Belvoir is an Australian

theatre company Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...

based at the Belvoir St Theatre in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...

, Australia, originally known as Company B. Since 2016 and its artistic director is

Eamon Flack Eamon Flack is an Australian theatre director. He is Artistic Director of Belvoir, a theatre company in Sydney's Surry Hills. Flack, who grew up in Darwin, Northern Territory, was encouraged towards a career in theatre by actor Bille Brown when ...

. The theatre contains a 330-seat Upstairs Theatre and a 80-seat Downstairs Theatre. The Belvoir company receives government support for its activities from the

federal government A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government ( federalism). In a federation, the self-gover ...

through the Major Performing Arts Board of the

Australia Council for the Arts 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 Austra ...

and the

state government A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonom ...

through Create NSW. Many Australian actors who have later found wider success both locally and internationally such as

Deborah Mailman Deborah Jane Mailman (born 14 July 1972) is an Australian television and film actress, and singer. Mailman played the character Kelly Lewis on the Australian television series ''The Secret Life of Us'' and Cherie Butterfield in the Australian c ...

Cate Blanchett Catherine Elise Blanchett (; born 14 May 1969) is an Australian actor. Regarded as one of the finest performers of her generation, she is known for her versatile work across independent films, blockbusters, and the stage. She has received n ...

, Jacqueline McKenzie,

Richard Roxburgh Richard Roxburgh (born 23 January 1962) is an Australian actor, writer, producer, and director. He is the recipient of a number of accolades across film, television, and theatre, including three AACTA Awards (including AFI), three Logie Awards, ...

David Wenham David Wenham (born 21 September 1965) is an Australian actor who has appeared in film, television and theatre. He is known for his roles as Faramir in ''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy, Friar Carl in '' Van Helsing'', Dilios in '' 300'' ...

Toby Schmitz Toby Schmitz (born 4 May 1977) is an Australian actor and playwright. He was born in Perth, Western Australia, attended Perth's Scotch College and briefly studied law at the University of Western Australia. He graduated from the acting cours ...

Judy Davis Judith Davis (born 23 April 1955) is an Australian actress in film, television, and on stage. With a career spanning over 40 years, she has been commended for her versatility and regarded as one of the finest actresses of her generation. Frequen ...

and

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 ...

have appeared in Belvoir productions.

History

Theatre

The theatre, converted from a former

tomato sauce Tomato sauce (also known as ''salsa roja'' in Spanish or ''salsa di pomodoro'' in Italian) can refer to many different sauces made primarily from tomatoes, usually to be served as part of a dish, rather than as a condiment. Tomato sauces are ...

factory, opened in 1974 as the Nimrod Theatre for the Nimrod Theatre Company. The first production at the theatre was rock musical ''

The Bacchoi ''The Bacchoi'' is a rock musical with book and lyrics by Bryan Nason and music by Ralph Tyrrell, based on ''The Bacchae'' by Euripides. It was first performed in a 1970 student production which opened the University of Queensland's Schonell Thea ...

''. It was renamed as "'Belvoir St" in 1984 by Sue Hill and Chris Westwood when the building was purchased by a syndicate of people (Belvoir Street Theatre Pty Ltd). Renovations costing around commenced in 2005 and were delayed in 2006 with the discovery of asbestos in the building's roof. The theatre reopened in October 2006 with the Sydney season of ''It Just Stopped'' by Stephen Sewell.

Formation of the company

Belvoir began, in 1984, when two syndicates were established: "Company A" with shares at $1000 each, which would own the building, and "Company B", with shares at $10 each. Company B aimed to stage theatre productions which were "contemporary, politically sharp, hard-edged Australian theatre; to develop new forms of theatrical expression; work by and about "

Aboriginal Australians Aboriginal Australians are the various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, such as Tasmania, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island, the Tiwi Islands, and Groote Eylandt, but excluding the Torres Strait ...

; work created by women; radical interpretations of the classics and work that is surprising, diverse and passionate.

Company

Belvoir was officially launched in February 1985. Later that year, ''Signal Driver'', written by

Patrick White Patrick Victor Martindale White (28 May 1912 – 30 September 1990) was a British-born Australian writer who published 12 novels, three short-story collections, and eight plays, from 1935 to 1987. White's fiction employs humour, florid prose, ...

and directed by

Neil Armfield Neil Geoffrey Armfield (born 22 April 1955) is an Australian director of theatre, film and opera. Biography Born in Sydney, Armfield is the third and youngest son of Len, a factory worker at the nearby Arnott's Biscuits factory and Nita Armfi ...

, was 'the first play produced from the ground up by Belvoir'. In the lead roles were Kerry Walker and John Gaden. The theatre poster was designed by

Martin Sharp Martin Ritchie Sharp (21 January 1942 – 1 December 2013) was an Australian artist, cartoonist, songwriter and film-maker. Career Sharp was born in Bellevue Hill, New South Wales in 1942, and educated at Cranbrook private school, where one ...

. Armfield later recalled that White, who had purchased ten shares in the theatre, was its 'greatest shareholder'. From its foundation, Belvoir also instituted a "parity pay policy" where all employees, from actors to stage hands, received the same hourly rate of pay. This policy, which continued from 1985 to the end of the 2011 season, prompted former Australian Prime Minister

Paul Keating Paul John Keating (born 18 January 1944) is an Australian former politician and unionist who served as the 24th prime minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996, holding office as the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He previously serv ...

to describe the Belvoir as "Australia’s last commune". In 2005, Belvoir temporarily moved to the

Seymour Centre The Seymour Centre is a multi-purpose performing arts centre within the University of Sydney in the Australian city of Sydney. It is located on the corner of City Rd and Cleveland St in Chippendale, just south-west of the city centre. The b ...

, Chippendale, while the theatre building underwent an $11.6 million renovation, and returned the following year. In January 2011, Ralph Myers took over from

artistic director An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since th ...

, stating 'There's a wealth of Australian playwriting and 2500 years of great plays to draw on, I don't see a need to import new plays from overseas.' In July 2014, Myers announced that he would be stepping down from his role at the end of the 2015 season. Myers said he had 'an "ideological" commitment to the regular turnover of artistic directorships'. Also in 2011, Belvoir appointed

Simon Stone Simon Stone (born 19 August 1984) is an Australian film and theatre director, writer and actor. Early life Stone is Australian, but was born in Basel and grew up in Cambridge and Melbourne. His father, Stuart Stone, was a biochemist and his mot ...

as the first director-in-residence. Stone's adaptation of

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential pla ...

's '' The Wild Duck'', with the Belvoir, went on to win both Helpmann and Sydney Theatre Awards, in 2011, before being taken to Oslo for a three night performance as part of the 2012 International Ibsen Festival. Stone resigned from his position in 2013, and was replaced by dual directors-in-residence

Adena Jacobs Adena Jacobs (born June 1982) is an Australian theatre director. She has worked in Australian independent theatre with her company, Fraught Outfit, of which she is artistic director, and has also directed for various mainstage companies. She was " ...

and

Anne-Louise Sarks Anne-Louise Sarks is an Australian theatre director, writer and actor. She has been the Artistic Director of the Melbourne Theatre Company since October 2021. Her partner is journalist Sean Kelly. Career Studies and early work Sarks studied ...

. In 2016 Myers was succeeded as artistic director by Eamon Flack. In February 2022 Carissa Licciardello and Hannah Goodwin were appointed directors-in-residence. In 2019 Belvoir collected an unprecedented thirteen

Helpmann Awards The Helpmann Awards are accolades for live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001. The annual awards recognise achievements in the disciplines of musical th ...

, including Best Play, Best New Australian Work and Best Direction of a Play. In the same year actors in Belvoir productions collected Best Female Actor in a Play, Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play, Best Male Actor in a Play and Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play.

Shareholders

There are currently 600 shareholders, including noted actors, directors, writers and performers

Robyn Archer Robyn Archer, AO, CdOAL (born 1948) is an Australian singer, writer, stage director, artistic director, and public advocate of the arts, in Australia and internationally. Life Archer was born Robyn Smith in Prospect, South Australia. She beg ...

Gillian Armstrong Gillian May Armstrong (born 18 December 1950) is an Australian feature film and documentary director, who specializes in period drama. Her films often feature female perspectives and protagonists. Many of her movies are historical dramas. E ...

, Peter Carey,

Mel Gibson Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor, film director, and producer. He is best known for his action hero roles, particularly his breakout role as Max Rockatansky in the first three films of the post-apoca ...

, Max Gillies,

Nicole Kidman Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an American and Australian actress and producer. Known for her work across various film and television productions from several genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid act ...

Sam Neill Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one o ...

David Williamson David Keith Williamson AO (born 24 February 1942) is an Australian dramatist and playwright. He has also written screenplays and teleplays. Early life David Williamson was born in Melbourne, Victoria, on 24 February 1942, and was brought ...

and Colin Friels. Previous shareholders have also included

Joan Sutherland Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, (7 November 1926 – 10 October 2010) was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano known for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s. She possesse ...

Ruth Cracknell Ruth Winifred Cracknell AM (6 July 1925 – 13 May 2002) was an Australian character and comic actress, comedienne and author, her career encompassing all genres including radio, theatre, television and film. She appeared in many dramatic as we ...

Gwen Plumb Gwendoline Jean Plumb AM BEM (2 August 1912 – 5 June 2002), was an Australian performer of international appeal, actress and comedian active in literally every form of the art genre, (except circus) including revue, pantomime, vaudeville, in ...

Dorothy Hewett Dorothy Coade Hewett (21 May 1923 – 25 August 2002) was an Australian playwright, poet and author, and a romantic feminist icon. In writing and in her life, Hewett was an experimenter. As her circumstances and beliefs changed, she progressed ...

, Mike Willesee and

Balnaves Fellowship

The

Balnaves Foundation Neil Richard Balnaves (5 May 1944 – 21 February 2022) was an Australian media executive and arts philanthropist. His production companies were responsible for bringing '' Big Brother'' and ''Bananas in Pyjamas'' to Australian television scre ...

is a private philanthropic organisation founded by media executive

Neil Balnaves Neil Richard Balnaves (5 May 1944 – 21 February 2022) was an Australian media executive and arts philanthropist. His production companies were responsible for bringing '' Big Brother'' and '' Bananas in Pyjamas'' to Australian television scr ...

in 2006. In 2011 the Balnaves Foundation established support for two Indigenous-led works per year at Belvoir. It also created the Balnaves Award, which evolved into the Balnaves Fellowship in 2021. The fellowship is awarded to a playwright or director or writer/director, who is given over 12 months to create a new work, spending two days a week over 10 months as a resident artist at Belvoir. Past recipients of the award or fellowship include: * 2021 – Thomas Weatherall * 2020 – Jorjia Gillis * 2019 – Nathan Maynard * 2018 –

Kodie Bedford Kodie Bedford is an Aboriginal Australian screenwriter, filmmaker and playwright from Western Australia. She is known for her play ''Cursed!'', and work on several television series, in particular the 2021 comedy series '' All My Friends are R ...

* 2017 – Megan Wilding * 2016 – Ursula Yovich * 2015 – Katie Beckett * 2014 – Leah Purcell * 2013 –

Jada Alberts Jada Alberts is an Aboriginal Australian actor, playwright, screenwriter, director, artist and poet. Early life and education Alberts is from the Top End of Australia, of Larrakia, Yanuwa, Bardi and Wardaman descent. Their mother is Franche ...

* 2012 – Nakkiah Lui

Seasons

2023

*''Blue'' by Thomas Weatherall, directed by Deborah Brown *''Into The Woods'', music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine, directed by Eamon Flack *''Blessed Union'' by Maeve Marsden, directed by Hannah Goodwin *''Scenes From the Climate Era'' by David Finnigan, directed by Carissa Licciardello *''At What Cost?'' by Nathan Maynard, directed by Isaac Drandic *''The Weekend'' by Sue Smith, based on the book by Charlotte Wood, directed by Sarah Goodes *''Miss Peony'' by

Michelle Law Michelle Law is an Asian Australian writer and screenwriter. She is known for the web series ''Homecoming Queens'', and the book ''Sh*t Asian Mothers Say'', co-authored by her brother Benjamin Law, and her 2017 play ''Single Asian Female''. E ...

, directed by Courtney Stewart *''Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill'' by Lanie Robertson, directed by

Mitchell Butel Mitchell Patrick Butel (born 10 February 1970) 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 Compan ...

*''The Master and Margarita'' adapted from the Bulgakov by Eamon Flack, directed by Eamon Flack *''Robyn Archer: an Australian Songbook'' devised and performed by Robyn Archer

2022

*''Black Brass'' by Mararo Wangai, directed by Matt Edgerton *''At What Cost?'' by Nathan Maynard, directed by Isaac Drandic *''Opening Night'' based on the screenplay by

John Cassavetes John Nicholas Cassavetes ( ; December 9, 1929 – February 3, 1989) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. First known as a television and film actor, Cassavetes also helped pioneer American independent cinema, writing and direc ...

, adapted & directed by Carissa Licciardello *''Wayside Bride'' by

Alana Valentine Alana Valentine is an Australian playwright, dramatist, librettist and Director working in theatre, film, opera and television. As a playwright, she won the Helpmann Award. Valentine first worked with Vicki Gordon Music Productions to create the F ...

, directed by Hannah Goodwin & Eamon Flack *''Light Shining in Buckinghamshire'' by

Caryl Churchill Caryl Lesley Churchill (born 3 September 1938) is a British playwright known for dramatising the abuses of power, for her use of non- naturalistic techniques, and for her exploration of sexual politics and feminist themes.

, directed by Eamon Flack & Hannah Goodwin *''Tell Me I'm Here'' by Veronica Nadine Gleeson, based on the book by

Anne Deveson Anne Barbara Deveson (19 June 1930 – 12 December 2016) was an Australian writer, broadcaster and filmmaker who also worked in England. Early life Deveson was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya. During World War II, her family was evacuated ...

, directed by

Leticia Cáceres Leticia Cáceres is an Argentinian-born Australian stage and film director. She is co-founder of RealTV theatre company, based in Melbourne. Early life Cáceres was born in Córdoba, Argentina. Her parents, physicist Carlos Cáceres and compu ...

*''Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes'' by

Hannah Moscovitch Hannah Moscovitch (born June 5, 1978) is a Canadian playwright who rose to national prominence in the 2000s. She is best known for her plays ''East of Berlin'', ''This Is War'', "Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story", and '' Sexual Misconduct of the Mi ...

, directed by Petra Kalive *''The Jungle and The Sea'' written and directed by S. Shakthidharan and

*'' Looking For Alibrandi'' by Vidya Rajan, based on the book by

Melina Marchetta Carmelina Marchetta (born 25 March 1965) is an Australian writer and teacher. Marchetta is best known as the author of teen novels, '' Looking for Alibrandi'', ''Saving Francesca'' and '' On the Jellicoe Road''. She has twice been awarded the ...

, directed by Stephen Nicolazzo

2021

*'' Fangirls'' by Yve Blake, directed by Paige Rattray *''Stop Girl'' by Sally Sara, directed by

*''

A Room of One's Own ''A Room of One's Own'' is an extended essay by Virginia Woolf, first published in September 1929. The work is based on two lectures Woolf delivered in October 1928 at Newnham College and Girton College, women's colleges at the University of C ...

'' by

Virginia Woolf Adeline Virginia Woolf (; ; 25 January 1882 28 March 1941) was an English writer, considered one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors and a pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device. Woolf was born ...

, adapted & directed by Carissa Licciardello *''The Cherry Orchard'' by

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

, directed by Eamon Flack *''Miss Peony'' by

, directed by Courtney Stewart *''At What Cost?'' by Nathan Maynard, directed by Isaac Drandic *''The Boomkak Panto'' by

Virginia Gay Virginia Gay (born 16 September 1981) is an Australian actress, writer and director, mostly known for her work on the Australian TV dramas ''Winners & Losers'' (as Frances James), and '' All Saints'' (as Gabrielle Jaeger). Education Born in ...

, directed by Richard Carroll *''Light Shining in Buckinghamshire'' by Caryl Churchill, directed by Eamon Flack *''Wayside Bride'' by

, directed by Hannah Goodwin (''Miss Peony'' was rehearsed and produced but the season was cancelled due to Covid restrictions. ''At What Cost?'', ''Light Shining in Buckinghamshire'' and ''Wayside Bride'' were likewise rehearsed but were postponed to the 2022 season.)

2020

*''Every Brilliant Thing'' by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, directed by

Kate Champion Kate Champion is an Australian choreographer and artistic director. Biography Champion is the incoming artistic director of Black Swan State Theatre Company. She was the founding artistic director/CEO of Force Majeure (2002–2015), an influenti ...

*''Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam'' adapted from the

Peter Goldsworthy Peter David Goldsworthy AM (born 12 October 1951) is an Australian writer and medical practitioner. He has won major awards for his short stories, poetry, novels, and opera libretti. Goldsworthy began his writing life as a poet, as described i ...

novella by Steve Rodgers, directed by Darren Yap *''Dance Nation'' by Clare Barron, directed by Imara Savage *''

'' by

, adapted & directed by Carissa Licciardello *''Escaped Alone'' by

, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks *''The Jungle and The Sea'' by S. Shakthidharan, directed by Eamon Flack *''Miss Peony'' by

, directed by Sarah Giles *''My Brilliant Career'' adapted from the

Miles Franklin Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin (14 October 187919 September 1954), known as Miles Franklin, was an Australian writer and feminist who is best known for her novel ''My Brilliant Career'', published by Blackwoods of Edinburgh in 1901. While ...

novel by Kendall Feaver, directed by

*''Cursed!'' by

, directed by

Jason Klarwein Jason Klarwein (born 1976) is an Australian actor, director, producer and artistic director, known for his involvement with Grin & Tonic theatre troupe. Early life Klarwein born was born around 1976. Career In 1996 Klarwein began his profession ...

*'' Summerfolk'' by

Maxim Gorky Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (russian: link=no, Алексе́й Макси́мович Пешко́в; – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (russian: Макси́м Го́рький, link=no), was a Russian writer and social ...

, adapted & directed by Eamon Flack (Note that the outbreak of

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...

saw the theatre go dark after two performances of ''Dance Nation''. The season resumed on 16 September with ''A Room of One's Own'', followed by ''Cursed!'' and ''My Brilliant Career'', which played into 2021. The productions of ''Escaped Alone'' and ''Summerfolk'' were cancelled.)

2019

*'' Counting & Cracking'' by S. Shakthidharan, directed by Eamon Flack *'' The Wolves'' by Sarah DeLappe, directed by Jessica Arthur *''Every Brilliant Thing'' by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, directed by

*'' Barbara & The Camp Dogs'' by Ursula Yovich &

, directed by

*''Winyanboga Yurringa'' by Andrea James, directed by Anthea Williams *''

Things I Know To Be True ''Things I Know To Be True'' is a play, premiered by The State Theatre Company South Australia in May 2016. It has also been performed in Britain by Frantic Assembly, in Sydney at the New Theatre (2022), in the United States in a co-production w ...

'' by Andrew Bovell, directed by

*''

Life of Galileo ''Life of Galileo'' (), also known as ''Galileo'', is a play by the 20th century German dramatist Bertolt Brecht and collaborator Margarete Steffin with incidental music by Hanns Eisler. The play was written in 1938 and received its first theatr ...

'' by Bertolt Brecht, translated by Tom Wright, directed by Eamon Flack *'' Fangirls'' by Yve Blake, directed by Paige Rattray *''Packer & Sons'' by Tommy Murphy, directed by Eamon Flack

2018

*''My Name Is Jimi'', by

Jimi Bani Jimi Bani is an Indigenous Australian actor, known for his portrayal of land rights activist Eddie Mabo in the 2012 tele-movie '' Mabo'', several television series, and theatre performances. Early life and education A Torres Strait Islander ( ...

, directed by Jimi Bani and Jason Klarwein *''My Urrwai'', by Ghenoa Gela, directed by

Rachael Maza Rachael Zoa Maza is an Indigenous Australian television and film actress and stage director. Early life and education Maza is of Dutch, Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal Australian heritage, the daughter of Bob Maza, also an actor. She is ...

*''Mother'', by

Daniel Keene Daniel Keene (born 1955) is an Australian playwright whose work has been performed throughout the world. Career Keene's plays have been performed in Australia, France, Poland and the United States. Many of his plays have been published in Fr ...

, directed by Matt Scholten *''Single Asian Female'', by

, directed by Claire Christian *''Sami in Paradise'', written and directed by

*''The Sugar House'', by

, directed by Sarah Goodes *''Bliss'', adapted from the Peter Carey novel by Tom Wright, directed by

Matthew Lutton Matthew Lutton (born 28 July 1984) is an Australian theatre and opera director. Early life and training Lutton was born at Perth, Western Australia. He attended Perth's Hale School, graduating in 2001. From 2002 to 2004 he studied Theatre Art ...

*''

A Taste of Honey ''A Taste of Honey'' is the first play by the British dramatist Shelagh Delaney, written when she was 19. It was intended as a novel, but she turned it into a play because she hoped to revitalise British theatre and address social issues that ...

'', by

Shelagh Delaney Shelagh Delaney, FRSL (; 25 November 1938 – 20 November 2011) was an English dramatist and screenwriter. Her debut work, ''A Taste of Honey'' (1958), has been described by Michael Patterson as "probably the most performed play by a post-war Br ...

, directed by Eamon Flack *''Random'', by

debbie tucker green debbie tucker green is a British playwright, screenwriter, and director. She spells her name in lower-case. She has written a number of plays, including ''born bad'' (2003), for which she won the Olivier Award for Most Promising Newcomer in 2004. ...

, directed by

*''

Calamity Jane Martha Jane Cannary (May 1, 1852 – August 1, 1903), better known as Calamity Jane, was an American frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and storyteller. In addition to many exploits she was known for being an acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok. Lat ...

'', adapted from the Charles K. Freeman stage-play by Ronald Hanmer and Phil Park, directed by Richard Carroll *''

An Enemy of the People ''An Enemy of the People'' (original Norwegian title: ''En folkefiende''), an 1882 play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, followed his previous play, '' Ghosts'', which criticized the hypocrisy of his society's moral code. That response in ...

'', adapted from the Ibsen play by Melissa Reeves, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks *''

The Dance of Death The ''Danse Macabre'' (; ) (from the French language), also called the Dance of Death, is an artistic genre of allegory of the Late Middle Ages on the universality of death. The ''Danse Macabre'' consists of the dead, or a personification ...

'', by

August Strindberg Johan August Strindberg (, ; 22 January 184914 May 1912) was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter.Lane (1998), 1040. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg wrote more than sixty p ...

, directed by

2017

*''

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 ...

'', by Future D. Fidel, directed by

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 ...

*''Which Way Home'', by Katie Beckett, directed by

*''Boundless Plains To Share'', performed by

Tom Ballard Thomas Colin Ballard (born 26 November 1989) is an Australian comedian, radio and television presenter. Early life Ballard was born to parents Judy and Neil Ballard and grew up in Warrnambool, Victoria. He attended Brauer Secondary Colle ...

*''Jasper Jones'', revival of the 2016 production *''

Mark Colvin's Kidney ''Mark Colvin's Kidney'' is a stage play by playwright Tommy Murphy. Plot The ''Sydney Morning Herald'' journalist Andrew Taylor described the play in a recent article: "Mary-Ellen Field's kidney is one of the better known body parts in Australi ...

'', by Tommy Murphy, directed by

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 ...

*''The Dog/The Cat'', by Lally Katz and

, directed by Ralph Myers and Anthea Williams *''Guru of Chai'', by

Jacob Rajan Jacob Rajan is a Malaysian-born-New Zealand playwright and actor. His highly successful plays include the trilogy ''Krishnan's Dairy'', ''The Candlestick Maker'' and ''The Pickle King''. Another work was ''The Dentist's Chair''. In 2002, he re ...

and Justin Lewis, directed by Justin Lewis * ''Mr Burns'', by

Anne Washburn Anne Washburn is an American playwright. Life Washburn graduated from Reed College and from New York University, with an M.F.A. Her plays have been produced in New York City by Cherry Lane Theatre, Clubbed Thumb, The Civilians, Vineyard Theat ...

, directed by Imara Savage *'' The Rover'', by

Aphra Behn Aphra Behn (; bapt. 14 December 1640 – 16 April 1689) was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barrie ...

, directed by Eamon Flack *''Hir'', by Taylor Mac, directed by Anthea Williams *''

Ghosts A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to re ...

'', by

, directed by Eamon Flack *''The Bookbinder'', by

Ralph McCubbin Howell Ralph McCubbin Howell is a Wellington-based New Zealand playwright and actor. He was the recipient of the 2014 Bruce Mason Playwriting Award. His work ''The Devil's Half Acre'' was commissioned and produced by the 2016 New Zealand Internationa ...

, directed by Hannah Smith *''Atlantis'', by Lally Katz, directed by Rosemary Myers *'' Barbara & The Camp Dogs'', by

and Ursula Yovich, directed by

2016

*''Jasper Jones'', adapted from the

Craig Silvey Craig Silvey (born 1 January 1982) is an Australian novelist. Silvey has twice been named one of the Best Young Australian Novelists by ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' and has been shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award. His 200 ...

novel by

Kate Mulvany Kate Mulvany (born 24 February 1977) 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 ...

, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks *''

The Blind Giant Is Dancing ''The Blind Giant is Dancing'' is a play by Australian playwright Stephen Sewell. It received the 1985 New South Wales Premier's Literary Award. Plot A passionate examination of the way political power can corrupt the individual and society at ...

'', by Stephen Sewell, directed by Eamon Flack *''The Great Fire'', by Kit Brookman, directed by Eamon Flack *''The Events'', by David Greig, directed by Clare Watson *''The Tribe'', by Michael Mohammed Ahmad and Janice Muller *''Back at the Dojo'', by Lally Katz, directed by Chris Kohn *'' The Drover's Wife'', by Leah Purcell, directed by

*''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vi ...

'', directed by Eamon Flack *''Title And Deed'', by

Will Eno Will Eno (born 1965) is an American playwright based in Brooklyn, New York. His play, '' Thom Pain (based on nothing)'' was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 2005. His play ''The Realistic Joneses'' appeared on Broadway in 2014, wher ...

, directed by Jada Alberts *''Ruby's Wish'', by Holly Austin, Adriano Cappelletta and Jo Turner *''

Faith Healer Faith healing is the practice of prayer and gestures (such as laying on of hands) that are believed by some to elicit divine intervention in spiritual and physical healing, especially the Christian practice. Believers assert that the healing ...

'', by

Brian Friel Brian Patrick Friel (c. 9 January 1929 – 2 October 2015) was an Irish dramatist, short story writer and founder of the Field Day Theatre Company. He had been considered one of the greatest living English-language dramatists. (subscription requ ...

, directed by

*''Girl Asleep'', by Matthew Whittet, directed by Rosemary Myers

2015

*''

Radiance In radiometry, radiance is the radiant flux emitted, reflected, transmitted or received by a given surface, per unit solid angle per unit projected area. Radiance is used to characterize diffuse emission and reflection of electromagnetic radiati ...

'', by Louis Nowra, directed by Leah Purcell *''Kill the Messenger'', by Nakkiah Lui, directed by Anthea Williams *''Blue Wizard'', by Nick Coyle *''Elektra / Orestes'', by Jada Alberts and Anne-Louise Sarks, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks *''The Wizard of Oz'', adapted by

*''Samson'', by Julia-Rose Lewis, directed by

Kristine Landon-Smith Kristine Landon-Smith (born 1958) is a British actor, director and artistic director of mixed Australian and Indian parentage. Together with Sudha Bhuchar, she founded the Tamasha Theatre Company in 1989. Life Born in London, Landon-Smith grew up i ...

*''

Mother Courage and Her Children ''Mother Courage and Her Children'' (german: Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder, links=no) is a play written in 1939 by the German dramatist and poet Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956), with significant contributions from Margarete Steffin. Four theatrical ...

'', translated by Michael Gow, directed by Eamon Flack *''The Dog / The Cat'', by Lally Katz and

, directed by Ralph Myers *''Seventeen'', by Matthew Whittet, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks *''La Traviata'', by Ash Flanders and Declan Greene, directed by Declan Greene *''Ivanov'', written and directed by Eamon Flack (after

Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

) *''Mortido'', by Angela Betzien, directed by Leticia Caceres

2014

*''Oedipus Schmoedipus'', created by Zoe Coombs-Marr, Mish Grigor and Natalie Rose *'' Once in Royal David’s City'', by Michael Gow, directed by Eamon Flack *''The Government Inspector'', directed by

starring

. *''20 Questions'', with Wesley Enoch *''Cain And Abel'', created by Kate Davis and Emma Valente, directed by Emma Valente *''Brothers Wreck'', by Jada Alberts, directed by Leah Purcell *''Hedda Gabler'', directed by Adena Jacobs *''Nora'', by Kit Brookman and Anne-Louise Sarks, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks *''Oedipus Rex'', directed by Adena Jacobs *''

The Glass Menagerie ''The Glass Menagerie'' is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his Histrionic persona ...

'', directed by Eamon Flack *''Is This Thing On?'', by Zoe Coombs-Marr, directed by Kit Brookman and Zoe Coombs-Marr *''A Christmas Carol'', adapted by Benedict Hardie and Anne-Louise Sarks, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks *''Cinderella'', by Matthew Whittet, directed by Anthea Williams

2013

*''Peter Pan'', adapted by Tommy Murphy, directed by Ralph Myers *''This Heaven'', by Nakkiah Lui, directed by

Lee Lewis Lee Lewis is an Australian theatre director. Early life and education Lewis trained as an actor at Columbia University in New York. Returning to Australia, she completed a Masters of Directing at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) ...

*''

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a three-act play written by Tennessee Williams. An adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", the play was written by him between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his p ...

'', directed by

*''Stories I Want to Tell You in Person'', written and performed by Lally Katz, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks *''Forget Me Not'', by

Tom Holloway Tom Holloway is an Australian playwright, based in Melbourne . Holloway's plays have been performed across Australia and internationally, including '' Beyond the Neck'' at Belvoir St Theatre (2007), ''Red Sky Morning'' at Red Stitch Actors Theat ...

, directed by Anthea Williams *'' Angels in America Part One: Millennium Approaches'' *''Angels in America Part Two: Perestroika'', directed by Eamon Flack *''Persona'', adapted and directed by Adena Jacobs *''The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe'', written and directed by Ros Horin *''Miss Julie'', adapted by Simon Stone, directed by Leticia Caceres *''Small and Tired'', written and directed by Kit Brookman *''Hamlet'', directed by Simon Stone *''

The Cake Man ''The Cake Man'' is a 1975 play by Aboriginal Australian writer Bob Merritt, notable for being the first play written by an Indigenous Australian person to be published, televised and to tour out of Australia. A telemovie was made of a 1977 pe ...

'', by

Robert J. Merritt Robert James Merritt (1945 – May 2011), known as Bob Merritt or Bobby Merritt and credited as Robert J. Merritt, was an Aboriginal Australian writer and activist. He is especially known for his play '' The Cake Man'', and for founding the Eor ...

, directed by Kyle J. Morrison *''Coranderrk'', by Andrea James and Giordano Nanni, directed by Isaac Drandic

2012

* ''Buried City'', by Raimondo Cortese, conceived and directed by Alicia Talbot * ''I'm Your Man'', creator and director Roslyn Oades * ''Thyestes'', co-written by

Thomas Henning Thomas K. Henning (born 9 April 1956) is a German astrophysicist. Since 2001, he is a director at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy. Henning is an expert in the field of star and planet formation. Education and career Henning studied p ...

, Chris Ryan,

and Mark Winter after Seneca, directed by Simon Stone * '' Babyteeth'', by Rita Kalnejais, director Eamon Flack * ''Every Breath'', written and directed by

Benedict Andrews Benedict Andrews is an Australian theatre and film director, based in Reykjavík. Born in Adelaide in 1972, he was educated at Flinders University Drama Centre. His first feature film '' Una'' (an adaption of '' Blackbird'' by David Harrower) ...

* ''Food'', by Steve Rodgers, directed by

and Steve Rodgers * ''Strange Interlude'', by Simon Stone after

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earli ...

, directed by Simon Stone * ''Old Man'', by Matthew Whittet, directed by Anthea Williams * ''

Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a montage ...

'', by Arthur Miller, directed by Simon Stone * ''Conversation Piece'', choreographer and director

Lucy Guerin Lucy Mary Guerin (born 1961) is an Australian dancer and choreographer. Her work is described as post-modern. Life and career Lucy Guerin was born in Adelaide, Australia, and began her dance education at local dance schools. She graduated from ...

* ''

Private Lives ''Private Lives'' is a 1930 comedy of manners in three acts by Noël Coward. It concerns a divorced couple who, while honeymooning with their new spouses, discover that they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Despite a perpetu ...

'', by Noël Coward, directed by Ralph Myers starring

. * ''Medea'', by Kate Mulvany and Anne-Louise Sarks after Euripides, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks * ''Beautiful One Day'', created by Paul Dwyer, Eamon Flack,

and David Williams * ''Don't Take Your Love To Town'', created by Eamon Flack and Leah Purcell, based on the book ''Don’t Take Your Love to Town'' by Ruby Langford Ginibi, directed by Leah Purcell

2011

* ''The Wild Duck'', written and directed by

, after

* ''Jack Charles v the Crown'', by

Jack Charles Jack Charles (5 September 1943 – 13 September 2022), also known as Uncle Jack Charles, was an Australian stage and screen actor and activist, known for his advocacy for Aboriginal people. He was involved in establishing the first Indigenous t ...

and John Romeril, directed by Rachael Maza Long * ''Cut'', by Duncan Graham, directed by Sarah John * ''The Business'', based on '' Vassa Zheleznova'' by

, adapted by Jonathan Gavin with Cristabel Sved, directed by Cristabel Sved * ''The Kiss'', by

, Kate Chopin,

and

Guy de Maupassant Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant (, ; ; 5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893) was a 19th-century French author, remembered as a master of the short story form, as well as a representative of the Naturalist school, who depicted human lives, destin ...

, directed by Susanna Dowling * ''

The Seagull ''The Seagull'' ( rus, Ча́йка, r=Cháyka, links=no) is a play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov, written in 1895 and first produced in 1896. ''The Seagull'' is generally considered to be the first of his four major plays. It dramatises ...

'', by Anton Chekhov, directed by

* ''Neighbourhood Watch'', by Lally Katz, directed by Simon Stone * ''Windmill Baby'', by David Milroy, directed by Kylie Farmer * ''Human Interest Story'', choreographed by

* ''And They Called Him Mr Glamour'', by Gareth Davies, directed by Tom Wright * ''

Summer of the Seventeenth Doll ''Summer of the Seventeenth Doll'' is an Australian play written by Ray Lawler and first performed at the Union Theatre in Melbourne on 28 November 1955. The play is considered to be the most significant in Australian theatre history, and a " ...

'', by Ray Lawler, directed by Neil Armfield * ''The Dark Room'', by Angela Betzien, directed by

* ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 h ...

'', by William Shakespeare, directed by Eamon Flack

2010

* ''

That Face ''That Face'' is a two- act play written by Polly Stenham. It premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in London on 26 April 2007, directed by Jeremy Herrin. The play was revived at the Duke of York's Theatre in the West End in 2008, opening on ...

'', by Polly Stenham, directed by Lee Lewis * ''Love Me Tender'', by

, directed by

* ''The Power of Yes'', by David Hare, directed by Sam Strong * ''

Measure for Measure ''Measure for Measure'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604 and first performed in 1604, according to available records. It was published in the '' First Folio'' of 1623. The play's plot features its ...

'', 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 ...

, directed by

* ''Gwen in Purgatory'', by Tommy Murphy, directed by

* '' Namatjira'', by

Scott Rankin Scott Rankin (born 1959) is an Australian theatre director, writer and co-founder and creative director of the arts and social change company Big ''h''ART. Based in Tasmania, Rankin works in and with isolated communities and diverse cultural set ...

, directed by Scott Rankin and

Wayne Blair Wayne Blair may refer to: * Wayne Blair (cricketer) (1948–2019), New Zealand cricketer * Wayne Blair (director) Wayne Blair (born 28 November 1971) is an Australian writer, actor and director. He was on both sides of the camera in '' Redfer ...

* '' The Diary of a Madman'', by

Nikolai Gogol Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol; uk, link=no, Мико́ла Васи́льович Го́голь, translit=Mykola Vasyliovych Hohol; (russian: Яновский; uk, Яновський, translit=Yanovskyi) ( – ) was a Russian novelist, ...

(adapted by David Holman with Neil Armfield and

Geoffrey Rush Geoffrey Roy Rush (born 6 July 1951) is an Australian actor. He is known for his eccentric leading man roles on stage and screen. He is among 24 people who have won the Triple Crown of Acting, having received an Academy Award, a Primetime Emm ...

, directed by Armfield) * ''The End'' by Samuel Beckett, directed by Eamon Flack * ''The Bougainville Photoplay Project'' by Paul Dwyer, directed by David Williams

Belvoir education program

The Belvoir's education program for students and teachers includes practical theatre workshops at the theatre or participating school, tours of backstage and behind the scenes areas of the theatre, technical tours led by a professional theatre technician and a Theatre Enrichment Program for "senior English and Drama students in Western Sydney and regional NSW". In addition, Belvoir's Outreach Program partners with local youth support organisations such as

Youth Off The Streets Youth Off The Streets is an Australian not-for-profit youth organisation with locations in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. The organisation works with young people, their families and communities to create safety, offer support and provid ...

, The John Berne School, Twenty10 and Regenesis Youth. Through the Priority Funded Schools Program Belvoir also allows selected students to attend some performances free of charge. Limited student work experience and work placement opportunities are also available.

References

External links

* {{authority control Theatre companies in Australia Performing groups established in 1984 Theatre in Sydney Theatre company production histories

History

Theatre

Formation of the company

Company

Shareholders

Balnaves Fellowship

Seasons

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

Belvoir education program

See also

References

External links