Black Swan Theatre Company
Encyclopedia
Black Swan State Theatre Company formally known as The Black Swan Theatre Company is the state theatre company of Western Australia
, running an annual subscription season in Perth
.
Over the past 17 years Black Swan has produced a string of critically acclaimed landmark productions including several national and international tours. Productions such as 'Bran Nue Dae
', 'Sisitergirl', 'Tourmaline', 'Dead Heart', 'Corrugation Road' (which won the prestigious The Age Critics’ Award at the Melbourne International Festival and performed two national tours), 'The Merry-Go-Round in the Sea', 'Plainsong' and 'Cloudstreet' have upheld a standard of rare excellence as well as pursuing a commitment to the creative talents of Western Australia. The production of 'Cloudstreet' created a sensation, performing to sell-out audiences at the 1998 Festival of Perth and the 1999 London and Dublin arts festivals as did the 2002 production of 'The Career Highlights of the Mamu', hailed as a highlight of the Laokoon International Festival in Hamburg, Germany
Black Swan State Theatre Company is one of Australia’s foremost not-for-profit theatre companies with a reputation for distinctive interpretations of international classics and world-premier productions infused with the culture of Western Australia
In 2011, Black Swan State Theatre Company moved into the new State Theatre Centre of Western Australia in Perth
as the Resident Company. All of Black Swan's productions in 2011 and beyond will be performed in the State Theatre Centre of WA, in the Heath Ledger Theatre or the Studio Underground.
Black Swan's office and rehearsal room used to be located at the Old Masonic Hall in Nedlands
, with productions being performed in various theatres around Perth.
Kate’s critical successes have included Helpmann and Green Room Nominations and Awards and a Gielgud Award for Best Emerging Director of the Classics in the USA. She has been the recipient of an NYC Drama League Fellowship and a Williamson Leadership Program Fellowship.
As both Director and Educator, Kate Cherry has had a longstanding commitment to the theatre industry in Perth, having taught and directed for the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts on an ongoing basis for the past nine years. She has also provided her skills as a dramaturg and conducted master classes for WA Stages and the WA Writers Guild.
Black Swan’s inaugural Artistic Director was Andrew Ross (1991 – 2003), now the Director of Brisbane Powerhouse Arts. Under Ross’ direction, the company produced such iconic Australian works as works as ‘Bran Nue Day’, ‘Corrugation Road’, ‘Sistergirl’ and ‘The Merry Go Round in the Sea.’
Following Ross’ departure in 2003, Peter Kingston was engaged as acting Artistic Director, until the appointment of Tom Gutteridge in February 2004.
Under the leadership of previous Artistic Director Tom Gutteridge, Black Swan maintained a strong commitment to commissioning new work and in recent years past has premiered exciting contemporary plays such as Ian Wilding’s 'The Carnivores' and Neil Gladwin’s 'Red Dog'.
The program includes exclusive skills development and workshop opportunities with international visiting artists, close contact with Black Swan staff, and the opportunity to create original, edgy and contemporary work.
The HotBed Ensemble has enjoyed critical and popular success since its inception in 2006. It has produced classic texts, contemporary work and new plays; in 2006 it presented 'Falling Petals' and 'Woyzeck'. 2007 saw The HotBed stage the acclaimed 'Laramie Project' (Perth season and regional tour), and 2008 produced the award winning 'Caucasian Chalk Circle' and the world premiere of 'Portraits of Modern Evil'.
In 2009 the HotBed Ensemble will produce the world premiere of a new Australian work 'The Dark Room' by Angela Betzien and a daring play by controversial playwright Mark Ravenhill (author of Shopping and F***ing) entitled 'pool [no water]'.
In addition to skills development and networking opportunities more than a third of our HotBed artists have gone on to work in our mainstage program, which is one of the core objectives for the ensemble.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, running an annual subscription season in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
.
History
Since its inception in 1991, Black Swan State Theatre Company (“Black Swan”) has developed a reputation for innovation and the nurturing of new work, and in particular the telling of uniquely Western Australian stories. Its contribution to the cultural and social fabric of Western Australia was recognised in 2004 by the decision of both State and Federal Governments that Black Swan would be the State’s Flagship Theatre Company. Black Swan has also been confirmed as the resident company in Perth’s new Performing Arts Venue, to open in 2010. Artistic Director, Kate Cherry, joined Black Swan in March 2008 and presented her first season program – Black Swan’s Year of Magical Thinking 2009 – in October 2008. The Company’s status has been reflected in the rebranding and renaming from Black Swan Theatre Company to Black Swan State Theatre Company, which also took effect in October 2008.Over the past 17 years Black Swan has produced a string of critically acclaimed landmark productions including several national and international tours. Productions such as 'Bran Nue Dae
Bran Nue Dae
Bran Nue Dae is a 1990 musical set in Broome, Western Australia that tells stories and of issues relating to Indigenous Australians. It was written by Jimmy Chi, his band Kuckles and friends and was the first Aboriginal musical. The musical was originally directed by Andrew Ross, a prominent...
', 'Sisitergirl', 'Tourmaline', 'Dead Heart', 'Corrugation Road' (which won the prestigious The Age Critics’ Award at the Melbourne International Festival and performed two national tours), 'The Merry-Go-Round in the Sea', 'Plainsong' and 'Cloudstreet' have upheld a standard of rare excellence as well as pursuing a commitment to the creative talents of Western Australia. The production of 'Cloudstreet' created a sensation, performing to sell-out audiences at the 1998 Festival of Perth and the 1999 London and Dublin arts festivals as did the 2002 production of 'The Career Highlights of the Mamu', hailed as a highlight of the Laokoon International Festival in Hamburg, Germany
Black Swan State Theatre Company is one of Australia’s foremost not-for-profit theatre companies with a reputation for distinctive interpretations of international classics and world-premier productions infused with the culture of Western Australia
In 2011, Black Swan State Theatre Company moved into the new State Theatre Centre of Western Australia in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
as the Resident Company. All of Black Swan's productions in 2011 and beyond will be performed in the State Theatre Centre of WA, in the Heath Ledger Theatre or the Studio Underground.
Black Swan's office and rehearsal room used to be located at the Old Masonic Hall in Nedlands
Nedlands, Western Australia
The City of Nedlands is a Local Government Area in the inner western suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, located about west of Perth's central business district...
, with productions being performed in various theatres around Perth.
Artistic Directors
Black Swan’s artistic director is a critically acclaimed theatre director and a committed performing arts educator. Kate Cherry has worked in every capital city in Australia, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Colorado, Massachusetts and Hong Kong. As Associate Director for MTC, Kate directed over twenty productions. She has also staged work for Playbox Theatre (where she was Artistic Associate), Sydney Theatre Company, Adelaide Festival, Brisbane Festival, Glenn Street Theatre, Oz Opera, Hit Productions, Ensemble Theatre NYC, Shakespeare and Company, (Massachusetts), American Conservatory Theatre and California Shakespeare Festival, (San Francisco).Kate’s critical successes have included Helpmann and Green Room Nominations and Awards and a Gielgud Award for Best Emerging Director of the Classics in the USA. She has been the recipient of an NYC Drama League Fellowship and a Williamson Leadership Program Fellowship.
As both Director and Educator, Kate Cherry has had a longstanding commitment to the theatre industry in Perth, having taught and directed for the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts on an ongoing basis for the past nine years. She has also provided her skills as a dramaturg and conducted master classes for WA Stages and the WA Writers Guild.
Black Swan’s inaugural Artistic Director was Andrew Ross (1991 – 2003), now the Director of Brisbane Powerhouse Arts. Under Ross’ direction, the company produced such iconic Australian works as works as ‘Bran Nue Day’, ‘Corrugation Road’, ‘Sistergirl’ and ‘The Merry Go Round in the Sea.’
Following Ross’ departure in 2003, Peter Kingston was engaged as acting Artistic Director, until the appointment of Tom Gutteridge in February 2004.
Under the leadership of previous Artistic Director Tom Gutteridge, Black Swan maintained a strong commitment to commissioning new work and in recent years past has premiered exciting contemporary plays such as Ian Wilding’s 'The Carnivores' and Neil Gladwin’s 'Red Dog'.
The HotBed Ensemble
The HotBed Ensemble is Black Swan’s professional development program for emerging Western Australian artists. The HotBed aims to nurture, stimulate and showcase a selection of Perth's most imaginative and talented theatre-makers.The program includes exclusive skills development and workshop opportunities with international visiting artists, close contact with Black Swan staff, and the opportunity to create original, edgy and contemporary work.
The HotBed Ensemble has enjoyed critical and popular success since its inception in 2006. It has produced classic texts, contemporary work and new plays; in 2006 it presented 'Falling Petals' and 'Woyzeck'. 2007 saw The HotBed stage the acclaimed 'Laramie Project' (Perth season and regional tour), and 2008 produced the award winning 'Caucasian Chalk Circle' and the world premiere of 'Portraits of Modern Evil'.
In 2009 the HotBed Ensemble will produce the world premiere of a new Australian work 'The Dark Room' by Angela Betzien and a daring play by controversial playwright Mark Ravenhill (author of Shopping and F***ing) entitled 'pool [no water]'.
In addition to skills development and networking opportunities more than a third of our HotBed artists have gone on to work in our mainstage program, which is one of the core objectives for the ensemble.