Belvoir 2011 donor report
Gareth Davies in And They Called Him Mr Glamour.
Dear Friends It’s hard to believe another year has gone by but 2011 was certainly a big one for Belvoir! Ralph’s first season kicked off with the Helpmann Award-winning show The Wild Duck and we haven’t stopped for a moment since.
development of Indigenous theatre. The purpose of this report is to let you know what we’ve been doing in each of these three areas in 2011 and to demonstrate that your donations have been put to very good use!
We are really thrilled that our 2011 Season attracted the highest number of subscribers in Belvoir’s history and included numerous sell-out shows. However, even with this success at the box office, it is only through the additional support we receive from our sponsors and donors that we are able to facilitate our community programs, support emerging artists and create innovative new works. The donations we receive are allocated across the Creative Development Program, the Education Program and the
Thank you again for your generous support this year. It makes all the difference to us.
Katy Wood Development Manager
Steve Le Marquand, Susie Porter, Robyn Nevin, Dan Wyllie and Helen Thomson in Summer of the Seventeenth Doll
Creative Development In 2011 the Creative Development program gained momentum in a big way. We currently have nine new Australian plays under commission. Throughout the year we undertook six script development workshops and three readings of new Australian works. Investing in the development of new work is also starting to pay significant dividends. Ten out of the 14 productions we have programmed for the 2012 Season are new Australian works by both established and emerging playwrights.
Neighbourhood Watch In July of this year we presented Neighbourhood Watch by Lally Katz, a play which was developed right from its inception through the Creative Development program. Neighbourhood Watch proved to be one of the highlights of our 2011 Season, selling out at the box office and attracting critical acclaim. Neighbourhood Watch demonstrated the calibre of work that is created when playwrights are given the opportunity to collaborate with our resident artists and to have access to cast members for readings and workshops. The show’s success at the box office also demonstrated the strong appetite amongst audiences for new Australian work.
“…one of the most affecting works of theatre seen so far this year, one that is tender yet hard-edged” Jason Blake, The Sydney Morning Herald
Kris McQuade in Neighbourhood Watch
“We started with a brilliant idea, but unformed and chaotic; residing more in the imagination than on a stage. Two years’ worth of development later we had what was undeniably a great play – delicate in its construction, stirring in its tone, and retaining all playfulness and eccentricity of the original conceit. Almost every moment that ended up on stage in the final version was invented during the development period; it was an indispensable time for Lally, the actors and me.” Simon Stone, director, Neighbourhood Watch
Jack Charles in Jack Charles Vs The Crown
Creative Development of Indigenous Work When Ralph took over as Artistic Director in 2011, he committed to sustaining and building on Belvoir’s history of developing and portraying unique Indigenous stories. At the same time, we were thrilled to announce a partnership with The Balnaves Foundation who are supporting the presentation of one Indigenous work in the Upstairs Theatre and one in the Downstairs Theatre each year from 2011 until 2013. Thanks to the support of The Balnaves Foundation, our 2011 Season featured two unique and important Indigenous productions: Jack Charles v The Crown in the Upstairs Theatre and Windmill Baby in the Downstairs Theatre. In order to be able to present important Indigenous works such as these, it is vital that we support emerging Indigenous artists to create them in the first place. Under Ralph’s directorship, Belvoir currently has several new Indigenous works in development.
Beautiful One Day We are particularly excited to be collaborating with leading Indigenous theatre company Ilbijerri (Jack Charles v The Crown) and version 1.0 (The Bougainville Photoplay Project, A Certain Maritime Incident) to develop Beautiful One Day, a work in response to the death in custody of Cameron Doomadgee on Palm Island. The production will be based on official documents from the case, transcripts from the coronial inquests and video footage. We will also be working with members of the community of Palm Island and the family of Cameron Doomadgee to incorporate their personal experiences into the work. An extensive creative development process on Beautiful One Day is already underway. Rachael Maza from Ilbijerri and Paul Dwyer from version 1.0 have made two initial field trips to Palm Island to meet community members and seek permission to tell the story. Rachael, Paul and our Associate Director – New Projects, Eamon Flack, have also had a number of development days to start devising the structure of the work. Beautiful One Day will open at Belvoir St Theatre as part of the 2012 Season on 21 November 2012. The presentation of Beautiful One Day will be exclusively supported by The Balnaves Foundation.
Roxanne McDonald in Windmill Baby
Education Belvoir’s Education Program provides a whole range of opportunities for students and teachers from across NSW to engage with and access both our productions and our artists. For more information about the program, please visit the Education pages of our website here.
Priority Schools Program We believe the experience of live theatre has a major role to play in students’ learning: broadening their horizons; providing inspiration; and challenging them to consider alternative views of the world. However, for many students attending Priority Schools (classified by the NSW Department of Education & Training as having the majority of students from low socio-economic backgrounds) the opportunity to see professional theatre is simply out of reach. Through the Priority Schools Program (PSP) Belvoir provides school matinee tickets free of charge to students from Priority Schools. In Term 4 of each school year, information about the next year’s program of plays is sent to all eligible high schools. Schools are invited to apply for tickets to three plays they would like their students to attend. Tickets are allocated as widely as possible, with schools applying to the program for the first time being allocated tickets to at least one performance of their choice. In 2011, 756 students from 26 Priority Schools attended a Belvoir schools performance.
“I think you guys are really fantastic. Giving our students the opportunity to see live theatre, bridging the gap between the demographic of those who are not as privileged, has such a profound effect on our students. They talk about the production months later. My Year 11 students are still talking about The Seagull.” Teacher, Condell Park HS, after students attended The Seagull
2011 5623 students and teachers from 122 schools throughout NSW attended a schools performance 3086 students and their teachers attended an evening performance of one of our shows in the Upstairs or Downstairs theatre 24 regional schools sent students to see a show 358 students went on a free guided tour of the theatre 315 students watched an archival recording 14 students completed work experience* 16 students completed a work placement *Our work experience program gives Year 10 students the opportunity to see our artistic and administrative operations first-hand. Work placements are offered to Year 11 and 12 students who are completing a VET (Vocational Education and Training) Certificate in Entertainment Industry. They spend a week working with our Production Department during busy rehearsal periods.
Students from Coonabarabran High School on the set after a schools performance of Summer of the Seventeenth Doll
Gareth Davies and Maeve Dermody in The Seagull
Regional Workshops Program Belvoir’s Regional Workshops Program exposes regional students and teachers to practising theatre artists and specific industry expertise, in the areas of theatre design and performance. We offer workshops for both students and teachers in aspects of design including set, costume, and lighting, also in playwriting and aspects of performance including monologue performance and group devising. These workshops empower regional students by broadening their idea of what is possible at school and beyond. Teachers particularly value the chance to establish regional teaching networks and to receive current industry-based professional development opportunities.
“Isolated students need as much exposure as possible to professional performance and workshops. MORE!!!” Teacher, Jindabyne Central School, after students participated in a Monologue Performance workshop
A big thank you to the other supporters of the Belvoir Education Program in 2011: Freehills, Coca-Cola Australia Foundation, Enid Irwin Charitable Trust managed by Perpetual, Gandevia Foundation, The Greatorex Foundation, Teen Spirit Charitable Foundation managed by Perpetual, Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation
Youth Express In 2011 we worked with Youth Off the Streets’ Key College, Marist Youth Care, the Exodus Foundation and Twenty10 to offer 55 young people the chance to participate in our Youth Express program. Youth Express uses drama to engage some of the most disadvantaged young people in our community through a process that aims to develop their communication skills, selfesteem and social awareness. The young people participate in a series of practical weekly drama workshops conducted over six months. Participants also work on devising short scenes for presentation, based on a theme of their choosing. This provides the young people with a forum to explore, express and reflect on their own experiences and see the possibility for change. Performances were held in June and November in our Downstairs Theatre exploring themes such as breaking patterns of violence; how a victim of bullying can become the perpetrator; learning not to fight the people who are trying to help and the power of our imaginations to provide a safe place in which to grow strong and prepare to take on the world. After performing In the Blood in the Downstairs Theatre in June, one of the participants from Key College wrote: “…I could not remember a thing about the actual play because it went like a blur. But we received a massive applause at the end. We got out mingling with the crowd and they swarmed us wanting photos and to talk to us it was insane. At the end I was so glad and relieve that it was over and I am also proud of having actually done it.”
Emily Barclay and Bille Brown in The Seagull
“I think this play is saying that our world is beautiful, yet it has complications and sometimes you don’t get what you want. Life is short, make the most of it, if you want something to happen, make it happen!” Student, Roseville College, after attending The Seagull
Eloise Mignon, Bob the Duck and Anthony Phelan in The Wild Duck
Our Development team is always happy to hear from you. If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact: Katy Wood Development Manager P 02 8396 6224 E katy@belvoir.com.au or Pearl Kermani Philanthropy Coordinator P 02 8396 6219 E pearl@belvoir.com.au
Design Alphabet Studio Cover photo Michael Corridore Production and rehearsal photos Heidrun Lรถhr and Brett Boardman Education photos Cathy Hunt