Josh and Sophia Don’t Play Together Anymore* is a theatre performance for audiences aged 7-11 years old that empowers young people to engage in an exploration of emotional literacy, healthy relationships, and consent. Josh and Sophia have been best friends since they were four., having lots in common. They both love bugs, drawing and soccer, ...
ActNow Theatre
A Theatre-Based Approach to Ending Domestic Violence in One Generation – Josh and Sophia Don’t Play Together Anymore
GOAL
$270,000
Australia > SA > Metro and Regional
Field of Interest
- Arts and culture
- Social inclusion and justice
Target Population
- People experiencing socio-economic disadvantage or vulnerability
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
ActNow Theatre
ActNow Theatre is an award-winning social justice theatre company based on Kaurna Yerta.
As a leader for Community Arts and Cultural Development in South Australia, championing historically marginalised communities is at the heart of everything that we do.
ActNow Theatre’s spaces are stomping grounds for South Australia’s theatre makers and cultural leaders from First Nations, Global Majority, LGBTQIA+ and Disabled communities.
We work alongside these communities and make change in our sector through:
PROJECTS: creating exceptional, award-winning theatre performances and workshops that ignite social change
PROGRAMS: providing accessible pathways for First Nations, Global Majority, LGBTQIA+ and/or Disabled people to engage with and excel in the arts; and
PRACTICE: acknowledging First Nations' custodianship, respecting country, consulting with community and valuing people over profit.
ActNow Theatre’s social justice theatre projects are democratic; inviting audiences to unpack social justice issues and instigate positive social change for all. We deliver socially impactful, artistically excellent, award winning works in theatres, schools, workplaces, festivals, digital environments, healthcare settings and community spaces.
We regularly present our repertoire projects, Tackling Racism and Like Me, Like You in workplaces and schools. Recent clients have included Flinders University, the Office for Public Sector Employment and the Women’s and Children’s Health Network.
ActNow Theatre’s industry development programs enrich and transform Adelaide’s arts sector by championing the voices of historically marginalised communities and supporting their professional and artistic development. We do this through a suite of offerings that evolves and adapts to community needs. In recent years our industry development initiatives have
Project Summary
Josh and Sophia Don’t Play Together Anymore* is a theatre performance for audiences aged 7-11 years old that empowers young people to engage in an exploration of emotional literacy, healthy relationships, and consent.
Josh and Sophia have been best friends since they were four., having lots in common. They both love bugs, drawing and soccer, but by the time they’re ten, everything is much more complicated.
Narration by 30-year-old Josh is woven through scenes from childhood against a tapestry of animation that illustrates the emotional lives of our two young protagonists: unpacking the defining moments and choices that led to Josh and Sophia not playing together anymore.
ActNow Theatre is seeking support to finalise education resources and to ensure this pivotal production reaches the children, families and schools in the regions who need it most.
*Supported by CreateSA, the Graham F Smith Peace Foundation through the Arts Peace Award, and Assemblage Centre for the Creative Arts.
The development of Josh and Sophia Don’t Play Together Anymore has also been made possible by generous in-kind contributions, collaboration and expertise from a broad range of industry and community stakeholders including The Zahra Foundation, the White Ribbon Foundation, Relationships Australia SA, educators, psychologists, gender specialists, allied health practitioners, people with lived experiences of family violence and young people.
Project Outcomes
Both state and federal governments recognise the important role of education and school settings in efforts to address gender-based violence. Josh and Sophia Don't Play Together Anymore will offer an alternative and innovative way to provide key messages. The play expresses these messages driven by young people’s experiences, words and drawings.
Research shows early intervention in education settings is crucial to changing behaviours and that live theatre is an important way to help empower students to be the next generation to say no to violence.
Josh and Sophia Don’t Play Together Anymore is a touring theatre
performance for audiences aged 7-11 years old that empowers young people to engage in an exploration of emotional literacy, healthy relationships, and consent.
Objectives include: developing healthy relationships, promoting emotional literacy, raise awareness of safety and consent, fostering critical thinking and creating a foundation for future change.
In 2024, CCYP recommended to the SA Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence that it should: “… Invest in universal and targeted prevention from an early age, promoting positive relationships and behaviours, and addressing sexism and
gender stereotypes.”
We seek to collaborate with research bodies and government departments to provide teacher resources for ongoing learning in the classroom, family resources for ongoing conversations and for short and longterm outcome measurement with leaders in the field of Domestic Violence Prevention.
The production will be presented in both subsidised and semi-subsidised
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $390,000
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Office of Commissioner for Children and Young People | $20,000 |
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Rehearsal | $160,000 |
| Tour 10x Regional and Metro Areas, 20 Performances | $230,000 |
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