Introducing Theatre Unlimited
Theatre is good for young people
Evidence shows (and we know this in our hearts) that engaging with theatre can profoundly impact young people’s lives. Theatre can:
Improve academic performance.
Boost cognitive skills and creativity.
Improve mental wellbeing.
Model diversity and different perspectives.
Develop a deeper understanding of emotions.
But perhaps most importantly, it helps young people see and feel how they belong.
But… we have a problem
Not all young people experience these benefits. Many miss out due to location, finances or other barriers.
We’ve also seen a decline in Australian stories for young audiences—stories that are essential for shaping identity and understanding diversity. Without them, young people lose the chance to see themselves reflected.
At the same time, the unique opportunities that live theatre offers for emotional growth, empathy, and social skills are diminishing—replaced by screen time and other distractions. These pathways to emotional literacy and wellbeing are becoming harder to access.
Our response: Theatre Unlimited
At Monkey Baa, we believe every young person deserves a front-row seat to creativity.
To ensure more young people have access to these transformative benefits, we have launched Theatre Unlimited—a major initiative aimed at removing barriers and expanding access to live performing arts.
Over the next decade, we hope to reach 1,000,000 young people and their families across Australia.
Who will benefit?
Through Theatre Unlimited, we are prioritising areas and communities where the need is greatest:
Regional and remote communities.
Schools with limited resources.
Young people and families navigating medical challenges.
Young people supported by the Out-of-Home care system.
Families with lived experience of DV, complex trauma and homelessness.
How will we do this?
We will break down barriers and reach more young people by:
Providing free tickets and transport to schools and community groups in need.
Expanding our touring to reach more regional and remote communities.
Embedding emotional development into new works using evidence-based approaches.
Developing partnerships with charities, arts organisations and other institutions to amplify our reach.
Our vision
We aim to create a world where every young person is emboldened by creativity—empowered to navigate and shape their lives from the spark of an idea or the profound impact of a story that lingers for a lifetime.
Theatre Unlimited is going to be a big part in helping us achieve this goal.
