AT ROOM TO PLAY KIDS, WE...
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FACILITATE TERM-BASED DRAMA CLASSES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AGED KINDY-GRADE TWELVE.
We facilitate term-based classes from our studio in Paddington and from surrounding schools.
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FACILITATE TEACHING ARTIST PROGRAMS AND ARTIST IN RESIDENCIES.
We have a team of highly-qualified arts educators who are experts in their field and passionate about supporting teachers in schools.
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FACILITATE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND PRODUCTIONS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
Each year we facilitate a number of community events and productions. These include Youth Cabaret Slam's and new theatre works performed by young people on a mainhouse stage.
CLASS TIMETABLE for our TERM-BASED ACTING CLASSES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AT OUR PADDINGTON ACTING STUDIO
REGISTRATIONS ARE CLOSING SOON FOR TERM ONE, 2025.
At Room to Play Kids, we offer term-based classes for primary aged students and teens. Our classes commence in alignment with the first week of the school term and follows a nine week term.
WHEN: On weekdays our classes run 3:30-5pm for Primary School kids, doors open from 3pm. 5.30-7pm for Teens.
WHERE: Rosalie Church Hall. Corner of Ellena St and Fernberg Rd, Paddington.
For our Milton State School Students in our primary classes, our lead facilitator meets the students at 3pm in front of the office and they walk over together to Rosalie Baptist Church.
CLASS TIMETABLE:
Monday: Prep-Grade Two, Grades Three-Five
Tuesday: Prep-Grade Two, Grades Three-Six,
Wednesday: Grades Four-Six
Thursday: Grades Three-Six (Best Availability),
Friday: Prep-Grade Two (Best Availability)
Cost: $300 for the nine-week term.
…AND WE OFFER STAGE AND SCREEN ACTING CLASSES FOR TEENS!
Our teen acting classes are expanding in 2025 ro include screen acting training as well as theatre skill-building. In these classes, teens work on developing their stagecraft, voice, physicality, playwrighting and the use of camera in the world of acting. The participants work towards two theatre performance seasons which utilise both mediums, as well as creating film content for showreels.
Facilitated by award-winning industry professionals in film and theatre, we aim to provide your teen a safe, inclusive space to explore their creativity and their artistry.
WHEN: On weekdays our Teen Acting Ensemble class runs from 5.30-7pm at our Paddington Studio.
Cost: $300 for the nine-week term.
IN-SCHOOLS CLASS TIMETABLE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL DRAMA CLASSES AT LOCAL SCHOOLS
At Room to Play Kids, we offer term-based classes before and after school for surrounding schools. Our timetable is as follows:
OAKLEIGH STATE SCHOOL (ASHGROVE)
Wednesday Mornings - Upper Primary (Grades Three -Six)
Friday Mornings - Early Primary (Prep-Grade Two)
All classes run from 7:30am-8:45am. Students can be dropped off between 7:15am-7:30am.
Cost: $250 for the nine-week term.
UPCOMING APRIL SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMS
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EARLY PRIMARY HOLIDAY PROGRAM
Early Primary Holiday Program | 7th – 9th of April, 9AM-3PM
Ages: Prep – Grade Two
In this theatre program, participants will be able to immerse themselves in different styles of theatre and performance. Each day will feature song, movement and developing stagecraft. The program is as follows:
Monday - The Enchanted Forest
Tuesday – Play in a Day
Wednesday – Time Travel
This program runs at our Paddington Youth Drama Studio. You can choose to enrol your participant for all three days or a respective day.
Early Bird Price for a Day Program: $70
Early Bird Price for the Three Day Program: $200
Please note, Early Bird Registrations close on Friday the 14th of March
Regular Price of a Day Program: $90
Price for the Three Day Program: $250
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UPPER PRIMARY HOLIDAY PROGRAM
Follow that Rabbit! | Monday 14th of April - Thursday 17th of April, 9AM-3PM
Ages: Grades Three – Grades Six
This four-day upper primary program will see participants from grades three-six participate in devising, creating and rehearsing a play in response to the prompt of ‘Follow that Rabbit’. The culmination of the program will include the participants performing the final half an hour of the program at a local theatre space. This four day program is ideal for your children to empower their dramatic skills, engage their creativity, build confidence, and have fun with their peers.
Early Bird Price for the program: $275
Please note, Early Bird Registrations close on Friday the 14th of March
Regular Price: $350
We are committed to nurturing the next generation of performers. The skill sets young people collect on the journey have benefits across their lives.
Our unique classes are informed by the Reggio Emilia philosophy where the children are central to their own learning. Their unique creativity is what we explore. Performance skills and confidence in presentation are outcomes. Underlying this confidence is self-esteem. We celebrate each individual and encourage them to thrive with their unique super-powers.
The results are vocal clarity, collaboration skills, body awareness as well as increased social intelligence. Actors’ skills. These are core skills in a digital world.
We are passionate about nurturing the next generation of theatre-makers, actors and audiences.
The Benefits
Increased communication and presentation skills
Increased self-confidence
Improved empathy
Collaboration with peers
Social Skills
Improved literacy and creative writing skills
Self-expression
As an ensemble, participants create and devise scripts from their own experiences and interests or choose an existing script from the Room to Play script library. Theatre games and improvisation skills are taught to enhance learning, build vocal clarity and spatial awareness as well as creative collaboration.
Our youth learn about the creative process; directing, live performance and most importantly having fun unplugged.
We work towards developing skills to perform in two shows a year.
“The true purpose of arts education is not necessarily to create more professional actors or artists. It’s to create more complete human beings who are critical thinkers, who have curious minds, who can lead productive lives.”
— Kelly Pollock
WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR DRAMA CLASSES?
Upon arrival, children will be marked off the roll. They can eat their afternoon tea, listen to music, and participate in mindfulness activities as they arrive from 3pm. Class starts at 3.30pm.
We do a check-in to see how everyone is travelling and we can gauge the energy levels of the individuals and the group. We encourage eye contact and articulation of feelings. Sometimes we use stimulants such as imagery or music. After this, we move on to body and voice warmups to connect to our senses and mobility, exploring new movements and body awareness. Theatre games are designed to ensure playfulness and inclusivity as the group builds trust. Failure is celebrated as it opens the space for learning and encourages vulnerability in a supportive environment.
We move on to improvisation, character work, script work, writing, script analysis, ensemble work and monologues. Creating from the actor’s unique stories is encouraged. We close with a check-out in circle and encourage each other to find something positive about the experience that we have shared and any things that may have challenged them.
In terms one-two, students work on bringing a text to life and in term three-five, students create their own plays on wherever their imaginations take them. Students work towards their end of semester showings in term two and term four in a local theatre venue.
Meet the team
Heidi GLEDHILL– Founder/ artistic Director
Room to Play drama studio is a space for collaboration, exploration and community. My favourite things. Theatre allows me to work with wonderful creatives, build profound relationships and express the joy of being human in all its magnificent and challenging forms.
I have over 25 years experience in acting and directing, a BA (hons) in theatre, a Masters in Arts Management, trained in Commedia dell’arte and Theatre of the Oppressed in Italy as well as a certificate in Health and Fitness and First Aid. I have performed and directed both locally and internationally, in particular U.K. and Italy. Three children and many pets keep me busy and I deeply passionate about connecting kids to theatre. I have had the joy of seeing the growth and transformation of so many young people who thrive in drama workshops
Virag Dombay – director/LEAD FACILITATOR - room to Play kids
Hi, I’m Virag and I’m the Director of Room to Play Kids. One of my teaching philosophies is that the arts provide children with the tools for lifelong learning as well as a mean of expressing themselves in a way that can’t be achieved through traditional means of education.
Having graduated from QUT with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Drama) with Distinctions in 2019 and with a Masters of Education (2021), my roles in arts in education include Coordinating and being the acting tutor Brisbane Arts Theatre’s Performing Arts Workshops (2018-2021), as teaching my own private acting students (2020-). I am an award-winning actor, director and playwright who’s performed original works in venues such as the Brisbane Powerhouse and Metro Arts and have worked with a plethora of companies in Brisbane and interstate. I’ve toured works across South-East Queensland with the support of Brisbane City Council under my company name ‘Virag Dombay Productions’. In addition to my work at Room to Play, I work as a drama specialist teacher for Oakleigh, Milton and Rainworth state school and am a resident artist at Visible Ink.
In late 2021, I published my first work of fiction called Seasons of Love: A Collection of Short Stories with was a Finalist in the Next Generation Indie and Independent Publishing Awards (2022) in America. Recently, Playlab Theatre published my play ‘Dear Adults…’, which I co-wrote with Harry Fritsch, and is a verbatim piece of theatre created and performed by youth for adults.
At Room to Play, I design each lesson plan with a plethora of opportunities for children to have the agency to express themselves about the world around them and to speak their truths as well as having a safe space to explore.
Harry FritSCH – Facilitator/Resident Playwright - Room to Play kids
Hi, I’m Harry and I’m a guest facilitator at Room to Play. I like working at Room to Play as I believes that it fosters a community of inspired young people to express themselves artistically. I have over six years’ experience working with children in outside school hours care and I have helped to produce and write works of theatre for children.
I am also a creative and professional writer who has applied his craft across a variety of literary mediums and genres. Having fostered a love of the written word from a young age, I graduated from Queensland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Creative and Professional Writing) in 2018.
Since then, my works have been published in a number of short story anthologies and I was the winner Queensland Writers Centre RightLeftWrite competition for July 2022. I was also editor for the short story collection Seasons of Love by Virag Dombay in 2021 and have contributed to various entertainment media websites over the years. My most recent published work by Playlab Theatre was ‘Dear Adults..’, a verbatim play written by Virag and myself for youth, performed by youth.
My favourite drama game is karma harma because it is an avalanche of energy. Most of all, I love seeing the next generation of artists learn about their craft, tell fascinating stories, and have a safe, encouraging, and welcoming room to play.
BETHANY MOORE - FACILITATOR - ROOM TO PLAY KIDS
Hi there! My name is Beth and I am so excited to be one of the facilitators for both the Primary and Teen classes at Room to Play Kids!
I graduated from a 'Fine Arts: Film, Screen and New Media' Bachelors degree from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in 2022 and have since honed my craft and love for education through award recognised short films and music videos as well as working in tutoring and teaching positions. I love working with kids and teens alike and I am using my skills as a theatre loving film buff to bring a new flavour to the education programs. I grew up as a theatre kid and have lived through brilliant facilitators and hope to live up to their impact.
My favourite drama game is Bus Stop. It is a brilliant improvisational game that requires witt, cleverness and overall leads to so many laughs!
JACK BARRETT- FACILITATOR - ROOM TO PLAY KIDS
Hey hey! I’m Jack and I’m thrilled to be joining the Room To Play team as a facilitator this year. I’m incredibly passionate about bringing drama to kids and though this is my first year teaching I am no stranger to bringing theatre to kids, having been the head of my school’s drama club in school and being heavily involved with many junior workshops in my post-school life with companies like LVBA and, of course, Room To Play Kids.
I recently graduated this past year from LVBA where I studied Musical Theatre 4 days a week, graduating while studying a Diploma of Musical Theatre. I have been working within community theatre groups while studying for the past 3 years since graduating Highschool having worked with many groups as a performer. Alongside my journey as a performer I’ve also gotten to tread the boards on the creative team as an assistant director (with Virag Dombay Productions), working set and props and even writing scripts.
My ultimate favorite drama game is definitely Ninja! It just fuels that competitive spirit in me and I also think it’s the perfect balance of energy and focus that you need for a perfect drama game.
YEMAYA NELSON – Facilitator - ROOM TO PLAY KIDS
Hello! I’m Yemaya and I facilitate early and upper primary at Room to Play Kids.
I have a Bachelor of Arts majoring in music from UQ, and over five years of experience tutoring young people in various artistic fields, including music and creative writing. I love working with young people in the arts and getting to share my knowledge as well as create new knowledge with them. I believe that drama is a fantastic way to make friends and connect through collaboration, building community and creating fun!
My favourite drama game is Greetings because of the creativity and spontaneity it prompts, encouraging the participants to play off each other.
