“Do we have to have hope to evolve?”

Leading audiences on an interactive performance adventure through Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, children and teenagers ask ‘impossible questions’ about evolution, adaptation and hope.

An ode to the planet, Gene Tree: Listen. Now. Again invites audiences into small moments: feet on the grass, back against a tree, face in the wind.

Music, rhythm and projections interlace with children’s stories of change and connection to nature. Part living sculpture, part call to attention, Gene Tree immerses audiences inside a chorus of children’s voices, dreaming futures together within the nooks and crannies of the Gardens.

Presented by St Martins in partnership with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.

Image Credit: Michael Carmody

Video Credit: Jason Cheetham

CAST AND CREATIVES

Performers

The Gene Tree cast comprises 14 young people from Congress, St Martins’ think tank ensemble aged between 11 and 17 years old, and 15 young people from Dandenong Primary School aged between 9 – 12 years old.  

Concept, Composer, Musician

Elissa Goodrich

Director

Nadja Kostich  

Producer

Lara Week 

Associate Director

Katrina Cornwell 

Set

Nature and Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria

Lighting

The Sun

Production Design

Emily Barrie and Rachel Burke  

Video Design and Dramaturgy

Michael Carmody  

St Martins collaborating Artists

Amelia Ducker, Nicolette Forte, Maria Theodorakis and Alice Qin

Musicians

Rodrigo Salgado (double bass), Gideon Brazil (woodwinds), Leah Scholes (percussion) and Elissa Goodrich (percussion) 

Production Manager

Rain Iyahen  

Stage Manager

Zsuzsa Gaynor Mihaly  

Technical Manager

Russell Goldsmith 

 

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australian Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body. Gene Tree. Listen. Now. Again has also been made possible due to the contribution of the JumpStart! grant from VicHealth and an Annual Arts grant from the City of Melbourne. St Martins also acknowledges the support we have received from the Besen Family Foundation and the Robert Salzer Foundation in funding this project.