Treehouse Theatre to Present TREE OF LIFE

This June, Treehouse Theatre will present a brand new production, Tree of Life, which will see 20 young refugees take to the stage to share their own stories of horror and joy, laughter and pain, and wonder and strength.

In association with Miller Technology High School, Treehouse Theatre has worked closely with the performers, a selection of newly arrived students from the world's troubled areas, using therapeutic drama and storytelling workshops as a form of healing.

Stories in the production include a young girl from Northern Sudan who reflects on being jailed and tortured because her father was a member of parliament in hiding; the birth of a baby amid hospital staff being shot during the civil unrest in the aftermath of the fall of Saddam Hussein; and a young boy and his family escaping from Syria when their bus is held up by ISIS.

Hailing from Iraq, Syria and Sudan, the participants will present their stories through a symphony of spoken word, music, movement and visual imagery. Audiences will be charmed and inspired by the humour, honesty and innocence of the young refugees as they perform pivotal moments from their experiences of war, trauma and persecution, as well as childhood memories coloured with love and warmth.

Through the production Tree of Life, Treehouse Theatre aims to create a greater understanding of the refugee journey and the contributions that young refugees make to the Australian community.

Co-founder and psychologist Catherine Maguire-Donvito said, "Tree of Life gives young refugees the chance to connect deeply with their audiences. This experience is profoundly healing for our young performers and audiences leave the theatre with a new appreciation of what a gift it is to live in Australia."