BELVOIR CONTENTS

2019: At A Glance 04 Chair’s Report 08 Artistic Director’s Report 10 Executive Director’s Report 12 2019 Season 14 Belvoir 2019 in Review 32 Corporate Governance Statement 50 Board & Staff 54 Supporters, Trusts & Foundations, and Partners 55 Donors 56 In the Rehearsal Room 58

Tom Hobbs. Photo by Brett Boardman. BELVOIR 2019 AT A GLANCE

98,575 44% NEW SINGLE TICKET

FEMALE 9,692 BUYERS IN 2019 ATTENDEES WRITERS AT BELVOIR PRODUCTIONS 6 AUSTRALIAN PLAYS PLUS ONE NEW AUSTRALIAN TRANSLATION $4,626,583 & 3 WORLD PREMIERS OF A BELVOIR PRODUCTION BOX OFFICE REVENUE

59% CALD ARTISTS ON STAGE

WORKSHOPS HOSTED IN

3,240 IN A WORKSHOP PARTICATED STUDENTS 40 REGIONAL SCHOOLS

WRITERS 56% FEMALE UNDER COMMISSION

STUDENT WORKSHOPS DIRECTORS 21 175 6,701

ATTENDEES AT ATTENDEES 5,069 STUDENTS & TEACHERS TO UNWAGED who attended a schools 25A or evening performance PERFORMANCES

1,667 PERFORMANCE

SUDENTS ATTENDED A SCHOOLS PERFORMANCE 6,374 APPLICATIONS 62,391 646 FOR FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS SOLD 163 FOR 25A

SOCIAL PERFORMANCES BELVOIR’S POPULAR PRODUCTION CHALLENGE MEDIA INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL (OPEN TO ALL INDEPENDENT 247 COMPANIES & EMERGING ARTISTS) PROPS FOR ARTISTS 1,979,616 PAGE VIEWS FOLLOWERS COUNTING & CRACKING OVER 250 EMPLOYED 80 ARTISTS ENGAGED THROUGH 25A ACROSS 8 PRODUCTIONS 561 WESTERN STUDENTS IN WORKSHOPS AT THEIR SCHOOLS 104 4 5 HELPMANN AWARDS MATILDA AWARDS BEST WRITING / ADAPTATION FOR THE AUSTRALIAN STAGE (THEATRE BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY BEST MUSICAL OR CABARET COMPANIES) Counting and Cracking Fangirls Belvoir / Co-Curious Belvoir, Queensland Theatre and Alana Valentine and , Festival, in association with Australian Barbara and the Camp Dogs, BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK Theatre for Young People Belvoir in association with Vicki Gordon S. Shakthidharan and Eamon Flack Music Productions Counting and Cracking Belvoir / Co-Curious BEST PRODUCTION (THEATRE SYDNEY THEATRE AWARDS COMPANIES) BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION Eamon Flack and S. Shakthidharan Barbara and the Camp Dogs, Counting and Cracking Belvoir in Association with Counting and Cracking Belvoir / Co-Curious Belvoir / Co-Curious Vicki Gordon Music Productions BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK BEST MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY S. Shakthidharan, Counting and Cracking Prakash Belawadi, Counting and Cracking Belvoir / Co-Curious NSW PREMIER’S LITERARY Belvoir / Co-Curious AWARD – NICK ENRIGHT BEST ORIGINAL SCORE BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING PRIZE FOR PLAYWRITING Stefan Gregory, Counting and Cracking ROLE IN A PLAY Belvoir / Co-Curious Vaishnavi Suryaprakash S. Shakthidharan and Eamon Flack Counting and Cracking BEST PRODUCTION OF A MAINSTAGE Counting and Cracking Belvoir / Co-Curious MUSICAL Fangirls BEST SCENIC DESIGN Belvoir, Queensland Theatre and Brisbane COUNCIL Dale Ferguson, Counting and Cracking Festival, in association with Australian AWARD FOR THEATRE Belvoir / Co-Curious Theatre for Young People Tommy Murphy BEST SOUND DESIGN BEST NEWCOMER Packer & Sons and other works Stefan Gregory, Counting and Cracking Chika Ikogwe, The Wolves / Fangirls Belvoir / Co-Curious BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY , Every Brilliant Thing VICTORIAN PREMIER’S Belvoir LITERARY AWARD BEST MUSICAL S. Shakthidharan and Eamon Flack Barbara and the Camp Dogs Counting and Cracking Belvoir in association with Vicki Gordon Music Productions Pty Ltd VICTORIAN PREMIER’S AWARD BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL FOR DRAMA Ursula Yovich, Barbara and the Camp Dogs S. Shakthidharan and Eamon Flack Belvoir in association with Vicki Gordon Counting and Cracking Music Productions Pty Ltd BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL GREEN ROOM AWARDS Elaine Crombie, Barbara and the Camp Dogs BEST PERFORMANCE (THEATRE Belvoir in association with Vicki Gordon COMPANIES) Music Productions Pty Ltd Ursula Yovich, Barbara and the Camp Dogs, BEST ORIGINAL SCORE Belvoir in association with Vicki Gordon Ursula Yovich, Alana Valentine and Adm Music Productions Ventoura, Barbara and the Camp Dogs BEST MUSIC COMPOSITION AND SOUND Belvoir in association with Vicki Gordon DESIGN (THEATRE COMPANIES) Music Productions Pty Ltd Adm Ventoura, Ursula Yovich and BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING Alana Valentine, ROLE IN A PLAY Barbara and the Camp Dogs, Paul Blackwell, Faith Healer – a Belvoir Belvoir in association with Vicki Gordon production presented by State Theatre Music Productions Company of 6 Vaishnavi Suryaprakash. Photo by Brett Boardman. CHAIR’S REPORT Sam Meers

As I write this, our only part of the work Belvoir undertakes theatre is dark for each year. We also continued our highly the first time in its acclaimed program for independent history and we are theatre makers, 25A; commissioned developing ways seven new Australian plays, including to sustain Belvoir’s our annual commission of an Indigenous creative energy, and playwright thanks to the Balnaves the community that Foundation (this year, Kodie Bedford); depends upon it. Yet developed 13 new works; delivered an as we wrestle with extensive, first-class Education Program the short and long term consequences in western Sydney and throughout of a global pandemic, we should draw regional NSW; collaborated with and some comfort from the fact that 2019 supported other arts companies, and was an exceptional year for Belvoir, both we continued to lead the sector by artistically and financially. This Annual presenting at international and national Report is an opportunity to celebrate that. conferences and hosting key industry Ayesha Madon. Photo by Brett Boardman. and community events. Throughout 2019, the Company stories with diverse perspectives. You all close working relationship and their continued to create outstanding theatre I have struggled to find the right words make an invaluable contribution to the life continuing belief in Belvoir’s vision. experiences, with the two bookends of to appropriately acknowledge the and success of this company: my deep the artistic season being Counting and bold and dedicated leadership of our I also acknowledge and thank our thanks go to each and every one of you for Cracking, which received seven of our co-CEOs, Artistic Director Eamon Flack government supporters – the Australia your faith in us. 13 Helpmann Awards, and the extended and Executive Director Sue Donnelly; Council for the Arts and Create NSW season of the highly anticipated it is their fearless and tenacious vision The Company B board again worked – whose core funding allows us to Packer & Sons. In between these two that puts artists at it centre and has tirelessly during 2019, and I am forever leverage further investment for Belvoir. extraordinary productions, we presented allowed Belvoir to deliver the successes grateful for their wisdom and dedication. Finally – last, but very definitely not a swathe of diverse and thought- articulated in this Annual Report, and I Particular thanks to our outgoing board least – none of the work we do would, provoking shows (who can forget thank them sincerely on behalf of us all. members , Luke Carroll and of course, be possible without the staff Fangirls?) that resonated with our loyal Peter Wilson, each of whom have been The success of our 2019 season, and at Belvoir and the many artists and subscribers and brought new audience integral to the success of the Company of the many other Belvoir programs creatives who work with us. These members through our doors. during their six year terms; they will be highlighted throughout this Annual talented and passionate individuals sorely missed. A warm welcome to our Counting and Cracking was an enormous Report, is reflected in our very pleasing dedicate countless hours to the new board members Raji Ambikarajah, undertaking for the Company, both financial result in 2019, with the Company because they believe, as you Kate Champion, Johanna Featherstone creatively and financially. heT biggest, Company achieving an operating surplus do, in the power of theatre to change and Mark Warburton; it is a tribute to the boldest work the Company has ever of $557k. This surplus was not only people’s lives. I thank them sincerely Company that we continue to attract staged, we were fortunate to be rewarded the result of strong box office results, for their support and extraordinary directors of such stature. I would be with a sold-out Sydney Festival season but also the hard work of the executive commitment to the Company. remiss in not giving particular thanks in January, and an Festival and board in continuing a program of to our Deputy Chair, Patty Akopiantz, I know that all our artists will continue season in March. Led by the shared vision reviewing operations to ensure greater whose wisdom is indispensable, and finding new and different ways to tell our and creative energy of Eamon Flack operational efficiencies and enhanced whose ingenuity was responsible for our stories. In a fractured global environment and Shakthi Shakthidharan, 49 financial business planning. Needless to say, we highly successful Education fundraiser, in which so many are experiencing partners joined artists, creatives, crew and are very grateful for this small financial the Belvoir Bash; and director Stuart dislocation, isolation and loss, we need Belvoir’s exceptional staff to stage this buffer during our Covid-19 shut down. O’Brien, who is leading plans for building these stories now more than ever before ground-breaking epic. The many awards The Company could not do the work enhancements and whose inspired to provide perspective and meaning. that the production received demonstrate it does without the support of a loyal enthusiasm guided us through our that the story resonated far beyond the We will continue to justify your faith and growing band of donors, partners, new strategy. walls of the majestic Sydney Town Hall. in us and I ask that you continue to supporters and subscribers, including My thanks also to the board of Belvoir support us in these difficult times. Our remarkable 2019 season of nine members of our Chair’s Circle, who believe St Theatre Ltd (aka Company A) for our mainstage plays in our Upstairs theatre is in our determination to tell Australian Sam

8 9 ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S REPORT Eamon Flack

I have consoled myself company’s ambitions for the future: new during this Covid kinds of stories told in new ways, driven shutdown with The by the possibility that a story told right Great British Bake-off can open up more room inside our culture (a reality TV show and society, and allow more people to find about baking.) One of their place. the things I love about was the biggest it is that the bakers Counting and Cracking new step in the season, but not the only. never really know We put a seating bank on stage for Kate what’s going to come Mulvany’s driven, totally open performance out of the oven. It could collapse when it in . When Kate was cools, the tastes could be bland, the dough Every Brilliant Thing beckoned away by Al Pacino no less (it underproofed... Some bakers, though, had to happen one day), Stevie Rogers’ have learnt the hundred little things in the heartbreaking labrador of a performance preparation that make all the difference, took over. The seating bank worked well and even though they never know for so we took it a step further and built a sure how it’s going to turn out, they have whole new in-the-round configuration for a pretty good idea. It’s the same with . Brecht is not everyone’s cup theatre. You never know how it’ll turn out, Life of Galileo of tea but Tom Wright’s adaptation was but if you’ve been attentive in the right brilliant - pure lean immediate thought, way when you’re putting it all together, talking directly to an electorate that had you learn to have a pretty good idea. Counting and Cracking. Photo by Brett Boardman. only recently, like Galileo, chosen comfort Going into our 2019 season we had a over truth. pretty good idea. As a company we had is turned into theatre, and the relief that as a society can offer. The fearless, loving astonished learnt over the years prior when an idea Barbara and the Camp Dogs something new had broken through. I struggle of our artists is the greatest of the me for being as full a force even after or a draft or a show needed a bit more love to sit in the far corner of the foyer great things about Belvoir. seeing it nine times over two seasons. Urs of this or that, when to leave it alone, and watch audiences come out of a show. and Troy singing together at the end is one We were proud of last year. It is a great when to knead the hell out of it... We’d Watching audiences come out of Fangirls of those utterly simple yet transformative comfort to us right now that we were able to become good at the preparation. And was watching a new generation of theatre- moments that theatre only manages bake 2019 before Covid hit. The only reason this is true not just of the artistic work goers discover the joy of it. Which is a joy. every now and then. Angeline Penrith in we are still going right now is because 2019 but the production, box office, marketing, staring down the Packer & Sons was the opposite of Fangirls was the best year, financially and artistically, budgets… We had learnt to have a pretty Winyanboga Yuringa barrel of Tuuli Narkle’s camera with her fist (comedy/drama, female/male, singing/ the company has had in a long time. good idea. raised is seared into my memory. So too is bellowing) but also a huge hit. Perhaps a discomforting hit - too left for the right, The task we set ourselves at Belvoir is to Counting and Cracking could have brought Andrea James’ play’s sudden rising up into make theatre not for a monolith of audience the whole thing crashing down. It was the ceremony at the end - a re-awakening of too right for the left. I like to think people can make up their own mind without but for many different audiences. We did that biggest show we had ever done, and no lost and damaged connections to country. well in 2019 - a carefully-prepared, year-long one had ever done anything quite like it. the play catechising itself. But no matter ’s exquisitely sure-footed variety act of worldviews, styles, tastes. We do The first day of technical rehearsals was where the play fell for the individual there production of Andrew Bovell’s exquisitely this not just for the delight of it, but because terrifying. We were sure, like that poor was no denying that Josh McConville sure-footed play Things I Know to be it’s the only way to meet the world in all its dolt in Season 3 of Bake Off that we’d and John Howard gave terrifyingly good was a real gift. At its centre was restless, glorious, troubling variability. That’s used salt instead of sugar when it came True performances, and that Tommy Murphy is Helen Thomson’s Fran, a performance the job. We love it. to the sound in Town Hall. We did our the finest character writer going. that proves it takes all facets to make a first preview without having done a full And that job is never done. We’ll be back. diamond: angry, loving, bitter, hopeful, I want to thank all 247 artists who worked run of the show. It wobbled and surged funny, true… with us in 2019. Amongst the unique and Onwards. and wobbled some more. At the end the excellent reasons for Belvoir to exist is the audience stood at once to applaud, and The opening night of Fangirls triggered a ideal that artists must be supported to Eamon they did every night after. The lessons rare and glorious hysteria of recognition work with as much liberty and possibility of that show now form the basis for the and relief - the recognition of the familiar

10 11 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT Sue Donnelly

It seems strange addition, there were Victorian and NSW to write about the Literary awards, Sydney Theatre awards, successes of 2019 Green Room awards and a Matilda award. when we are in It was a very good year! the middle of the At the other end of the spectrum our Covid-19 crisis and successful education program continued Belvoir has been to thrive. For over 15 years our program shut for ten weeks. has been formative in the careers of a Totally unimaginable. number of actors, creatives and other But it’s important to people who now work at Belvoir, as reflect on 2019 as it was a brilliant year well as at other companies. There for Belvoir. Artistically and financially. We are also quite a few doctors, lawyers, truly felt that we had got it right. investment bankers etc who also got We had close to 100,000 people come their first hit of theatre at Belvoir. In 2019 to see one of our nine shows in Sydney. we reached over 9000 students and We performed 317 times, mostly in teachers. Importantly we continued to Surry Hills (although we did manage support students from disadvantaged 25 performances in the neo Gothic areas, with a focus on western Sydney, Sydney Town Hall, quite a contrast to providing free tickets to our shows and Belvoir). Another 104 performances were free or subsidised workshops. We ran presented in other parts of Australia - 175 workshops in 2019 with 40 held Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, , in regional areas, thanks to ongoing Anna Lise Phillips, Tom Hobbs, Matthew Levett and Miranda Daughtry. Photo by Heidrun Löhr. Parramatta and - attracting philanthropic support. 25,970 audience members. The schedule I love attending a schools’ matinee We continued to work with the constant tight deadlines and rise to each was, at times, exhausting for our small and watching the delight on the faces independent and small-to-medium new challenge…and always with a smile . team but in true Belvoir fashion we of students who are experiencing sector through our much admired 25A strove onwards. A big thank you also to the tireless live theatre for the first time. Three program, showcasing eight eclectic plays Belvoir board who support the company Subscriptions remained steady, around highlights of 2019: watching a packed and attracting 6700 audience members in so many different ways, and especially 6,400, and there were 10,000 brand new student audience light up their phones to our Downstairs theatre. We also to our dynamic Chair, Sam Meers - our single ticket buyers. We were delighted and sway in unison to a Fangirls pop presented Red Line Production’s girl- strongest advocate. Being on the board that our 2019 programming appealed song; erupting into hysterics when actor powered play The Wolves, as part of our of an arts company in this current to both our core subscribers, who are Peter Carroll (in full garb as a Catholic Upstairs season. climate is taxing. It also requires huge our biggest fans/critics, as well as new Bishop) launched into a frantic dance Belvoir wants theatre to be truly amounts of enthusiasm and many hours audiences who came to their first Belvoir during Life of Galileo; and the boisterous representative of Australian society of work. They are an integral part of show – be it Counting and Cracking, cheering when a teacher was picked to and in 2019 we proudly employed our company and of Belvoir’s most Things I Know to be True, Winyanboga play the ‘boyfriend’ of Kate Mulvany in more artists from culturally diverse successful year. or – and told us . Yurringa Packer & Sons Every Brilliant Thing backgrounds than ever before, in fact that they would return ….when we can Artists are at the core of what Belvoir 59% of all performers, and more female Sue reopen. does. Apart from engaging 178 artists - directors than ever before. The industry also thought we were performers and creatives - across our 2019 While 2019 was successful it was at doing something right, rewarding us season of plays, we engaged many others times tough as we pushed limits in with a record breaking 13 Helpmann in play readings and creative developments, every area – on stage, backstage, in our awards including Best Musical, for the commissioned and worked with new workshop, behind the bar and box office, gutsy, heart-wrenching writers (thanks again to philanthropic Barbara and the in marketing, development and finance. , and Best Play for support), and ensured that the broader Campdogs Counting I am extremely indebted to our amazing – the first time a company artistic community could enjoy our plays and Cracking Belvoir staff who work far beyond the has won both awards in the same year. In through artist discount tickets. hours for which they’re paid, meet

12 13 THE 2019 SEASON

COUNTING AND CRACKING About Australia as a migrant nation. THE WOLVES About being stronger together. EVERY BRILLIANT THING About how beautiful it is to be alive. BARBARA AND THE CAMP DOGS About singing for your life. WINYANBOGA YURRINGA About gathering to honour the past. THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE About family. LIFE OF GALILEO About truth and politics. FANGIRLS About being young, crazy and glorious. PACKER & SONS About power and Sydney.

15 Hazem Shammas, Shiv Palekar, and Nadie Kammallaweera. Photo by Brett Boardman.

Written by Movement & Fight With Sri Lankan meal provided by COUNTING & S. Shakthidharan Director Prakash Belawadi Dish Dining and Events & Eamon Flack Nigel Poulton Nicholas Brown Assisted by the Australian Government’s Major Jay Emmanuel Directed by Accent Coach Festivals initiative, managed by the Australia CRACKING Rarriwuy Hick Eamon Flack Linda Nicholls-Gidley Council, its arts funding and advisory body, in Antonythasan Jesuthasan & S. Shakthidharan association with the Confederation of Australian Assistant Director Nadie Kammallaweera A co-production with International Arts Festivals Inc., Sydney 11 JANUARY – 2 FEBRUARY Carissa Licciardello (Sydney) Co-Curious Festival, Adelaide Festival. SYDNEY TOWN HALL Associate Artist Ahi Karunaharan Supported by Costume & Cultural Suzanne Pereira Monica Kumar Statistics Advisor Gandhi MacIntyre Macquarie Group Foundation Stage Manager Anandavalli Arky Michael (Adelaide) Naomi Milgrom Foundation Performances 25 Luke McGettigan Shiv Palekar Neilson Foundation Set & Costume Designer Paid Audience 10,604 Deputy Stage Manager Monroe Reimers Nelson Meers Foundation Dale Ferguson Hazem Shammas (Sydney) Oranges & Sardines Foundation Total Audience 11,990 Jennifer Parsonage Lighting Designer Nipuni Sharada and Belvoir’s visionary Gamechanger donors. Assistant Stage Manager Box Office Income $613,138 Damien Cooper Kalieaswari Srinivasan The Thyne Reid Foundation is acknowledged Julia Orlando (Adelaide) Sound Designer & for their support of Belvoir’s Western Sydney Vaishnavi Suryaprakash 2 – 9 MARCH Composer initiatives. Rajan Velu ADELAIDE FESTIVAL Stefan Gregory Sukania Venugopal RIDLEY CENTRE, Musical Director ADELAIDE SHOWGROUNDS Band (Adelaide only) Shenzo Gregorio Statistics Alan John (Adelaide) Sound Designer Performances 9 Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda (Adelaide only) (Sydney) HHHHH Total Audience 2,574 David Bergman Vinod Prasanna (Adelaide) “Flack’s direction is expansive and generous” – Time Out Associate Sound Arjunan Puveendran (Adelaide) Designer Janakan Raj (Sydney) HHHH Jessica Dunn Venkhatesh Sritharan “Exciting, groundbreaking Australian theatre” (Sydney) – Limelight

16 17 Sarah Meacham, Michelle Ny and Cece Peters. Photo by Brett Boardman. Kate Mulvany. Photo by Brett Boardman.

Written by With Written by THE Sarah DeLappe Brenna Harding EVERY Duncan Macmillan with Directed by Emma Harvie Jonny Donahoe Chika Ikogwe Jessica Arthur BRILLIANT Directed by WOLVES Kate Champion Presented by Sarah Meacham THING Co-Directed by Red Line Productions Sofia Nolan Steve Rodgers 2 FEBRUARY – 3 MARCH Set & Costume Michelle Ny 8 – 31 MARCH Set & Costume Designer UPSTAIRS THEATRE Designer Cece Peters UPSTAIRS THEATRE Isabel Hudson Maya Keys Nikita Waldron Statistics Nadia Zwecker Statistics Lighting Designer Lighting Designer Supported by Amelia Lever-Davidson Performances 33 Veronique Benett Performances 28 The Hive Sound Designer Paid Audience 7,386 Composer & Sound Paid Audience 7,963 Steve Francis Total Audience 8,667 Designer Total Audience 9,358 Clemence Williams Stage Manager Box Office Income $374,798 Box Office Income $421,156 Isabella Kerdijk Soccer Coach Mandela Mathia With 3 – 6 APRIL Kate Mulvany Dialect Coach RIVERSIDE THEATRES, PARRAMATTA (8 – 24 March) Jennifer White Steve Rodgers Casting Director Statistics (26 – 31 March & Daisy Hicks Performances 5 Parramatta season) Stage Manager Total Audience 639 Supported by the Keiren Smith Nelson Meers

Assistant Stage Foundation

Manager HHHH “A hell of a lot of talent” Vanessa Martin HHHH – “Brilliant” – Time Out – The Sydney Morning Herald

HHHH “An invigorating HHHHH – “A theatrical feminist battle song” experience you will never forget” – Audrey Journal – Artshub

18 19 Elaine Crombie, Ursula Yovich and Troy Brady. Photo by Brett Boardman. Dubs Yunupingu. Photo by Brett Boardman.

Written by Stage Manager Written by Stage Manager BARBARA Ursula Yovich & Cecilia Nelson WINYANBOGA Andrea James Isabella Kerdijk Alana Valentine Assistant Stage Manager Directed by Assistant Stage & THE CAMP DOGS Directed by Brooke Kiss Anthea Williams Manager 4 – 28 MARCH UPSTAIRS THEATRE Leticia Cáceres YURRINGA Rehearsal Stage Manager / Presented in association Ella Griffin Statistics Produced in association Stage Manager (Malthouse with Solid Ground 4 – 26 MAY with Vicki Gordon Music Season) Khym Scott Assistant Stage Performances 24 UPSTAIRS THEATRE Moogahlin Performing Productions Pty Ltd Manager Paid Audience 5,271 *Vicki Gordon also Arts contributed music to Songs by Michona Warria Total Audience 6,407 Tick Sista, Merenia Gillies Statistics Associate Director Alana Valentine, contributed music to Deborah Brown With Box Office Income $278,646 Performances 25 Ursula Yovich & Chained to You, and Roxanne McDonald Cultural Design Advisor Adm Ventoura James Warwick Shipstone Paid Audience 4,926 Tuuli Narkle 7 FEBRUARY – 3 MARCH contributed to Pieces. Danièle Hromek Angeline Penrith MALTHOUSE THEATRE Set Designer Total Audience 5,871 With Set & Costume Designer Stephen Curtis Performances 20 Troy Brady Box Office Income $246,691 Isabel Hudson Dalara Williams Costume Designer Total Audience 4,212 Shakira Clanton Cultural Language Dubs Yunupingu Chloe Greaves (Understudy) Advisor Indigenous theatre 1 – 25 MAY QUEENSLAND THEATRE Lighting Designer Marcus Corowa (Understudy) Dr Lou Bennett AM at Belvoir supported Performances 29 Karen Norris by Elaine Crombie Lighting Designer Total Audience 7,435 Sound Designer Ursula Yovich Verity Hampson The Balnaves Steve Toulmin Foundation Band Associate Lighting 30 MAY – 1 JUNE Musical Rehearsal Sorcha Albuquerque Designer CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Director Jessica Dunn Chloe Ogilvie Performances 4 Adm Ventoura Michelle Vincent Composer & Sound

Total Audience 1,095 Performing Musical Indigenous theatre at Designer “A life-affirming work in which the Director Belvoir supported by Steve Francis & 5 – 8 JUNE women emerge from a dark place Jessica Dunn The Balnaves Foundation Brendon Boney MERRIGONG THEATRE COMPANY to take their place in the sun” Lighting Realiser – The Sydney Morning Herald Performances 5 Matt Cox “Important theatre with Total Audience 1,203 Assistant Director formidable heart” “Powerfully and surprisingly done” Riley Spadaro – Theatre Travels – The Australian 20 21 Miranda Daughtry and Helen Thomson. Photo by Heidrun Löhr. Vaishnavi Suryaprakash and Peter Carroll. Photo by Brett Boardman.

Written by With Written by With Andrew Bovell Miranda Daughtry Bertolt Brecht Ayeesha Ash THINGS LIFE OF (Rehearsals) Directed by Tom Hobbs Adapted by Matt Levett Peter Carroll I KNOW TO BE Neil Armfield Tom Wright Tony Martin Colin Friels Set Designer Anna Lise Phillips GALILEO Directed by Laura McDonald Stephen Curtis Helen Thomson Eamon Flack Miranda Parker TRUE Costume Designer Supported by the Set & Costume Designer Damien Ryan Damien Strouthos Tess Schofield Chair’s Circle Zoë Atkinson 8 JUNE – 21 JULY 3 AUGUST – 15 SEPTEMBER Vaishnavi Lighting Designer Lighting Designer UPSTAIRS THEATRE UPSTAIRS THEATRE Suryaprakash Damien Cooper Paul Jackson Sonia Todd Statistics Composer Statistics Composer & Sound Rajan Velu Designer Performances 49 Alan John Performances 48 Supported by the Sound Designer Jethro Woodward Nelson Meers Paid Audience 13,166 Paid Audience 11,909 Steve Francis Stage Manager Foundation Total Audience 14,995 Total Audience 13,758 Movement & Fight Tanya Leach Box Office Income $741,265 Director Box Office Income $650,726 Assistant Stage Nigel Poulton Manager Bronte Schuftan Stage Manager Luke McGettigan Assistant Stage

Manager

Georgina Pead “Brilliant, moving and often “Tom Wright’s adaptation ... is very funny” brilliant.” – The Australian – The Australian

HHHH “Armfield creates an HHHH“Incredibly politically unforgettable image of relevant” tenderness and compassion” – Theatre Now – The Sydney Morning Herald

22 23 The cast of Fangirls. Photo by Brett Boardman. John Howard and Josh McConville. Photo by Brett Boardman.

Book, music & lyrics Associate Lighting Written by With by Yve Blake Designer Tommy Murphy Nick Bartlett Directed by Ben Hughes PACKER John Gaden FANGIRLS Directed by Anthony Harkin Paige Rattray Choreographer Eamon Flack John Howard A co-production with Leonard Mickelo 12 OCTOBER – 10 NOVEMBER & Set & Costume Brandon McClelland Queensland Theatre SONS UPSTAIRS THEATRE Sound Designer Designer Josh McConville & Brisbane Festival, Michael Waters 16 NOVEMBER – 5 JANUARY Romanie Harper Nate Sammut in association with Statistics UPSTAIRS THEATRE Byron Wolffe Australian Theatre Associate Director Lighting Designer Performances 34 for Young People Carissa Licciardello Statistics Nick Schlieper Supported by Paid Audience 9,273 (ATYP). Voice / Dialect Composer Australian Writers’ Performances 51 Guild’s David Fangirls was originally Coach Alan John Total Audience 10,910 Williamson Prize, commissioned and Amy Hume Paid Audience 14,732 Sound Designer The Copyright Agency Box Office Income $471,332 developed by ATYP, Stage Manager Total Audience 16,619 David Bergman & Cultural Fund, with the support Isabella Kerdijk Box Office Income $869,590 Steve Francis and the Walking Up the 7 SEPTEMBER - 5 OCTOBER of Global Creatures. Hill Foundation. QUEENSLAND THEATRE Assistant Stage Movement & Fight Vocal Arranger / Manager Director Music Director Statistics Katie Moore Nigel Poulton Alice Chance Performances 32 With Assistant Director Music Producer / Aydan Hannah Goodwin Total Audience 8,812 Sound Designer Yve Blake Stage Manager David Muratore Kimberley Hodgson Luke McGettigan Dramaturg Chika Ikogwe Jonathan Ware Ayesha Madon Assistant Stage HHHH James Majoos Manager “Fangirls is loud and funny Set, Video Content & “It’s not only schadenfreude. It’s and raw, with a powerful message Sharon Millerchip Jennifer Parsonage Costume Designer just great theatre” delivered with sass and joy.” Melissa Russo David Fleischer – The Guardian Stage Manager – The Sydney Morning Herald (Swing) (season extension) Video Content Design Supported by “Brilliant virtuoso performances” Isabella Kerdijk “A life-affirming night of pure & Production The Group – The Australian Assistant Stage theatrical escapism” Justin Harrison Manager (season – The Australian Lighting Designer extension) 24 Emma Valente Georgina Pead 25 25A, HOUSED IN OUR INTIMATE DOWNSTAIRS THEATRE, IS AN EXCITING PROGRAM OF LOW-COST, INDEPENDENT THEATRE MAKING AND EMERGING THEATRICAL TALENT. THE 25A CHALLENGE IS TO PRODUCE THE MOST ESSENTIAL THEATRE WHILE CELEBRATING ACTING, STORY AND COMMUNITY.

26 27 TUESDAY EXTINCTION OF THE 6 – 23 FEBRUARY LEARNED RESPONSE TOTAL AUDIENCE – 693 7 – 25 MAY PERFORMANCES – 15 TOTAL AUDIENCE – 732 PERFORMANCES – 16

Written by Louris van de Geer Written by Emme Hoy Directed by Nell Ranney Directed by Carissa Licciardello

Producer Amy Goodhew Set & Costume Designer Ella Butler Production Designer Sound Designer Ben Pierpoint Isabel Hudson Lighting Designer Kelsey Lee Sound Designer Clare Hennessy Producer Michelle Sverdloff Lighting Designer Martin Kinnane Production Manager / Assistant Assistant Director Rebecca Blake Stage Manager Jana Vass Stage Manager Alexandra Moon Stage Manager Bronte Schuftan

with With Frances Duca Tel Benjamin Duncan Fellows Sarah Meacham Tom Anson Mesker Eddie Orton Bridie McKim Jennifer Rani

Presented in association with Presented in association Sign of the Acorn with Glitterbomb Duncan Fellows, Frances Duca, Tom Anson Mesker and Bridie McKim. Photo by Clare Hawley. Sarah Meacham. Photo by Jasmin Simmons.

JESS AND JOE THE ASTRAL PLANE 12 – 29 JUNE FOREVER TOTAL AUDIENCE – 1055 13 – 30 MARCH PERFORMANCES – 15 TOTAL AUDIENCE – 735 PERFORMANCES – 17

Written and directed by Written by Zoe Cooper Charlie Garber Directed by Shaun Rennie Producers Producer Gus Murray Rebecca Blake and Jessica Set & Costume Designer Pantano Isabel Hudson Designer Jonathon Hindmarsh Lighting Designer Lighting Designer Martin Kinnane Benjamin Brockman Lighting Design Associate Sound Designer Ben Pierpoint Jasmine Ryzk Sound Designer Clare Hennessy With Stage Manager Jess Bell Nyx Calder Julia Robertson With Eden Falk Presented by Emma Harvie Sugary Rum Productions Ella Scott Lynch Julia Robertson Imogen Sage Michael Whalley 28 Julia Robertson and Nyx Calder. Photo by Kate Williams. Emma Harvie and Michael Whalley. Photo by Clare Hawley. SKYDUCK: A CHINESE SLAUGHTERHOUSE 16 OCTOBER – 2 NOVEMBER SPY COMEDY TOTAL AUDIENCE – 802 11 – 20 JULY PERFORMANCES – 15 TOTAL AUDIENCE – 563 PERFORMANCES – 9

Written by Anchuli Felicia King Directed by Benita de Wit Written by Sam Wang AV Designer Anchuli Felicia King Directed by Aileen Huynh Production Designer Video and Props Sam Wang Brendan de la Hay Tech & Ops (AV) Aileen Huynh Lighting Designer Phoebe Pilcher Producer Pierce Wilcox Associate Designer Lyndal Tuckey Lighting Designer Kelsey Lee Stage Manager Bronte Schuftan Original Music by Tauese Tofa, With Reveal Music Pty Ltd Romy Bartz Stagehand, Tech & Ops Adam Marks (Surtitles) Lap Nguyen Tom Matthews Brooke Rayner Stephanie Somerville

Supported by the Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation

Sam Wang. Photo by Jasmin Simmons. Romy Bartz. Photo by Clare Hawley.

TE MOLIMAU KASAMA KITA 7 – 24 AUGUST 20 NOVEMBER – 8 DECEMBER TOTAL AUDIENCE – 883 TOTAL AUDIENCE – 1238 PERFORMANCES – 13 PERFORMANCES – 18

Written by Taofia Pelesasa Written by Jordan Shea Directed by Emele Ugavule Directed by Erin Taylor

Assistant Director Ayeesha Ash Producer Emma Diaz Lighting Designer Amber Silk Production Designer Emma White Choreographer Sela Vai Lighting Designer Kelsey Lee Sound Designer Clare Hennessy With Assistant Director Mark Paguio Lesina Ateli-Ugavule Stage Manager Malia Letoafa Adrienne Patterson Tommy Misa Iya Ware With Kip Chapman Presented in association with Jude Gibson Black Birds Creative Arts Co. Kenneth Moraleda Monica Sayers Teresa Tate Britten

Presented in association with Aya Productions 30 Tommy Misa and Malia Letoafa. Photo by Teni Komolafe. Monica Sayers. Photo by Aya Productions.

BELVOIR 2019 IN REVIEW

Belvoir is a theatre company on a side Audiences remember many landmark street in Surry Hills, Sydney. We share our productions including The Drover’s Wife, street with a park and a public housing Angels in America, Brothers Wreck, The estate, and our theatre is in an old Glass Menagerie, Neighbourhood Watch, industrial building. It has been, at various The Wild Duck, Medea, The Diary of a times, a garage, a sauce factory, and Madman, Death of a Salesman, The Blind the Nimrod Theatre. When the theatre Giant is Dancing, Hamlet, Cloudstreet, was threatened with redevelopment in Aliwa, The Book of Everything, Keating!, 1984, over 600 likeminded theatre-lovers The Exile Trilogy, Exit the King, The formed a syndicate to buy the building Sapphires, The Rover, Faith Healer, The and save it from becoming an apartment Sugar House, Counting and Cracking and block. More than thirty years later, many more. Belvoir St Theatre continues to be at the Today, under Artistic Director Eamon forefront of Australian acting and story Flack and Executive Director Sue telling for the stage. Donnelly, Belvoir tours nationally and In its early years Belvoir was run internationally, and continues to create cooperatively. It later rose to international its own brand of rough magic for new prominence under first and longest- generations of audiences. We are proud serving Artistic Director Neil Armfield and to be creating work that speaks to the continued to be both wildly successful fullness of life and experience in Australia and controversial under Ralph Myers. and abroad, continuing our commitment Belvoir is a traditional home for the great to deliver diverse stories to diverse old crafts of acting and storytelling in audiences. This year that work was Australian theatre. It is a platform for recognised with a record thirteen wins at voices that won’t otherwise be heard. the 2019 Helpmann Awards. And it is a gathering of outspoken ideals. Belvoir receives government support for In short: theatricality, variety of life, and its activities from the federal government faith in humanity. through the Australia Council and the At Belvoir we gather the best theatre state government through Create NSW. artists we can find, emerging and We also receive philanthropic and established, to realise an annual season of corporate support, which we greatly works – new works, both Australian and appreciate and welcome. international, re-imagined classics and a lasting commitment to Indigenous stories.

VISION: FEARLESS THEATRE THAT OUR GOALS BRINGS EVERYONE TOGETHER 1: Create exceptional theatre Mission: Belvoir shares old and new 2: Inspire, excite and grow our stories that entertain and challenge audiences us, connecting us to humanity and the 3. Invest in talent and people complexity of society. 4. Be a strong and sustainable company

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation who are the traditional custodians of the land on which Belvoir St Theatre is built. We also pay respect to the elders past and present.

Kris McQuade. Photo by Brett Boardman John Howard, Josh McConville and Brandon McClelland. Photo by Brett Boardman. 33 MAKING EXCEPTIONAL THEATRE

CREATE NEW AND CLASSIC WORK One measure of the calibre of our recent IN ORIGINAL WAYS new work was the recognition at the 2019 Helpmann awards, where the company won The 2019 season was very successful. We both Best Play and Best Musical. The writers created the biggest show ever produced from these two projects continue to be by Belvoir – Counting and Cracking – and commissioned by Belvoir. we ended with one that was a hallmark of Sydney – Packer and Sons. The season’s Belvoir is also one of two Australian nine shows included: companies working with the Royal Exchange Manchester on the Bruntwood • a new epic play about Sri Lanka and Prize, the largest English-language Australia, playwriting award in the world. This year, 20 • a new Australian musical about teenagers, Australian playwrights were nominated, and • a new work about one of Australia’s we also contributed to the judging process. most famous media families, A play by 2017 Philip Parsons Fellow, Emme Hoy, was among the top five selected. • a Pulitzer-prize nominated play, • two Indigenous works, Key to supporting new writing at the company is our commitment to running a new adaptation of a Brecht classic, • workshops and increasing the access time • a new production of an international hit that playwrights and directors have with solo show, and actors during the drafting and development • a work by one of Australia’s most phase. This has been particularly important successful playwrights. for large-scale works like Counting and Cracking, which was six years in While much work is done during rehearsals development, and is essential to ensure to bring a show to the stage, it is also the quality productions are brought to the hidden background work which starts stage. many years in advance that ensures Belvoir produces exceptional theatre. We Resourcing these workshops is an expensive commissioned seven new works in 2019 way to develop new plays, and philanthropic from senior and emerging playwrights, support is the key. Over the course of the as well as continuing to work on existing year, Belvoir ran 13 creative developments commissions. The Artistic and Programming – ranging from three-hour calls with team also reads broadly, logging and reading cast to full rehearsal weeks – to support over 250 new works annually. the full pipeline of work. Not all creative developments will result in a production but To increase ongoing support and sometimes another company may pick up professional development for early career the work, thus benefiting the sector overall. playwrights, the focus of the Phillip Parsons’ Early Career Playwrights’ award has Belvoir is active in seeking out writers from evolved into a year-long Writers’ Lab. The non-theatrical backgrounds – such as the lab will begin in 2020. Six playwrights were worlds of screen, literature or journalism selected from 45 applications. Through – to involve those with different voices, the support of the Oranges & Sardines perspectives and profiles. We also maintain Foundation, Belvoir is committed to running strong relationships with our writers and are the lab for the next three years. committed to several commissions a year for both emerging and senior writers. Due partly to this more integrated development process, our commissioned works are increasingly being converted to production.

34 Kimberley Hodgson, James Majoos and Sharon Millerchip. Photo by Brett Boardman. MAKING EXCEPTIONAL THEATRE Continued...

ENGAGING WITH THE BEST ARTISTS transfer to Riverside Theatres in Parramatta. AND ARTS COMPANIES OPENING UP THE REPERTOIRE OF STORIES Belvoir works with the most talented Dating from our original 1984 charter, Belvoir theatre artists across generational and has long had a specific commitment to state lines. The casting of Counting and developing and presenting Indigenous works Cracking, for example, involved a national and works that are socially and politically and international audition of 250 artists relevant. In recent years Belvoir has added over three years, and a final cast from six to this list – developing works from diverse countries speaking five different languages. communities. Artists employed by Belvoir continue to win Belvoir proactively engages actors and industry awards across playwriting, directing, creatives from a wide range of backgrounds. design and performance. Frequently we This year 59% of our performers and 14% of are the first connection an artist has with our creatives were a major company and we enjoy watching from a culturally diverse . We also look to re-present shows younger creatives develop their craft background that have been produced in the independent with more senior artists. In 2019 some of sector and give them another life. Belvoir’s Australia’s best actors performed with the presentation of originally company, including Kate Mulvany, Colin The Wolves, produced by Red Line Productions at the Old Friels, Helen Thomson, John Howard, Ursula Fitz in 2018, provided a mainstage debut to all Yovich, Peter Carroll, John Gaden, Sharon but one of its original cast (nine young female Millerchip, Tony Martin and international actors) and most of the creative team. performers like Nadie Kammallaweera, Prakash Belawadi and Antonythasan Belvoir’s continuing commitment to Jesuthasan. Integral to the success of Belvoir Indigenous work involved a remount are partnerships with other companies. This and tour of Barbara and the Camp Dogs helps us connect with audiences that are not (which went on to win four Helpmann traditionally part of the Belvoir audience. 2019 awards including Best Musical) and a partnerships included those with Co-Curious, collaboration with Mooghalin Performing western Sydney artists and South Asian Arts on a new production of Winyanboga artists. We also collaborated with Australian Yurringa. The latter production recognised Theatre for Young People to find the cast of Mooghalin’s initial involvement in the script, Fangirls from over 360 auditions, and with while reconceiving it for the Belvoir stage rock promoter Vicky Gordon in Barbara and with greater resources and a much larger the Camp Dogs to bring high-calibre rock audience. Through Mooghalin we also musicians to the performance team. engaged a cultural design advisor and a cultural language advisor for the production. Belvoir also continued to work with international festivals, specifically Adelaide The first year of theBalnaves Fellowship and Sydney for Counting and Cracking, as well (previously an award) provided the as touring to regional performing arts centres opportunity for our inaugural fellow, like Parramatta and Wollongong to present Indigenous artist Kodie Bedford, to work at our work to a growing national audience. Belvoir and participate in the programming, while being supported in a more rigorous The company also brings back successful development of her commission. By shows, often as part of a longer tour. integrating the artist into the company, 2019 saw the return of the award-winning the process has resulted in the fastest Barbara and the Camp Dogs, as well as turnaround of a Balnaves commission to a subsequent national tour in Victoria, date, with Kodie’s work being programmed NSW and Queensland. Every Brilliant Thing for the 2020 mainstage season. was programmed to have a direct season

36 Colin Friels. Photo by Brett Boardman. INSPIRING AND GROWING OUR AUDIENCES

SHARING OUR WORK AND our audiences. Community groups and INCREASING OUR AUDIENCES care providers were re-engaged for our free unwaged performances after a period Belvoir fosters a diverse audience that of decline in group attendance at those reflects Australian society. With tiered events. Similarly, we discussed with the pricing, concession discounts, low-cost providers of our audio-described and preview performances and an unwaged captioned services better ways to engage program, there is a ticket option to suit patrons with disabilities. We want to most people. This is part of our ethos make sure these services remain viable, to ensure that theatre can be part of particularly as we have many passionate everyone’s lives. In addition, artists and older audience members. producers can join the Artist Registry and purchase $20 tickets. Belvoir seeks to reach and involve an audience that is reflected in the stories In 2019 Belvoir partnered with Playwave told onstage. Stories which resonate with to offer $25 tickets, plus exclusive access Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander to behind the scenes events, to young communities (Barbara and the Camp people aged 19 to 25. Dogs, Winyanboga Yurringa), the South We also provided special ticket offers to Asian community (Counting and Cracking), the Sri Lankan and Indian communities youth, feminist and queer communities for Counting and Cracking, discounted (The Wolves, Fangirls), require Belvoir to tickets for the African youth community actively and authentically engage with for The Wolves and Fangirls, and special these audiences. offers to the local Indigenous and Torres Belvoir Briefings provide an opportunity Strait Islander communities for Barbara for audiences to ask questions of the and the Camp Dogs and Winyanboga cast and creatives behind a production Yurringa. in an open and supported forum. In 2019 There were also occasional special Belvoir began live streaming these free discounts for seniors as well as Student events on social media to increase the Rush tickets for every performance. reach and awareness of both the event and the play. Q&A sessions, podcasts, When Belvoir was performing Counting behind-the-scenes videos and cast and Cracking in the Sydney Town Hall Instagram takeovers all help demystify in January, Sydney Festival hired our the process and draw audiences closer to Upstairs Theatre for two productions the Belvoir brand. which attracted new audience members as well as needed income. In 2019, we continued to extend Belvoir’s footprint beyond Surry Hills by touring We encourage groups to hire our theatre and transferring work to Parramatta, spaces, when available, for meetings and Melbourne, Canberra, Wollongong, other occasions and we sometimes co- Adelaide and Brisbane (twice). This host events such as the joint presentation, resulted in an additional 26,000 people with Diversity Arts Australia and the seeing a Belvoir work. British Council, of prominent UK actor Deborah Williams, who promotes diversity As part of our commitment to on stage and screen. exceptional theatre and exceptional service, Belvoir emails post-show surveys Belvoir made considerable efforts in 2019 to all ticket buyers. Audience sentiment to include those with diverse needs in is tracked and measured, and individual

38 Thuso Lekwape, Taylor Ferguson. Photo by Brett Boardman Ursula Yovich. Photo by Brett Boardman. 39 INSPIRING AND GROWING OUR AUDIENCES Continued...

feedback responded to appropriately. as a result of Belvoir performing in juxtaposed with the grandeur of the The majority of 2019 productions the Sydney Town Hall in January and neo-Gothic Town Hall. achieved a 70%-plus positive rating by negotiating various standing costs, the In all three productions the various audiences, with four shows achieving City of Sydney have implemented a changes required a re-think and 80% or higher. new pricing schedule for not-for-profit redesign of theatre signage and point- companies. This will ultimately benefit With limited marketing resources, of-sale instructions. the sector and encourage more not-for- Belvoir relies heavily on social media profits to use the Town Hall as a venue. The training of bar and front-of-house – both paid and organic – which is staff was revised in line with the curated to maintain and grow the Both the Executive and Artistic Directors changing formats of our productions. engagement. Reach, insights and spoke at various industry events and New on-shift procedural documentation follower numbers are tracked, direct conferences during the year, as well as also addressed revisions to cleaning and messages actioned, and conversations providing media commentary. stock management processes. monitored. Email communication is IMPROVING THE AUDIENCE segmented, and messaging tailored and In ticketing we hired our smallest- EXPERIENCE carefully scheduled to prevent recipient ever seasonal subscriptions team. The fatigue. Wordfly is now Belvoir’s email Following audience feedback, our focus was to install a small and highly platform, providing a more dependable customer service team looked at ways to engaged staff with a greater investment email system for users and recipients. improve the Belvoir ‘experience’. Multiple in our company and product, and Email-open, click-through and sign-up changes, including developing a new greater ability to service our subscribers’ rates are recorded and reported. partnership with florist Merchant & Green needs. The outcome of this was a record low error rate in data entry, higher We continue to offer subscribers to introduce fresh flowers into the foyer processing speeds and the best level exclusive discounts, savings and special weekly, have been much appreciated by of positive-to-negative subscription offers from our partners and colleague audience members, artists and staff. feedback recorded. organisations, the opportunity to The famous Belvoir foyer is often a tight purchase tickets for friends and family at squeeze and the configuration of tables a discount and before the general public, and chairs was reviewed to maximise and access to exclusive Belvoir events. space and allow for a greater number of This year we began a review of Belvoir’s seats. Work will continue on the foyer brand proposition to more closely reflect redesign to make it more comfortable Artistic Director Eamon Flack’s vision for our audiences. and commitment to diverse stories and A new arrangement for two productions distinctive voices. This review, including in 2019 was the reconfiguration of the input from our partners and board, Belvoir stage to ‘in-the-round’ – in was conducted with Houston, Belvoir’s Every Brilliant Thing and Life of Galileo. Strategic Brand Partner, and is an Audience members responded positively evolving process. to the changed stage although it did As one of a group of eight major theatre mean that some of them required companies around Australia – commonly reseating as the new configuration was known as CAST – Belvoir continued to refined. work with our colleagues on policies The off-site staging of Counting and and advocacy for the arts sector and Cracking at Sydney Town Hall also to support productions as required. We created some challenges but audience hosted interstate companies such as members responded positively to the Malthouse and Queensland Theatre to incredible experience of walking into hold auditions with local artists. the Town Hall foyer, receiving delicious We were heartened to learn that partly Sri Lankan food and then continuing into a Sri Lankan community space, all

40 41 40 Kate Mulvany. Photo by Brett Boardman 41 WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE COMMUNITY

Belvoir’s education program is funded pre-show workshops run at their school. through the generosity of donors and This year 53 students participated in our supporters. In 2019 over 9,000 students program focusing on Things I Know To and teachers attended a performance at Be True. Belvoir or participated in our education program. Our small Education team of It was a powerful, beautiful and two people (plus contracted tutors) perspective-changing play that made facilitates, promotes and delivers a range me ponder and consider my life as lucky of experiences and opportunities for as my family isn’t in such a wreck. It was students and teachers to attend and brilliant and breathtaking. I honestly participate in the company’s work. didn’t want to breathe too loud so I wouldn’t miss any word being spoken. Features of the 2019 program included: Student, Mount Annan High School, after • Nine dedicated schools-only attending Things I Know To Be True performances of Belvoir productions attended by 2,738 students and their STUDENT WORKSHOPS teachers. Students attending these performances came from the full range Belvoir conducted 175 student of government and non-government workshops in 2019 with 3,240 high schools, local schools and schools participating students. The workshops from regional NSW and interstate. were held in regional areas, in many parts of Sydney and at Belvoir itself. • 646 tickets provided free of charge through our Priority Schools program. Our Western Sydney Workshop Participating Sydney schools were Program is free to students of low from Ambarvale, Ashcroft, Canley socio-economic advantage attending Vale, Condell Park, Granville, Guildford, qualifying government high schools. Most Greystanes, Liverpool, Mount Druitt of the participating students are senior and Revesby. Regional schools came Drama students who lack the same level from Kurri Kurri, Maitland, Morisset and of exposure to the performing arts as Nowra. many of their inner-city peers. Thirty workshops were held at 20 different • 2,331 students and their teachers attended an evening performance high schools, reaching 561 students and 30 teachers in Ambarvale, Ashcroft, at Belvoir, either by purchasing As a drama teacher of almost Blacktown, Canley Vale, Doonside, subscription packages or by booking 30 years, yesterday was the best Eagle Vale, Enfield, Fairfield, Greystanes, specific productions. Q&A I have ever been privileged to Horningsea Park, Leumeah, Liverpool, listen to. I was so impressed by the • 370 students and teachers came Milperra, Northmead, Parramatta, sensitivity shown by the actors – each to Belvoir to access the company’s Quakers Hill, Riverstone and St Marys. history and watch an archival question was dealt with respectfully recording of a past Belvoir production. Forty regional workshops were provided and genuinely. I can tell you we had at a subsidised rate. In total, 800 the most incredible conversation Belvoir’s Theatre Enrichment Program students and 40 teachers participated in back at school after the show. The aims to make the form and content of the workshops at 21 regional NSW high production has definitely inspired our work accessible to those students schools in Albury, Ballina, Bargo, Eden, my Drama students – the power of with little or no experience of live theatre. Erina, Gloucester, Kincumber, Kurri Kurri, those wonderful women in the cast In particular, the program provides senior Nowra, Tamworth, Wagga Wagga and and creative team was palpable both English students attending government Woonona. A total of 105 workshops were onstage and offstage. high schools in western Sydney with held in metropolitan and greater Sydney Teacher, Brigidine College St Ives, the language and frame of reference to on a fee-for-service basis. write about plays as productions through after attending The Wolves

42 Nikita Waldron and Sofia Nolan. Photo by Brett Boardman "The moment in the play that had the most impact on me was when they said WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE you don’t need to prove your culture because I have a mixed culture, and AND THE COMMUNITY Continued... a part of me feels I have to prove my culture.” The workshops included: Apart from performances and workshops, Student, Beverly Hills Girls High Belvoir provides young people with other 65 held at Belvoir for schools from School, after attending Winyanboga • opportunities to participate in theatre. regional NSW, interstate or overseas, Yurringa A total of 87 young people attended an reaching 960 students and their 88 open rehearsal for either Every Brilliant accompanying teachers Thing or Fangirls. This not only included • 29 held at Arthur Phillip High School in Young Belvoir Theatre Club members but Parramatta to prepare students for their also young people from Australian Theatre move to a new multi-level, future-focused for Young People, Playwave, The House high school in 2020; in total Belvoir that Dan Built and the PYT Ensemble. worked with 759 Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 students and their teachers, introducing Twelve high school students also had the them to tools and techniques for effective opportunity to learn more about Belvoir group work and learning and our productions firsthand through our work experience program. • 11 held at other schools, reaching 218 students. Belvoir worked closely with community groups to ensure they could access our Our very successful Young Belvoir productions at either free or at heavily Theatre Club allowed 29 young people, discounted prices. These included Redlink aged 15 to 18, and their friends to gain a (Redfern Women’s Social Group), the unique insight into the company’s work. Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council, The club inspires and connects the next Arterie at Lifehouse, and Wayside Chapel generation of theatre makers with Belvoir, Kings Cross and Bondi Beach. One of the fosters a culture of independent, ongoing participants from Redlink wrote: theatre attendance among young people and engages club members’ families What an outstanding show, the women and friends with Belvoir’s work. In 2019 that attended had never had the club members attended The Wolves, opportunity to see a live performance Winyanboga Yurringa, Things I Know To before and the fact that many of them, Be True, Life of Galileo and Fangirls. including myself are Aboriginal made yesterday even better. Some of the Before each performance, members and statements I heard from the women their friends attended a pre-show talk after the show were such as, ‘It was like delivered by an artist or member of the watching my life play out in front of my production team in the Green Room. After eyes’, ‘The theatre is so close’, ‘Today each show they had the opportunity to showed me there is life outside of the meet and chat to cast members in the housing estate’. foyer. The members were also encouraged to invite friends and family members In 2019 Belvoir supported 134 charities and along to each performance they attended community organisations with tickets for through a discounted ticket offer and to their fundraisers at a value of $11,000 and promote Belvoir and our shows at school specifically fundraised for three charities and through their networks. This resulted at our theatre productions – Actors in an additional 152 tickets for Club Benevolent Fund, World Ovarian Cancer members’ friends and family across the Day and World AIDS Day. The total value of five performances they attended. these efforts was approximately $4,400.

The students were not able to express in words … the huge impact the play had on them. They are not confident writers but their heartfelt conversations about the play were wonderful. Teacher, Sir Joseph Banks High School, after attending Things I Know To Be True

Roxanne McDonald. Photo by Brett Boardman 45

I INVESTING IN TALENT AND PEOPLE

PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR at heavily subsidised (or pro bono) rates. associate lighting designer. Most of these attendance at company runs, opening INDEPENDENT COMPANIES AND ARTISTS This included companies who went on to roles were offered to women, particularly nights and other performances of our present work at other theatre companies in the technical areas which has been productions. They are also invited to The second year of Belvoir’s 25A and festivals including Griffin Theatre a major emphasis for Belvoir, and five various ‘behind the scenes’ events for program was more popular than Company, Sydney Festival, Red Line positions (including one as assistant stage donors and supporters and we organise ever. The 25A challenge – open to all Productions and Kings Cross Theatre. manager) were targeted at Indigenous occasional BBQs at our Marrickville independent companies and emerging artists. In addition, we hosted a Western workshop. artists – is to produce the most essential Belvoir supports the theatre sector in Australian Academy of Performing Arts theatre while celebrating acting, story a tangible way by bringing artists and Belvoir has a fluid staffing cohort partly due final-year student on a three-month arts and community. From 163 applications, independent companies together. Apart to the wage levels we can afford compared management internship. we facilitated eight independent from our existing initiatives, we regularly to other companies of the same scale. In productions in our Downstairs theatre: host sector events such as Theatre Depending on the production, Belvoir 2019 we had 35 ongoing roles (including • a suburban supermarket goes wrong, Network NSW’s State of the Sector will allow young artists and producers to part-time ones) and during that time had Tuesday. address in November, by NSW Minister observe our rehearsals and learn about the nine resignations and 11 new appointments. for the Arts Don Harwin. process at a professional company. • the Australian premiere of a rural queer This year we introduced the new role coming of age story, Jess and Joe Forever. DEVELOPING PATHWAYS FOR ARTISTS For the past 10 years Belvoir has actively of Production Administrator and re- • a psychological thriller exploring worked on narrowing the gender gap designed four others: Head of Finance and behavioural conditioning, Extinction of A key strategy in 2019 with our among our artists. In 2019 58% of acting Operations, Company Accountant, Head of the Learned Response. Balnaves Fellowship and the Andrew roles were female, an all-time high, with Development, and Education Coordinator. Cameron Fellowship was to increase • an inter-dimensional comedy of women also making up 56% of directors, In addition, we employed 43 front-of-house wellness, rat royalty and modern the number of artists in residence, 44% of writers, 56% of lighting designers and box-office casuals during the year. romance, The Astral Plane. to provide greater access to our and 44% of set and costume designers. Many casual roles are filled by actors and programming cycle and to continue to an epic, multi-lingual, genre mashing creatives and we try to be flexible in their • introduce new artists to the company. FOSTERING A HEALTHY solo sensation, Skyduck: A Chinese Spy employment so that they can take up paid Further, through the 25A program, each ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE Comedy. professional gigs when they arise. presenting company is in residence For its huge output Belvoir has a • a First Nation Tokelauan exploration of throughout the year, and given space Several staff participated in professional surprisingly small but tight-knit staff. All culture and climate change, Te Molimau. and artistic, marketing and production development programs in 2019 with 17 staff are involved in the initial ‘meet and • an office traumady premiere by one mentorship across the company. training opportunities provided. Our annual of Australia’s most exciting young greet’ with the cast on the first day of flu vaccination program also continued. playwrights, Slaughterhouse. Our inaugural Andrew Cameron Fellow, rehearsal, in design presentations and in Carissa Licciardello, completed her two- • a migrant story of family, love and the smashing of cultures, Kasama Kita. year program with the experience of being assistant director on both Fangirls These productions provided and Counting and Cracking, directing opportunities for 80 artists, with an Extinction of the Learned Response in emphasis on emerging and diverse 25A, and participating in all activities voices. The audience for 25A in 2019 of our Artistic and Programming team. grew by 37% over the previous year. Belvoir has now contracted Carissa to Some artists introduced to Belvoir both direct and adapt Virginia Woolf’s A via 25A are engaged on other Belvoir Room of One’s Own for our 2020 season. projects such as creative developments A great outcome of the fellowship. and ultimately stage productions. Apart from the fellowships, Belvoir Belvoir also offered working Sydney frequently offers positions of assistant artists tickets to all our mainstage and associate directors and designers productions for just $20. We have nearly to younger artists to upscale their skills 900 artists registered for the program. and to experience work in a mainstage Throughout the year, we opened our company. In 2019 we provided five rehearsal spaces to 16 independent and positions as assistant director, two as small-to-medium companies and artists associate sound designer and one as

46 The cast of Fangirls. Photo by Brett Boardman 4747 BECOMING STRONG AND SUSTAINABLE

Belvoir relies on a mix of income Corporate revenue grew through Throughout 2019 we’ve seen a steady including a new air conditioning system generators including production increased offerings of corporate increase in the number of positive in the warehouse involving six new units income, grants, commercial revenue, workshops and the introduction of customer responses to our venue team installed on the roof. The administration sponsorship, fundraising and donations. corporate entertaining packages. and services. We’re extremely proud of offices and rehearsal rooms are now far The company had a successful year in Philanthropy revenue saw strong our team and the services we provide. more hospitable. 2019. The net result of $557,262 is 103% individual giving and good outcomes UPGRADING OUR FACILITIES We are aware that air conditioning in better than 2018 due to strong revenue from our inaugural Belvoir Bash and the the theatre is temperamental. To better growth across all income sources and Equity Capital Markets charity dinner, of The Belvoir theatre and warehouse control the temperature and humidity careful monitoring of expenditure which Belvoir was a recipient. were redeveloped in 2005/06 and are sensor in the Upstairs auditorium, the throughout the organisation. This now starting to show their age. A joint Belvoir also continued to benefit from software controlling the theatre air surplus will be put into our necessary working group was formed by our two the support of foundations and trusts conditioning was upgraded. In the company reserves. companies (Belvoir St Theatre Ltd including the Nelson Meers Foundation and Company B Ltd) to investigate long term however, the theatre air Belvoir continues to offer a highly and new commitments from the how we could redevelop and improve conditioning will need to be replaced. desirable product at an attractive rate. Oranges & Sardines Foundation to our buildings. Various architectural Water posed problems for Belvoir in Box office contributed 38% to Belvoir’s support Belvoir’s Writers’ Lab (starting drawings have been completed to 2019, requiring installation of a new total income, with the 2019 results in 2020). In 2019 we also secured a look at options. In 2020 the working pump for the sprinkler system at the 18% above the season’s budget. This significant new grant from the Ian Potter group will develop a business case with warehouse and replacement of the hot was achieved through a combination Foundation called ‘Delivering Diversity’, funding options to present to the two water system in the theatre. Ongoing of greater occupancy and the use of which will assist us in changing the boards for a capital redevelopment. roof and other leaks continue to be dynamic ticket pricing on popular shape of storytelling in Australia. investigated and repaired but ultimately productions. Production costs were In the meantime, Belvoir continued to COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS require a longer-term solution. impacted by factors such as performer upgrade various facilities and services illness, unexpected understudy costs, Belvoir’s main source of commercial delayed design-delivery timelines and income apart from the box office is staff absences. However, these overruns through fees and venue hire. Box office were managed to reduce their impact fee income increased 24% over 2018 on the net result. due to strong home venue income. Venue hire benefited from Sydney As part of our ongoing upgrade of Festival presentations in the Belvoir services, which commenced two years theatre during January. ago, we introduced new systems for purchase orders, staff rostering, Our bar continued to develop food and Tessitura e-commerce platform beverage offerings to provide variety and stock control, in order to gain and quality to our patrons. While the efficiencies and reduce costs. result is down seven per cent on 2018 due to five (out of nine) productions FUNDRAISING being without intervals, the bar Like all arts companies, Belvoir maintained the strong sales growth is heavily reliant on support from achieved in 2018. donors and sponsors to continue our In 2019 we upgraded our new point- work. Government funding for our of-sale and stock-control software core activities remained at around in the bar, replacing an outdated 17% of our income. In comparison we and non-integrated system. The new secured revenue from fundraising and system has given the venue managers sponsorship of $2.5 million or 21% of much greater detail and ease of stock our turnover. This uplift was across all management, allowing greater insight channels including corporate revenue, into sales trends and critical sales philanthropy, and trusts and foundations. periods for the different performances.

48 Vaishnavi Suryaprakash and Shiv Palekar. Photo by Brett Boardman 4949 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT 2019

INTRODUCTION Governance Committee on behalf of PRINCIPLE 3: ACT ETHICALLY AND proportion of women at all levels and the board. The Board also undertakes a RESPONSIBLY to a range of broader inclusion and This Corporate Governance Statement review of its performance. diversity goals and initiatives. Belvoir outlines Belvoir’s governance practices Belvoir is committed to acting is also committed to diversity in its against the Essential Governance Practice professionally, honestly, lawfully and storytelling, particularly stories of women Principles monitored by the Australia PRINCIPLE 2: STRUCTURE THE BOARD with integrity so all stakeholders and immigrants. Fifty nine per cent of Council for the Arts. These principles are TO ADD VALUE know they can trust us to do the performers employed in 2019 came from based on recommendations of the ASX right thing. Belvoir’s Code of Conduct At the AGM in 2018, shareholders a culturally diverse background Corporate Governance Council. approved increasing the size of the articulates these values, behaviours Board in order to incorporate new skills and expectations. It is supported by Belvoir values different ways of thinking, Excellence in corporate governance is and provide better support to the sub- our employee policies and through the and everyone is encouraged to share essential for the long-term performance committee structure. leadership of the Executive team. The their thoughts and experiences to deliver and sustainability of Belvoir. Sustainability code is signed by all board members, better business decisions and solutions. includes assessing the impact on a broad To ensure the optimum mix of directors, staff and contractors. An inclusive and diverse workplace set of stakeholders including our artists, the Board, through the Nominations and delivers better results for our employees, the sector more broadly, our staff, our Belvoir is focused on creating an ethical Governance Committee, uses a skills stakeholders, business partners and partners and of course our audiences and responsible workplace culture to matrix to identify the skills and experience communities, both on and off the stage. needed. The matrix is one of several drive the right behaviour and conduct PRINCIPLE 1: LAY SOLID FOUNDATIONS important tools used when considering within an organisation. To keep pace PRINCIPLE 5: SAFEGUARD INTEGRITY FOR MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT potential director candidates. All key with community expectations, Belvoir is IN FINANCIAL REPORTING areas in the matrix are well represented committed to monitoring that culture. Our governance framework is designed on the board. We are committed to the long-term to provide the right structure and review We work to ensure our workplace culture financial sustainability of the company. process to deliver our long-term strategy. The range of our directors’ capabilities provides an avenue for our people to Roles and responsibilities between the and experiences include theatre report suspected unethical, illegal or The Board’s Finance, Audit and Risk Sub- board and management are clearly administration, performance, finance and improper behaviour. Belvoir has an committee meets regularly to: articulated through mechanisms like accounting, business, human resources, objective, independent and confidential review the annual budget and monthly Board and Committee Charters as well as entrepreneurship, strategy, brand process for reporting and investigating • accounts and forecasts Executive Role Description. identity and marketing. Their skills and actual, suspected or anticipated expertise are outlined in their biographies, improprieties. All disclosures are treated • review all financial reports and statements The Board operates under the Board published in the Annual Financial Report confidentially. in the statutory accounts, and recommend Charter, which sets out the duties and and on our website. actions to the Board responsibilities of the Board relating PRINCIPLE 4: PROMOTE DIVERSITY • monitor and review the reliability of to strategy development, operations In 2019, the Board’s skills and experience financial reporting oversight, and risk and compliance were enhanced with the appointments Belvoir is committed to fostering an • monitor the Company’s risk management monitoring. of Raji Ambikairajah, Kate Champion, inclusive and diverse workplace, and investment framework Johanna Featherstone and Mark including the areas of gender, age, The Board’s sub-committees – Finance, Warburton. ethnicity, disability and cultural A new Head of Finance and Operations Audit & Risk, Nominations & Governance, background. The company’s policies was hired in 2019 and has worked to and Development – continue to assist in These appointments underline the promote this culture. further strengthen the internal accounting the execution of its responsibilities. Each integrity and strength of the Board’s and control systems to ensure accurate committee has its own chair, charter and nomination and succession planning Belvoir ensures fair and open recruitment reporting of performance. annual program, and usually meets a processes. All new directors are and selection practices at all levels of minimum of four times a year. supported by a Board Induction Program. the organisation. No form of workplace discrimination, harassment, vilification or PRINCIPLE 6: ENGAGE WITH Systems are in place to review strategy, The Board also regularly reviews the victimisation is tolerated. STAKEHOLDERS progress against key milestones and membership of its committees to ensure key performance indicators at Board they continue to have a mix of skills and Gender equality is a clear priority and Belvoir recognises and respects the meetings. Annual reviews are conducted experience to support the Board and the women hold 63% of Belvoir Board interests of our many stakeholders of the Executive Director and Artistic company’s strategy. (including Chair and Deputy Chair) and including donors, government, audiences Director by the Nominations and 50% of senior management positions. and our staff and artists. There are many Belvoir is focused on increasing the forums throughout the year to engage

50 51 with these stakeholders including the We take seriously our responsibilities AGM, donor meetings and events. to all our stakeholders and place great The company also provides regular importance on maintaining the highest communications through its website standards of governance. This Corporate and social media channels encouraging Governance Statement is current as at feedback from patrons, as well as formal publication date and has been approved and informal updates to donors and by the Board. government.

PRINCIPLE 7: RECOGNISE AND MANAGE RISK Effective risk management is fundamental Sam Meers to Belvoir’s long-term sustainability Chair and reputation. Our Risk Management Framework articulates how Belvoir identifies, measures, monitors and optimises risks, and the amount and nature of risk we are willing to accept in the pursuit of our strategic and creative objectives. It embeds risk awareness into Belvoir’s broader culture and decision making.

Belvoir’s risk management is supported by the Executive and recommendations made by the Finance, Audit and Risk subcommittee. It is reviewed regularly at both that committee and by the Board.

PRINCIPLE 8: REMUNERATE FAIRLY AND RESPONSIBLY The Nominations and Governance Committee, reporting to the Board, approves remuneration arrangements for the Executive Director and the Artistic Director (each co-CEOs). Base salary and any increments are determined by experience, skills, industry comparisons and financial health of the Company.

Non-executive directors are volunteers and receive no compensation for their work. Artists on the Board may receive payment from the Company for creative work (e.g. performing in a production).

52 John Howard. Photo by Brett Boardman. BOARD AND STAFF BELVOIR PARTNERS

BELVOIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS FINANCE & OPERATIONS Resident Stage Manager GOVERNMENT PARTNERS Samantha Meers AO (Chair) Chief Operating Officer Luke McGettigan Patty Akopiantz Sue Procter (resigned 26.02.19) Construction Manager Raji Ambikarajah (appointed Head of Finance & Operations Bret Wilbe (resigned 10.05.19) 26.08.19) Penny Scaiff (appointed 04.03.19) Darran Whatley (appointed Mitchell Butel (resigned 27.05.19) 16.09.19) Luke Carroll (resigned 27.05.19) Company Accountant Kate Champion (appointed Susan Maeng (appointed 05.08.19) Costume Coordinator 27.05.19) Judy Tanner Sue Donnelly Finance Administrator MAJOR PARTNERS Shyleja Paul Production Administrator Johanna Featherstone Millie Soul (appointed 30.12.19) (appointed 27.05.19) CRM Manager Eamon Flack Jason Lee FRONT OF HOUSE RESEARCH & ENGAGEMENT Alison Kitchen Front of House Manager Michael Lynch CBE AO MARKETING Stuart O’Brien Julie O’Reilly Mark Warburton (appointed Head of Marketing Amy Goodhew (resigned 02.09.19) Deputy Front of House 26.08.19) Manager Aishlinn McCarthy (appointed MEDIA PARTNERS YOUTH & EDUCATION Peter Wilson (resigned 31.12.19) Scott Pirlo (resigned 27.09.19) 02.09.19) PARTNER EXECUTIVE Marketing Manager Adam Van den Bok, Adam Aishlinn McCarthy Kovarik, Alison Benstead, Amelia Artistic Director Parsonson, Cece Peters, Chelsea Eamon Flack Marketing Coordinator Zeller, Emma White, Emily David, Executive Director Krista Tanuwibawa (resigned Felix de Gruchy, Greta Martin, Sue Donnelly 04.05.19) Kelsey Lee, Luke Martin, Michael Rosanna Quinn (appointed Becker, Michael Gosden, Michelle Deputy Executive Director & 29.05.19, resigned 15.08.19) McCowage, Rhiaan Marquez, Senior Producer Andre Charadia (appointed Rob Johnson, Ryder Stevens, ASSOCIATE PARTNERS Aaron Beach 29.08.19) Sam Parsonson, Sally Lewis, Stella Encel, Whitney Richards, Office Manager/ Executive Content Coordinator Will Hickey Assistant Michael Kennedy Vyvyan Nickels BOX OFFICE DEVELOPMENT ARTISTIC & PROGRAMMING Customer Experience & Head of Development Artistic Associates Ticketing Manager Sarah Gilchrist (appointed 22.07.19) PRODUCTION PARTNERS ACCOMMODATION PARTNERS Dom Mercer Andrew Dillon Philanthropy Manager Tom Wright Ticketing Systems Joanna Maunder Head of New Work Administrator Louise Gough Partnerships Manager Tanya Ginori- Julieanne Campbell (resigned Customer Service Coordinator Artistic Administrator 31.05.19) NCC Network Computing & Consulting Carly Pickard Jacki Mison Development Coordinator Box Office Coordinator Andrew Cameron Fellow Anthony Whelan Carissa Licciardello Oliver Lee (appointed 04.01.19) PRODUCTION EVENT PARTNERS Balnaves Fellow Paige Ahearn, Miranda Kodie Bedford Head of Production Aitken, Olivia Atley, Alison Gareth Simmonds Benstead, Annabel Blake, Claire Bornhoffen, Gemma Clinch, EDUCATION Deputy Production Manager Lucinda Gleeson, Nathan Lizzie Jenkins Education Manager Harrison, Melissa Mills, Maeve Jane May Technical Manager O’Donnell, Penelope Parsons Lord, Jessica Paterson, Georgina Education Coordinator Aiden Brennan (resigned 09.08.19) Pender, Rosanna Pridmore, Millie Stevie Bryant (appointed 20.05.19) Senior Technician Soul, Erin Taylor, Aimee Timmins, Raine Paul (resigned 22.11.19) Lois Vega, Jessica Vincent. Gayda De Mesa (appointed 23.12.19) For more information on partnership opportunities please contact our Development team on 02 9698 3344 or email [email protected]

54 55 BELVOIR SUPPORTERS

Our patrons, supporters and friends are right there behind us, backing Belvoir in $2,000 – $2,999 EDUCATION John Gidney $500 – $1,999 Antoinette Albert** Priscilla Guest* Annette Adair* bringing to life the great old theatrical crafts of acting and storytelling. Thank you $20,000+ Gae Anderson Diana & Richard Herring Colin Adams Patty Akopiantz & Learn more about supporting Belvoir at belvoir.com.au/support-belvoir Max Bonnell*** Elaine Hiley Justin Punch Richard Adams Anne Britton** Sue Hyde* Susie Kelly Priscilla Adey David Jonas & Chris Brown* Ian Learmonth & Victor Baskir* Desmon Du Plessis* Jan Chapman AO & Julia Pincus* Baiba Berzins* A Juchau FOUNDATIONS Stephen O’Rourke*** Stuart & Kate O’Brien Christine Bishop Danny & Kathleen Gilbert** Ruth Layton Maxine Brenner Sophie Guest** $10,000+ Ann Loveridge David Buckley John Head** Paul & Valeria Ainsworth Christine & Diane Malcolm Darren Cook David Haertsch*** Anita Luca Belgiorno- Christopher Matthies* Tim & Bryony Cox** Andrew Cameron Family Foundation Neilson Foundation HLA Management Nettis Foundation Peter Mitchell Merran Dawson Copyright Agency Oranges & Sardines Foundation Ken & Lilian Horler John Fairfax AO Irene Miller Carol & Nicholas Cultural Fund Doc Ross Family Foundation Maria Manning & Kimberly & Angus Holden Cynthia Mitchell & Dettmann Gandevia Foundation Walking Up The Hill Foundation Henry Maas Sam Meers AO Elizabeth Harry Jane Diamond* The Greatorex Foundation Susanne North Professor Elizabeth Rob Thomas AO Belinda Gibson Naomi O'Brien More AM** Rosie Williams & John Grill Peter Gray & Oranges & Sardines Dr David Nguyen** $5,000 - $9,999 Helen Thwaites** The Wiggs Foundation $2,000 – $4,999 Foundation CHAIR’S CIRCLE THE HIVE Timothy & Eva Pascoe*** Catherine & Philip Brenner Chris & Gina Grubb Kim Williams AM & Janet & Trefor Clayton* Elizabeth Pakchung Patty Akopiantz & Elizabeth Allen Angela Pearman Cathie & Paul Oppenheim Dorothy Hoddinott AO** Catherine Dovey*** Michael Coleman** Alicia Parker Justin Punch Dan & Emma Michael Rose* Louise Mitchell Belinda Hutchinson AM Rosie Williams & John Grill Darin Cooper Foundation Nicole Philps Robert & Libby Albert*** Chesterman Lesley & & Peter Pether Mira Joksovic Vanovac Peter Wilson & Victoria Holthouse** Richard, Heather & Sophie & Stephen Allen Julian Leeser MP Andrew Rosenberg* David & Jill Pumphrey Robert Kidd James Emmett* Penelope Seidler AM Rachel Rasker* The Balnaves Foundation* & Joanna Davidson Ann Sherry AO* Elizabeth Laverty Cathy Yuncken** Bruce McWilliam $2,000 – $4,999 Joanna Savill & Guido Belgiorno-Nettis AM Hannah Roache Dr Linda Lorenza $1,000 – $1,999 Karine & Simon Buchen Giuliano Dambelli & Michelle Belgiorno-Nettis & Luke Turner Irene Miller CREATIVE $500 – $1,999 Gil Appleton** Estate of the late Julianne Schultz Jessica Block Jane Bridge Simone & Chris Smith David Millons DEVELOPMENT Peter & Cherry Best Angelo Comino Peter & Janet Shuttleworth* Catherine & Philip Brenner & Michael Lambert Catherine Mullane FUND Allen & Julie Blewitt Hugh Dillon Roderick Smyth Anne Britton** Colleen & B KEEPERS & Ian Lovett Robert Burns Kiera Grant & Mark Tallis Chris & Bea Sochan** Jillian Broadbent** $20,000+ Michael Chesterman** Nola Nettheim $5,000+ Jane Christensen* Julie Hannaford* Rob & Rae Spence Andrew Cameron AM & Patty Akopiantz Richard Evans Judy & Geoff Patterson* Claire Armstrong & Sarah & Braith Gilchrist Patricia Novikoff** Alice Spizzo Cathy Cameron*** & Justin Punch Sandra Ferman Christina Pender John Sharpe*** Verity Goitein The Phillips Family Titia Sprague* David Gonski AC & Andrew Cameron AM Alisa Halkyard Leigh Rae Sanderson Ellen Borda* David & Kathryn Groves** The Wiggs Foundation Polly Staniford & Associate Professor Orli & Cathy Cameron*** Linda Herd Eileen Slarke & Family*** Jan Burnswoods*** Priscilla Guest* Luke Seager Wargon OAM Marion Heathcote Cheryl L* $500 – $1,999 Chris & Bea Sochan** & Brian Burfitt** Louise Christie** Lisa Hamilton & Geoffrey Starr Fee & David Hancock Stuart McCreery AB* Geoffrey Starr Anita Jacoby AM* Bernard Coles QC Rob White* Steiner Family Sarah Henry & David & Jill Pumphrey Colin Adams Paul Stein AMQC Ingrid Kaiser Constructability Kevin & Rosemarie Cheri Stevenson Charlotte Peterswald Richard, Heather Sophie & Stephen Allen Mike Thompson* Robert Thomas AO Recruitment Jeffers-Palmer *** John Studholme & Anita Jacoby AM** & Rachel Rasker*** Yasmin & Nicholas Allen Helen Trinca Kim Williams AM Bob & Chris Ernst** A. Le Marchant*** Jill Herberte Alison Kitchen Jonquil Ritter Ian Barnett* Suzanne & Ross & Catherine Dovey*** Marion Heathcote & Stephanie Lee*** Daniela Torsh* Matthew & Professor Elizabeth Victor Baskir* Tzannes AM* Webby AM* Brian Burfitt** Michael Lynch Anita Bezjak Sarah Walters* Veronica Latham $10,000- $19,999 Louise & Steve Verrier Bruce Meagher & Genie Melone Maxine Brenner, Michael West & Ian Learmonth & Sophie & Stephen Allen Chris Vik & Greg Waters* Keith Miller Judy Binns Allison Haworth Julia Pincus Anne Britton** THE GROUP Chelsea Albert Don & Leslie Parsonage** Cajetan Mula (Honorary Noor Blumer Anonymous (12) Helen Lynch AM & Helen Lynch AM Patty Akopiantz Bruce McWilliam Jann Skinner** Member) Anne Britton** Helen Bauer & Helen Bauer** Sophie Allen Weir Anderson Merilyn Sleigh & Kylie Nomchong SC Kim & Gil Burton GENERAL Nelson Meers AO & Sherry-Hogan Foundation* Catherine Brenner Foundation Raoul de Ferranti Jacqueline & Kathryn & Craig Carrol Carole Meers Shemara Wikramanayake Jillian Broadbent AC $10,000+ Annie Williams Michael Palmer Este Darin-Cooper & Sam Meers AO & Ed Gilmartin Margaret Butler $3,000 – $4,999 Ross Littlewood & Brian & Trish Wright Jacq Parkes & Peter Chris Burgess* Catriona Mordant AM & Anonymous (1) Michael & Suzanne Daniel** Alexandra Curtin* Anonymous (10) Sally Cousens Sue Donnelly Simon Mordant AM Tom Dent Talbot Anonymous (1) Lisa Droga Ian Enright & Kerr Neilson $5,000 – $9,999 Firehold Pty.Ltd.** Richard, Heather & Sharon & Hartley Cook** Robin Low Linda Quatermass $5,000 - $9,999 Stuart & Kate O’Brien Cary & Rob Gillespie* Rachel Rasker*** Sue Donnelly** Sam Meers AO Anton Enus Lou-Anne Folder Cathie & Paul Oppenheim Libby Higgin* Alex Oonagh Redmond** Eamon Flack Sarah Meers Veronica Espaliat & Dan & Jackie Phillips Colleen Kane** David Round $2,000 – $4,999 Bill Hawker Naomi O’Brien Ross Youngman Susanna & Matthew Press Peter & Jan Shuttleworth** Elfriede Sangkuhl* Robert Burns Victoria Taylor*** Jacqui Parshall Jennifer Smith*** Roger Feletto Andrew Price Judy Thomson** Raymond McDonald * 5+ years ** 10+ years The Wales Family Rebel Penfold-Russell Chris & Bea Sochan** Sandra Ferman Sherry-Hogan Foundation Anonymous (1) Leslie Stern *** 15+ years of Foundation The Phillips Family Joanna Fisher Mark & Jacqueline Camilla & Andrew Strang Lynne Watkins & continuous giving. Weir Anderson Foundation Cathy Yuncken Valmae Freilich Warburton** Sue Thomson** Nicholas Harding* List correct at time of Geoffrey & Patricia printing. Weir Anderson Foundation Richard Willis Anonymous (4) Paul & Jennifer Winch*** Gemmell* 56 57 IN THE REHEARSAL ROOM

Yve Blake in Fangirls. Photo by Brett Boardman.

Josh McConville in Packer and Sons. Photo by Brett Boardman.

Tom Hobbs, Matt Levett, Tony Martin and Anna Lise Phillips in Things I Know to be True. Photo by Heidrun Löhr. Jay Emmanuel and Hazem Shammas in Counting and Cracking. Photo by Brett Boardman. 59 belvoir.com.au Email [email protected] /belvoirst 18 & 25 Belvoir Street Administration (02) 9698 3344 @belvoirst Surry Hills NSW 2010 Fax (02) 9319 3165 @belvoirst

Box Office (02) 9699 3444 Cover photo Brett by Boardman.