State Theatre Company of South Australia
Encyclopedia
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 Adam Cook. It was established under the State Theatre Company of South Australia Act 1972.
Notable actors, writers and directors, working with the Company include Neil Armfield
, Ruth Cracknell
, Judy Davis
, Gale Edwards
, Mel Gibson
, Geoffrey Rush
, Jim Sharman
, Hugo Weaving
and John Wood
.
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 acted as 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.
Prior to official conception as the state theatre company:
After 1972:
Associate Directors
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.
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
's leading professional theatre company. It is based in the Dunstan Playhouse at the Adelaide Festival Centre
Adelaide Festival Centre
The Adelaide Festival Centre, Australia's first multi-purpose arts centre, was built in 1973 and opened three months before the Sydney Opera House. The Festival Centre is located approximately 50 metres north of the corner of North Terrace and King William Street, lying near the banks of the River...
. The current artistic director is Adam Cook. It was established under the State Theatre Company of South Australia Act 1972.
Notable actors, writers and directors, working with the Company include Neil Armfield
Neil Armfield
Neil Geoffrey Armfield AO is an Australian director of theatre, film and opera.Born in Sydney, Armfield was the youngest of three boys. The son of a factory worker at the nearby Arnott's biscuit factory he was brought up in the suburb of Concord adjacent to Exile Bay...
, Ruth Cracknell
Ruth Cracknell
Ruth Cracknell AM was an Australian theatre and television character actress who appeared in many comedy roles. She was known variously as "Crackers", "Dame Crackers" and "Dame Ruth" throughout a career spanning 56 years....
, Judy Davis
Judy Davis
Judy Davis is an Australian actress best known for her roles in Husbands and Wives, Barton Fink, A Passage to India and in the TV miniseries Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows....
, Gale Edwards
Gale Edwards
Gale Edwards is an Australian theatre director, who has worked extensively throughout Australia and internationally. She has also directed for television and film. She began her career at Adelaide youth theatre company Energy Connection...
, Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
, Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Roy Rush is an Australian actor and film producer. He is one of the few people who has won the "Triple Crown of Acting": an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award. He has won one Academy Award for acting , three British Academy Film Awards , two Golden Globe Awards and four Screen...
, Jim Sharman
Jim Sharman
James "Jim" Sharman , the son of boxing tent entrepreneur Jimmy Sharman, is a director and writer for film and stage with over 70 productions to his credit...
, Hugo Weaving
Hugo Weaving
Hugo Wallace Weaving is a Nigerian born, English-Australian film actor and voice artist. He is best known for his roles as Agent Smith in the Matrix trilogy, Elrond in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, "V" in V for Vendetta, and performances in numerous Australian character dramas.-Early...
and John Wood
John Wood (Australian actor)
John Wood is a Gold Logie Award-winning Australian actor, best known for his role as Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon in the Seven Network's long running police drama Blue Heelers.-TV career:...
.
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
Arts SA
Arts SA is the South Australian Government Department responsible for the arts. The Minister for The Arts is the Premier Mike Rann, the Chief Executive is Greg Mackie.Statutory Authorities reporting to the Department include:...
.
Under the artistic direction of Jim Sharman, the company was renamed Lighthouse and acted as an ensemble theatre company with twelve actors: Robynne Bourne, Peter Cummins, Melissa Jaffer
Melissa Jaffer
Melissa Jaffer is an Australian actress who has made many appearances in television series, including Kings, Mother and Son, G. P., Brides of Christ, Grass Roots and All Saints...
(replaced in 1983 by Jacqy Phillips), Alan John
Alan John
Alan John is an Australian composer. He studied music at the University of Sydney, graduating in 1980. His compositions include original music for various plays, films and TV series , and the musical theatre works Jonah Jones, Orlando Rourke, and the musical Snugglepot and...
(also composer in residence), Gillian Jones
Gillian Jones
Gillian Jones is an Australian actress from Newcastle, New South Wales who is best known for appearances in Twelfth Night, Oscar and Lucinda, Last Train to Freo and the role of Di Paige in the television series Love My Way...
, Melita Jurisic, Russell Kiefel, Stuart McCreery, Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies (actor)
Robert Menzies, an Australian television actor, has starred in productions such as 3 Acts of Murder, Three Dollars and Monash and The Anzac Legend....
(replaced by Robert Grubb
Robert Grubb
Robert Grubb is an Australian actor. He studied acting at National Institute of Dramatic Art , where he graduated in 1978.Grubb played the role of Dr. Geoffrey Standish in the popular series The Flying Doctors...
), Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Roy Rush is an Australian actor and film producer. He is one of the few people who has won the "Triple Crown of Acting": an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award. He has won one Academy Award for acting , three British Academy Film Awards , two Golden Globe Awards and four Screen...
, Kerry Walker and John Wood
John Wood (Australian actor)
John Wood is a Gold Logie Award-winning Australian actor, best known for his role as Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon in the Seven Network's long running police drama Blue Heelers.-TV career:...
.
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:
- John TaskerJohn Tasker (theatre director)John Tasker was at one time the lover of the English author, journalist, and broadcaster Colin Spencer. They met in Brighton in 1957, when both were 24 years old. Their off-and-on two-year relationship dramatically changed when Spencer married archaeologist Gillian Chapman in October 1959. Tasker...
(1965–67) - Leslie DaymanLeslie DaymanLeslie "Les" Dayman is an Australian actor best known for being the fighter of the Nightman.He starred in the crime series Homicide as Senior Detective Bill Hudson during the late 1960s. In the 1980s, he was a major cast member in the soap operas Sons and Daughters and Prisoner...
(1968–69) - Peter Batey (1970–71)
After 1972:
- George OgilvieGeorge OgilvieGeorge Ogilvie is an Australian actor and film director. He was born in Goulburn, New South Wales in 1931. He directed Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome with George Miller.He was awarded the A.M...
(1972–1976) - Colin George (1977–1979)
- Kevin Palmer (Artistic Director), Nick EnrightNick Enright-Life:He was drama captain of St Ignatius' College, Riverview in 1964, where, like Gerard Windsor and Justin Fleming, he was taught by Melvyn Morrow. At that school, he won the 1sts Debating Premiership in both 1966 and 1967....
(Associate Director) (1980–81) (Henceforth as The State Theatre Company of South Australia) - Jim SharmanJim SharmanJames "Jim" Sharman , the son of boxing tent entrepreneur Jimmy Sharman, is a director and writer for film and stage with over 70 productions to his credit...
(Artistic Director), Neil ArmfieldNeil ArmfieldNeil Geoffrey Armfield AO is an Australian director of theatre, film and opera.Born in Sydney, Armfield was the youngest of three boys. The son of a factory worker at the nearby Arnott's biscuit factory he was brought up in the suburb of Concord adjacent to Exile Bay...
and Louis NowraLouis NowraLouis Nowra is an Australian writer, playwright, screenwriter and librettist.He is best known as one of Australia's leading playwrights...
(Associates) (1982–83) (as Lighthouse) - Keith Gallasch (1984–85)
- John Gaden (Artistic), Gale Edwards (Associate) (1986–89)
- Simon Phillips (1990–93)
- Chris Westwood (1994–97)
- Rodney Fisher (1998–99)
- Rosalba Clemente (2000–04)
- Adam Cook (2005–Present)
Associate Directors
- Michael Hill (2006 - 2008)
- Geordie Brookman (2008 - 2010)
- Catherine Fitzgerald (2011)
New Works
Shows which have been developed by and/or have had their world premiere at STCSA include:- 2009 - Metro StreetMetro StreetMetro Street is an original Australian musical with book, music and lyrics by Matthew Robinson. It was awarded the Pratt Prize for Musical Theatre in 2004, and went through many workshops and readings, including at The Adelaide Cabaret Festival in 2006, before its world premiere season with the...
by Matthew RobinsonMatthew Robinson (performer and composer)Matthew Robinson is an Australian performer and composer.Robinson was born in Queensland and graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts... - 2009 - MaestroMaestro (novel)Maestro is a 1989 novel written by Australian author Peter Goldsworthy. It is a bildungsroman which deals with the themes of art and life....
by Anna GoldsworthyAnna GoldsworthyAnna Goldsworthy is an Australian writer and classical pianist.-Life:Goldsworthy was born in Adelaide as the eldest daughter of the writer Peter Goldsworthy and Dr Helen Goldsworthy, and began studying the piano at the age of six...
and Peter GoldsworthyPeter GoldsworthyPeter Goldsworthy AM is an Australian writer and medical practitioner. He has won awards for his short stories, poetry, novels, and opera libretti.... - 2008 - Architektin by Robyn ArcherRobyn ArcherRobyn Archer AO CdOAL is an Australian singer, writer, stage and director, artistic director, and public advocate of the arts, in Australia and internationally.-Life:Archer was born Robyn Smith in Prospect, South Australia...
- 2008 - When The Rain Stops Falling by Andrew BovellAndrew BovellAndrew Bovell is an Australian writer for theatre, film and television.-Life:Bovell was born in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia and until recently lived in Adelaide, South Australia before moving to New York. He has recently now moved back to the Adelaide Hills, South Australia...
(Co-presentation with Brink ProductionsBrink ProductionsBrink Productions is a professional theatre company based in Adelaide, South Australia established in 1996 as an actor-driven collective of seven members, primarily graduates from the drama school of Flinders University, in order to "improve artistic production" in Australian theatre...
) - 2007 - Lion Pig Lion by Marty Denniss
- 2006 - Honk If You Are Jesus by Peter GoldsworthyPeter GoldsworthyPeter Goldsworthy AM is an Australian writer and medical practitioner. He has won awards for his short stories, poetry, novels, and opera libretti....
and Martin Laud Gray (winner of the 2006 Ruby Award for Best New Work or Event) - 2004 - Euripides' Trojan Women adapted by Rosalba Clemente and Dawn Langman
- 2004 - Night Letters by Robert Dessaix adapted by Susan Rogers and Chris Drummond
- 2003 - drowning in my ocean of You by Fiona Sprott
- 2002 - My Life, My Love by Pat Rix
- 2001 - Holy Day by Andrew Bovell (winner of 2 Green Room Awards)
- 1986 - Dreams In An Empty City by Stephen SewellStephen SewellStephen Sewell may refer to:*Stephen Sewell , early Canadian lawyer and politician*Stephen Sewell , Australian screen and play writer-See also:*Steve Sewell , former American football player...
- 1985 - Beautland by Barry DickinsBarry DickinsBarry Dickins is an Australian author, artist and playwright.He was born in the Melbourne suburb of Reservoir. Leaving school early he worked in a factory and then as a set-painter for television. Through his association with La Mama Theatre, his first play, Ghosts, was performed in 1974. He has...
- 1983 - Sunrise by Louis NowraLouis NowraLouis Nowra is an Australian writer, playwright, screenwriter and librettist.He is best known as one of Australia's leading playwrights...
- 1983 - The Blind Giant Is Dancing by Stephen SewellStephen SewellStephen Sewell may refer to:*Stephen Sewell , early Canadian lawyer and politician*Stephen Sewell , Australian screen and play writer-See also:*Steve Sewell , former American football player...
- 1983 - Netherwood by Patrick WhitePatrick WhitePatrick Victor Martindale White , an Australian author, is widely regarded as an important English-language novelist of the 20th century. From 1935 until his death, he published 12 novels, two short-story collections and eight plays.White's fiction employs humour, florid prose, shifting narrative...
- 1982 - Spellbound by Louis NowraLouis NowraLouis Nowra is an Australian writer, playwright, screenwriter and librettist.He is best known as one of Australia's leading playwrights...
- 1982 - Royal Show by Louis NowraLouis NowraLouis Nowra is an Australian writer, playwright, screenwriter and librettist.He is best known as one of Australia's leading playwrights...
- 1982 - Signal Driver: A Morality Play for the Times by Patrick WhitePatrick WhitePatrick Victor Martindale White , an Australian author, is widely regarded as an important English-language novelist of the 20th century. From 1935 until his death, he published 12 novels, two short-story collections and eight plays.White's fiction employs humour, florid prose, shifting narrative...
- 1978 - A Manual of Trench Warfare by Clem Gorman
- 1978 - Marx by Ron Blair
- 1976 - A Handful of Friends by David WilliamsonDavid WilliamsonDavid Keith Williamson AO is one of Australia's best-known playwrights. He has also written screenplays and teleplays.-Biography:...
- 1974 - The Department by David WilliamsonDavid WilliamsonDavid Keith Williamson AO is one of Australia's best-known playwrights. He has also written screenplays and teleplays.-Biography:...
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.