Grug and the Rainbow

More stories based on the picture book character created by Ted Prior.

About

  • AGES 2 6
  • 35mins

From the top of a burrawang tree to the end of a rainbow.

After a rainy day, Grug heads outside to see a beautiful rainbow striped across the sky. He tries to sneak up on it, climbing hills and mountains in an attempt to reach it… but it was always just out of his grasp.

In a magical adaptation of Ted Prior’s beloved picture books, Grug and the Rainbow sees our grassy little friend embark on an epic adventure to bask in the colours of the illusive rainbow.

Click here to access an audio version of this information

ON TOUR

Sydney Opera House
Sydney, Australia
12 - 22 December 2024
Sha Tin Town Hall
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
28 February - 02 March 2025

Meet the Cast and Creative Team

Sam Haren

Director

Sam is a Creative Director of Sandpit, a company that create immersive, and interactive theatre and personal experiences. Sam was the Artistic Director of The Border Project from 2002-2012, directing or co-directing all of their work during that time.

He has co-directed Ghosts Toast and the Things Unsaid (Sandpit/ Google’s Creative Lab), Eyes (Sandpit) and Skeleton with Larissa McGowan (Adelaide Festival 2013 & Dance Massive/Malthouse). Sam has worked with Australian Dance Theatre as a dramaturg and researcher. He was one of three international finalists for Rolex’s Mentor and Protégé Initiative for a mentorship with Julie Taymor in 2006.

For Windmill Theatre Co, Sam has directed Plop!, Escape from Peligro Island, Grug and Grug and the Rainbow, as well as interactive experience My Room.

Jonathon Oxlade

Designer

Jonathon is an award-winning designer for theatre, film and television. He is the co-creator, production and character designer of the Windmill Pictures and ABC Kids children’s television series, Beep and Mort. In 2023, he won the APDG Award for Best Production Design for Beep and Mort Series 1. He designed for Windmill’s debut feature film, Girl Asleep and won the ACCTA Award for Best Costume Design with a nomination for Best Production Design, as well as two APDG Awards for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design. He has also won multiple Helpmann, Matilda, Greenroom and Ruby awards, a Sydney Theatre Award, PAWA award and is a Sidney Myer Creative fellow.

Jonathon has designed for major theatre companies across the country including Windmill Theatre Co, Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre, State Theatre Company of SA, Black Swan State Theatre Company, Belvoir Theatre, LaBoite, Bell Shakespeare, Is This Yours?, Aphids, Arena Theatre Company, Polyglot, The Real TV Project, Polytoxic, Men of Steel, Lemony S Puppet Theatre, Terrapin Puppet Theatre, Vitalstatistix, Barking Gecko, The Border Project, Dead Puppet Society, The Last Great Hunt, The Escapists and Sandpit.

DJ TR!P

Composer

DJ TR!P is a multi-award winning producer, composer and performer of electronic music. Over a career spanning 20 years he has built an impressive repertoire of live compositions for his club sets, a variety of high profile events and productions. These include contemporary theatre, dance and film productions, as well as for festival openings, launches and major cultural events.

He has played live at numerous national and international venues, festivals and events including The New Victory Theater (42nd St, New York), Pittsburgh International Children’s Festival, The Tank (New York), State Theater (New Jersey), Super Deluxe (Tokyo), Game On (from the Barbican Art Gallery), MONA FOMA, Adelaide’s New Years Eve’s Fireworks Countdown, DARK MOFO, The Famous Spielgeltent, Ten Days On The Island, Sydney Opera House, WOMADelaide, Adelaide Festival, Big Day Out, ACMI, Federation Square (New Years Eve), Brisbane Powerhouse, Falls Festival and many more. DJ TR!P worked with Windmill Theatre Co previously as the composer for their shows Plop! and Grug.

Chris Petridis

Lighting Designer

Chris is a lighting and video designer from Adelaide, working across theatre, dance, and other live events in Australia and internationally.

Chris has worked with renowned arts organisations including State Theatre Company of South Australia, Theatre Republic, Is This Yours, Australian Dance Theatre, Brink Productions, Restless Dance Theatre, Slingsby Theatre Company, Force Majure, Windmill Theatre Company and Vitalstatistix.

Chris recently worked on the inaugural Illuminate Adelaide Festival’s Light Cycles in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens crafted by the world-leading studio, Moment Factory. Other recent credits include Carla Lippis’ Mondo Psycho for WOMAD 2022, Theatre Republic’s How Not To Make It In America and Windmill Theatre Company’s Creation Creation.

Tamara Rewse

Puppet Maker

Tamara has worked in numerous areas of the performing arts since 1997 including as a Director, Devisor, Maker and Singer. She has toured both nationally and internationally. She has also worked as both a performer and puppeteer for numerous shows.

Her credits include Piccasso and his Dog (Lemony S), Mr Freezy (Arena Theatre Company), Grug, Grug and the Rainbow, Beep and Hiccup (Windmill Theatre Co), COOP (Black Hole Theatre) and Tangle, We Built this City, Paper Planet, Tangle Weave, Forest Feast (Polyglot Theatre). Tamara is also a member of Men of Steel and was involved in their self-titled debut work, Men of Steel as well as Hard Rubbish. Her skills include making props and puppets for film, television and theatre.

Annabel Matheson

Cast

Annabel is an actor and theatremaker based in Adelaide. A graduate of Flinders Drama Centre, she has worked with State Theatre Company South Australia, Sydney Theatre Company, Foul Play, Windmill Theatre Company, Tiny Bricks, Theatre Republic and isthisyours? among others.

She is the co-founder of Ladylike Theatre Collective. In 2021 she made her directorial debut with Ladylike’s world premiere production of How to Kill Your Hamster.

Elizabeth Hay

Cast

Elizabeth is a South Australian based performer. She completed her training at the Flinders Drama Centre.

She has worked on Gods of Strangers, Jesikah, Volpone, Red Cross Letters (State Theatre Company South Australia), Emil and the Detectives (Slingsby Theatre Company), Yo Diddle Diddle (Patch Theatre) and Grug and the Rainbow (Windmill Theatre Co). Elizabeth was a deviser and performer in Stories in the Dark, which won the InSpace Development Award at the 2017 Adelaide Fringe. She has been involved with many local independent theatre companies, including ActNow Theatre as a performer and board member. Elizabeth joined the main cast of Danger 5 for the series return on SBS, and has appeared in other locally made television productions and commercials.

She has been a proud member of MEAA since graduating, and was recently made president of the South Australian Branch of Equity.

Ezra Juanta

Cast

Ezra graduated from Adelaide College of Arts in 2006. Since graduating, Ezra has featured in numerous screen and stage productions, the most notable being his portrayal of The Lion in Windmill Theatre Co’s production of The Wizard of Oz.

In 2016 Ezra returned to the musical stage with his loveable performance of the ‘Surprise Character’ in State Theatre Company SA and Windmill Theatre Co’s co-produced musical Rumpelstiltskin.

His other stage credits include Russian Eggflip, The Life of Galileo, Touch Me I’m Sick, King Lear, Under Milkwood, Littlewing and Twinkle Toes, Vin, The Tale of Shaggles and Petrookio, Me N’ Me Mates, Mr Burns, Beep, Grug and the Rainbow, and That Eye The Sky. His film and TV credits include Engine Room, Voodoo and Lue, The Hunter, The Plowman Quandary (God Vs Satan), McLeod’s Daughters, Sam Fox Extreme Adventures, Friendship Love and Loyalty, and Bad Blood.

Credits

  • Director Sam Haren
  • Designer Jonathon Oxlade
  • Composer DJ TR!P
  • Lighting Designer Chris Petridis
  • Puppet Maker Tamara Rewse
  • Cast Annabel Matheson
  • Cast Elizabeth Hay
  • Cast Ezra Juanta

Highlights from the Show

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY

"Amongst the best children’s theatre you will find; don’t miss this gorgeous show."

The Barefoot Review

"Windmill Theatre are experts at involving the children from the moment they arrive."

Glam Adelaide

"Another exquisitely simple set from Jonathon Oxlade, and the lightest touch from director Sam Haren."

The Advertiser

"Far more than your average children's show."

The Barefoot Review

"There are few things in life as delightful as hearing dozens of children chuckling, gasping and squealing with delight."

Glam Adelaide

"...one of the few truly brilliant theatre pieces for toddlers and preschool children."

The Barefoot Review

"Director Sam Haren has harnessed every element - Jonathon Oxlade's design magic, DJ TR!P's funky composition, accessible storytelling, and the puppetry itself - into a seamless whole, all performed in a tight 35 minutes: an ideal length for young attention spans."

Sydney Morning Herald
6. Grug & the Rainbow. Photo Shane Reid. L-R Nathan O'Keefe, Ellen Steele9. Grug & the Rainbow. Photo Shane Reid. L-R Jude Henshall1. Grug & the Rainbow. Photo Shane Reid. L-R Jude Henshall, Nathan O'Keefe10. Grug & the Rainbow. Photo Shane Reid. L-R Ellen Steele, Nathan O'Keefe11. Grug & the Rainbow. Photo Shane Reid. L-R Ellen Steele, Jude Henshall, Nathan O'Keefe2. Grug & the Rainbow. Photo Shane Reid. L-R Jude Henshall3. Grug & the Rainbow. Photo Shane Reid. L-R Nathan O'Keefe, Jude Henshall, Ellen Steele4. Grug & the Rainbow. Photo Shane Reid. L-R Ellen Stelle, Jude Henshall, Nathan O'Keefe5. 1. Grug & the Rainbow. Photo Shane Reid. L-R Jude Henshall7. Grug & the Rainbow. Photo Shane Reid. L-R Ellen Steele, Nathan O'Keefe8. Grug & the Rainbow. Photo Shane Reid. L-R Ellen Steele, Nathan O'Keefe

Acknowledgements

Grug and the Rainbow is a Windmill Theatre Company production.

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