ALEA/TATE STATE CONFERENCE, LAUNCESTON TAS16-17th April

CHICAGO, USA
FRI 23rd Apr, 6:30 – 8:00 pm: Skokie Public Library, Chicago
SAT 24th Apr 2 – 4 pm: Carthage College, Kenosha WI
MON 25th Apr 10:30 – Noon: Chicago Public Library
MON 26th Apr Afternoon: Anderson’s book store, Chicago
TUES 27th Apr 9.00 -10.00: Scholastic IRA booth
TUES 27th Apr 2.30-5.15: IRA humour panel
WED 28TH Apr 9.30-10.30: Feiwel & Friends booth
http://www.reading.org/General/Conferences/AnnualConvention.aspx

WILLIAMSTOWN LIT FEST: WILLIAMSTOWN, VIC: Sun 2nd May, Morning talk, http://www.willylitfest.org.au/

SYDNEY WRITERS FESTIVAL 17-21 MAY
http://www.swf.org.au/schools/

VOICES ON THE COAST FESTIVAL, SUNSHINE COAST QLD: 7-8TH JUNE http://www.immanuel.qld.edu.au/voices/

JUST MACBETH! Live on Stage SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE, SYDNEY 24TH JUNE – 1ST AUG http://www.bellshakespeare.com.au/buytickets/2010productions

THE VERY BAD BOOK TOUR: SEPTEMBER 2010
http://andygriffiths.com.au/books/theverybadbook

SPRUNG FESTIVAL, Albany WA : Sep 17-19
http://sprung.albany.wa.gov.au/

OCTOBER: NEW ZEALAND TOUR

THE VERY BAD SHOW! Melbourne, VIC: Dec 2010-Jan 2011 RMIT productions, http://www.launch.rmit.edu.au/performingarts.html

I think Terry Denton stinks
And, no, it isn’t what you think
It’s not that his old undies pong
It’s just that all his books are long
And filled with things so very gross
They put me off my breakfast toast

I have a son – he reads quite well
But after reading likes to tell
The funny parts of books he’s read
Which is bad enough at time for bed
But the horrid little bloke
Wants to make his Mother choke

So lately he has started reading
Stuff with gore and guts and bleeding
From Terry’s books while having dinner!
I tell you this is not a winner
What do you think ‘bout snot and poo?
Not good with food, I’m telling you!

My smarty kids have just corrected
Me, by saying he’s connected
With Andy Griffiths, who, they said
Has all the Yuk stuff in his head
It’s him who writes down all the words
And then these two revolting nerds

Make a book which Terry draws
I’m certain there should be some laws
To make sure it’s against the rules
To let these post-pubescent fools
Publish books so horrid boys
And girls can grin and find their joys

By bringing up their Mother’s lunch
So I am sending you this bunch
Of words to tell you what I feel
I hope you understand the real
Feeling that I have for you
It may be you’re the only two.

Grown up men whose work I know
Can make a loving Mother go
To the library, axe in hand
To chop down all the big bookstands
So never more into our house
Will come a book which makes me rouse
Upon my darling boys for reading!
Please hear my slow pathetic pleading

And….

Keep up the good work

Kind Regards,
Kelli Dendle
PS: Sadly my daughter finds your work somewhat amusing too.

Following a rip-roaringly successful season in 2008, Just Macbeth! returns with many of the original cast. Loaded with gags aimed at children and adults alike, it’s an absolute treat for the whole family.

Where: Sydney Opera House
When: Thurs 24th June, 2010 until Sat 31st July, 2010. Tickets on sale 1st February, 2010. Visit Bell Shakespeare for more details.

Click here to watch highlights from the 2008 production of Just Macbeth! along with interviews with cast, director and Andy from ABC1’s The 7.30 Report.

Click here to read reviews from the 2008 production of Just Macbeth!

The concept for Children365 was developed after the tragic death of Darcey Freeman in early 2009.  Following the loss of their precious little girl, Darcey’s mother and her family suggested an annual day to cherish all children.  They asked the Alannah and Madeline Foundation to help make it a reality.  The Alannah and Madeline Foundation initiative Children365 encourages all of us to cherish our children every single day of the year.

The Victorian State Government is proud to partner this initiative and by hosting a family fun day to launch the beginning of Children365.  This day signifies the end of a week of celebrating children and the commitment to cherish and protect our children every day of the year.  Melbourne Museum is supporting Children365 by generously offering FREE entry for all adult patrons on Sunday 1 November 2009.  Concession and children 16 years and under are free every day.

ACTIVITIES AT THE FAMILY FUN DAY

A wide range of free activities will take place throughout the family fun day including – kite and puppet making workshops, chalk drawing, appearances from Premier’s Reading Challenge Ambassadors, sports and games, arts and crafts, entertainment and lots more!

The museum is open from 10am until 5pm.  Most of the free activities will run from 10.30am until approximately 3.30pm (some will finish a little later).  Andy will be speaking at 1.00pm. Some activities will be held outside the museum (in marquees such as the kite making), but most will take place inside.  A full program of the day will be distributed to patrons attending the event and will also be available on our website from mid October.

FORTUNE THEATRE, DUNEDIN NZ PRESENTS:

THE DAY MY BUM WENT PSYCHO by ANDY GRIFFITHS

adapted and directed by LAURA COONEY

Zack Freeman is ready to tell his story… The story of a boy and his crazy bum. The story of a crack bum-fighting unit called the B-team, a legendary Bum Hunter and his formidable daughter, and some of the biggest, ugliest and meanest bums ever to roam the face of the Earth. A story of courage and endurance that takes Zack on a journey across the Great Windy Desert, through the Brown Forest and over the Sea of Bums before descending into the heart of an explosive bumcano to confront the biggest, ugliest and meanest bum of them all… The Day My Bum Went Psycho — a story that you and your bum will never forget.

2–24 October 2009  Performance times: Tues 6pm – Wed to Sat 6.30pm – Sunday 4pm 11am matinees weekdays – check box office for school holiday and term time matinee details. Family ticket prices available

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

Review:
The bums of the world have rebelled! Urged on by the rebel leader, Zack’s bum, bums everywhere have detached themselves from their owners and are forming an army to build the most terrifying and dangerous bumcano of them all, in an attempt to take their rightful place on top of the shoulders of their owners. they will put up with being stuck inside pants no longer!
Director Cooney set out to make The Day My Bum Went Psycho resemble an action movie on stage, and i can confidently say she has succeeded in doing so. zack Freeman (taylor), and the “b” team, a group of bum fighters, cross the great windy Desert, the brown Forest, and the sea of bums, complete with fight scenes, acrobatics, and a dramatic finale on the edge of the bumcano and a pit of hungry maggots. The Day My Bum Went Psycho was filled with gimmicks, props, farts, bangs, bums, cracks, sounds, and flashy lighting, and the kids loved it.
The action really starts to get going when we are introduced to the “b” team. as eleanor (Pollard) and zack escape two rogue bums in the bum mobile, the team pops out of numerous places; the action freezes for a second as they pull numerous poses and introduce themselves, all the while fighting off the bums and escaping. the lighting and sound are perfect for this act, and some great images are formed with the chaos of the team highlighted. big ups to gary Kierle and rebecca de Propso, who did a fantastic job with the lighting and sound.
My favourite parts of the show were the transition stages, which showed the team’s travel in between the main action. zack and the “b” team had awesome roller shoes and came on and off the stage joyously reacting and playing with one another. here, we were also privy to some acrobatics with cartwheels and turns. the acrobatics also cropped up in some of the fight scenes, for which armstrong needs to be particularly commended. i loved the acrobatics but wanted to see more, more, more.
The actors were all great and enthusiastic and i enjoyed their genuine passion for fighting the evil bums of the world. i particularly adored nielson as Kicker, a stereotypical jock who just wanted to kick the bums of the bums …?! or anyone else who got in his way.
Cooney did a great job including the audience in on the action. there ain’t no audience participation quite like encouraging a bunch of kids to make fart noises. i also enjoyed zac’s bum (gorgeously voiced by georgia Cooney) speaking directly to the bums of the audience to not fear, as they wouldn’t have to put up with being squished on to the seats for much longer.
The Day My Bum Went Psycho is good, dirty fun. i would say it is also about bravery, looking after your friends and standing up to evil. It is about adventure, the journey and the fun of poppy music that left the kid next to me literally dancing out of the theatre.
JessICA JeffRIes, ‘Critic’ #27

The Stringybark Festival is Australia’s longest running sustainability festival. Spread across five acres of the Rowville Community Centre reserve, and regularly attracting more than 20,000 visitors, the festival has become one of the most significant community environmental festivals on the national calendar.

Stringybark is a great day out for the whole family with live music, fun activities and workshops for all ages, a huge chill out chai tent to lounge in, extensive markets, fairground, food and drink, plus the award winning adventure playground. All this whilst showcasing how to reduce our impact on the environment through small, cheap and easily achievable steps.

The Stringybark Suburban Sustainability Festival is on Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 October 2009 10am – 5pm Rowville Community Centre.

For more information visit: http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne_details.php?id=12280

USE LESS – WASTE LESS – PAY LESS – LIVE SMARTER

….  ….

Hi everyone, thanks for making the robot riot tour one of the biggest and best yet! Stand by for THE VERY BAD BOOK tour in 2010.

Click here to read Jeffery E Doherty’s write up of one of the Robot Riot school events in Bathurst, NSW on his blog.

The Cat Empire, Paul Kelly, Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter, Katie Noonan and Chenile Chandler offer their combined talent  to help raise funds for the Indigenous Literacy Project. This will be a celebration of music and words — with special readings by Tara June Winch and Aunty Joy Wandin Murphy included in the programme. Hosted by Andy Griffiths, this is a major event on the Melbourne Writers Festival and the Australian book industry’s calendar..

In the past three years, the Indigenous Literacy Project has raised more than $500,000 for resources to help address the literacy crisis in remote indigenous communities. This project, run in partnership with the Fred Hollows Foundation and the Australian book industry, with Therese Rein as Patron, has a number of creative ambassadors including: David Malouf, Andy Griffiths, Kate Grenville, Tara June Winch, Kaz Cooke and the Cat Empire’s Felix Riebl.

To find out more about the Indigenous Literacy Project visit: www.indigenousliteracyproject.org.au

To read Kaz Cooke’s account of the 2009 field trip to the Northern Territory in August visit  www.kazcooke.com.au/kazcooke/il/

A very big thank you to everyone who came along to all the school, evening and bookshop events held during July 2009 to celebrate the launch of JUST MACBETH! It was great to meet you all–and re-meet many old friends again–and I look forward to doing it all again in September for the launch of the fourth book in the Schooling Around series, ROBOT RIOT! Please check back to this site for details–they’ll be posted in the next couple of weeks. Until then, happy reading!

Feedback from the JUST MACBETH tour:

• ‘He is just so funny. Thoroughly entertaining’. (parent)
• ‘Well I have never seen so many boys having such a good/naughty time. Andy certainly knows how to engage his audience’. (parent)
• ‘Had trouble getting my child to sleep afterwards. He couldn’t stop talking about Andy’. (parent)
• ‘I couldn’t believe how many kids in the audience had at least one copy of Andy’s book in hand and could virtually quote him’. (adult)
• ‘He got my youngest boy into reading’. (parent)
• ‘I like him cos he is rude and a little bit silly’. (boy)
• ‘Well organised and professional event. My first visit and I had no idea how good they are’. (adult)
• ‘Please, please can he come again??’ (group of children)
• ‘Thank you so much for a great night’. (adult)
• ‘Just wanted to say thank you for organising such a wonderful event! My kids have not stopped talking about Andy since!’ (parent)
• The event was absolutely sensational! 600 kids were totally spellbound, all their teachers had a great laugh and we love Andy more than ever! Please send him back to Tassie ASAP. It was the best “kids’” event I’ve been to in 30 years’s teaching. (teacher)

Andy Griffiths at the Burnside Library Aug 04 2009