State Theatre Company of South Australia

The State Theatre Company of South Australia is South Australia's leading professional theatre company. It is based in the Dunstan Playhouse at the Adelaide Festival Centre. The current artistic director is Geordie Brookman.[1] It was established under the State Theatre Company of South Australia Act 1972.[2]

Notable actors, writers and directors, working with the Company include Patrick White, Neil Armfield, Ruth Cracknell, Andrew Bovell, Judy Davis, Gale Edwards, Mel Gibson, Geoffrey Rush, Jim Sharman, Hugo Weaving and John Wood.

History

The South Australian Theatre Company (SATC) was established in 1965 under the artistic direction of John Tasker. The date of establishment as the state theatre company dates to the State Theatre Company of South Australia Act of 1972, an initiative of Don Dunstan. The name of the company was changed to its current name in 1980 as a reflection of this act. The director of the company in its inaugural year was George Ogilvie.

In 1974, the SATC became the resident theatre company of the newly built Adelaide Festival Centre, performing mostly in The Playhouse (later The Dunstan Playhouse, which is still the company's primary venue), and was the first state theatre company in Australia to hold its entire operations in one purpose-made building.

In 1977, Magpie Theatre was established as the youth arm of the company. It was lost in 1997, partially due to loss of funding after reconstruction of Arts SA.

Under the artistic direction of Jim Sharman, the company was renamed Lighthouse and became an ensemble theatre company with twelve actors: Robynne Bourne, Peter Cummins, Melissa Jaffer (replaced in 1983 by Jacqy Phillips), Alan John (also composer in residence), Gillian Jones, Melita Jurisic, Russell Kiefel, Stuart McCreery, Robert Menzies (replaced by Robert Grubb), Geoffrey Rush, Kerry Walker and John Wood .

From 1996 when she was artistic director, Chris Westwood subtitled the company Australian Playhouse, with the goal of presenting only Australian works until the end of the century. However, Westwood resigned under pressure at the end of 1997, and the company returned to a more orthodox season.

Directors

Artistic directors of the company include: Prior to official conception as the state theatre company:

After 1972:

Associate Directors

New works

Shows which have been developed by and/or have had their world premiere at STCSA include:

In addition, the company supports new work through its annual Young Playwrights' Award (formally Young Guns competition) for writers under 25, offering dramaturgy and a professional reading to the winning script, and the Jill Blewett Playwright's Award for the Creative Development of a play script by a South Australian Writer, presented at Adelaide Writer's Week during the Adelaide Festival.

References

  1. ↑ Lloyd, Tim (28 February 2012). "Geordie Brookman takes over as artistic director of State Theatre". AdelaideNow. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  2. ↑ State Theatre Company of South Australia Act 1972

External links

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