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La Boite Theatre Company

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260:" theatre company. The early 1980s was a buoyant time for La Boite and for the pro-am or professional community theatre companies funded by the Australia Council. Blaylock programmed innovative, risky, and politically challenging Australian and non-Australian plays. The appointment in mid-1982 of Andrew Ross as Artistic Director brought La Boite into more professional main-house repertoire. By 1983, the company had lost both state and federal funding. The following years were considered financially trying for La Boite, but a huge effort by the Council and "resident directors" Mike Bridges and Mary Hickson kept the company and theatre afloat. The 1986 appointment of Jim Vilé as both artistic director and CEO was a time of a more "open door" programming at La Boite where "every day and evening of every month of the Theatre's year was accounted for with a production of some kind…" 36: 264:
a professional company and produced performances which blended circus, opera and modern dance with theatre. Although the innovative fusion of Bell's work gained critical and artistic success, La Boite once again was financially floundering. However, the appointment in 1993 of Sue Rider as artistic director saw a period of unparalleled growth, bolstered the performance of new Australian plays and Rider's commitment to Queensland artists.
575: 370: 253:(now heritage-listed). Blocksidge established her eventual aim to make La Boite a professional theatre company through the establishment in 1973 of the first professional 'theatre-in-education' team in Queensland , the Early Childhood Drama Project (ECDP), and the 1976 appointment of La Boite's first salaried Artistic Director, Rick Billinghurst. Billinghurst embarked on a program of Australian and overseas works. 228:. In the lead-up to the launch of the theatre's new season in Hale Street in 1967, Brisbane Repertory Theatre adopted the new name "La Boite", The French translation of "the box". La Boite's intimate, 70-seat space attracted a new audiences, as well as a new directors and actors, including Jane Atkins, Eileen Beatson, Ian Thomson, 206:
was a founding member and an early play director. The company is said to be one of the oldest continuously operating theatre companies in Australia, operating under Sisley's direction until her death in a road accident in 1945. Sisley had directed 57 productions for the company, including a number of
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Patrick Mitchell took over from Vilé as artistic director in 1990. By 1991, the stress of running such a vibrant pro-am theatre company proved too much and David Bell took over as artistic director later in that year. Bell's innovative cross-arts approach to theatre saw the beginning of La Boite as
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Babette Stephens succeeded the position of Council President in 1957, before accepting the first formal title of "Theatre Director" in 1959. A prominent professional Australian actor and director, Stephens helped to create the first permanent theatre for the company when she succeeded in getting the
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cutting funding to the company, David Berthold took up the position of artistic director, and under his leadership the company broadened its scope to include international works in its programming while retaining the company's over-85-year commitment to fostering Queensland and Australian theatre.
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Campus. Mee's Artistic Directorship saw the company both artistically and financially reap the benefits of embracing primarily programming new Queensland works commissioned through La Boite. In 2008, Mee relinquished his position of Artistic Director. Despite the initial trials with the company,
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Sean Mee had been one of Brisbane's leading actors for many years and he had started his career at La Boite with the Early Childhood Drama Project in the 1980s. He took the company in new artistic directions. The company left the theatre it owned and moved to the new La Boite Theatre – the
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Jennifer Blocksidge became Honorary Director in 1969, and remained in the role until 1975. In 1972, La Boite's second in-the-round performance space was established, with the purpose-built, 200 seat theatre-in-the round, award-winning
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Berthold's efforts with the company were heralded as having "completely repositioned a Brisbane institution ", and garnered several prominent awards, including numerous winnings of the prestigious
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Australian plays. After Sisley's death, the Brisbane Repertory Theatre Society survived from 1946 through to 1956 under Tom Stephens, Alex Foster, Cecil Carson and Gwen MacMinn.
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and Muriel Watson. The repertoire of the company changed to a more radical, non-mainstream one. Australian plays became a regular feature of the season.
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Roundhouse Theatre, a larger replica of the second La Boite Theatre. It was built in the Creative Industries Precinct of
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Comans, Christine A. (2008) La Boite Theatre Company: A Distinctive History. Australasian Drama Studies 52.
934: 1147: 1368: 1251: 1093: 640: 427: 250: 159: 143:. La Boite was established in 1925 and is Australia’s longest continuously running theatre company. 20: 585: 327: 278: 155: 878: 589: 380: 199: 62: 844: 719: 315: 1026: 1068:"The New Wave: A Brisbane Perspective: La Boite Theatre Company's Distinctive Contribution" 966: 885: 319: 233: 221: 210: 151: 1071: 8: 939: 768: 194:
La Boite was founded in 1925, under the direction of British teacher of speech and drama
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Malcolm Blaylock was appointed artistic director in 1980, when La Boite became a "
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in Brisbane, including playing Tashi in Imaginary Theatre's adaptation of
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company to purchase four cottages in Sexton Street and Hale Street in
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Relocation to Hale Street and the first "La Boite" (1956-1969)
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is artistic director, and Roxane Eden is executive director.
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devised and choreographed by Shaun Parker (28 April-9 May)
115: 1174:"La Boite Theatre Company to be headed by David Berthold" 1124:. Griffith University. 11 September 2011. Archived from 1044: 1369:"David Berthold follows his instincts to head La Boite" 356:(CAAP) in 2019, becoming artistic associate in 2022. 1070:. Double Dialogues. 22 February 2010. Archived from 240:
Second relocation and company expansion (1969-2000)
106:Roxane Eden, executive director (as of March 2023) 359: 268:Third relocation and present-day (2000 – present) 1421: 310:, graduated in 2008 with a degree in drama from 970:, a collaboration between La Boite Theatre and 169:The theatre's artistic directors have included 19:For the heritage-listed theatre building, see 1329: 962:in a new adaptation starring Christen O'Leary 889:by William Shakespeare (12 February-20 March) 340:since 2014, she went on to work as an actor, 1305: 1303: 1228:. ABC Brisbane. 8 March 2011. Archived from 135:, is an Australian theatre company based in 16:Australian theatre company based in Brisbane 1252:"Matilda Awards for Brisbane's top theatre" 603:. Unsourced material may be challenged and 1300: 907:Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness 667:Learn how and when to remove this message 454:Learn how and when to remove this message 354:Contemporary Asian Australian Performance 190:Establishment and early years (1925-1956) 1335: 1270: 990: 988: 1254:. Queensland Government. 8 March 2011. 564: 1422: 1366: 1226:"Matilda Awards winner David Berthold" 1150:. Australian Stage. 8 September 2008. 1336:Sorensen, Rosemary (9 October 2008). 1309: 1288:from the original on 23 February 2023 1024: 985: 1379:from the original on 20 October 2008 1092: 1006:from the original on 15 October 2012 897:by The Escapists (30 March-17 April) 809:by Janis Balodis (25 August-12 Sept) 601:adding citations to reliable sources 568: 392:adding citations to reliable sources 363: 1440:Queensland University of Technology 833:by Lachlan Philpott (22 Jun-10 Jul) 312:Queensland University of Technology 275:Queensland University of Technology 13: 1310:Story, Hannah (28 February 2023). 1086: 1031:Australian Dictionary of Biography 1000:Australian Dictionary of Biography 728:by Norman Price (28 July-8 August) 150:, Australia's first purpose-built 133:Brisbane Repertory Theatre Society 14: 1461: 1395: 1367:Turner, Tonya (17 October 2008). 1202:. 28 October 2008. Archived from 1154:from the original on 3 April 2011 1094:"La Boite Theatre (entry 602171)" 1027:"Felgate, Rhoda Mary (1901–1990)" 881:by Julia Donaldson (5–23 January) 879:the picture-book of the same name 753:the picture-book of the same name 291:. Berthold's term ended in 2014. 198:and English literature professor 1258:from the original on 6 July 2011 1176:. The Australian. 9 October 2008 573: 368: 326:books, aged just 19, as well as 166:, where it had been since 1972. 146:La Boite is based at Brisbane's 34: 1450:Organisations based in Brisbane 1411:List of Productions at La Boite 1360: 1244: 1218: 379:needs additional citations for 1430:Theatre companies in Australia 1188: 1166: 1140: 1114: 1060: 1018: 927: 903:by Nellie Lee (28 April-6 May) 868: 742: 679: 360:Leaders and artistic directors 177:(2008-2014). As of March 2023 1: 1338:"Berthold to Direct La Boite" 1102:. Queensland Heritage Council 996:"Biography of Barbara Sisley" 978: 336:from 2016 to 2018. Living in 1099:Queensland Heritage Register 854:by Elaine Acworth (3-21 Aug) 521:Patrick Mitchell (1990–1991) 294: 7: 1445:Companies based in Brisbane 850:Umber Productions presents 10: 1466: 616:"La Boite Theatre Company" 403:"La Boite Theatre Company" 352:. She joined the board of 184: 18: 935:A Midsummer Night's Dream 306:Stewart, whose mother is 251:La Boite Theatre Building 160:La Boite Theatre Building 110: 95: 85: 72: 58: 50: 42: 33: 21:La Boite Theatre Building 1196:"La Boite Loses Funding" 829:Michelle Miall presents 923:(8 October-13 November) 80:, Queensland, Australia 690:novel of the same name 524:David Bell (1991–1993) 200:Jeremiah Joseph Stable 181:is artistic director. 63:Jeremiah Joseph Stable 1025:Radbourne, Jennifer, 1002:. 10 September 2011. 862:The Hamlet Apocalypse 314:(QUT). She worked in 1284:. 27 February 2019. 1232:on 30 September 2012 875:The Gruffalo's Child 843:by David Morton and 597:improve this section 565:Selected productions 388:improve this article 222:theatre-in-the-round 152:theatre-in-the-round 104:, artistic director; 46:Contemporary theatre 1435:Theatre in Brisbane 940:William Shakespeare 858:The Danger Ensemble 837:Dead Puppet Society 769:William Shakespeare 726:The Pineapple Queen 498:Jennifer Blocksidge 30: 1348:on 10 October 2008 1122:"Patrick Mitchell" 803:(17 July-8 August) 316:children's theatre 308:Chinese Australian 249:designing the new 204:Rhoda Mary Felgate 173:(2015 - 2020) and 162:, in Hale Street, 148:Roundhouse Theatre 28: 972:Brisbane Festival 949:Ashleigh Cummings 813:Gwen in Purgatory 781:(28 April-22 May) 722:(30 June-11 July) 696:(23 Feb-21 March) 677: 676: 669: 651: 504:Rick Billinghurst 464: 463: 456: 438: 299:As of March 2023 284:Australia Council 131:, founded as the 126: 125: 1457: 1407: 1406: 1404:Official website 1389: 1388: 1386: 1384: 1373:The Courier-Mail 1364: 1358: 1357: 1355: 1353: 1344:. 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Index

La Boite Theatre Building

Jeremiah Joseph Stable
Barbara Sisley
Brisbane
Courtney Stewart
laboite.com.au
Brisbane
Queensland
Roundhouse Theatre
theatre-in-the-round
Kelvin Grove
La Boite Theatre Building
Milton
Todd MacDonald
David Berthold
Courtney Stewart
Barbara Sisley
Jeremiah Joseph Stable
Rhoda Mary Felgate
Petrie Terrace
theatre-in-the-round
Sydney
Barry Otto
John Stanton
Blair Wilson
La Boite Theatre Building
pro-am
Queensland University of Technology
Kelvin Grove

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