'Making Theatre For Young People' - Monkey Baa Artistic Director, Eva Di Cesare

Eva Di Cesare graduated from Victorian College of the Arts in 1989. She is a founding member of Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People, established in 1997, along with Tim McGarry and Sandra Eldridge. In 2021, Eva commenced her appointment as Artistic Director of the company. Based in Sydney, the company has achieved critical acclaim for its work and today enjoys a national reputation for producing quality theatre programs for young people, their families and theatre goers. Eva has directed Jackie French and Bruce Whatley's Diary of a Wombat, which won the Glug Award for Outstanding Presentation for Children. Cesare also wrote and directed Where the Streets Had a Name, based on the novel by Randa Abdel-Fattah. She has co-adapted Sydney Theatre Award winning play Li Cunxin's The Peasant Prince, Helpmann award winning plays Jackie French's Hitler's Daughter and Sonya Hartnett's Thursday's Child, Tim Winton's The Bugalugs Bum Thief, Morris Gleitzman's Worry Warts, Gillian Rubinstein's The Fairy's Wings, Stephen Michael King's Milli, Jack and the Dancing Cat, Susanne Gervay's I Am Jack, Elizabeth Fensham's Goodbye Jamie Boyd, Duncan Ball's Emily Eyefinger, and Jackie French and Bruce Whatley's Pete the Sheep and Josephine Wants to Dance. She also co-wrote and directed the 2013 Opera House show Babies Proms Series and Snugglepot and Cuddlepie (with Sandra Eldridge) for CDP Theatre Producers, and Simon Tedeschi Pianist and Prankster for Monkey Baa. Monkey Baa's Mission is to produce high quality theatre programs for young people, their families, teachers and communities throughout Australia and internationally. The company's vision is to be recognised nationally and internationally as a leader in the creation of meaningful and innovative theatre for young people, and to engage young audiences through the telling of Australian stories that entertain, inspire and encourage a greater understanding of the world and their place in it. In 2017 Eva was awarded a Sydney Theatre Award for 20 years of excellence and extraordinary service to the children and young people of Australia. The STAGES podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify and Whooshkaa. Also where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au