With the support of the Queenstown Lakes District Council, Aotearoa’s environmental superhero Waste Free Wanda is preparing for a term 2 tour of the area.
The show, which has now reached over 13,000 tamariki, was launched in 2020 and brought to life with the help of the QLDC.
“This is the first time our community will be seeing the show in 3 years. It’s come such a long way since its humble beginnings. I’m really excited to share it in my own neck of the woods again”, said show creator and performer Anna van Riel.
The 80’s-inspired Waste Free Wanda show focuses on the very real and growing issue of eco-anxiety in children, and offers realistic and achievable solutions, which are taught through theatre, song and actions.
Young audiences become important characters in the one-woman show, helping Wanda to save her town and local river from an overwhelm of single-use plastic pollution.
“The show advocates for the arts, for the environment and for wellbeing in our tamariki. It’s funny with a strong Kiwiana flavour. The hooks in the songs are super sticky, and the actions help to lock in solutions that children can take home and share confidently with their families. It helps them to feel part of the solution around waste pollution”, said Anna.
The upcoming QLDC tour will visit a collection of local schools, ECE centres and libraries in the hope of making it easily accessible to tamariki aged 4-12. The QLDC Waste Minimisation grant supporting the tour was gratefully received through charitable trust The Wanda Foundation, whose focus is on inspiring environmental change through the arts.
With testimonials that liken the show to “Flight of the Conchords meets Captain Planet”, this is an opportunity to belly laugh, learn and understand how we can all be part of a positive change for papatūānuku.
For more information on Waste Free Wanda, and how to see a show in the QLDC head to www.wastefreewanda.com
