Since leaving teaching Damian has regularly gone back into schools to perform; talk and run workshops for staff and students. If in the process he’s inadvertently used your coffee mug in the staffroom he apologises.
Below are some of the services Damian provides.
STAND-UP FOR TEACHERS
As well as researching the peculiarities of your school or organisation, Damian will muse on his own experiences. He’ll comment on everything from the pitfalls of teachers dancing at school socials to dealing with the catholic guilt of leaving extras. He’ll provide solutions to the gridlock in sick bay and may even have some advice for those who can’t put a face to a name at parent teacher interviews. Damian’s ability to get to the heart of the organisation he’s speaking to via observation and research adds a personal touch that leaves audiences wanting more.
STAND-UP FOR STUDENTS
Damian has been asked to speak at everything from valedictory dinners to school assemblies. About the only thing he won’t do are fire drills.
Damian’s rapport with students of all ages is immediate and genuine. He brings the same hands on, interactive approach to speaking engagements as he did to drama teaching. He takes them through a humorous journey through their own experience from the taps to sick bay; from uniform regulations to the sport of emergency teachers. Using the simple device of researching recent school newsletters and magazines Damian gives the impression he may work there. By the end of it the students generally wish he did.
MC - EDUCATIONAL EVENTS
Damian is the perfect MC for educational events as he effortlessly creates a rapport with students; staff; parents and guests. He has MC’d launches; award ceremonies and celebrations deftly balancing the smooth running of the occasion with his humorous slant that keeps the mood buoyant through the sometimes more serious side of the event.
SPEECH NIGHT
Damian has been adapting this solo show for staff professional development days; conferences and staff meetings with much success for several years. He tailors aspects of the show to the group he’s performing to by using the device that your group have been invited to come along and see ‘The St Basils Speech Night’ in action in order to reintroduce the concept into your own school.
The show, in which Damian plays over 10 characters, plays out in real time the last ever "Speech Night" at the infamous St.Basil’s College which is being forced to close it’s doors. According to the embittered headmaster falling enrolments; reduced government subsidies and lethargic parent auxiliaries have forced the school into an unwanted merger with its more progressive sister school.
At the helm of the sinking ship is Mr. Henry Vestige. A man hell bent on ensuring that the last flicker of conservatism isn’t snuffed out without a grass fire.
However at the schools farewell "Speech Night" the firebreak gets out of control as a variety of factors conspire to reveal the unscrupulous headmaster’s role in the college’s demise.
The night unravels with a blessing from the chaplain; student drama presentations and some illuminating speeches by members of the school community. This is interspersed with the shared wisdom of a number of the school’s most famed old boys who’ve come back to share of their success. The alumni includes a former AFL star with new age sensibilities and a Broadway dancer happy to shred his old school tie.
[see live comedy for reviews]
CLASS CLOWNS
Class clowns is an initiative of The Melbourne International Comedy Festival www.comedyfestival.com/classclowns Damian has been involved with the program since 2001. He and other comedians travels around Australia running workshops and heats with finalists from each state appearing in the national final during the comedy festival each year.
Individual schools can book preliminary workshops any time of the year to receive a hands on experience with a comedian on how to go about putting together and act for class clowns or just how to make a start if you’re interested in comedy as a hobby or career.
COMEDY WORKSHOPS
Damian runs tailored comedy workshops for any age group focusing on all aspects of comedy – sketch; stand-up; impro; writing; narrative; physical etc.
These can be adapted to your curriculum needs or simply provide an introductory course kickstarting comedy from the point of view of a working professional.
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Some schools have taken the opportunity to employ Damian on a more substantial basis as an artist in residence for a short period. In this way the message spreads to a greater number of students or the school can work towards a more performance oriented end.
PREMIERS READING CHALLENGE AMBASSADOR
This year Damian was invited to join an esteemed list of children’s authors and columnists to be an ambassador for the premiers reading challenge.
As well as MC’ing the launch and the awards ceremony he has made several visits to schools enrolled in the program to speak about reading and its importance to his work where he has spent most of the time telling lies and being stupid.
Another role he performs as ambassador is to take turns reading to Steve Bracks every night before lights out. A role he would enjoy more if he didn’t have to read Hansard … and if Steve wore pyjamas.
CLIENTS LIST
Overnewton College Penola College
Brighton Secondary College Brighton Secondary College [S.A]
Eummemering College – Endeavour Hills Campus Eummemering College – Fountain Gate Campus
Erinbank Secondary College Carey Baptist Grammar
MLC Footscray City College
Huntingtower College Scotch College
Hawthorn Secondary College Lyndhurst Secondary College
CRC Sydenham St Columba’s College
Swinburne Senior Secondary College Woodleigh School
Xavier College Xavier College – Koscka Hall
Braemar College Shelford Anglican Girls
St Thomas More’s – Hadfield Corpus Christi – Glenroy
Myrniong Primary School Bacchus Marsh Grammar
University High school Parade College
Siena College St Bernard’s College
Geelong Grammar Westbourne Grammar
Thomas Carr College Lowanna College
Birmingham Primary School Corio Primary School
AHISA Mercy Schools Inc.
Dept Education & Training Dept. Youth Affairs
Dept. Of The Premier VIEU
TESTIMONIALS
Damian Callinan has hosted several events for the Department of Education & Training and has continually entertained guests through creative and dynamic performances.
Many of our projects cater for children, teachers, parents and government officials and Damian’s professional MC skills engage this diverse group superbly. He is interactive and flexible, and he builds an amazing rapport with his audience – even after the event when he chats with people, signs autographs and poses with his fans for photos.
We couldn’t recommend Damian highly enough for his humour, wit and originality. His uncanny ability to personalise any topic or event is hilarious!
Linsey Ollerton and Georgia Reid
Communications Division
Department of Education & Training
"I received comments to the effect that it was the best staff meeting ever held at MLC and an enormously funny and clever performance. Damian Callinan’s ‘Speech Night’ is absolutely hysterical. Clearly Damian knows schools and how they work. He hilariously brings to life the colourful characters that inhabit schools, including staff, students, former students and parents."
Rosa Storelli, Principal - Methodist Ladies College, Kew
"Damian Callinan’s "Speech Night" is absolutely hysterical. Clearly Damian knows schools and how they work. He hilariously brings to life the colourful characters that inhabit schools, including staff, students, former students and parents.
This performance is very cleverly written. A sharp and playful combination of satire, jokes and physical humour. He performs a range of characters extremely convincingly. Staff screamed and literally cried with laughter. Damian held their full attention from the moment he walked into the room until they lined up to thank him afterwards.
Colleagues were still remembering various lines and actions and breaking down with laughter hours later. Speech Night was a fabulous way to start the day, lift the energy levels and set the mood for teamwork. I highly recommend this experience to other schools."
Nicole Muller
Professional Development Co-ordinator
Lyndhurst Secondary College
"Damian’s performance was a triumph, he is master of character. The school has never heard such riotous laughter in the staffroom before. The memory of ‘Speech Night’ will live long in the minds of the staff.
Staff are still talking about the performance and have made such comments as – humorous, truthful, exciting, full of surprises, characters and content teachers could relate to and fantastic interplay with the audience."
Sonja Ardley
Eumemmerring College
"Damian’s performance was nothing short of brilliant and I have received compliments all day about how he ensured that this was the ‘best ever start to the school year. I shall have no hesitation in recommending Damian to my friends and colleagues."
Chris Corcoran
Principal
Lowanna College, Newborough
"The 2001 Annual Mercy Secondary Education Dinner was a successful evening and enjoyed by all who attended. Much of that enjoyment can be attributed to Damian’s performance and I wish to express our appreciation for and admiration of his talent.
Our audience at this dinner, although predominantly involved in secondary education, is diverse in background and age group and consequently challenging to accommodate in terms of comical entertainment. Despite this challenge, Damian’s performance was considered by all in attendance to be outstanding, entertaining, clever, professional and hilarious. His ability to present a fluent performance, to change character so often and to engage the audience so closely, was truly amazing. In discussion with guests afterwards, each recalled a different highlight but all praised Damian’s ability to remember the enormous amount of content in his delivery. This was even more impressive when one considers that we saw only a small part of a much lengthier show.
Please pass on my thanks to Damian for his performance and his willingness to adjust the show to suit our needs. I have and will continue to recommend him to our principals and associates and wish him well in his challenging career."
Eugene Lynch
Executive Officer
Mercy Secondary Education Inc.
Thank you for starting our term off so constructively. Your humour, research and reflections really hit the mark with staff and students alike. I also would really like to discuss possibilities for the end of the year meeting with the staff team and our Christmas Lunch. In appreciation and admiration of your wonderful talent, Ili Pelletier
ps. I wrote that Y9/10 Social notice.......I feel rather old!
Mrs Ili Pelletier
Vice-Principal Head of the Senior School
Shelford Anglican Girls' School
Thank you so much for your performance on Friday 13th for the Siena College Staff. It was certainly a highlight. Many of the staff came over to comment favourably on the performance and to ask how we 'got on to you' Some of the staff had heard of you or seen you perform at the Comedy festival - everyone thought it was very funny and enjoyed the performance immensely.
Thanks again Damian
Ann Hayter
Sienna College
"Just what we needed – a good belly laugh. Damian’s obviously a perceptive person – maybe he’s been to too many speech nights."
"Highly entertaining – it was good to laugh with colleagues at our institutions and ourselves. I thought it particularly pertinent that the character whose grasp of educational ideals that was closest to my own was the alternative footballer! From the P.D perspective – a great way to spend a P.D day. I’d highly recommend it to other schools."
"What a breath of fresh air! Laughing at school is such a change! Thankyou for putting it all in perspective. Tears running down my face are more common in response to the trying nature of the job."
"An outstanding performance. Exceptionally well constructed and totally entertaining. Thanks for providing us with the chance to laugh and engage in a great performance experience. Well done !"
"Tour de force! Sensational! Why isn’t this guy running his own TV show? Makes Micallef look like shit!"
"Best P.D day I can remember [not necessarily a compliment] haven’t a had a good laugh like that for ages. Football club revelations were highly educative and will help to shape the rest of my career."
"Damian is a real knee slapping wiz kid. Total entertainment. Great introduction to a staff development day. His material lifts the lid and exposes the underbelly of the educational system."
"A great mornings entertainment!!! It was so good to see staff respond positively and laugh. It provided an excellent atmosphere for the rest of the day. Material used was so appropriate."
"This performance took me out of the mundane reality of work, allowed me to laugh till the tears ran down my cheeks, then left me with a warm fuzzy feeling for the rest of the day. I found that I regularly recalled a one line aspect of the performance, rekindling the wicked sense of glee and a wry smile."
"This performance lifted morale incredibly. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to laugh together, sheer enjoyment for an hour and a half. The material was incredibly well written and Damian’s presentation so professional. I have never had so much fun at school."
AUDIENCE RESPONSES
SWINBURNE SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
"Extremely hilarious performance, kept me laughing throughout. Enjoyed his portrayal of the many characters."
"Loved it – a real treat to the weary self – very clever and funny. Thanks heaps."
"Great entertainment, kept me laughing until I hurt."
"Allowed for a good belly-chuckle and a great chin exercise."
"Cheeky and unexpected – Ioved it. I really enjoyed hearing my colleagues laughter."
"A fantastic show. Immensely funny. A very talented performance. Would Love to have him back."
"Funny"
"He was very funny! I enjoyed it very much."
AUDIENCE RESPONSES
ST.THOMAS MORES PRIMARY SCHOOL, HADFIELD