Tony Mack is on the road again, this time to the USA for a one-month lecture and research tour in nine cities in seven states throughout November and early December. The Australia Council Fellow will be delivering presentations on Contemporary Australian Theatre for Young Audiences and the latest European developments in Theatre for the Very Young. As he travels, he will also collect research material for his research projects on Theatre for the Very Young and the Global Youth Arts Portal (GYAP).

Tony will be teaching at institutions like the University of Texas, the University of Kansas, Northwestern University and DePaul University, as well as visiting TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences) companies across the country.

‘The youth arts relationship between Australia and the USA has grown much stronger over the last decade,’ commented Tony. ‘More Australian companies and artists are touring and working in the US, but there are also many more opportunities to explore.’

‘I’m particularly interested in specialist TYA graduate courses in the USA. Those graduates can be found throughout the USA, working in everything from mainstage family musicals to outreach drama programs with disadvantaged communities. In Australia there is very little specialised tertiary education in youth arts, which is surprising considering the employment opportunities for graduates in the sector. I want to explore successful models for youth arts training and education in the USA, and see what we can learn from them.’