Arts Centre Melbourne And CDP Kids Present BILLIONAIRE BOY

David Walliams' best-selling children's book Billionaire Boy comes to life on stage in an original Australian adaptation by playwright Maryam Master from 6 - 14 April at Arts Centre Melbourne's Playhouse.

This touching and often hilarious story explores the themes of wealth, poverty, friendship, bullying and the rocky road to happiness. 12-year old Joe Spud has everything a boy could ever want; a golden underwater Ferrari, a butler, even his very own cinema. Joe and his dad have more money than anyone could imagine, but what Joe really wants is a friend. Billionaire Boy delivers a positive message about friendship and explores the idea that money can't buy happiness.

From the team behind Mr Stink and The 13-, 26-, 52- and 78-Storey Treehouses, CDP Theatre Producers has an unsurpassed track record for developing new productions and for producing some of the best theatrical entertainment in Australia. CDP was recently described by The Age as "a reliable and prolific source of high-quality children's theatre" and tours work throughout Australia, New Zealand and internationally. CDP is the proud winner of a number of awards including two Sydney Theatre Awards for Best Production for Children, a Drama Victoria Award, two Drover Awards, an Edinburgh Fringe First and a Helpmann Award.

Kids will also have the chance to further develop their creative thinking in the Billionaire Inventors Drama Workshop from 6 - 13 April in The Channel. In this hilarious workshop, participants will be required to develop a billion dollar idea for a brand new invention, then jump in front of the green screen to produce their very own infomercial. Guided by professional actor and drama specialist Lyall Brooks, this hands-on workshop involves improvisation, acting, props and a whole lot of imagination. In addition to this workshop, there will be a free participatory event in the Smorgon Plaza to allow audiences to explore the themes of this work before and after the show.

Billionaire Boy was first published in 2010 and is David Walliams' third novel for children. It is illustrated by Tony Ross and together, they are the same creative team behind other successful children's books Mr Stink, The Boy in a Dress and Gangsta Grannie. Walliams' eleven novels have achieved critical acclaim selling more than 25 million copies and having been translated into 53 languages. His literary style has even been compared to that of Roald Dahl. Apart from being an esteemed children's author, Walliams is an accomplished actor and comedian, best known for his role on BBC's Little Britain. Since 2012, he has been a judge on the television talent show Britain's Got Talent.

This show is part of Arts Centre Melbourne's 2019 Summer Autumn Families program. Arts Centre Melbourne's year-round Families Program was launched in August 2009 and has grown in reputation to become a highly respected program both in Australia and internationally. Featuring free events, intimate and large-scale performances from some of the world's most respected companies and a diverse range of interactive workshops, the program is much-loved by families from across the state.

Arts Centre Melbourne and CDP Kids present
Billionaire Boy
Playhouse
6 - 14 April 2019*^
*Saturday 6 April at 12pm will be an Auslan interpreted performance
^Wednesday 10 April at 11am will be a relaxed performance
Duration: 60 minutes (no interval)
Age: 6+
Warnings: Small amount of theatrical haze
Accessibility: wheelchair access, Auslan interpreted, assistive hearing, companion card, relaxed performance
Bookings at artscentremelbourne.com.au

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