News and Blog

Photo courtesy of Patch Theatre

As many of you know, in 2019 our BACK tour generated over three quarters of a million dollars for charities in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. The beneficiaries included family & adoption services, mental health support, domestic violence shelters, music programs for underprivileged kids, and refugee support organisations.

For the 2020 encore tour, I’ve decided to donate exclusively to independent theatres. Yay. Ongoing cuts to the arts sector by our incumbent conservative federal government have hit small-to-medium arts organisations hard. I feel strongly that independent theatre is vital to the cultural health of our country. Not only because these groups produce fantastic work in their own right, but because independent theatre is the breeding ground of future mainstream artists. The huge cultural and economic impact of a big commercial show like Matilda the Musical (to choose just one close-to-home example) would not exist without the independent theatres that let Dennis Kelly and I get our hands dirty in the early days.

Below is a list of the fantastic companies we are supporting.

All of this is possible because of my generous audience members who buy the highly inflated “VIP charity seats” we sell for each show. We are also supported in our mission by Live Nation, Ticketek, APRA and the venues we play in, who all have agreed again to waive their fees on the charity tickets.

For the rest of you reading this: go see a play at an independent theatre near you! There’s so much great stuff out there, and it’s often really affordable!
Love.
T

Hobart

Tasmania Performs
Tasmania Performs maximises opportunities for artists, ensuring their diverse voices and stories are shared across the world. With a recent focus on supporting the careers of the island’s palalwa artists.
 
Donations from the Hobart concerts have helped leverage a significant investment from both the State and Federal governments for a new First Nations children’s work that will tour Australia in 2021.

Sydney

Redline Productions at The Old Fitz
In 5 years, Red Line Productions have presented over 100 productions, including 21 sold-out seasons, 22 exclusively commissioned brand new Australian plays, five return seasons for subsidised companies, headlined Sydney Festival and won 21 Sydney Theatre and GLUGS Awards – including the Hayes Gordon Memorial Award for Outstanding  Contribution to Australian Theatre. Every state and federal funding application has been rejected and the company has thrived thanks to generous individuals and foundations. 

Griffin Theatre
Griffin is the only theatre company in the country entirely devoted to producing new Australian work. We help ambitious, bold and urgent Australian plays get from page to stage. We tell the stories that will help us know who we are as a nation, and who we want to become.

Newcastle

Tantrum Youth Arts
As the leading youth arts organisation in the Hunter Region, Tantrum has been making noise for over 40 years. Utilising performance, storytelling and so much more, we offer meaningful creative workshops, projects and opportunities for young people aged 5 to 26 that build confidence, connections and compassion.

Melbourne

La Mama
With a rich history spanning over 50 years and a national profile, La Mama is Australia’s home of independent theatre. It plays a critical role in the Australian cultural landscape, as a place for responsive, new, risk-taking work to occur. La Mama has a distinct artist focus, and provides a unique audience experience. 
 
And a few more points that might be of interest: 
In May 2018, we lost our home to fire.
We are JUST about to start rebuilding. 
The new design re-creates the much-loved theatre-space but we’ve added a rehearsal hub and office space. It will now, for the first time be fully accessible and sustainable. 
The funds from this event will be going towards supporting the next generation of theatre-makers and theatre-goers! 
We’re a little team and know how to make a dollar go a long way.

Fortyfive Downstairs
fortyfivedownstairs is an unfunded artspace in the heart of Melbourne that’s grown from humble beginnings to great renown. Presenting exceptional exhibitions and award-winning theatre, it is not for profit and exists to make money for artists, not from them. With modest means, fortyfivedownstairs still contributes immeasurably to Melbourne’s cultural life!

Brisbane

Metro Arts
Metro Arts is developing the future of Australian contemporary arts practice now, by positioning creative innovation at the centre of all we do.  Metro Arts supports and mentors artists to create new work, present their work to audiences and help build their career pathways.  There are thousands of artists, producers,  and arts leaders on and behind stages and in galleries, diverse communities and workplaces across the world who had their start at Metro Arts. Art Starts Here @ Metro Arts.

Adelaide

Patch Theatre
Patch Theatre has been making shows for 4–8 year old children and their families from their home in South Australia since 1972. In their nearly 48 years, Patch has made 110 much loved theatre works and performed to over 1.8 million children around the world.

Perth

The Last Great Hunt
The Last Great Hunt is a unique collective of six Perth-based theatre makers. They are creators, innovators, and above all else, explorers. Their work is imaginative & rigorous, telling stories that challenge, engage & move audiences to explore contemporary ideas. They create new works that are relevant & important to their audiences and themselves, like the upcoming show BITE THE HAND, which looks at what happens when a woman gives her dog human consciousness to try and cheer up her depressed partner…