About | QuirkyNotionsTheatreLab

OUR MISSION

At Quirky Notions Theatre Lab we are committed to the power of play. We believe that theatre is most powerful when treated as a forum for discussion to enact social change. Through theatre workshops, resources, and performances, our participants develop real-world skills such as confidence, empathy, self-efficacy, problem solving, and compassion. We believe that true advocacy is supporting people to use their voice to enact change in their own communities.

Our programs are:

Participant Led
Connection focused
Playful

How do we do this?

Quirky Notions strives to develop and deliver programs that offer space for creative exploration, expression, and growth for their participants. Quirky Notions offers a variety of programming options through comprehensive community arts initiatives, such as:

Facilitated community performing arts workshops
In-School performing arts workshops and residencies
Professional learning workshops
Festivals and events (programs, workshops, and performances)
Curriculum support (Resourses coming soon)
Project consultations
Creation of purposeful and meaninful art

We pride ourselves on being adaptable to the needs of specific communities or cohorts. Please reach out for a comprehensive and current menu of services or to to discuss how we can best support you.

Meet the Team

We look forward to creating with you.

Ariana Paganetti

Ariana Paganetti is currently based in Perth, Western Australia. She has been a producer, performer, writer, and facilitator of Theatre with young people throughout New York City and Western Australia. She believes that creativity sparks community and understanding.Ariana has assisted in curriculum development and has facilitated several workshops focusing on youth-led theatre productions, utilising group devisedwriting, improvisation, interview theatre, as well as non-actor training techniques throughout the UnitedStates and Western Australia. Ariana has extensive background in using Theatre in Education, andutilising theatre techniques to teach a range of subjects.

David Williams

David Williams is a multifaceted writer, actor, director, and facilitator from New York City. David holds over 25 years of experience working with youth and in the development of theatre for social change. David was an integral member of S.T.A.R. Theater for Social Change where he held various roles such as company actor, writer, facilitator, lead trainer, Director of Education, and Associate Artistic Director. From 2014 to 2022, David delivered out of Karratha, Western Australia, creating the Pilbara Performing Arts Initiative for the IF Foundation. In 2022 he relocated to the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia and continued his work through the 4U Foundation. In 2023 David began to expand his work in the Perth Metro Region, working with various arts organisations and schools.

OUR STORY

After working and honing our skills in New York City with S.T.A.R. Theater for Social Change and other for profit and not-for-profit arts organisations, the executive team of Quirky Notions traveled to work in the Pilbara region of Western Australia in 2014 working for the IF Foundation (now under 4U Foundation). We started our shared artistic journey together creating theatre with young people in the town of Roebourne, WA located within the City of Karratha. We each brought our own skills to the program and embarked on a journey, working together, and sharing our skills and expertise with each other, far away from home. This work with the 4U Foundation gave us the opportunity to deliver our specific form of performing arts programming to youth and adults alike throughout the Pilbara, Kimberley, Wheatbelt, and Metro region of Western Australia.We have been contracted by drama and music education organisations such as Barking Gecko Arts, Whiskey and Boots, Grassroots Music, Avon Youth Services and others. As we continued to create art with communities all over the world, we were reminded that humans are innately creative, thrive when in play, and use our imaginations to process the world around us. We realised that the key to effectively bridge our global differences in order to strive for a more just and thriving society was through communication and play. Thus, Quirky Notions was born. David and Ariana have worked internationally in a variety of communities, artistic platforms, genres, and styles. For more information on their professional background please see their bios below.Our facilitators have been trained in our methodology and hold up to date Working with Children's Checks.