Theatre Works Launch 2023 Program

On December 4th, Melbourne’s Theatre Works launched their 2023 program to a full house of industry and community.

"2022 saw a great number of successes for us, hosting over 450 artists, tremendous audience numbers across 42 productions, multiple sell-out seasons, our inaugural First Stories Program, the delivery of our exceptional Associate Artists program, the reintroduction of our self-produced and presented works lead by our in-house directors, we secured over a million dollars in State funding (for capital works only) while also being nominated for 12 Green Room Association Awards and winning 5. We did all this with 8 staff, of which I am the only person on full-time. We did a lot. We do a lot, we do a lot on a little. 2023 will be no different," said Executive Director, Dianne Toulson

In 2023 Theatre Works promises is a year jam-packed with new perspectives explored through stories and theatrical experiences that haven’t been heard or experienced before and familiar stories told in new ways. From brand-new Australian writing to well-established classics, and devised and physical works - Theatre Works is presenting a smorgasbord of excellence with something for everyone's theatrical palette.

"At Theatre Works we try to provide pathways for artists to achieve success based on their own metric, be that commercial, experimentation, audience building, future-proofing - and we try to do that while balancing a program that keeps our organisation fiscally buoyant and culturally innovative. We include new works, new plays, new processes, classic voices, experimentation, established and early-career artists. We understand that to the casual observer that it may just appear that we have a tremendous amount of things happening, but internally they all align with different streams and values for us as an organisation. We have begun to communicate that externally this year with the introduction of our presenting streams, BY THEATRE WORKS, WITH THEATRE WORKS, FRESHWORKS and AT THEATRE WORKS," said Executive Director, Dianne Toulson continued.

Some highlights of the  2023 program include - fresh looks at plays by Australian theatre giants, Away by Michael Gow directed by Steven Mitchell Wright (MEDEA: out of the mouths of babes), In the Club by Patricia Cornelius directed by Greenroom Award winner Kitan Petkovski (No Ball Games Allowed, The Gospel according to Jesus Queen of Heaven), Moth by Declan Greene directed by Briony Dunn (The Human Voice) and the return of When the Rain Stops Falling by Andrew Bovell with Iron Lung Theatre, new Australian writing including; Nigerian born, Igbo actor and playwright Amarachi's AKARAKA, Flick's SLUTNIK ™: Planet of the Incels, Jodi Gallagher's Prophet , sapphic drama The Milf and Mistress by Jane Montgomery Griffiths and works by established artists such as The Long Pigs directed by Susie Dee, No Performer has ever Performed this Performance Before (NFP) #8 by Born In A Taxi, Songs of the Flesh by The Danger Ensemble for Midsumma Festival and Lyric Opera return to the Theatre Works stage.

To see the full program and book tickets visit theatreworks.org.au

Photographer: Morgan Roberts