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La Boite Theatre is an Australian theatre company based in
Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
,
Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...
. La Boite was established in 1925 and is Australia’s longest continuously running theatre company. Playing a vital role in the cultural landscape, La Boite Theatre occupies the space between independent theatre and the state company. La Boite is based at Brisbane's
Roundhouse Theatre The Roundhouse Theatre is a theatre-in-the-round located in the Kelvin Grove Urban Village, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is Australia's only purpose-built theatre in the round. The building is owned by Queensland University of Technology ...
, Australia's first purpose-built theatre-in-the-round. Located in the Kelvin Grove, Queensland. It seats 400, or 340 in thrust staging. The company moved into this new venue in February 2004, leaving its former smaller theatre-in-the-round building, the
La Boite Theatre Building La Boite Theatre Building is a heritage-listed former theatre at 69 Hale Street, Petrie Terrace, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Blair Wilson and built in 1972. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 30 ...
, in Hale Street, Milton, where it had been since 1972. Previous Artistic Directors include
Todd MacDonald Todd MacDonald (born 1973 in British Columbia, Canada) is a Canadian Australian actor who is best known for his roles on the soap opera ''Neighbours'' and the drama series ''The Secret Life of Us'' and '' Rush''. MacDonald graduated in 1996 from ...
(2015 - 2020),
David Berthold David Berthold is one of Australia's most prominent theatre directors and cultural leaders. He has directed for most of Australia's major theatre companies, as well as in London and Berlin, and has led several key arts organisations. He was Artis ...
(2008-2014) Sean Mee (2000–2008) and Sue Rider (1993–2000).


La Boite's programs

Apart from its main season of productions, La Boite runs a number of creative development and participation programs.


HWY - La Boite's Pipeline for New Work & Ideas

The suite of artist development opportunities includes La Boite’s Associate Artists, Assistant Creatives, and Artists in Residence; a cohort of diverse theatre makers who work with La Boite to develop new work over a 12-24 month period.


La Boite's Young Artist Programs

Programs include, Young Artist Lab, designed for ages 12 - 14; Young Artist Company, suitable for ages 12 - 17 and 18 - 26; and Assembly, a six week program that supports twenty-one emerging artists (seven writers, seven directors and seven actors) to develop their skills, and work towards a public outcome at the culmination of the program.


La Boite's Youth & Education Programs

La Boite's Youth & Education department covers a range of offerings, from school show excursions, pre and post-show workshops, tailor-made courses facilitated by artists in-school, professional development workshops for teachers, and as of 2020, now offer a range of online workshops and mainstage recordings, complete with exams, learning assessments, teaching resources.


Seasons


2009 season

* ''The White Earth'' based on the novel of the same name by
Andrew McGahan Andrew McGahan (10 October 1966 – 1 February 2019) was an Australian novelist, best known for his first novel ''Praise'', and for his Miles Franklin Award-winning novel '' The White Earth''. His novel ''Praise'' is considered to be part of t ...
(23 Feb-21 March) * ''Blue Love'' devised and choreographed by Shaun Parker (28 April-9 May) * ''Statespeare'' by
Nelle Lee Nelle Lee is a Brisbane-based actress, producer and writer best known for theatre work. She is also artistic director of independent theatre company, Shake and Stir. Career She studied at the University of Southern Queensland, and graduat ...
(19–29 May) * ''Oodgeroo'' by Sam Watson (30 June-11 July) * ''The Pineapple Queen'' by Norman Price (28 July-8 August) * ''The Kursk'' by
Sasha Janowicz Sacha, Sasha, Sascha, or ''variant'' may refer to: People * Sasha (name), includes list of people with the name and the variants Sascha or Sacha Musicians * Sasha (DJ) (born 1969), born Alexander Coe * Sasha (German singer) (born 1972), born Sas ...
(1–12 September)


2010 season

* ''The Gruffalo'' based on the picture-book of the same name by
Julia Donaldson Julia Donaldson (born Julia Catherine Shields; born ) is an English writer and playwright, and the 2011–2013 Children's Laureate. She is best known for her popular rhyming stories for children, especially those illustrated by Axel Scheffler, ...
(11–29 January) * ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'' by
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
(6 Feb-14 March) * ''Stockholm'' by
Bryony Lavery Bryony Lavery (born 1947) is a British dramatist, known for her successful and award-winning 1998 play '' Frozen''. In addition to her work in theatre, she has also written for television and radio. She has written books including the biography ...
(28 April-22 May) * ''
The Chairs ''The Chairs'' (french: Les Chaises) is a one-act play by Eugène Ionesco, described as an absurdist "tragic farce". It was first performed in Paris in 1952. Setting A high tower surrounded by water. Characters *Old Man, aged 95 *Old Woman, age ...
'' by
Eugène Ionesco Eugène Ionesco (; born Eugen Ionescu, ; 26 November 1909 – 28 March 1994) was a Romanian-French playwright who wrote mostly in French, and was one of the foremost figures of the French avant-garde theatre in the 20th century. Ionesco inst ...
(5 June-4 July) * ''I Love You, Bro'' by
Adam J A Cass Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
(17 July-8 August) * ''Engine'' by Janis Balodis (25 August-12 Sept) * ''Gwen in Purgatory'' by Tommy Murphy (27 Sept-24 Oct) La Boite Indie * Michelle Miall presents ''Colder'' by Lachlan Philpott (22 Jun-10 Jul) *
Dead Puppet Society Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
presents ''The Harbinger'' by David Morton and Matthew Ryan (13–31 July) * Umber Productions presents ''Water Wars'' by Elaine Acworth (3-21 Aug) *
The Danger Ensemble ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
presents ''The Hamlet Apocalypse'' (24 Aug-11 Sept)


2011 season

* ''The Gruffalo's Child'' based on the picture-book of the same name by Julia Donaldson (5–23 January) * ''
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...
'' by William Shakespeare (12 February-20 March) * ''
boy girl wall A boy is a young male human. The term is commonly used for a child or an adolescent. When a male human reaches adulthood, he is described as a man. Definition, etymology, and use According to the ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'', a boy is "a ...
'' by The Escapists (30 March-17 April) * ''Statespeare'' by Nellie Lee (28 April-6 May) * ''Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness'' by
Anthony Neilson Anthony Neilson (born 1967, Edinburgh) is a Scottish playwright and director. He is known for his collaborative way of writing and workshopping his plays. Much of his work is characterised by the exploration of sex and violence. Neilson has bee ...
(20 May-12 June) * ''Ruben Guthrie'' by
Brendan Cowell Brendan Cowell is an Australian actor, playwright, and director. Early life and education Cowell was born in Sydney and grew up in the beachside suburb of Cronulla. He credits his mother and high school drama teacher with encouraging him to ...
(8 October-13 November)


2015 season

* ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict a ...
'' by
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
* ''Samson'' starring
Ashleigh Cummings Ashleigh Cummings is an Australian actress. She became known for her role as Robyn Mathers in '' Tomorrow, When the War Began''. The film, based on the book of the same name, earned Cummings a nomination for Best Young Actor at the 2010 Austra ...
* ''Medea'' by
Euripides Euripides (; grc, Εὐριπίδης, Eurīpídēs, ; ) was a tragedian of classical Athens. Along with Aeschylus and Sophocles, he is one of the three ancient Greek tragedians for whom any plays have survived in full. Some ancient scholars ...
in a new adaptation starring Christen O'Leary * ''
Prize Fighter Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory auth ...
'', a collaboration between La Boite Theatre and
Brisbane Festival Brisbane Festival is one of Australia's leading international arts festivals, and is held each September in Brisbane, Australia. Its presence dominates the city for three weeks in September and its line-up of classical and contemporary music, ...
2015


History


Establishment and early years (1925-1956)

La Boite was founded in 1925, under the direction of British teacher of speech and drama Barbara Sisley and English literature professor
Jeremiah Joseph Stable Jeremiah Joseph Stable (1883–1953) was the first professor of English at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Early life Jeremiah Joseph Stable was born on 14 May 1883 in Willaston, the son of Benjamin Stable and h ...
. Known as the Brisbane Repertory Theatre Society, it is one of the oldest, continuously operating, theatre companies in Australia, operating under Sisley's direction until her death in a road accident in 1945. Sisley had directed fifty-seven productions for the company including a number of Australian plays. After Sisley's death, the Brisbane Repertory Theatre Society survived from 1946 through to 1956 under Tom Stephens, Alex Foster, Cecil Carson and Gwen MacMinn.Comans, Christine A. (2008) La Boite Theatre Company: A Distinctive History. Australasian Drama Studies 52.


Relocation to Hale Street and the first 'La Boite' (1956-1969)

Babette Stephens succeeded the position of Council President in 1957, before accepting the first formal title of "Theatre Director" in 1959. As a prominent professional Australian actor and director, she helped to create the first permanent theatre for the company when she succeeded in getting the company to purchase four cottages in Sexton Street and Hale Street in
Petrie Terrace Petrie Terrace is an inner suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Petrie Terrace had a population of 1,124 people. Geography The suburb is by road west of the Brisbane General Post Office. The precinct is bordered to ...
and the creation of the first "La Boite". The suggestion was made to convert one of the cottages into a " theatre-in-the-round" theatre space similar to Hayes Gordon's Ensemble Theatre in Sydney. In the lead up to the launch of the theatre's new season in Hale Street in 1967, Brisbane Repertory Theatre adopted the new name "La Boite", The French translation of "the box". La Boite's intimate, 70 seat space attracted a new audiences, and a group of directors and actors, including Jane Atkins, Eileen Beatson, Ian Thomson,
Barry Otto Barry Otto (born 1941) is an Australian actor, primarily of cinema, and an amateur artist. Early life Barry Otto was born in Brisbane in 1941, the son of a butcher. He trained as an artist but switched to acting. Career Otto received an AACTA ...
, John Stanton and Muriel Watson. The repertoire of the company changed to a more radical, non-mainstream one. Australian plays became a regular feature of the season.


Second relocation and company expansion (1969-2000)

Jennifer Blocksidge became Honorary Director in 1969, and remained in the role until 1975. In 1972, La Boite's second in-the-round performance space was established, with the purpose-built, 200 seat theatre-in-the round, award-winning
Blair Wilson Blair Wilson (born May 18, 1963) is a Canadian politician and formerly the member of Parliament (MP) in the 39th Canadian parliament for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country electoral district. He was elected on January 23, 200 ...
designing the new
La Boite Theatre Building La Boite Theatre Building is a heritage-listed former theatre at 69 Hale Street, Petrie Terrace, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Blair Wilson and built in 1972. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 30 ...
(now heritage-listed). Blocksidge established her eventual aim to make La Boite a professional theatre company through the establishment in 1973 of the first professional 'theatre-in-education' team in Queensland , the Early Childhood Drama Project (ECDP), and the 1976 appointment of La Boite's first salaried Artistic Director, Rick Billinghurst. Billinghurst embarked on a program of Australian and overseas works. Malcolm Blaylock was appointed artistic director in 1980, when La Boite became a " pro-am" theatre company. The early 1980s was a buoyant time for La Boite and for the pro-am or professional community theatre companies funded by the Australia Council. Blaylock programmed innovative, risky, and politically challenging Australian and non-Australian plays. The appointment in mid-1982 of Andrew Ross as Artistic Director brought La Boite into more professional main-house repertoire. By 1983, the company had lost both state and federal funding. The following years were considered financially trying for La Boite, but a huge effort by the Council and "resident directors" Mike Bridges and Mary Hickson kept the company and theatre afloat. The 1986 appointment of Jim Vilé as both artistic director and CEO was a time of a more "open door" programming at La Boite where "every day and evening of every month of the Theatre's year was accounted for with a production of some kind…" Patrick Mitchell took over from Vilé as Artistic Director in 1990. By 1991, the stress of running such a vibrant pro-am theatre company proved too much and David Bell took over as Artistic Director later in that year. Bell's innovative cross arts approach to theatre saw the beginning of La Boite as a professional company and produced performances which blended circus, opera and modern dance with theatre. Although the innovative fusion of Bell's work gained critical and artistic success, La Boite once again was financially floundering. However, the appointment in 1993 of Sue Rider as Artistic Director saw a period of unparalleled growth once again bolstered the performance of new Australian and Rider's commitment to Queensland artists.


Third relocation and present-day (2000 – present)

Sean Mee had been one of Brisbane's leading actors for many years and he had started his career at La Boite with the Early Childhood Drama Project in the 1980s. He took the company in new artistic directions. The company left the theatre it owned and moved to the new La Boite Theatre – the Roundhouse Theatre, a larger replica of the second La Boite Theatre. It was built in the Creative Industries Precinct of
Queensland University of Technology Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is a public research university located in the urban coastal city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. QUT is located on two campuses in the Brisbane area viz. Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove. The unive ...
's Kelvin Grove Campus. Mee's Artistic Directorship saw the company both artistically and financially reap the benefits of embracing primarily programming new Queensland works commissioned through La Boite. In 2008, Mee relinquished his position of Artistic Director. Despite the initial trials with the company, including the
Australia Council The Australia Council for the Arts, commonly known as the Australia Council, is the country's official arts council, serving as an arts funding and advisory body for the Government of Australia. The council was announced in 1967 as the Austr ...
cutting funding to the company, David Berthold took up the position of Artistic Director, and under his leadership the company has broadened its scope to include international works in its programming whilst retaining the company's over 85-year commitment to fostering Queensland and Australian theatre. Berthold's efforts with the company have been heralded as having "completely repositioned a Brisbane institution a Boite, and has garnered several prominent awards, including numerous winnings of the prestigious
Matilda Awards The Matilda Awards are awards which recognise excellence in cabaret, dance, theatre, and performance in southeast Queensland. History Established in 1987 by Alison Cotes and Sue Gough, the awards are an annual event held in February or March. ...
.


Leaders and artistic directors

* Barbara Sisley (1925–1945) * Tom Stephens * Alex Foster * Cecil Carson * Gwen MacMinn *
Babette Stephens Phyllis Babette Stephens AM MBE (née Fergusson) (26 April 1910 – 28 February 2001) was an Australian actress, director, artistic director, TV game show panelist and acting teacher. A leading theatrical pioneer, she also appeared in film and te ...
(1946–1968) * Jennifer Blocksidge (1969–1975) * Rick Billinghurst (1976–1980) * Malcolm Blaylock (1980–1986) * Jim Vilé (1986–1990) * Patrick Mitchell (1990–1991) * David Bell (1991–1993) * Sue Rider (1993–2000) * Sean Mee (2000–2008) *
David Berthold David Berthold is one of Australia's most prominent theatre directors and cultural leaders. He has directed for most of Australia's major theatre companies, as well as in London and Berlin, and has led several key arts organisations. He was Artis ...
(2008–2014) * Chris Kohn (2014) * Todd McDonald (2015–present)


References


External links


La Boite Theatre Company website

List of Productions at La Boite since 1979 - AusStage
{{authority control Theatre companies in Australia Theatre in Brisbane Queensland University of Technology Companies based in Brisbane Organisations based in Brisbane