ZOOOM 2021 Tour Wrap

July 11th, 2021

During May and June, Patch Theatre performed ZOOOM in six venues across South Australia, regional Victoria and regional New South Wales, presenting 20 shows to 4,000 people!

We had planned to be on the road right through until September, visiting Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia, however, COVID restrictions and border closures played havoc with the tour schedule. 54 performances sadly had to be cancelled. We’re currently working with the 13 affected venues to reschedule these performances. We’re looking forward to seeing interstate audiences once it’s safe to travel.

Read on for a peek at what the company got up to whilst on the road through May and June.

Taylor is stoked to be in Horsham

All aboard! Taylor and Temeka are building those frequent flyer miles

Orange you glad to see us 🤪 Jacinta, Tom, Taylor and Temeka at Orange Civic Theatre

  • 20 performances to 4,000 people

  • 10 school workshops

  • Toured to six cities around Australia – Adelaide (SA), Horsham (Vic), Bathurst (NSW), Orange (NSW), Wagga Wagga (NSW) and Dubbo (NSW)

“These photos are from Rockley Public School where we had the pleasure of working with the whole school - just eight students! The students gave us certificates and little trinkets to say thank you for visiting their school. They were the kindest, most gracious bunch.

One of my favourite parts of touring is visiting schools to do workshops. I adore meeting all the children in person before they come to see the show. I think it allows the show to feel more real for them, like they are watching their new friend up on stage. I think that connection and intimacy is so important and so special and really elevates the excitement of seeing the show for them! We get some amazing, hilarious and clever kids coming out of their shells in these workshops. It’s so special when a teacher says “so-and-so never usually gets up and gets involved like that!”, and we get those comments all the time. Being able to create a safe space for children, to inspire their imagination, and play creativity is absolutely precious to me and I feel so lucky to have met each one of them.”

- Temeka Lawlor, actor

Image: Jacinta, Temeka and Taylor show off their certificates from the students at Rockley Public School

The coldest day on tour goes to 9 June - travelling in the Bathurst Region ❄️

Taylor and Temeka talking to students at Rockley Public School

Taylor, Temeka and students at Rockley Public School drawing with light 🖌

At ZOOOM students are invited to bring a piece of dark to exchange for a light which they hold throughout the show. Students got incredibly creative with their dark creations. Some of the best pieces of dark we received included a picture book about dark written by a child, boxes holding captured dark and a pressed rose. Checkout the gallery of dark below.

“It IS a real life movie, I told you!”

– Student

In between the driving, bumping in, performing and bumping out routine there’s always a little time to visit local sites, share meals and get to know the lovely venue staff who help make performances happen.

Supermoon viewing party 🌛 (pictured L-R: Jacinta, Tom, Temeka, Alex & Taylor)

A day off at Taronga Western Plains Zoo (pictured: Jacinta)

The Schnitzel Appreciation Society dutifully met in each town 🍽 (pictured L-R: Temeka, Jacinta, Tom & Alex)

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