The show must go on(line)!

Welcome to Windmill at Home. A new online platform that hopes to bring a little bit of Windmill joy into your home.We believe that good stories bring people together and can make even the darkest days brighter. We've worked closely with our wonderful team of artists and creatives to share some of your favourite stories in a whole new way.Read on to discover a whole suite of stories with Grug, a collection of hands-on activities and explore our interactive (and award-winning) digital experiences.We'll be back onstage just as soon as we can. For now, find us here and on your screens!

A message from Rose

The amazing thing about artists is their boundless creativity. When faced with the prospect not being onstage for a little while, our incredible family of creatives at Windmill took it as a challenge. We asked, ‘how does Windmill tell stories in the digital space?’

The answer is Windmill at Home. A suite of digital experiences, content and activities that bring some of our favourite characters, stories and faces into your home. We’ve worked with artists to revisit some of our best friends, including Grug and Beep, to reinvigorate some of our digital experiences and interactive journeys and have created exciting ways to get people young and old up, moving, building and creating.

We hope this little bit of Windmill will inspire you, fascinate you and make you smile.

With lots of love (from a safe social distance),
Rose

Sun Runners

An intergalactic audio adventure

Let's get intergalactic!

Blast off on an audio adventure from your lounge room. Created in collaboration with Perth-based theatrical innovators Audioplay, Sun Runners is a six-part, sci-fi extravaganza that places you at the centre of the action. With a smartphone, a pair of headphones and a few household objects, you’ll be plunged into a rollicking epic where you’ll dodge asteroids, fight brain sucking aliens and travel through wormholes as you race around the sun.

Sun Runners is accessible through the purpose-built Audioplay app (available on iOS and Android devices) and combines elements of gaming, live storytelling and interactive play to create an edge-of-your-seat experience that encourages you to put your phone away and become completely immersed in incredible Australian storytelling.

Put your phone away and get out of this world with Audioplay. 

 

Learn more

Honey I'm Home

A new web-series from Chris Edser, Renate Henschke and Jonathon Oxlade

Episodes

Episode One

A journey through the four seasons, with each different season handcrafted by the Honey, I’m Home team using objects found in the home.

Watch Now

Episode Two

A stunning portrait of the body in motion, which sees the Honey, I’m Home team intricately animate the choreography of dancer Zoë Dunwoodie.

Watch Now

Episode Three

Renate Henschke introduces us to the marvellous characters lurking between the pages of some of her most beloved books in a gorgeous new animation.

Watch Now

Episode Four

Chris Edser and Jonathon Oxlade team up with the incredible Christine Johnston to create an epic animated jam session for three very squiggly characters.

Watch Now

Episode Five

The creators team up with some of our favourite artist to create an hilarious ode to the nerves, anxiety and, at times, embarrassment of the theatrical audition.

Watch Now

Episode Six

Ezra Juanta creates an original song about being at home, Zoom and spending summer in a messy bedroom.

Watch Now

Episode Seven

The team works with Carol Wellman-Kelly and a whole lot of cut-up paper to create a stunning new portrait of dance.

Watch Now

Episode Eight

In the final episode of the series, the artists reach out to their communities to discuss connection and friendship.

Watch Now

Making Honey I'm Home

What is Honey I'm Home?

Co-creators Chris Edser, Renate Henschke and Jonathon Oxlade take a break from creating, crafting and animating to tell us everything there is to know about Honey, I’m Home.

Watch Now

Choreographing Episode Two

Dancer, actor and creative powerhouse Zoë Dunwoodie takes a break from rehearsals to take about the process of choreographing episode two.

Watch Now

Animating the Body

Chris Edser answers a few questions about the intense process of rotoscoping that helped bring episode 2 of Honey, I’m Home to life.

Read Now

HIH Book Club

In honour the extremely literary nature of Episode Three of Honey, I’m Home Chris Edser, Renate Henschke and Jonathon Oxlade tell us some of their favourite books.

Read Now

Composing with Christine

Christine Johnston tells about composing original music for Episode Four of Honey, I’m Home and about the experience of being an artist in lockdown.

Read Now

My Strangest Audition

Performers Kidaan Zelleke and Zoë Dunwoodie tell us about their strangest experiences in the audition room (and their rituals for getting their head in the game).

Read Now

Ezra in the Studio

We join Ezra Juanta in the studio as he rehearses the song at the centre of Episode Six.

Watch Now

Side-by-Side with Carol Wellman-Kelly

See how the team turned Carol’s wonderful choreography into a piece of video art.

Watch Now

Reflecting on Honey, I'm Home

Chris Edser, Renate Henschke and Jonathon Oxlade reflect on the series, what they learned and their favourite household utensil.

Read Now

Grug Storytime

Our actors read Ted Prior's beloved picture books with you.

Grug

Before she has her daily cup of tea and helps Grug to complete renovations on his burrow, actor Ellen Steele reads the story that started it all, Grug.

Watch Now

Grug at the Snow

Before he and Grug go on their alpine holiday, actor Tim Overton reads about the first time Grug went to the snow.

Watch Now

Grug at the Beach

When Grug goes to the beach, you better believe he’s going surfing. Actor Ezra Juanta reads his favourite Grug book, Grug at the Beach.

Watch Now

Grug and the Rainbow

After rain, there is always a rainbow. Actor Elizabeth Hay reads the colourful tale Grug and the Rainbow.

Watch Now

Grug Plays Soccer

Can Grug bend it like Beckham? Kidaan Zelleke reads the wonderful Grug Plays Soccer.

Watch Now

Grug meets Snoot

Some people have a spiky disposition… especially echidnas. Elizabeth Hay reads about how Grug meets one of his best friends, Snoot the Echidna.

Watch Now

Grug and the Green Paint

Have you ever wished to paint the world your favourite colour? Actor Kidaan Zelleke reads about Grug’s spectacular journey with a tin of green paint.

Watch Now

Watch Girl Asleep

The world is closing in on Greta Driscoll. On the cusp of turning fifteen she can’t bear to leave her childhood, it contains all the things that give her comfort in this incomprehensible new world. She floats in a bubble of loserdom with her only friend Elliott, until her parents throw her a surprise 15th birthday party and she’s flung into a parallel place; a world that’s weirdly erotic, a little bit violent and thoroughly ludicrous – only there can she find herself.

Based on the critically acclaimed production by Windmill Theatre Co, Girl Asleep is a journey into the absurd, scary and beautiful heart of the teenage mind.

Hit the button below and choose your favourite way to watch online.

Stream Girl Asleep

Interactive Journeys

Immersive online experiences

Girl Asleep: An Interactive Journey

Did you know that Shakespeare allegedly wrote King Lear while socially isolating?

Girl Asleep: An Interactive Journey is a free digital resource that takes you from the page to the screen and tells you everything that you need to know about creating work for the screen.  You’ll learn about acting, producing, design, direction and writing, and how to put it all together. Watch Girl Alseep, complete the journey and get working on that future award-winning script that’s been at the back of your mind lately.

Click here for a quick glimpse into the platform.

Begin the Journey

Across Land and Sea: An Interactive Journey

In times of social isolation, community is what gets you through. Created in conjunction with our show Amphibian, Across Land and Sea documents the story of former refugee Mufazar Ali’s journey to Australia in a stunning interactive platform.

If you would like to learn more about our production of Amphibian, or ideas about displacement, loss or adapting to new worlds, check out our Amphibian study guide.

Explore Now

Let's get moving!

Windmill artist and dancer Zoë Dunwoodie is here to get your blood pumping

Baba Yaga's Outdoor Workout

We know Baba Yaga is always hungry, but how does she work up such a ferocious appetite? With her cabbage leaf mask and extreme adherence to social distancing rules, Baba Yaga is a model of health, fitness and wellbeing.

Baba Yaga is the fitness influencer we need in 2020. Watch as the legendary Christine Johnston (The Kransky Sisters) reprises her role as the legendary character and takes us through her workout routine.

Watch Now

Grugercise Workout Videos

Grug-robics

Get your blood pumping. Zoë and DJ Grug have put together an extensive workout to keep you iso-fit, healthy and happy.

Watch Now

Grug's Quick Cardio Burst

Grug loves to go for a long walk and explore the world around him. But what happens when you need to burn energy in your very own home? Zoë and DJ Grug have created a quick cardio workout to get your blood pumping.

Watch Now

Grug's big dance!

Zoë and DJ Grug are back with a sick dance routine inspired by Ted Prior’s beloved book Grug learns to Dance. Complete with music from genius DJ Tr!p, this is some seriously groovy Grugercise.

Watch Now

Craft and hands-on activities

A series of fun activities to get crafty and creative with!

Build Grug's Drum Kit

Feeling percussive? We’ve got you. 

Our friend Grug has a musical streak and loves nothing more than to get drumming. Inspired by the book Grug and his Music, we’ve created an easy way for you to create your own Grug-style drum kit at home. Make some glorious noise.

What you’ll need:

  • A bucket or saucepan
  • A saucepan lid
  • Rice
  • A container
  • Drumsticks – could be pencils, paintbrushes or wooden spoons!

Click below for further instructions.

Watch Now



Activity templates to print at home

Make a windmill for Beep

Early Childhood - Lower Primary

The windmill on top of Mort’s home in Beep generates the energy to power the bird that sounds the beginning of the day to the villagers. Click here to watch the highlights from Beep.

In this activity you will explore wind power, how it has been used in the past and present and how we can use wind to power a simple toy.

Think about all of the ways that wind power is used. Look out of the window. Is it windy today?

Wind power has been used by humans forever. We’ve used it for:

  • Sailing ships
  • Flying kites
  • Grinding grain
  • Pumping water.

What do you know about how wind is used? Where could you find out about how wind is used? What are you wondering about wind?

Wind Turbines

Wind power can be used to generate electricity directly from the wind. They use big windmills called wind turbines. Big wind farms with lots of wind turbines generates electricity that can power thousands of homes.

Wind is a source of energy we call renewable because there is always wind on the Earth and we aren’t “using up” wind when we make energy from it.

Click here to download the instruction template.



Write a letter to Grug

Early Childhood - Lower Primary

Write a letter to Grug with your idea for Windmill’s next big show!

It could be based on a previous show, like Grug or Beep, or a completely new character from a far-off land. Grug loves drawings and pictures, so feel free to include some in your letter! Don’t forget to let him know what you’ve been up to.

Click here to download the template. Or, feel free to use any paper you have at home. 

To ‘post’ to Grug: scan or take a photo and email it to marketing@windmill.org.au.



Storyboard like a professional

Foundation – Year 3

Every good story, whether it be from the directors and creatives at Windmill, to the writers and animators at Disney, starts with a storyboard.

Writing can be tricky, especially when you’re unsure of how to make your ideas connect and your narrative flow – that’s where storyboards come in.

What is a storyboard?

A storyboard is a set of drawings, in a sequence, that tells a story. By breaking a story into small chunks, the writer can focus on the flow of the story.

Storyboards help you to see:

  • How ideas connect
  • If the story makes sense
  • Where the story is set (the scene)
  • what characters will be in each scene
  • What the character’s say
  • What scenes you can change to build suspense and interest.

Fun Fact: The process of storyboarding was developed in the 1930’s at Walt Disney Productions.

To get you started, we’ve provided some templates using our friends from two of our stage shows, Beep and Grug. Once you’ve had a go using our story – have a go at coming up with your own!

The next steps will support you to:

  1. Create a storyboard using the story provided
  2. Create a storyboard using the characters provided
  3. Create a storyboard for your own story

Create a storyboard for Grug

For some inspiration, you can watch our actors read some of of the Grug series aloud. Click here to watch.

Create a storyboard for your own Grug story

Choose an adventure you might like Grug to go on.

Think about what you have watched and:

  • Talk about the sequence or order of events
  • What came first?
  • What happened next?
  • Then what happened?
  • How did the story end?
  • Draw the main events in a storyboard.

Think about:

  • Who will Grug meet?
  • What will they do?
  • What problems might they run into?
  • How will Grug solve the problem?

Click here to download the storyboard templates. You may need to print some pages a few times, depending on the length of your story.

Repeat the activities above using the characters from Beep! Click here to download the template for Beep.



Search

Presenter Portal login

Forgot your password?

Interested in presenting? Click here

Select a language

Responsive, lightweight, fast, synchronized with CSS animations, fully customizable modal window plugin with declarative configuration and hash tracking.


Subscribe to our eNews