Kathy Possum

A new musical play giving an insight into
the world of agriculture, set to tour
WA schools, was road-tested on a
group of children last week.
The pint-sized critics were asked
to assess “The Country Life”,
which will be staged at 40 primary
schools around Perth throughout
Term 3 as part of The Royal Agricultural
Society of WA’s (RAS)
FarmED school incursion program.
About 25 children gathered at
Claremont Showground to watch a
full dress rehearsal of the 45-minute
play, funded by the RAS and
written and directed by Kathy
Prosser of Possum Music.
Through music, dance, songs and
puppetry, the play aims to raise
awareness of where our food comes
from, sustainability, the use of technology
in farming to maintain and
support food production and the
different careers available in agriculture.
Featuring three energetic and
talented young performers, Kris
Kingwell, Kimberley Harris and
Thomas Moir, the play follows the
journey of a city girl, Janet, as she
learns about different aspects of
farming.
“Most of the kids watching the
show will be from the city and Janet’s
character gives them someone
they can connect and relate to,”
Kathy said.
Judging by the responses to a Q &
A session after the play, the key
messages were getting through
loud and clear.
One child picked out the rooster
and cow puppets playing musical
instruments as being her favourite
scene, while others liked learning
how white wool from a sheep’s back
was transformed into colourful
yarn.
The message of “buy west eat
best” particularly seemed to resonate.
Kathy said that in writing the
play, she drew on the farming background
of her own family.
“My grandfather was a farmer,
an uncle was an award-winning
wheat farmer in Victoria and my father
grew up on a farm and followed
the same career trajectory
mentioned by a character in the
play — wool classer, auctioneer and
stock agent,” she said.
“I spent a lot of time researching
and talking to my uncle on the
phone about being a farmer and the
sorts of things kids like about
farms, so the play is really based in
reality.
“The challenge was bringing in
technical information in a way that
was entertaining and engaging.
“It also brings in ideas about life
in the city and how people sometimes
want a change in lifestyle.” - Countryman (WA)

We profiled childrens’ performer, Kathy Prosser, and her alter ego Kathy Possum, last year in The Australian Songwriter. And here she is back again, as winner of the Songs For Children Category, in the 2013 Australian Songwriting Contest!

Kathy has written the following update for us:
“The article last year finished by saying how we had just engaged our first employee in WA and were hoping to employ more people in 2013. We were also in the early stages of applying for our USA Green Cards after winning the USA Diversity Visa Lottery. The future was looking bright…

“The last 12 months have been huge for Possum Music. Of course we recorded and released my third album ‘Something Very Fishy’, with producer Sven Tydeman (Kittygroove Productions). This year the album featured the bluesy harmonica licks of Gold Record recipient Jim Conway (Conway Brothers, The Backsliders), the multi-instrumental genius of Clare O’Meara (Bushwackers) and powerhouse vocal of top 40 artist Bec Caruana.

“During 2013, with the addition of 3 new ‘Possums’ (employees) to the team, we have performed in excess of 400 shows across the country. Now you will find ‘Possums’ in the Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney metro areas, in WA and of course myself touring throughout rural Qld and NSW. Who says you can’t make a living out of playing music??

“Performing this year has been really exciting for me. Some children have now seen my shows 4 years running (we do a different show every year). I am often met at the gate by a wave of love and cuddles amongst screams of ‘Kathy Possum is here’ and ‘Coo-ee’ galore!

"The feedback we have been receiving from kids, parents and teachers alike is truly humbling. One mother rang to tell us how every time her husband goes to buy fish, her 4 year old son tells him not to buy shark, and how every time she goes to the shops how he makes her take the green bags and return any plastic bags to the recycling bin at the supermarket. Her husband was also talking about platypuses one day, and their 6 year old daughter piped up informing him “Did you know they’re called Ornithorincus Anatina?!”

“Another mother e-mailed to say that every week they drive 200kms to and from the nearest hospital for their 5 year old son. When she pulled the ‘new kids CD’ out to play on the trip, her husband literally groaned in pain and cast her a dirty look for volunteering to play a kids CD so early in the trip. She said not only did they play the CD all the way there, it was the husband who decided they should play it all the way back!
“Kathy Possum CDs are now kids’ music of choice when the husband is in the car. Yet another family in the mining town of Blackwater love the CDs so much that the father takes the CD’s to work at the mines! The big burley miner does admit to copping a ribbing from his mates – apparently they all start hopping like kangaroos every time ‘Hop Hop Hop’ starts playing!! Geez I’d LOVE to see that…LOL

“We are seeing real impacts on entire families as a direct result of our songs. Kids are retaining and recalling the lyrics and holding their grown-ups to account. Of course this exactly the kind of action I hoped to achieve, but I am so humbled to see it actually happening! With this kind of responsibility on my shoulders, I feel I owe it to the kids to be the best songwriter I can be. Without these incredible little people, I would not be the songwriter I am today. I just love this genre. It is so rewarding.

“With 2013 almost behind us, we are now busy writing songs for our 2014 album and show and planning our 2014 tours of Australia and the USA. Yes – USA!!!

“After winning the USA Green Card Lottery in 2012, and a lengthy, expensive and draining Family Court matter, I am now pleased to say that as of October this year, we are now dual residents of the United States of America and Australia. This is a massive opportunity for Possum Music. Our plan is to impact the international market enough to establish employees abroad. First stop…USA!

“We are working hard, planning ahead and most importantly DOING IT. Still on our own, still self-financed, we are pushing forever onwards and upwards. Possum Music is going from strength to strength and achieving so much, sometimes I think what we could do with a little assistance from the ‘big guns’. No problem - I have a plan for that too!

Coo-ee!!” - The Australian Songwriter (Edition 100) published by the Australian Songwriters Association (ASA) Feb 2014