Judy Horacek and Mem Fox’s beloved children’s book Where is the Green Sheep? will be brought to life on stage at Arts Centre Melbourne’ Playhouse stage from 22 – 26 September 2026 as part of a national tour of 80 venues over two years. The colourful stage adaptation grew from an Arts Centre Melbourne creative development and a collaboration between Monkey Baa Theatre Company, book co-creator Judy Horacek, and programmers.
Where is the Green Sheep? is an immersive visual theatre production based on the iconic book by Judy Horacek and Mem Fox, which has sold more than 2.5 million copies worldwide. Adapted for the stage and directed by Eva Di Cesare, it blends puppetry and animation, inviting young audiences to join three farmers on a playful and surprising quest to find the elusive green sheep. Audiences meet Blue Sheep who loves blue flowers and Red Sheep who cartwheels in the fields, Bath Sheep who loves bubbles and Bed Sheep who loves to bounce. But where is that green sheep?
Cartoonist, artist, writer and children’s book creator Judy Horacek, co-creator of the original book and member of the creative team, said the process of moving from page to stage required great thought and effort.
“From the first tiny green sheep I drew years ago, to making the book with Mem with its beloved flock of quirky sheep, to me being part of the team bringing the book to the stage, has been an incredible experience. We’ve created a play that is very true to the book, but at the same time full of wonderful new surprises – it’s impossible not to adore it!”
“The puppet maker Kay Yasugu was really important. It’s not just about the puppet looking cute, it is about what it has to do.”
Arts Centre Melbourne Acting Head of Creative Engagement Mary Harvey said she was thrilled to see the evolution of the work from much-loved book to epic theatre show.
“It felt like a gift when Judy asked to meet to discuss her desire to turn this iconic children’s book into a stage show. I imagined the characters bouncing off the page from the stage to the page and knew that these sheep needed the perfect partner to theatricalise them. MonkeyBaa, with their extensive experience of book adaptations for early years, have done a brilliant job,’’ said Harvey.
Co-created with students from Bankstown West Public School, the show integrates their voices as narrators so the world they know is reflected on stage.
Arts Centre Melbourne is also presenting a season of Where is the Green Sheep? for kinder and primary school students in an effort to share the work with more young people.
Where is the Green Sheep? is a Monkey Baa Theatre Company and QPAC’s Out of the Box co-production in association with Arts Centre Melbourne, The Sydney Opera House and The Art House, Wyong. It is proudly supported by the Scobie and Claire Mackinnon Trust.
Where is the Green Sheep? is presented as part of Arts Centre Melbourne’s year-round Families and Children Program. Launched in August 2009, it has grown in reputation to become a highly respected program nationally and internationally. Featuring intimate and large-scale theatre from some of the world’s most respected companies, the program is robust and growing in size, scale and scope.
September 22 – 26
artscentremelbourne.com.au
Image: Robert Catto
