A new production of 'Suitcase Stories' will return to Treehouse Theatre on October 25.
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Each year, Treehouse Theatre welcomes a new group of refugee students in to the program, which helps give the students a voice and works with them to bring their stories to the stage.
Last year's shows drew large audiences and this year's event is eagerly anticipated.
Founders of Treehouse Theatre, Catherine Maguire-Donvito, and Ruth Hartcher-O'Brien have worked with young refugees for many years, say the stories have the power to enliven and transform both the young people who share their experiences on stage, and the audiences who see them.
They have found that acting has a therapeutic benefit for the children, and that equally, audiences find new empathy and understanding.
This powerful program enables these refugees who currently attend Holroyd High School and Intensive English Centre in Western Sydney, to openly discuss their past and present journeys, develop a positive method to express their experiences, and as a group, perform their stories and then discuss them in an open forum afterwards with the audience.
The stories they share will make you smile, cry, think, laugh-out-loud and leave you feeling inspired.
Formerly the subject of an ABC documentary, and winner of the NSW Humanitarian Award for Services to Education, Treehouse Theatre has garnered national recognition.
Treehouse Theatre regularly performs for large school groups in Sydney at the Seymour Centre, The Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre and The Concourse in Chatswood, and this is an extraordinary learning opportunity for local children.
Suitcase Stories will be performed at Frensham's Clubbe Hall, Mittagong on October 25. There will be two performances, one for the school's and a public performance at 7 pm.
Tickets can be purchased online for the public performance via Trybooking at https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=469374&
For more information, contact Rural Australians for Refugees Southern Highlands at rarsouthernhighlands@gmail.com.
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