Bully Bull Ring – Tackling Bullying Through Theatre

Based on the original script & lyrics by Tony Appleby as provided in December 2014

A fun, interactive incursion that teaches resilience and emotional intelligence

Bring the vital message of anti-bullying to your students with Bully Bull Ring, a dynamic, interactive theatre experience where children explore strategies for handling bullying, building confidence, and supporting their peers — all through puppetry, music, dance and audience participation.

How do we deal with Brutus's bullying behaviour?

How do we deal with Brutus’s bullying behaviour?

Available Terms 1 & 2

Suitable for Prep to Grade 6

1 hour session including interactive Q&A

Teacher resource pack included

Why schools love Bully Bull Ring

“The performance was fantastic. Very well thought out and very engaging… I loved the q&a section. It not only gave the students a chance to use their own voice but to cement the content.  I was a Life Education teacher for many years and have done much research in this area. Loved your work. :)” – Benalla p-12 College, VIC

“Students were given strategies on how to deal with bullying in an engaging way. Students were laughing at the bullying at the beginning but by the end of the show they were opposed to Bellamy being bullied by her brother. This shows that the students were becoming aware that by not standing up for Bellamy, they were a part of the bullying… The recap of the strategies learnt throughout the performance was great.” – Blackwell PS, St Clair, NSW

“Another high quality production. The standard of performance was excellent.” – St Mary’s Catholic School, Bairnsdale, VIC

About the show

Bellamy the Bison lives at the zoo with her bullying brother Brutus and his bystander siblings. Frustrated and upset, Bellamy sets off to explore other enclosures, hoping to find ways to cope. Along the way, she meets a cast of wise and quirky animals, each with their own strategy for managing conflict, building resilience, and making positive choices.

Students learn with Bellamy:

  • Don’t make snap decisions — think before you react
  • Rise above nasty comments — resilience in action
  • Find supportive friends — the power of allies
  • Focus on the positives about yourself — building self-confidence
  • Use multiple strategies — one approach doesn’t fit all

By the end of the show, Bellamy returns to her enclosure equipped with new tools to face Brutus’s bullying, while her siblings become supportive bystanders, showing the power of empathy, teamwork, and emotional intelligence.

Engaging Theatre That Teaches

Our performers take on multiple roles throughout the show using a mix of song, dance, puppetry, and comedy, creating a fast-paced, immersive experience. The action moves throughout the performance space, keeping every student refocused, engaged, and involved from the first moment.

“Really enjoyable and professional show. Loved the way the stage was set out, allowing the audience to be fully immersed.” – St Joseph’s Catholic School, Cairns QLD

Highlights include:

  • A rock-star lion who encourages students to get along
  • An army general crocodile teaching the value of measured responses
  • A giraffe demonstrating how to rise above it
  • A polar bear buddy to show the importance of supportive friends
  • An elephant building confidence
  • An orangutan teaching that different strategies work for different situations

Through laughter, music, and movement, students absorb important anti-bullying messages without feeling like it’s a lesson — the learning happens naturally through the story and interactive performance.

Interactive Q&A

After the show, students participate in a structured Q&A session that supports Critical and Creative Thinking and Inquiry Learning. They explore:

  • How puppets, music, and sets are created
  • How theatre brings lessons about bullying and resilience to life
  • Reflection on strategies they’ve learnt and how to apply them in real life

“Was great how it was run by you and not just the kids asking random questions. (10/10)” – Bargara State School, Bargara QLD

Teacher resource pack:

Every booking comes with a comprehensive teacher resource pack including pre- and post-show activities. These curriculum-aligned resources reinforce the strategies students learn in the performance and help maintain ongoing discussions about resilience, confidence, and bullying prevention.

Curriculum Connections

  • Personal & Social Capability
  • Ethical Capability
  • Health & Physical Education
  • Critical & Creative Thinking
  • The Arts

See detailed curriculum links at the bottom of the page. 

Pricing

$7.50 (exc. GST) per student.

Minimum of $862.50 (exc. GST) for up to 115 students

Why choose Meerkat Productions?

For over 25 years, Meerkat Productions has delivered high-quality, curriculum-linked theatre to primary schools across Australia. Bully Bull Ring teaches children to stand up, speak out, and support each other, all while laughing, singing, and being part of an engaging, memorable performance.

Ready to book?

Bring Bully Bull Ring to your school and help students develop resilience, emotional intelligence, and confidence.
Complete the enquiry form at the top of the page, or get in touch to discuss in-school or online options for your year levels.

Australian Curriculum links for Bully Bull Ring performance and Q&A

The show and Q&A explicitly support the HPE Personal, Social & Community Health outcomes (bullying prevention, resilience, role models, bystander behaviour, online safety). They also strengthen English outcomes through speaking, listening, and narrative prediction. The performance links naturally to Drama/The Arts, as students explore role-play and empathy.

Health & Physical Education (Personal, Social & Community Health)

ACPPS Codes

  • ACPPS020 (Years 1–2) – Describe ways to include others to make them feel that they belong.
  • ACPPS021 (Years 1–2) – Identify and practise emotional responses that account for own and others’ feelings.
  • ACPPS037 (Years 3–4) – Describe strategies to make the classroom and playground healthy, safe and active.
  • ACPPS038 (Years 3–4) – Investigate how emotional responses vary and understand how to interact positively with others.
  • ACPPS056 (Years 5–6) – Recognise and interpret health information and messages in the community and media.
  • ACPPS057 (Years 5–6) – Recognise how media and important people in the community influence personal attitudes, beliefs, decisions and behaviours.
  • ACPPS074 (Years 5–6) – Investigate resources and strategies to manage changes and transitions associated with puberty. (Links to resilience and decision-making in bullying contexts).
  • ACPPS055/040 – Describe strategies to manage situations where they might experience pressure, bullying or harassment.

Direct Connections:

  • Q2 (Message of the show) → recognising bullying, learning strategies.
  • Q3 (Role models) → identifying positive behaviours to emulate.
  • Q4 (Strategies like “Rise above it”, “Get a buddy”) → practising resilience, help-seeking, and bystander action.
  • Q5–6 (Bystanders) → recognising responsibility in social interactions.
  • Q7–8 (Cyberbullying) → online safety, respectful digital citizenship.

English (Literacy & Literature Strands)

ACELY & ACELT Codes

  • ACELY1676 (Years 1–2) – Engage in conversations, sharing and recounting experiences.
  • ACELY1688 (Years 3–4) – Listen to and contribute to conversations and discussions.
  • ACELY1796 (Years 5–6) – Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences.
  • ACELT1587/1596/1603 – Discuss characters and situations in texts, and how they explore social issues such as bullying.
  • ACELT1599 (Years 5–6) – Discuss literary experiences and relate them to personal experiences.

Direct Connections:

  • Q1 (What do we think happened next?) → narrative prediction, character motivation.
  • Q3 (What’s a role model?) → vocabulary building, conceptual discussion.
  • Whole Q&A → oral language skills: active listening, responding, questioning.

The Arts – Drama

ACADRM Codes

  • ACADRM027 (Years 1–2) – Explore role and dramatic action in dramatic play.
  • ACADRM033 (Years 3–4) – Explore ideas and narratives through roles and situations.
  • ACADRM036 (Years 3–4) – Use voice, body, movement and language to sustain role and relationships.
  • ACADRM043 (Years 5–6) – Explore dramatic action, empathy and space in improvisations and devised drama.

Direct Connections:

  • Students are invited into role (audience becoming bystanders, air guitar “lion pack”, buddy system).
  • The Q&A invites reflection on performance elements, linking drama to personal experiences.