World of Manipulation intrigues children of all ages

Kakapo in Kiwi Moon-Please. Credit: Stephen A'Court

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World of Manipulation intrigues children of all ages at Capital E

Immerse yourself inside a world of manipulation at Capital E these September/ October school holidays. Puppets from all walks of life including string, marionette, digital and even the little white kiwi from Capital E National Theatre for Children’s Kiwi Moon come out of the box to play. From Saturday 26 September – Saturday 10 October 2015 children aged 2-14 will experience a range of activity including virtual reality, puppet shows, puppet workshops, digital green screen fun, pop up performances and a puppet installation at Capital E Central.

Capital E Central’s free indoor playground on 4 Queens Wharf will officially be hooked up as Puppet Playtime from Monday 28 September. Children aged 3-8 will experience zones ranging from Make Your Own (puppet making craft activity zone); a Little Puppet Theatre (a place to make children’s creations come to life); a Digital Marionette Zoo (a digital puppet experience); and finally Meet the Stars Zone (An opportunity to get an up-close look at puppet stars of the past from Capital E National Theatre for Children’s productions).

Capital E’s Director Stuart Grant says, “Capital E’s strength is that we bring expertise in digital technology together with practiced puppeteers, actors and designers and to share high quality creative experiences with children and young people.”

In MediaLab the world of manipulation intensifies for young people aged 8+ and families in a new workshop. Capital E is taking 3D Movie Making to the next level with some of the coolest VR hardware, along with the free Unity 5. If you dream it, you can create it in Capital E’s new Virtual Reality programme. This is a total 360 experience you cannot get anywhere else in Wellington. There are 2 workshops per age range from Tuesday 29 September – Friday 9 October during day time. Plus a one-off night time session is available for families on Wednesday 30 September from 6.30pm-8.30pm.

Puppet practitioners from over Aotearoa are coming to Capital E Central to lead showings and workshops for children aged 2-10. Kicking off the puppet-mania is Little Dog Barking Theatre Company’s Let’s Make a Puppet, Let’s Tell a Story ideal for children aged 2-5 on Thursday 1 October from 2pm-3.30pm. String Bean Puppets also join Capital E with two showings and workshops for children aged 3-10 on Monday 5 October & Wednesday 7 October from 2pm-3.30pm.

On Friday 2 & Thursday 8 October from 1pm, Amy Church leads a workshop for children aged 5-8 to design and make their own puppet theatre’s to take home at Wellington Museum.

Jeremy Dillon - The Moe Show

Jeremy Dillon from TV Four’s The Moe Show comes to Capital E’s OnTV Studio to run a full workshop on how to make puppets perfection on screen on Tuesday 6 & Wednesday 7 October in a full day workshop from 10am-3pm for children aged 8+. On Tuesday 6, Jeremy and Moe will be available for a meet in greet in Capital E Central from 3pm-3.30pm.

Shadow puppet workshops will be held by experienced puppeteer Steffen Kreft on Wednesday 9 October at 9.30am & 1pm in the OnTV Studio for children aged 8-12. Children will explore, play and discover their shadow creations using the Capital E TV equipment.

Capital E National Theatre for Children presents the popular return season of Kiwi Moon adapted for the stage by Rachel Callinan, based on the popular New Zealand book by Gavin Bishop from Saturday 26 September – Saturday 10 October at 11am at Hannah Playhouse. Littlies aged 2-7 can sing along with the little white kiwi who snuffles and shuffles through the forest floor and hulas with the huhu grubs. Embark on this charming tale of one little white kiwi’s quest to find his place in an often strange and sometimes dangerous world.

Finally children aged 6-8 can get the full Capital E experience for a day. Kids will start the day with an interactive session in OnTV, then head to the theatre to see Kiwi Moon, followed by a backstage tour, meet and greet with the puppets and actors, before heading on a KiwiTrail back to E Central for puppet activities.

For further information regarding dates, times and bookings visit the Capital E website capitale.org.nz.

ENDS.

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