Programs
Playback Theatre Ensemble
- We trained a new ensemble of Playback Theatre performers under the guidance of Rebus Artistic Director Robin Davidson in the Rebus Playback Theatre Ensemble and performed 3 shows
iDrama
- We continued three weekly iDrama classes for people with intellectual Disability. These classes guide participants through the process of writing, rehearsing and performing a play each term.
Systems of Sanity
- We completed the two-year Systems of Sanity program working with people who ‘have lived experience of mental ill-health, culminating in a performance entitled Systems and Sanity
Flair
- We began rehearsals for our third Flair program with a new ensemble of people with disability and lived experience of mental health challenges devising a play about leadership to be performed in May 2024 at the ACT Hub
Re-Emergence
- We ran workshops in Bega, Goulburn and Queanbeyan to create the Re-Emergence film project illuminating the extraordinary experiences of individuals with disabilities in regional towns against the backdrop of droughts, fires, and a global pandemic.
Acting Out: On Screen
- We ran our fourth Acting Out: On Screen school holiday filmmaking program for LGBTQIA+ Young people. The 2023 program had 16 participants and was supported by Libraries ACT, Woolworths, and Capital Region Community Services.
Project Alchemy
- We conducted a second artists retreat and facilitated 15 artists from five Black Summer Bushfire affected LGAs to run community arts projects in their home regions as part of Project Alchemy including:
- 84 Individual Workshops
- 10 performances
- 2 Exhibitions
- Over 400 community Participants
- Over 15000 Audience members
Performances
Systems and Sanity
- We performed a devised theatre exploration called Systems and Sanity that developed from nearly two years of discussion, workshopping, writing, and rehearsal by people with mental health challenges. The show sold out 3 performances and was attended by four members of the Legislative Assembly
Pride in The Capital
- We performed Pride in The Capital Playback Theatre show for SpringOUT Festival where LGBTQIA+ Canberrans shard stories about pride which were then improvised on stage in real time
Awards and Organisational Capacity Building
WE TURNED 10!
- We celebrated our 10th anniversary with a lovely celebration involving speeches by key member of the Rebus family and a Playback Theatre performance where participants and staff shared stories about their experiences with Rebus that were then improvised back live on stage in real time!
Awards
- We received the ‘Award for Excellence in Inclusion in Education and Training’ at The Chief Minister’s Inclusion Awards
- We received the ‘Lived Experience Ally Recognition’ Award at the Mental Health Month Awards hosted by the Mental Health Community Coalition and the ACT Mental Health Consumer Network
Staff Wellbeing
- Successful in gaining funding for a Staff Wellbeing program including:
- Additional funding for our Employee Assistance Program
- ‘Flexible Health & Wellbeing Allowance’ for staff to spend on activities that assist in relaxing, getting heart rate up, being active or learning a new activity related to wellbeing.
- 5 hrs a week for a Staff Wellbeing Officer to develop new policies and provide mental health support and referrals to employees
Professional Development
- All our tutors and management staff completed First Aid training and refresher CPR training.
- Two of our permanent staff, Robin Davidson and Melissa Gryglewski, completed a year-long training in Dramatherapy in Sydney, travelling to Sydney every two months for weekend workshops.
- Rebus also provided financial support for four staff members to attend a weeklong training in Theatre of The Oppressed (including Forum Theatre) with Canadian expert David Diamond.
Workplace Training
Just Hearing
- We completed 2 seasons of Just Hearing, a forum theatre based training in trauma informed legal practice including a tour to the National Community Legal Centres conference at the Grand Chancellor in Hobart
