoMatesProductions
ORIGIN Theatrical - Craig Christie
CONNECTED EPK
HEY FLORENCE!
For more information about Craig Christie/No Mates Productions
http://nomatesproductions.com
Facebook.com/NoMatesProductions
ORIGIN Theatrical - Craig Christie
CONNECTED EPK
HEY FLORENCE!
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