Griffin Theatre Company

Last updated

Griffin Theatre Company is an Australian theatre specialising in new works, based in Sydney. Founded in 1979, it is the resident theatre company at the Stables Theatre in Kings Cross. [1] As of August 2022 the artistic director is Declan Green.

Contents

Artistic directors

History

Founded in 1979 its original founders were Peter Carmody, Penny Cook, Eadie Kurzer, Jenny Laing-Peach, and Rosemarie Lenzo. The organisation held its first meetings in Laing-Peach's cottage in Griffin Street, Surry Hills. Their first project was to present the Irish play The Ginger Man by James Patrick Donleavy at the Kirk Gallery in Cleveland Street, Surry Hills on 6 April 1979. The first Artistic Director was Peter Kingston who served until the appointment of Ian B Watson in 1988. [7]

For the 1984 season the company was awarded The Sydney Critic's Circle Award for "the most significant contribution to theatre that year." [8] In 1986 The SBW Foundation Purchased the Stables Theatre and offered the company a lifetime rent-free lease. [9]

The theatre focuses on "all-Australia" talent and works. [1]

Cate Blanchett and Jacqueline McKenzie began their professional careers at Griffin. The films Lantana , The Boys , and The Heartbreak Kid (which later spun off into the television series Heartbreak High ) were based on plays produced by Griffin. Away , Australia's most produced contemporary play, also started at the company. [5]

Programs

The Batch Festival

In 2018 Griffin launched an annual experimental theatre festival, the Batch Festival. It is a three-week festival featuring multiple shows each day, curated to highlight emerging artists. [10] It was paused in 2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. [11]

Griffin Independent and Griffin Special Extras

Running since 2004 (then called Griffin Stablemates), in parallel to Griffin's own mainstage season of new Australian plays, Griffin Independent is an annual season of 5–6 new plays presented by independent theatre companies. In 2018, Griffin Independent was updated to Special Extras. [12]

Awards

Griffin Award

Bestowed annually since 1998, the Griffin Award is offered to the most outstanding new work as read and judged by a panel appointed by Griffin. The award comes with a $10,000 cash prize. One stipulation on entry is that all works submitted have not been performed or produced prior. [13]

Griffin Studio

Griffin Studio is a year-long residency for directors, writers and dramaturgs with the company, established in 2011. It is awarded annually to one or more applicants. [14]

Lysicrates Prize

Founded in 2015, the Lysicrates Prize is awarded annually to a play and is described as a "philanthropic initiative presented by The Lysicrates Foundation and produced by Griffin Theatre Company". The inaugural prize was won by Steve Rodgers for his play Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam. [15] [16] [17]

Incubator Fellowship

In 2020 the company partnered with Create NSW to form the Incubator – NSW Theatre (Emerging) Fellowship program (aka Incubator Fellowship). Shortlisted fellows complete a three-month incubator program for emerging playwrights, directors, dramaturgs, designers and composers to work with the company. One of the fellows is then chosen to receive $30,000 to "pursue a self-directed program of professional development in Australia or overseas". [18]

Winners

Recent seasons

Recent Griffin Theatre Company mainstage seasons are listed below. [21]

2020 season

2019 season

2018 season

2017 season

2016 season

2015 season

2014 season

2013 season

2012 season

2011 season

2010 season

2009 season

2008 season

2007 season

Commissioned and premiered works

Playwrights whose work has premiered at Griffin include:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sydney Theatre Company</span> Arts organisation in Australia

Sydney Theatre Company (STC) is an Australian theatre company based in Sydney, New South Wales. The company performs in The Wharf Theatre at Dawes Point in The Rocks area of Sydney as well as the Roslyn Packer Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonny Bill Williams</span> New Zealand rugby player

Sonny William Williams is a New Zealand heavyweight boxer, and a former professional rugby league and rugby union player. He is only the second person to represent New Zealand in rugby union after first playing for the country in rugby league, and is one of only 43 players to have won the Rugby World Cup twice.

The AWGIE Awards are annual awards given by the Australian Writers' Guild (AWG), for excellence in screen, television, stage, and radio writing. The 56th Annual AWGIE Awards ceremony is being held in Sydney on 15 February 2024.

Tommy Murphy is an Australian playwright, screenwriter, adaptor and director. He created and was head writer for the 2022 TV series Significant Others. He is best known for his stage and screen adaptation of Timothy Conigrave's memoir Holding the Man. His most recent plays are a stage adaptation of Nevil Shute’s On The Beach, Mark Colvin's Kidney and Packer & Sons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timothy Conigrave</span> Australian actor, activist and author

Tim Conigrave was an Australian actor, activist and author of the internationally acclaimed memoir, Holding the Man.

The Patrick White Playwrights' Award is an annual Australian literary award established jointly by the Sydney Theatre Company and The Sydney Morning Herald in honour of Patrick White's contribution to Australian theatre. The award was launched in 2000 and in 2011, was amended to include the Patrick White Fellowship.

Strangers in Between is a two-act Australian play by Tommy Murphy. It won the 2006 NSW Premier's Literary Award for Best Play. It was first staged at Sydney's Griffin Theatre Company in February 2005, where it broke box office records.

Alana Valentine is an Australian playwright, dramatist, librettist, and director working in theatre, film, opera and television.

The Sydney Metropolitan Bus Service Contracts are contracts issued by the Government of New South Wales to metropolitan bus operators in Sydney, Australia, to operate its public bus route network. Since 2005, the government has moved from individual contracts with operators to larger contract regions, leading to the consolidation of bus operators.

Ned Manning is an Australian playwright, actor and teacher. His film credits include the lead role in Dead End Drive-In (1986), and television credits include The Shiralee and Prisoner, and Brides of Christ. His plays include Us or Them, Milo, Kenny's Coming Home and Close to the Bone. In 2007 Manning played the lead in his own play, Last One Standing, at the Old Fitzroy theatre in Sydney.

Caleb Lewis is an Australian playwright and game designer. He is known for his play Dogfall, first produced in 2007 in Adelaide, South Australia.

Matraville Sports High School is a government co-educational comprehensive and specialist secondary school, with speciality in sports, located on Anzac Parade, Chifley, an eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Shari Sebbens is an Aboriginal Australian actress and stage director, known for her debut film role in The Sapphires (2012), as well as many stage and television performances. After a two-year stint as resident director of the Sydney Theatre Company (STC), in 2023 she will be directing productions by STC and Griffin in Sydney, as well as Melbourne Theatre Company and Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne. She is on the board of Back to Back Theatre.

Mitchell Patrick Butel is an Australian actor, singer, director and writer. He is best known for his work in theatre, including musical and opera productions. He has been the artistic director of the State Theatre Company of South Australia since March 2019.

<i>Between Two Waves</i> 2012 play by Ian Meadows

Between Two Waves is a play by Australian playwright Ian Meadows. It was first produced by Griffin Theatre Company in 2012.

Kate Maree Mulvany is an Australian actress, playwright and screenwriter. She works in theatre, television and film, with roles in Hunters (2020–2023), The Great Gatsby (2013), Griff the Invisible (2010) and The Final Winter (2007). She has played lead roles with Australian theatre companies as well as appearing on television and in film.

Nakkiah Lui is an Australian actor, writer and comedian. She is a young leader in the Australian Aboriginal community.

The Bleeding Tree is a play by Australian writer Angus Cerini.

The Stables Theatre is a 105-seat theatre in Darlinghurst, Sydney. The intimate theatre has a kite-shaped stage.

Eryn Jean Norvill, sometimes spelt Eryn-Jean Norvill, is an Australian stage and television actress. She has mostly performed in Sydney Theatre Company productions, and frequently collaborated with STC artistic director Kip Williams. In May 2022 she played all 26 characters in an adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray.

References

  1. 1 2 Kale, Neha. "Griffin Theatre Company turns 40". Time Out (Sydney). Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  2. ↑ "Our Team". Griffin Theatre Company. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Griffin Theatre Company Appoints New Artistic Director". Broadway World. 10 December 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  4. ↑ Fulton, Adam. "Diversity a key issue for Griffin's new artistic director". Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  5. 1 2 "Sam Strong and Australian Plays in the Making". Stage Whispers. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  6. 1 2 "Griffin's identity is in safe hands". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Griffin Rising". Janus Entertainment. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  8. ↑ The Currency Press Current Theatre Series publication for 'Morning Sacrifice' by Dymphna Cusack (1986 Currency Press Pty Ltd)
  9. ↑ "Our History". SBW Foundation. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  10. ↑ Wild, Stephi (20 February 2020). "Griffin Theatre Company Presents BATCH FESTIVAL". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  11. ↑ "Batch Festival". Griffin Theatre Company. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  12. ↑ "Griffin Theatre Company Season 2019". Stage Whispers. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  13. ↑ Griffin Award
  14. ↑ "Griffin Studio". Griffin Theatre Company. 19 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  15. ↑ "Steve Rodgers wins the inaugural The Lysicrates Prize". Griffin Theatre Company. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  16. ↑ "The Lysicrates Prize 2020". Griffin Theatre Company. 1 July 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  17. ↑ "You searched for lysicrates". Griffin Theatre Company. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  18. ↑ "New Create NSW and Griffin Theatre Company Incubator Fellowship". Create NSW . Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  19. ↑ "Ang Collins awarded the inaugural NSW Incubator Fellowship". Create NSW. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  20. 1 2 "Incubator Fellowship". Griffin Theatre Company. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  21. ↑ Griffin Theatre archives
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Griffin Theatre Company Archives" (PDF). Griffin Theatre Company. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.