ABOUT RAINBOW CUBS
Welcome to Rainbow Cubs, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to providing a secure and creative platform for LGBTQIA+ identifying youth to forge community bonds and collaboratively craft stories for a new world.
At Bearfoot Theatre, we believe that every voice deserves to be heard and celebrated. Our unique devising collective is designed to be a haven where queer youth can freely express their thoughts, emotions, and experiences through the transformative power of storytelling. The stories we tell have the power to shape perceptions, dismantle stereotypes, and bring about positive change. By nurturing the creative potential of queer youth, we are collectively contributing to the creation of a new world—one where acceptance, understanding, and empowerment thrive.
Whether you're a seasoned deviser/storyteller or someone discovering their creative side for the first time, Rainbow Cubs welcomes you to join our family. Together, we'll craft devised theatre that reflects the richness of our identities and celebrates the diversity within our shared narrative. Please note there is no gatekeeping of queerness at Bearfoot. Your story matters and we can't wait to welcome you to the Rainbow Cubs!
ABOUT THE CUB LEADERS
Rainbow Cubs will be led by Riley and Sam, two of Bearfoot's committee members, who are both experienced drama tutors & theare makers. They are both members of the queer community, understand the significance of authentic representation, and look forward to fostering a safe and supportive environment for the cubs to devise in.
About Riley (They/Them, 27, Non-Binary, Pansexual)
Riley is an award-winning, queer theatre creator, committed to generating experimental new work and amplifying marginalized voices. They are the Founder, President and Artistic Director of Bearfoot Theatre and the Artistic Director of Young People's Theatre, where they have tutored since 2014. They studied at HSPA and hold a Diploma of Arts (RIPA) and a Diploma of Musical Theatre (ATWEA). Riley has written three full-length plays, 'Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood', 'Take Me to Neverland' and 'Do Your Parents Know You're Straight?’, two cabarets, and three short plays. They have completed playwriting workshops with Jen Silverman (Seymour Centre), Vanessa Bates (CONDA) and Tantrum Youth Arts. As a company leader, they have produced over 30 projects since 2015 (one touring interstate, two to Sydney) and directed 23, a few highlights including Newsies (YPT, 2024), Be More Chill (Chookas, 2024), Puffs (YPT, 2023), Tuck Everlasting (YPT, 2023), Heathers (Chookas, 2022), I Hope it's Not Raining in London (Bearfoot, 2022), Picnic at Hanging Rock (YPT, 2020), Take Me to Neverland (Bearfoot, 2018), You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (YPT, 2017) and RENT (Pantseat, 2017). Riley's recent performance credits include 'Petabe', The Duck and the Darklings Workshop (Monkey Baa & Lachlan Philpott, 2022 & 2023), 'Peter', Take Me to Neverland (Bearfoot, 2022), Max, 'HIR' (Very Popular Theatre Company, 2022), and 'Michael', Be More Chill (Chookas, 2021). In 2021, Riley was on the CONDA committee. They have received CONDA award nominations across 9 categories and has received 8 awards. In 2020, they were awarded the the gold 'Outstanding Achievement and Contribution to Theatre' award.
About Sam (He/Him, 22, Transgender, Bisexual)
Samuel Jenkins is a theatre performer, director and educator, whose practice is focused on uplifting queer stories through experimenting with non-traditional physical theatre and other immersive theatrical elements. He is dedicated to using theatre as a vehicle for queer expression, truth-telling and authentic representation; through not only presenting queer stories on stage, but also through making trans performers visible on the stage and in the rehearsal room. Samuel is the Vice-President of Bearfoot Theatre and has worked with a wide variety of theatre companies across Newcastle. He has been a drama tutor at Young People's Theatre Newcastle since 2019, held the position of CONDA Youth Ambassador in 2020 and 2021 and competed in the 2020 Junior Theatre Festival in Atlanta in the Aussie All Stars team. Samuel’s recent performing credits include ‘Casey’ in Do Your Parent’s Know You’re Straight?’ (Bearfoot Theatre 2021), the ‘Other’ in I Hope It's Not Raining in London (Bearfoot Theatre 2022), ‘Kurt Kelly’ in Heathers the Musical (Chookas Entertainment 2022), 'Two' in Good Mourning (Tantrum Theatre 2023), 'Pippin' in Pippin the Musical (Chookas Entertainment 2023-2024) and 'Michael' in Be More Chill (Chookas Entertainment 2023). Samuel’s directing credits include Hir (The Very Popular Theatre Company 2022), Take Me To Neverland (Bearfoot Theatre 2022), Puffs (Young People’s Theatre 2023), The Laramie Project (Young People's Theatre 2024) and assistant director for The Seagull (All's One Theatre 2023).
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