1 Sydney Theatre Company Annual Report 2014
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Sydney Theatre Company Annual Report 2014 1 Kate Box, Melita Jurisic, Robert Menzies, Hugo Weaving, Ivan Donato, Eden Falk, Paula Arundell and John Gaden in Macbeth. Photo: Brett Boardman Aims of the Company To provide first class theatrical entertainment for the people of Sydney – theatre that is grand, vulgar, intelligent, challenging and fun. That entertainment should reflect the society in which we live thus providing a point of focus, a frame of reference, by which we come to understand our place in the world as individuals, as a community and as a nation. Richard Wherrett, 1980 Founding Artistic Director 5 2014 in Numbers ACTORS AND CREATIVES 237 EMPLOYED $350,791 C R 12TEACHING TIX OF TI KET P ICE TIX SAVINGS PASSED ON TO ARTISTS 733 4,877 SUNCORP TWENTIES CUSTOMERS EMPLOYED REGIONAL $20.834M AND INTERSTATE TOTAL TICKET PERFORMANCES INCOME EARNED WORLD 6PREMIERES 1,187 WEEKS PLAYWRIGHTS AVERAGE OF WORK 9 ON COMMISSION CAPACITY FOR ACTORS 6 7 David Gonski Andrew Chairman Upton In the last four annual reports, I have reported on work undertaken by the organisation to modernise operations and governance structures to best support the Company’s artistic aspirations into the Artistic Director future. Most recently, in 2013, I wrote about the security of 45 year leases over the Roslyn Packer Theatre (formerly Sydney Theatre) and James Duncan in The Long Way Home. Richard Roxburgh in Cyrano de Bergerac. our tenancy at The Wharf, and the subsequent winding up of New Photo: Lisa Tomasetti 2014 was a year that brought the Company together through thick Photo: Brett Boardman South Wales Cultural Management, the body that had previously and thin. Early in the year one of our young staff members died in held the lease to Roslyn Packer Theatre (RPT) and outsourced the most futile of circumstances and amidst other significant deaths management services to Sydney Theatre Company (STC). Our ongoing success continues to rely on the long term support of the in the industry that seemed to set the year in a place of shake ups. Increasing access to theatre has long been an important part of Australian Federal Government through the Australia Council, its arts (We hosted three industry memorials in the first three months of our remit and our highly successful Suncorp Twenties partnership In 2014, we made further steps towards streamlining governance funding and advisory body, and the NSW State Government through the year.) In the middle of that, and dogged by all the usual ups and offered $20 tickets to all productions across the year. To Suncorp, for by appointing a corporate trustee to Sydney Theatre Company Arts NSW, which is also our landlord at both of our Walsh Bay sites. I downs of producing sixteen shows a year, we all pulled together and their support, I say thank you again on behalf of the Company and Foundation. Due to changes in accounting standards, we are now acknowledge the tremendous support and encouragement we receive made some great work and told some important stories. the 4,877 audience members who benefitted directly. required to report all entities (including the Foundation) into one through these bodies and in particular from the Federal Arts Minister consolidated group result. The new presentation format provides George Brandis and the NSW Arts Minister Troy Grant. The emotional release afforded by live theatre and the life affirming Continuing our support and engagement with the small to medium greater transparency in reporting the activities and relationship power of culture was given full expression over the course of the sector we made work with the Australian Theatre for Young People between the operational and the fundraising arms of the I also acknowledge the great commitment of our Foundation season. As I wrote in the program note for The Long Way Home, “the and Sisters Grimm. It is vital that the independent sector and the organisation. In the financial reports, 2013 results have been restated Trustees (now Directors of the STCF Corporate Trustee), led by Chair rehearsal room is a space that allows for failure – everyone has to be Major Performing Arts companies work together, as this maintains in the new format to allow comparisons. Ann Johnson. The growth in philanthropic revenue is a testament able to try things out and if something doesn’t work the first time, it career and audience pathways into the future and expands the voices to their efforts and generosity, together with those of our Board might lead to something that does work the seventh.” This necessary heard on the Australian stage. For the Australia Council’s guidance In 2014, the operating result (STC and RPT) was a deficit of $297,296 of Directors whose skills, networks and enthusiasm ensure strong relationship to risk taking and failure makes us open to others, to and support in this, I extend our thanks. We also teamed up with (surplus of $419,430 in 2013). While the performance of STC’s governance and agile corporate leadership. their ideas and the potential solutions they might bring with them. Malthouse Theatre, the State Theatre Company of South Australia, producing arm exceeded targets, the late cancellation of two As a theatre company, it’s one of our fundamental purposes to Queensland Theatre Company and Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles, substantial commercial bookings in the RPT, unfortunately meant Andrew Upton, our Artistic Director, is to be congratulated for provide a space in which it’s not only safe to take risks, but where it is we also toured to an additional 14 venues nationally and to the that we were unable to meet our revenue targets, bringing the another tremendous year. Artistic highlights are too numerous to necessary, if we are to push ourselves, each other and the form. Lincoln Center internationally. combined operating result into deficit. mention, but 2014 will certainly be remembered for the triumphant success of our tour of The Maids to the Lincoln Center Festival in New STC has always been committed to providing a space for All in all it was another packed year and one in which we have The STC Foundation made a surplus of $44,538 after disbursements York, and for The Long Way Home, a bold theatrical collaboration theatremakers to develop their craft and our Co-Resident Directors, engaged with new audiences, continued conversations with our loyal to STC operations of $2,268,798. This leads to a deficit result with the Australian Defence Force that earned the Company a Sarah Goodes and Kip Williams, have now secured their place as subscriber base, forged new working relationships with sponsors of $252,758 for the year for STC, RPT and STCF. Under revised Chief of the Defence Force Commendation – the first non-Defence main stage directors, garnering critical acclaim for their works, and donors to enable work to be produced and partnerships to be accounting standards, additional donations of $2,050,000 received organisation to be so honoured. which in 2014 included The Effect, Switzerland and Children of the meaningful, consulted with the education sector and revised our during the year that are quarantined for capital purposes must be Sun and Macbeth respectively. Resident Designer, Renée Mulder, education program to provide more tailored, rich and meaningful declared as revenue, and this gives a final group result of a surplus of I pay tribute also to Patrick McIntyre, our Executive Director, whose worked on five STC productions across the year, delivering work resources and programs, and continued to look for new ways for $1,797,242 ($1,008,452 in 2013). exemplary organisational skills have assisted us in the continued of an incredibly high standard and with a beautiful and powerful theatre to become an integral part of our everyday conversation. reshaping of this wonderful Company. aesthetic. We had nine writers on commission and our program In 2014, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of our home base at The included seven new Australian works and adaptations. We have also This is my last annual report and so to the Board, the sponsors, the Wharf, and the tenth anniversary of the RPT. It is very gratifying that In 2014, Andrew, Patrick and their extraordinary colleagues and nurtured the next generation of directors through our paid Assistant donors, the casts and crews and the Company as a whole, a huge and already the Packer Family Foundation, Crown Resorts Foundation, collaborators at STC were again responsible for another brilliant Director program and of theatre professionals through our Stage heartfelt thank you. David Paradice and the Johnson Family Foundation have all stepped contribution to the cultural life of Sydney and on behalf of the Board Management internship program – with Production Management forward to make substantial pledges to a capital fund that will I sincerely thank each of them. internships to be rolled out in 2015. ensure that our venues remain at the forefront of theatre practice for the coming generation, offering exceptional experiences for artists 2014 was another year of artistic risk taking and as a subscription and audiences. Our capital renewal project, STC50, is now being company, we ask our audience to trust in our artistic vision and Andrew Upton scoped and we anticipate further rounds of fundraising once our David Gonski AC ability to deliver consistent standards of excellence. In 2014, the Artistic Director vision for renewal is in place. Chairman program attracted 3,616 new subscribers out of a total 15,261. 8 9 Eamon Farren in Switzerland. Photo: Brett Boardman Andrea Demetriades in Perplex. Patrick Ann Photo: Lisa Tomasetti McIntyre Johnson Executive Director Chair STC Foundation Another great year on stage – and brilliant to see a sixteen play season that included six world premieres, four partnerships with 2014 has been a landmark year for philanthropy at Sydney Theatre small to medium arts companies, and ten Australian works and Company, with the combined support received from our family adaptations.