Message from the Chair of the Board
We have continued on our journey as the State Flagship Theatre Company with the 'Passport to Play' 2007 season featuring five outstanding plays. Our 2007 season opened with The Lady Aoi as part of the Perth International Arts Fesitval's program, directed by one of Perth's most exciting young talents, Matthew Lutton. It was followed by the sell out season of The Crucible directed by Tom Gutteridge to critical acclaim.
Just in time for 'Christmas in July' Max Gillies featured in the irreverent comedy, The Messiah along with David Lee Smyth. Lindy Hume then made her debut as a director of straight drama with Jasmina Reza's Life x3, and our season concluded with the uncompromisingly honest play Honour, again directed by Tom Gutteridge. So, with the 2007 season behind us, what does 2008 hold?
Tom Gutteridge has invited us to 'Dive into Great Theatre in 2008' with a program of seven mainhouse and two HotBed productions, the most ambitious line-up of plays ever produced by Black Swan.
Our season will commence with the world premiere of Jandamarra, directed by Tom Gutteridge. This unique Western Australian story belonging to the Bunuba people of the Kimberley will be a a centrepiece of the PIAF program.
Marcelle Schmitz will direct Edward Albee’s modern classic, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, followed by the Australian comedy The Female of the Species directed by Tom Gutteridge, The Pitch directed by Anne Browning and the miniature masterpiece Far Away directed by John Sheedy. After this, Andrew Hale will direct the swashbuckling and poetic tale Cyrano de Bergerac and we will conclude the season by leading you into the mad world of the Goons with Ying Tong, directed by Richard Cottrell. This is an exciting program for 2008 and i encourage all Perth theatre goers to 'dive into the program'!
On a slightly different note, I would like to acknowledge Tom Gutteridge, our current Artistic Director, for the contribution he has made over the past four years.
Tom will be departing Black Swan at the end of March 2008. During his four year reign as Artistic Director, Tom has been instrumental in strategically moving Black Swan from a niche theatre company to its current role of State Flagship Theatre Company. This transition saw many artistic challenges along the way and Tom carried out his role in setting the Company's artistic direction with great commitment and enthusiasm. The successful completion of the 2007 season and the exciting 2008 season, which he devised and in which he will play a significant part, are testimony to his artistic leadership.
The Board and management thank Tom and look forward to a continuing relationship into the future.
Kate Cherry was recently announced as Tom's successor. Bringing with her a wealth of international and national experience in theatre direction, Kate will have the role of taking Black Swan into the New Performing Arts Venue in 2010. I warmly welcome Kate to her new role as Artistic Director of the Company.
Finally I would like to thank the Australia Council through the Major Performing Arts Board and the Western Australian Department of Culture and the Arts for enabling Black Swan to continue its exciting journey. Their support and direction have been invaluable to Black Swan achieving its artistic and management objectives.
To our partners and sponsors, I am certain you will be richly rewarded by your continued association with Black Swan Theatre Company.
Thank you.
Richard Duldig |
 |
