YOUTH DRAMA TROUPE
Youth Drama Troupe IS a skill-based workshop series FOCUSING on acting and performance skills, readying young performers for the professional stage and screen.
Established in Brisbane over 35 years ago, Backbone has a deep history of engaging the creativity of Young People. We foster this creativity through a unique participant-led approach that centres on young artists finding their own voice and placing them in an uplifting space with dedicated teaching artists who work professionally in the performing arts industry.
Our workshops are designed to empower young artists with the tools to tell their own stories. In the Youth Drama Troupe, Young Artists will be working with contemporary and traditional texts to develop acting and script-work skills culminating in a performance outcome at Backbone Festival 2025.
At Backbone, you don’t just join a drama class, you join a community!
Term 2 2025 begins MONDAY 28th OF april!
Registrations are open now.
Please note that the delivery of this new program is dependent on interest from a minimum number of participants.
Junior: YoutH DRAMA TROUPE
Ages 8-11
Monday 4:00PM – 5:30pm
Working with our passionate teaching artists, Primary Age Youth Drama sessions empower young performers to develop their acting skills, bring scripts to life, and collaborate on scene work. Through skills-based workshops and a supportive environment, participants will refine their technique and gain confidence as they work toward an exciting performance outcome in Backbone Festival 2025. These engaging workshops are tailored to nurture each young artist's growth while emphasising creativity, collaboration, and joy.
Term 2 will focus on the performance fundamentals in Acting 101.
2025 TERM dates:
TERM 2: Monday 28th April - 30th June*
TERM 3: Monday 14th July - 8th September
TERM 4: Monday 13th October - 8th December
All terms are 9 weeks.
*5th May is a public holiday, as such no workshop will happen that day. A make-up workshop will take place on Monday 30th June.
Cost:
$390/term or commit to the whole year for $1,360 ($200 discount).
REGISTER BEFORE 17th MARCH 2025 FOR AN EARLYBIRD DISCOUNT:($350/term).
We offer a discounted rate if you book for Youth Drama Troupe AND our Young Creator Workshops. We also offer a sibling discount and have limited hardship scholarship placements available.
Where?:
Workshops will take place at Backbone’s venue, Seven Hills Hub on 28 Tallowwood St, Seven Hills QLD 4170
Please note that the delivery of this new program is dependent on interest from a minimum number of participants.
SENIOR: YoutH DRAMA TROUPE
Ages 12-18
MONDAY 6:00PM – 7:30PM
In our Secondary Age Youth Drama sessions, young performers will be guided by accomplished teaching artists to enhance their acting skills through in-depth script analysis, scene work, and focused performance exercises. Each workshop is designed to challenge participants, encouraging growth as they collaborate and bring complex characters to life. From character exploration to ensemble work, participants will develop a range of dramatic techniques, culminating in a performance that showcases their growth and dedication in Backbone Festival 2025.
Term 2 will focus on the performance fundamentals in Acting 101.
2025 TERM dates:
TERM 2: Monday 28th April - 30th June*
TERM 3: Monday 14th July - 8th September
TERM 4: Monday 13th October - 8th December
All terms are 9 weeks.
*5th May is a public holiday, as such no workshop will happen that day. A make-up workshop will take place on Monday 30th June.
Cost:
$390/term or commit to the whole year for $1,360 ($200 discount).
REGISTER BEFORE 17TH MARCH 2025 FOR AN EARLYBIRD DISCOUNT:($350/term).
We offer a discounted rate if you book for Youth Drama Troupe AND our Young Creator Workshops. We also offer a sibling discount and have limited hardship scholarship placements available.
Where?:
Workshops will take place at Backbone’s venue, Seven Hills Hub on 28 Tallowwood St, Seven Hills QLD 4170
MEET THE TEAM
LEAD FACILITATOR
MARTELLE SIMON-GREEN
Martelle Simon-Green is a Meanjin-based theatre maker, who works primarily as a performer and director. Graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Drama & Literature) , she has gone on to create and perform work both locally and internationally. In 2022, Martelle was an Artist in Residence at Backbone, writing and directing a theatrical work titled Pierrot for Backbone Festival and Fringe Brisbane. Martelle has been a performer for physical theatre ensemble NDRNCE, completing a residency at Metro Arts in 2021 for their work Tangerine Hour. In 2018, Martelle and her collaborators developed the Matilda Award Winning piece of immersive theatre La Silhouette (winner: Best Independent Production 2019 Matilda Awards, Nominated: Lord Mayor’s Award for Best New Australian Work). This work was not only presented in Australia (Backbone Festival 2018 and Brisbane Powerhouse Melt Festival 2019), La Silhouette was also presented in the UK at the Homegrown Festival 2019. More recently she has been a director and dramaturg for Dominoes and Rum (dir. Prince Brown) during its 2022 season. Martelle began as a teaching artist with Backbone Youth Arts Young Makers Program in 2021 and is developing a Youth Arts and education portfolio. Currently, Martelle is the Associate Producer and Lead Facilitator for Backbone Youth Arts.
Martelle’s creative credits include (as creator and performer unless otherwise stated): Obstacle (as Co-Director, Backbone Festival 2023), Bloom Girl (As Assistant Director, dir. Elise Lamb, Thomas Dixon Centre 2023), Pierrot (Director & Writer, Backbone Festival & Fringe Brisbane 2022) The Wilted Rose (As 2nd AD, Short Film, Dir. Elise Lamb, 2022), Dominoes and Rum (as Assistant Director, Dir. Prince Brown, 2021-22), An Intimate Evening with The Architects of Sound and Friends (as Producer, Metro Arts 2021), Tangerine Hour (Metro Arts 2021, dir. Gina Tay Limpus), La Silhouette (MELT Festival 2019, Battersea Arts Centre UK 2019, Backbone Festival 2018), STONEWALL (Metro Arts 2018), There’s No Sex ‘til the Third Act (as Director, Anywhere Festival 2018, QUT Showcase 2016), Hot Cult (Anywhere Festival 2017), Yowies! (Visual Bulk TAS 2017), AWFUL/BIG ADVENTURE (Anywhere Festival 2016, Winner of Anywhere Festival Award), 16 Days on a Sterile Hospital Floor (FAST 2016), The Moon Men (Anywhere Festival 2016, FAST 2015) and naïve. (as Writer and Director; QUT Create X 2016, Freshblood Festival 2016).