INTERVAL 2019
CONTENTS 2 A message from Eamon Flack & Sue Donnelly 4 The biggest year in our company’s history 6 Where we came from … 8 …& where we’re going: nurturing the next generation 12 Making space for writing 14 Theatre is moving
Photo by Brett Boardman
Kate Mulvany in Every Brilliant Thing
20 We can only do it with your support
“It is such a privilege to be the Chair of this remarkable company. But we can’t do the work we do without the support of our passionate and visionary individual supporters, foundations and our corporate partners – a huge thank you from all of us”. Sam Meers AO, Belvoir Chair
EAMON We’re big and small at the same time. That means we have a voice in the national culture, but we can also shift more quickly than bigger cultural institutions. We’re open to the difficulties of making new work, in new ways. We’re happily forced to take the unbeaten path in order to find out what else is possible.
SUE Belvoir has always been about creating fearless theatre. When Eamon took the role of Artistic Director, he had an ambition for the company to be reflective of current Australian society. Hence it was a natural step to partner with CoCurious, based in Western Sydney, on a project that was big, bold, ambitious, but at the same time quite risky. This kind of theatre making usually ends up being a landmark work – and that was the genesis of Counting and Cracking. EAMON The show was a big leap in the direction of a different kind of theatre. It took us six years of determined work to prove that telling such stories is possible. Now 2
that we’ve proved that, the question is: how do we prove that work like this can be done again and again, and become what it should be – a central part of our company, and an essential part of the cultural life of the country. SUE Belvoir came out of the sector. Thirty-five years ago, it was a struggle to save the building, and it’s often been a struggle to keep the company going. We’re comfortable with risk and uncertainty, and we’re arguably in a good position to tell stories about people whose voices might not otherwise be heard.
EAMON Through sheer determination and will-power we’ve been laying the ground-work for different stories that are going to be made in new ways. We’re going to work outside of our comfort zone. Counting and Cracking has proved that we can do it. We don’t see Counting and Cracking as the accumulation of something, just a very big beginning.
Eamon Flack Artistic Director
Sue Donnelly Executive Director
EAMON You have to really hold your nerve and know that mistakes can lay the groundwork for new ideas. There is also something about not falling prey to fashionability and actively working against popularity, which means that you might find yourself quite alone in the playground at times, but it also means that new games get invented. SUE The arts in Australia have become more and more marginalised by people in power. Yet the arts, and theatre in particular, speaks about what is happening to us now. People have become risk adverse and this is the point of difference for Belvoir. While we aren’t reckless, we know that we
Photo by Ken Leanfore
A CONVERSATION WITH EAMON FLACK AND SUE DONNELLY
SUE Our big successes in 2018 were when we talked about the things that really mattered to us. We put audience members first and foremost. A theatre company can’t survive without an audience. You have to develop shows that are going to delight and entertain, but also question and interrogate and ask more of ourselves.
need to take risks in order to be relevant and true to our audience. Our audience expects that from us.
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“Let’s just say there are some things only Belvoir will do.” Eamon Flack, Artistic Director
THE BIGGEST YEAR IN OUR COMPANY’S HISTORY The last twelve months have seen Belvoir push ourselves (in both scale and depth) as we never have before. We’ve only been able to do this with the generosity of those who share our ambition to keep making landmark Australian theatre. In 2018, the busiest of Belvoir’s thirty-four years, we: Welcomed 100,933 audience members through our doors Employed 205 artists, created 7 new works, and had 23 writers under commission
including: India (Bangalore), Sri Lanka (Colombo), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), France (Paris), New Zealand (Auckland) and Australia (Darlinghurst, Quakers Hill, Homebush, Penrith, Hurstville, Perth), and many creatives for this epic work
Raised $425,000 towards Counting Supported 26 independent and Cracking from Doc Ross companies and artists with space Family Foundation, Macquarie for writing, auditioning, performing Group Foundation, Nelson Meers and creative development Foundation, Naomi Milgrom Worked alongside Co-Curious to Foundation, Neilson Foundation, bring our most ambitious workOranges and Sardines Foundation, of-scale to the stage: Counting and Belvoir’s visionary individual and Cracking, which attracted Gamechanger donors, along 11,988 attendees across its sold-out with major corporate support Sydney Festival premiere from Singapore Airlines and seed (January 2019) funders Thyne Reid Foundation through their support of Belvoir’s Auditioned over 200 actors Western Sydney initiatives nationally and globally for Counting and Cracking. We cast 16 of these from across the world, 4
Saw our newest philanthropic programs, the Chair’s Circle and The Group, flourish, welcoming 16 new individuals to Belvoir, doubling our $10,000+ donations and introducing many new faces to Belvoir, along with new significant gifts.
“Counting and Cracking is the most significant work of substantial Australian theatre in over a generation”
Collaborated with one of our corporate partners, Houston Group, to develop a strategic vision for the company, an extension of Belvoir’s ‘rough magic’ into a powerful and direct brand message, protective of Belvoir’s past and committed to a bold and ambitious future.
“These kinds of plays get me to the theatre because they have something important to say. We need the arts to reflect social issues because they do it so powerfully and provocatively.”
Increased our subscriptions by 14.5%
Arts industry veteran
Judith Shepherd-Pemell
Continued our commitment to women in theatre, who accounted for 50% of all acting roles and 50% of both writer and director roles ONWARDS to the next thirty-five years!
Vaishnavi Suryaprakash and Jay Emmanuel in Counting and Cracking. Photo by Brett Boardman
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WHERE WE CAME FROM... ONE BUILDING. THIRTY-FIVE YEARS. SIX HUNDRED PEOPLE. THOUSANDS OF STORIES.
The 19th of June marks thirty-five years since Sue Hill, Christine Westwood (affectionately called West), and six hundred ardent theatre lovers found themselves owners of an empty theatre on Belvoir Street. Their story is our story. How does it feel, knowing Belvoir not only still stands, but is celebrated as one of Australia’s most acclaimed theatre companies?ies? WEST & SUE Firstly, the realisation that it is thirty-five years since we saved Belvoir from the developers is incredible in itself. Our feelings are of pride and relief. It is a credit to the unique building and its magical Upstairs Theatre that the industry was compelled to preserve it for future theatre practitioners and audiences. We never had any doubt that the theatre would continue to produce acclaimed and successful work. The main concern was to set up the company structure in such a way that the building could never be imperilled again.
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You raised a $50,000 deposit over one weekend in March 1984, and by June you had $513,000 – the total amount to purchase the building. How do you feel looking back at what you achieved? WEST & SUE There was no time to be nervous, but it was pretty ambitious and audacious. We were in our company Understudies’ office in Woolloomooloo when we received the phone call that Nimrod had been forced to sell. We made the decision right then – that the building needed to remain in the hands of theatre workers. We needed to raise the deposit over the weekend to be taken seriously, so we made a list of fifty people we thought could afford to pledge $1,000 – this list was written on a napkin over a glass of wine. We met our supporters in the Upstairs Theatre. This was a masterstroke, as we leveraged the emotion of the space and the syndicate of supporters grew. It was crowd-funding before the concept was ever imagined. All the time, we were hanging on the NSW
Belvoir Syndicate. The signing of the contracts for the purchase of the Nimrod Theatre, June 1984.
Government coming to the party to match our funds raised, but in reality that was never going to happen. In retrospect, it’s incredible that we succeeded but at the time we were never in doubt once we got started. What is it like walking up the stairs and into the theatre after all these years? SUE Belvoir feels like home, and the memories of all our friends who have been part of the Nimrod/Belvoir story permeate the building. I look around and remember painting the walls, and am always drawn to the corner of the bar where Nita and Len Armfield, Neil’s parents, held court for many years. WEST I’m in London these days, so although I can’t get to much (unless a play tours overseas!), I read the reviews and follow online and I was thrilled to see that Counting and Cracking made it to this year’s Adelaide Festival.
Belvoir still engages Australia’s most prominent and promising playwrights, directors, actors and designers to make dynamic theatre. Your original vision endures. WEST & SUE I think it is the building itself that preserves this, and we’ve been so lucky to have had a team of Artistic and Executive Directors, Board and staff who have passed on the spirit of the space. Favourite production? SUE Patrick White’s Signal Driver, wonderfully directed by Neil Armfield. Also Matt Whitett’s Seventeen, which included my partner Barry Otto, who had a foot in both Nimrod and Belvoir’s history. WEST I really liked the “black and white” season we did early on….1988, I think.. Capricornia, Stephen Sewell’s Hate, Ghosts, State of Shock, The Popular Mechanicals… 7
…& WHERE WE’RE GOING: Belvoir has always been at the forefront of each generation’s new wave of theatre making. Our role in the community is not just as a place of storytelling, but also a creative hub where emerging makers find a home, and hone their skills. Through initiatives such as the Andrew Cameron Fellowship, The Group – Supporting Future Voices Today, and the support of Walking Up The Hill Foundation, Belvoir champions energetic, original new minds.
Our ambition is to deepen and broaden Australian theatre by mixing experienced theatre artists with rising talent, and develop a diverse generation of future artistic makers and leaders.
“The opportunity for an emerging artist or creative to work alongside senior artists, and frankly, to earn a living wage –– is worth its weight in gold.” Eamon Flack
NURTURING THE NEXT GENERATION A CONVERSATION WITH JESSICA DUNN Jessica Dunn reflects on her experience as Sound Design Associate for Random.
Working in tandem with a senior artist allows you to get an insight into their particular process – you not only learn new things but you assess your own processes in relation to theirs. It helps you identify the places where you need to increase your knowledge but also appreciate your existing strengths. It allows you the space to ask questions and see them answered in action.
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It was an incredible opportunity. Although I’ve been composing, performing and recording my own music for quite a while, I’m fairly new to applying these skills in the context of theatre. It was an opportunity to learn under a more experienced creative both in an observational and hands on way.
Jessica Dunn, Sound Design Associate on Random Photo by Daniel Boud
My position on Random was the Sound Design Associate with my role being to shadow and assist sound designer/composer Pete Goodwin AKA The Sweats.
This position has since led to my role of Sound Design Associate on Counting and Cracking. There aren’t many opportunities for emerging designers that exist between the independent and main stage theatre sector; a funded position like this is invaluable and incredibly important. Jessica Dunn’s position on Random was made possible through the generous support of the Walking Up The Hill Foundation, which funded two emerging technical roles in 2018.
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MEET OUR BALNAVES FOUNDATION ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER FELLOW KODIE BEDFORD Belvoir has commissioned and programmed Indigenous theatre consistently for over thirty years, alongside our insistent and increasing focus on greater cultural diversity. For the last decade, Indigenous theatre has been largely supported by The Balnaves Foundation.
In 2018, Kodie was named as the recipient of the Balnaves Foundation Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Fellowship, which has long been recognised as one of the most prestigious playwriting awards in Australia. The Fellowship provides significant financial support through commissioning for early-career artists. Kodie was awarded a new work commission, along with a twelve-month residency at Belvoir.
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“This fellowship is so important in the Australian narrative. I look at the list of past winners, the legacy they have created and the stories they have shared. I thank the Balnaves Foundation and Belvoir for their commitment to help project the voices of Indigenous storytellers”.
“We are immensely proud to be supporting the next generation of Indigenous theatre-makers. Kodie’s energy and ideas are infectious, and we’re excited to see how her new work evolves.” Hamish Balnaves, The Balnaves Foundation
“Belvoir is deeply passionate in its commitment to stories from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Artists and we are appreciative of the Balnaves Foundation support for this commitment” Eamon Flack
Kodie Bedford
Kodie Bedford and Hamish Balnaves Photo by Jack Saltmiras 11
MAKING SPACE FOR WRITING Acclaimed Australian playwright Tommy Murphy shared a cup of tea with Louise Gough, Head of New Work at Belvoir, to discuss all things writing-for-the-stage. Tommy, what is a typical day when writing? I’m very lucky. I am in residence at Currency Press: Australia’s performing arts publisher. So, I go to this tranquil and productive office in Redfern shared with other writers and the publishers. We’re all in the same biz; even the tea-room chats tend to be about theatre — well, today we pondered milk production and then serial killers but that’s interesting too. I find it stimulating to work alongside others. We asked Louise to reflect on the importance of investing in new work and why it is imperative for the future of the company.
New stories can expand our understanding of who we are, what we did not know, and work to enhance and (sometimes counter) the dominant stories that are told about us collectively and individually. New work, new stories can enhance and expand us, and ultimately, begin to change the stories we know of ourselves. Developing new work and nurturing newer and supporting more experienced voices is a lengthy, nuanced, difficult but extremely rewarding task. Investing in new work is central to the work that Belvoir does and Belvoir has a formidable reputation for its new work development, in nurturing new talent, launching careers, backing ribald, rich and expansive stories and storytellers and bringing them to
life in a way which deeply engages and entertains our audiences. New work development takes time, craft, commitment and resources. To me, there is nothing more exciting than the movement of an idea on to the page, through a rigorous process of development, into the bodies and minds of actors, to the stage and ultimately into the hearts and minds of an audience. Tommy, what is your creative process? How do you find stories... or do they find you?
memoir Holding the Man for stage and screen taught me a lot about honouring real lives. Mark Colvin’s Kidney stemmed from my interviews with Mary-Ellen Field, a phone hacking victim, and Colvin, the journo whose life she saved. It primed us to look to another, bigger story about the media. I’m drawn to newsy topics but plays that are about people. Packer & Sons is a story about fathers and sons – the most alpha version of it we can find in this country.
Bit of both. Reshaping true incidents into a drama arc fascinates me. Of my four works at Belvoir, including Packer & Sons, only one started with invented characters. That’s Gwen in Purgatory. And, even that is a riff on my grandmother’s experience late in life as a way to take stock of the Catholic Church in Australia. Playwriting is not about making things up so much as reconstituting the life around you. My own life is not nearly interesting enough to supply the work so I look further afield. Adapting Tim Conigrave’s
I’ve been around story development for many years. I deeply believe that stories have a tremendous power to connect us to each other and to expand our understanding “I’m really proud to of ourselves. Theatre is an immediate support Belvoir’s form and it is our collective presence, nurturing of creative our gathering, and our participation talent, especially in a story together and at the same artists under time that can be extraordinarily commission.” potent. Anita Jacoby, Creative Development Fund Supporter 12
Tommy Murphy in a creative development session for Packer and Sons Photo by Michael Kennedy
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THEATRE IS MOVING
Kate Champion was the founding Artistic Director of Force Majeure, a ground-breaking dance theatre company based in Sydney. She has worked in theatre, dance, film, circus, opera and musical theatre. Kate’s work has now taken her into directing - recently working on the sold-out season of Every Brilliant Thing for Belvoir. In a rare quiet moment during Every Brilliant Thing rehearsals, Kate sat down and spoke with us about being Movement Director on A Taste of Honey. I come from a devised theatre background that has been grounded in dance, so I come at movement from a holistic approach. It is not an addition, but embedded in the production from the start. It’s about inhabiting that character physically as much as vocally. I have a practice of over thirty years, creating particular movementgenerated material –– and I don’t know if it originated with Pina 14
Bausch, because there are many improvisational techniques and you are never sure where they originated from, but it’s basically about looking at the idea of responding to a set task. In A Taste of Honey (2018) I would get the performers to all move from one end of the rehearsal room to the other, with an image in their mind. It could be as simple as writing your name with your pelvis, or following someone else’s finger with your nose, or walking on as many parts of your feet as possible. This frees the actor up, not needing to know about the intention of what they are needing to do, and they simply relate to following the task.
Improvisational Sessions – A Taste of Honey Photos by Brett Boardman
For the intimate [love] scene between Taylor Ferguson and Thuso Lekwape, we started with the idea of needing to move, to get undressed, get into bed, all with keeping their lips joined. Then we tried other body parts, and we let them play with those devices, tasks, those instructions. I would film these improvisation sessions and discuss with Eamon what worked and then they would re-learn this. What doesn’t work is to tell two actors that they are in love, and I want you to physically interpret that. It always ends up being too literal. So I often find a metaphor or a subtext from the scene. You’re trying to take the actors mind off the actual scene and the character but you have the material you’re looking for and you hand it back to them.
Tom Anson Mesker’s unique movement in the play was created from these physical tasks. I would watch Tom during these sessions, and it is really the fact that we worked every morning on these improvisational tasks that I was able to say to Tom, now the floor is unbalanced, you’re leading from your nose, now your right ear is heavy … Once you’ve got past the practical, I love using more image based ideas, like ‘move in a mysterious way’, or ‘give me your idea of fragile’. Actors aren’t vessels waiting to be filled, they are full of creativity and if you can tap into that, it’s a really satisfying relationship. I think Movement Direction is imperative. It shouldn’t be looked at as a separate idea to the text. 15
COME ONE
COME ALL
UNWAGED COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE PROGRAM
WHAT WOULD A LIFE WITHOUT THEATRE BE LIKE?
Great theatre should be for everyone.
“I have never watched a play before. Calamity Jane was incredible” Student, Liverpool Boys High School
“Theatre offers us the gift of a home and something to be part of.” Unwaged Belvoir Attendee For decades Belvoir has been welcoming those who can’t afford to purchase a ticket. We take our commitment seriously and, thanks to our corporate partner Virgin Australia, Belvoir is able to provide free-ofcharge performances for members of our community who otherwise might not be able to see theatre. Last year, a record-breaking 2,510 community members attended for free, marking a historical moment as we welcomed our 70,000th attendee since we started the program. Our own story starts with a community rallying together; we hope all who walk through our door feel that sense of belonging, that they can see work at one of Australia’s leading theatres and feel part of the company.
Supported by our official Airline Partner
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Beatrice Brown, 82, has been coming to Belvoir for years. When circumstances changed, she was thrilled to learn that she could still attend through our Unwaged Community Performance Program. A bus from Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre picks Bea up and brings her to Belvoir along with a group of local residents. “We all love coming. Many people would never have a theatre experience without this. It’s essential. It opens up theatre to everybody.” “The energy in the house is electric, there with us from the first moment our actors step onto the stage and they’re always a very vocal lot. Queues often form down the block.” Aaron Beach, Deputy Executive Director
“The Sugar House made me laugh and cry. The characters were very real!” Student, Canterbury Girls High School At Belvoir, inspiring young people and opening their hearts and minds to theatre is central to our mission. We believe the experience of theatre has a major role to play in students’ learning – it stimulates the imagination, and challenges students to consider alternative views of the world. At the heart of Belvoir’s innovative and inclusive Education Program is the desire to make theatre accessible to young people across NSW, regardless of their economic status or geographical location. It was a huge year for Belvoir, please consider playing an active role in developing the next generation of theatre-goers and creating rich and rewarding theatre experiences for thousands of young people across the state. Education & Youth Partner
Thanks to all our supporters, in 2018... we welcomed 4,816 students to our dedicated School Performances 963 of these attended free through our Priority Schools Program presented 124 Student Workshops with 2,466 students participating in these workshops 612 students from Western Sydney and we reached 823 students through 41 regional workshops Belvoir relies on private support to keep these programs going, as we do not receive any government funding for these activities. Our Education Program would not be possible without the vital support we receive from our corporate partner, the Academy of Film, Theatre & Television, and key foundations: Doc Ross Family Foundation, Gandevia Foundation, Greatorex Foundation and the Nelson Meers Foundation, along with many long-standing individual supporters. Thank you!
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DESIGNING THEATRE
111 hours were spent by our contracted scenic artist* to create Mel Page’s “atmospheric set where dreams are as battered and tattered as the fading wallpaper” for A Taste of Honey.
The journey from script to stage sees many hands bringing our stories to life, from the director, to the set designer, to the workshop team who conjure the collective artistic vision from nothing. It all starts with a model box, captured below in the examples from A Taste of Honey and An Enemy of the People, and ends with a fully-realised spectacle like the blood soaked staging of The Dance of Death, and the beautifully lit warehouse in The Sugar House. Belvoir is generously supported by the Nelson Meers Foundation across two of its annual productions, support which helps cover the cost of the multiple creative elements – in addition to the script, actors and director – that transform Belvoir’s stage and brings magic to the stories we tell. If you’d like to know more about supporting these critical creative elements, please contact Philanthropy Manager on development@belvoir.com.au or 02 8396 6209
*someone who works closely with the set designer in accomplishing all texture and painted effects.
– An initial scale-model of A Taste of Honey
It took 390 hours for the workshop team (2 full-time + 3 casuals) to build Mel Page’s vision – a stunning glassedin room, from its parred-back Scandi lounge to its seamless transformation into a steaming bathhouse for An Enemy of the People.
31,000 litres of fake blood was used and 100m2 of dam liner to create Brian Thomson’s “flight of dark fancy” staging for The Dance of Death.
9 moving lights created the evocative, naturalistic design courtesy of Michael Hankin, who made the large warehouse-style windows bathe the set in light for the production of The Sugar House.
Photos by (clockwise from top) Gareth Simmonds, Brett Boardman, Michael Kennedy and Gareth Simmonds. 18
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WE CAN ONLY DO IT WITH YOUR SUPPORT Our supporters are the heart that keeps Belvoir pumping. Your investment is more than a gift. It’s a vote of confidence in the work we do, the stories we tell, the world we create. At Belvoir, we rely on the generosity of our family of supporters to develop and sustain our operational stability and artistic vibrancy. Funds raised through philanthropic and foundation gifts and corporate sponsorship account for almost a $3,700
quarter of the company’s income. Donations underwrite everything we do: our Education Program, community access initiatives, Indigenous programming, national and international touring endeavours and of course, the productions we present in our theatre in Surry Hills. If we put some figures against some of our activities happening in and around the theatre, warehouse, and workshop and on the road this week, it would look like this:
In THE WRITERS’ ROOM, a re-drafted script of Packer & Sons is being workshopped by writer Tommy Murphy, a few actors, our Head of New Work Louise Gough, and Eamon Flack – from what we can hear through the wall, it’s going to be mesmerising and moving
$22,500 In THE REHEARSAL ROOM, we’ve gathered 7 actors, a director, writer, and 5 creatives for a week-long creative development of Fangirls, in the lead-up to its premiere in September $470 On THE STAGE, a voice coach has been hired for the tech week of the return of Barbara and the Camp Dogs to Belvoir, to maintain this demanding and exhausting work $1,250 On THE ROAD, teams are unpacking the road-cases from the Barbara and the Camp Dogs tour in Melbourne and preparing freight for seasons in Brisbane, Wollongong, Canberra, the world… $500
In THE FOYER there are twenty students from Western Sydney visiting Belvoir to watch free-of-charge a ‘brilliant’ performance of Every Brilliant Thing
$16,000 In THE WORKSHOP the Production team are commencing on the build of the Winyanboga Yurringa set, which will premiere on our stage in May 20
BOX OFFICE $4.583M
42% 15% GOVERNMENT (Core funding) $2.070M
19%
OTHER EARNED REVENUE (e.g. Bar Sales & Venue Hire) $1.660M
6% 16% PHILANTHROPIC INCOME $1.810M
2% PROJECT FUNDING (Government) $205K
Government core funding represents a modest 19% of our income, which means Belvoir relies heavily on box office sales (42%) and a strategic mix of self-generated revenue, including bar sales and venue hires, as well as critical private support. Combined support from individuals, foundations and corporate partnerships was 22% of our total income in 2018. It reminds us of the 600 ardent theatre lovers who bought this building thirtyfive years ago, and how passionate individuals continue to be the backbone of this company.
CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP $707K
Our family of corporate partners continues to expand, providing both cash and in-kind support to cover core operations such as airfares, accommodation, legal fees and market research. We also have strengthened our corporate training offer, and an expanded program of corporate entertaining. Our connection to likeminded, value-aligned individuals and businesses is vital.
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BELVOIR DONORS WE GIVE OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO ALL OUR DONORS FOR THEIR LOYAL AND GENEROUS SUPPORT. CHAIR'S CIRCLE $10,000+ Patty Akopiantz & Justin Punch Robert & Libby Albert*** Sophie & Stephen Allen The Balnaves Foundation Guido Belgiorno-Nettis AM & Michelle Belgiorno-Nettis Jessica Block Catherine & Philip Brenner Anne Britton Jillian Broadbent AC Andrew Cameron AM & Cathy Cameron Roger Feletto David Gonski AC & Associate Professor Orli Wargon OAM Sarah Henry & Charlotte Peterswald Anita Jacoby AM John Kaldor AO & Naomi Milgrom AO Alison Kitchen Knights Family Jabula Foundation Matthew & Veronica Latham Ian Learmonth & Julia Pincus Helen Lynch AM & Helen Bauer Nelson Meers AO & Carole Meers Sam Meers AO & Richard Kuo Catriona Mordant AM & Simon Mordant AM Kerr Neilson Stuart and Kate O’Brien Cathie & Paul Oppenheim Dan & Jackie Phillips Susanna & Matthew Press Andrew Price Andrew & Andrea Roberts Sherry-Hogan Foundation Rob Thomas AO Mark & Jacqueline Warburton Weir Anderson Foundation Kim Williams AM & Catherine Dovey Rosie Williams & John Grill Peter Wilson & James Emmett Cathy Yuncken
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT FUND $10,000+ Anonymous (1) Patty Akopiantz & Justin Punch Sophie & Stephen Allen Max Bonnell*** Anne Britton**
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Andrew Cameron AM & Cathy Cameron*** Jane & Andrew Clifford The Horizon Foundation Anita Jacoby AM* Ingrid Kaiser Helen Lynch AM & Helen Bauer** Dan & Jackie Phillips John Pickhaver Cecilia Ritchie Sherry-Hogan Foundation* Victoria Taylor*** Robert Thomas AO Shemara Wikramanayake & Ed Gilmartin Kim Williams AM & Catherine Dovey*** Peter Wilson & James Emmett* Cathy Yuncken*
$5,000 – $9,999 Merhdad & Roya Baghai Jill & Richard Berry* Jessica Block Hartley Cook** Sue Donnelly Bob & Chris Ernst** Eamon Flack The Hand up Foundation Gail Hambly** Bill Hawker Peter & Rosemary Ingle** Don & Leslie Parsonage**
$2,000 – $4,999 Justin Butterworth Janet & Trefor Clayton* Michael Coleman** Victoria Holthouse** Ruveni & Craig Kelleher Lisa O'Brien Penelope Seidler AM
$500 – $1,999 Colleen & Michael Chesterman** Richard Evans Sandra Ferman Lisa George Knight Family Jabula Foundation Stuart McCreery Louise & Michael Nettleton Steve & Belinda Rankine** Richard, Heather & Rachel Rasker*** Sally & Jonathan Rourke Lisa Hamilton & Rob White*
B KEEPERS $5,000+ Ellen Borda* Louise Christie** Margaret & Bernard Coles Constructability Recruitment Bob & Chris Ernst** Marion Heathcote & Brian Burfitt** Bruce Meagher & Greg Waters* Don & Leslie Parsonage** Greg & Chantal Roger*** Jann Skinner**
$3,000 – $4,999 Anonymous (1) Chris Brown Michael & Suzanne Daniel** Tom Dent Firehold Pty.Ltd.** Michael Hobbs OAM** Colleen Kane** Jennifer Ledgar & Bob Lim*** Peter & Jan Shuttleworth** Merilyn Sleigh & Raoul de Ferranti* Judy Thomson**
$2,000 – $2,999 Antoinette Albert** Gae Anderson Claire Armstrong & John Sharpe*** Jan Burnswoods* Danny & Kathleen Gilbert** Cary & Rob Gillespie* Sophie Guest** David Haertsch*** John Head** Libby Higgin* Ken & Lilian Horler Maria Manning & Henry Maas Professor Elizabeth More AM** Dr David Nguyen** Timothy & Eva Pascoe*** Angela Pearman Michael Rose* Lesley & Andrew Rosenberg* David & Emma Scambler Ann Sherry AO*
Jan Chapman AO & Stephen O'Rourke*** Jane Christensen* Annabel Crabb & Jeremy Storer* David & Kathryn Groves** Lisa Hamilton & Rob White* Wendy & Andrew Hamlin*** Judge Joe Harman Kevin & Rosemarie Jeffers-Palmer *** Margaret Johnston*** A. Le Marchant*** Stephanie Lee*** Atul Lele** Hilary Linstead*** Ross McLean & Fiona Beith* Genie Melone Cajetan Mula (Honorary Member) Kylie Nomchong SC Jacqueline & Michael Palmer Greeba Pritchard* Richard, Heather & Rachel Rasker*** Alex Oonagh Redmond** David Round Elfriede Sangkuhl* Jennifer Smith*** Chris & Bea Sochan** Camilla & Andrew Strang Sue Thomson** Lynne Watkins & Nicolas Harding* Richard Willis Paul & Jennifer Winch***
THE GROUP $4,000+ Patty Akopiantz Sophie Allen Catherine Brenner Jillian Broadbent AC Margaret Butler Sally Cousens Kate Donnelly Holly Kramer Robin Low Sam Meers AO Sarah Meers Naomi O'Brien The Phillips Family Cecilia Ritchie Katriina Tahka Cathy Yuncken
$1,000 – $1,999
THE HIVE
Anonymous (4) Gil Appleton Cherry & Peter Best Allen & Julie Blewitt Robert Burns Mary Jo & Lloyd Capps***
$2,500+ Elizabeth Allen Aaron Beach & Deborah Brown Justin Butterworth Dan & Emma Chesterman Este Darin-Cooper & Chris Burgess Julian Leeser MP & Joanna
Davidson Hannah Roache & Luke Turner Matthew Rossi Chris Smith Peter Wilson & James Emmett*
EDUCATION DONORS $10,000+ Doc Ross Family Foundation Kimberly & Angus Holden Susie Kelly Ian Learmonth & Julia Pincus* Sam Meers AO & Richard Kuo Stuart & Kate O'Brien
Ruth Ritchie Stephen & Christy Roberts Julianne Schultz Margie Seale Peter & Janet Shuttleworth* Rob Sindel Chris & Bea Sochan** Titia Sprague* Cheri Stevenson Daniela Torsh Sarah Walters* Jason Yetton & Jo Lam
GENERAL DONORS
$5,000 - $9,999
$10,000+
Anonymous (1) Patty Akopiantz & Justin Punch Ari & Lisa Droga Louise Mitchell & Peter Pether David & Jill Pumphrey Rob Thomas AO
Anonymous (1) Ross Littlewood & Alexandra Curtin*
$2,000 – $4,999
$2,000 – $4,999
$500 – $1,999
Estate of the late Angelo Comino Rowena Danziger AM & Ken Coles AM John B Fairfax AO Kiera Grant & Mark Tallis Julie Hannaford* Judge Joe Harman
$500 – $1,999 Anonymous (12) Nicola Atkinson AB* Ian Barnett* Sabina Donnelley Drama NSW Joanna Elliott & David Ryan Bob & Chris Ernst** Sandra Ferman Valmae Freilich Geoffrey & Patricia Gemmell* Bill Hawker Linda Herd Dorothy Hoddinott AO** Sue Hyde* Peter & Rosemary Ingle* David Jonas & Desmon Du Plessis* A Juchau Ruth Layton Jennifer Ledgar & Bob Lim*** Christopher Matthies* Cynthia Mitchell & Elizabeth Harry Patricia Novikoff** John Peluso Nicole Philps Polese Family Richard, Heather & Rachel Rasker* Angela Raymond*
Anonymous (4) Robert Burns Raymond McDonald Anonymous (10) Annette Adair* Colin Adams Victor Baskir* Baiba Berzins* Maxine Brenner Kim & Gil Burton Darren Cook Tim & Bryony Cox** Carol & Nicholas Dettmann Jane Diamond* Emma Domoney Anton Enus Gillian Fenton Tim Gerrard Peter Gray & Helen Thwaites** Priscilla Guest* Jill Hawker Linda Herd Elaine Hiley Dorothy Hoddinott AO** Robert Kidd Cheryl L* Connie Liu Anne Loveridge Peter Mitchell Patricia Novikoff** Judy & Geoff Patterson* Christina Pender Leigh Rae Sanderson Rachel Scanlon Eileen Slarke & Family***
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BELVOIR DONORS
Continued
BELVOIR PARTNERS GOVERNMENT PARTNERS
GENERAL DONORS $500 – $1,999 (Continued) Chris & Bea Sochan** Geoffrey Starr Paul Stein AMQC Leslie Stern Mike Thompson* Suzanne & Ross Tzannes AM* Louise & Steve Verrier
Chris Vik & Chelsea Albert Louisa Ward Lynne Watkins & Nicholas Harding* Professor Elizabeth Webby AM* Brian & Trish Wright
* 5+ years of giving ** 10+ years of giving *** 15+ years of giving List correct at time of printing.
MAJOR PARTNERS
RESEARCH & ENGAGEMENT
BELVOIR SUPPORTERS
MEDIA PARTNERS
YOUTH & EDUCATION PARTNER
Our patrons, supporters and friends are right there behind us, backing Belvoir in bringing to life the great old theatrical crafts of acting and storytelling. Thank you. Learn more about supporting Belvoir at belvoir.com.au/support-belvoir
KEY SUPPORTER Indigenous theatre at Belvoir supported by The Balnaves Foundation
TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS AMP Foundation Andrew Cameron Family Foundation Copyright Agency Cultural Fund Doc Ross Family Foundation Gandevia Foundation The Greatorex Foundation
Macquarie Group Foundation Naomi Milgrom Foundation Neilson Foundation Nelson Meers Foundation Oranges & Sardines Foundation Thyne Reid Foundation Walking Up The Hill Foundation
Belvoir is very grateful to accept donations of all sizes. Donations over $2 are tax deductible. If you would like to make a donation or would like further information about any of our donor programs please call our Development Team on 02 9698 3344 or email development@belvoir.com.au
ASSOCIATE PARTNERS
PRODUCTION PARTNERS
ACCOMMODATION PARTNERS
SPECIAL THANKS We would like to acknowledge Cajetan Mula, Len Armfield and Geoffrey Scharer. They will always be remembered for their generosity to Belvoir. We also thank our Life Members, who have made outstanding contributions to Belvoir over more than thirty years. They have changed the course of the company and are now ingrained in its fabric: Neil Armfield AO, Neil Balnaves AO, Andrew Cameron AM, David Gonski AC, Rachel Healy, Louise Herron AM, Sue Hill, Geoffrey Rush AC, Associate Professor Orli Wargon OAM and Chris Westwood.
NCC Network Computing & Consulting
EVENT PARTNERS
These people and foundations supported the redevelopment of Belvoir St Theatre and purchase of our warehouse. Andrew & Cathy Cameron (refurbishment of theatre & warehouse)
The Gonski Foundation & Nelson Meers Foundation (Gonski Meers Foyer)
Hal Herron (The Hal Bar)
Russell Crowe (redevelopment of theatre)
Andrew & Wendy Hamlin (Executive Director’s Office)
Fred Street AM (Upstairs dressing room)
Geoffrey Rush (redevelopment of theatre)
For more information on partnership opportunities please contact our Development team on 02 9698 3344 or email development@belvoir.com.au
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belvoir.com.au 18 & 25 Belvoir Street Surry Hills NSW 2010
Email development@belvoir.com.au Administration (02) 8396 6209 Fax (02) 9319 3165 Box Office (02) 9699 3444
/belvoirst @belvoirst @belvoirst
Cover images by Brett Boardman
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT