Griffin Theatre Company

Griffin Theatre Companyis an Australian theatre specialising in new works, based inSydney.Founded in 1979, it is the resident theatre company at theStables TheatreinKings Cross.As of February 2020the artistic director is Declan Greene.

Artistic directors

• Declan Greene(2020–present)
• Lee Lewis(August 2012–2020)
• Sam Strong(2010–2012)
• Nick Marchand(2006–2010)
• David Berthold(2003–2006)
• Ros Horin (1992–2003)
• Ian Watson
• Peter Kingston (inaugural artistic director)

History

Founded in 1979 its original founders were Peter Carmody,Penny Cook,Eadie Kurzer, Jenny Laing-Peach, and Rosemarie Lenzo. The organisation held its first meetings in Laing-Peach's cottage in Griffin Street,Surry Hills.Their first project was to present the Irish playThe Ginger ManbyJames Patrick Donleavyat the Kirk Gallery inCleveland Street,Surry Hills on 6 April 1979. The first Artistic Director was Peter Kingston who served until the appointment of Ian B Watson in 1988.

For the 1984 season the company was awarded The Sydney Critic's Circle Award for "the most significant contribution to theatre that year."In 1986 The SBW Foundation Purchased the Stables Theatre and offered the company a lifetime rent-free lease.

The theatre focuses on "all-Australia" talent and works.

Cate BlanchettandJacqueline McKenziebegan their professional careers at Griffin. The filmsLantana,The Boys,andThe Heartbreak Kid(which later spun off into the television seriesHeartbreak High) were based on plays produced by Griffin.Away,Australia's most produced contemporary play, also started at the company.

Programs

The Batch Festival

In 2018 Griffin launched an annual experimental theatre festival, the Batch Festival. It is a three-week festival featuring multiple shows each day, curated to highlight emerging artists.It was paused in 2021 owing to theCOVID-19 pandemic.

Griffin Independent and Griffin Special Extras

Running since 2004 (then called Griffin Stablemates), in parallel to Griffin's own mainstage season of new Australian plays, Griffin Independent is an annual season of 5–6 new plays presented by independent theatre companies. In 2018, Griffin Independent was updated to Special Extras.

Awards

Griffin Award

Bestowed annually since 1998, the Griffin Award is offered to the most outstanding new work as read and judged by a panel appointed by Griffin. The award comes with a $10,000 cash prize. One stipulation on entry is that all works submitted have not been performed or produced prior.

• 1998 – Catherine Zimdahl forClark in Sarajevo
• 1999 –Neil ColeforAlive at Williamstown Pier
• 2000 – Ian Wilding forBelow
• 2001 –Verity LaughtonforBurning
• 2002 – Noelle Janacsewska forSongketand Patrick Van der Werf forPresence
• 2003 –Brendan CowellforRabbit
• 2004 –Debra OswaldforMr Bailey's Minder
• 2005 – Ian Wilding forThe Carnivores
• 2006 – Mary Rachel Brown forAustralian Gothic
• 2007 – Damien Millar forEmergency Sex and Other Desperate Measures
• 2008 – Glace Chase forWhore
• 2009 –Lachlan PhilpottforSilent Disco
• 2010 –Aidan FennessyforBrutopia
• 2011 – Glace Chase forA Hoax
• 2012 – Vivienne Walshe forThis is Where We Live
• 2013 – Donna Abela forJump for Jordan
• 2014 – Angus Cerini forThe Bleeding Tree
• 2015 – Stephen Carleton forThe Turquoise Elephant
• 2016 –Melissa ReevesforThe Zen of Table Tennis
• 2017 – David Finnigan forKill Climate Deniers
• 2018 –Suzie MillerforOn the Face of It (Prima Facie)
• 2019 – Mark Rogers forSuperheroes
• 2020 - Dylan Van Den Berg forway back when

Griffin Studio

Griffin Studio is a year-long residency for directors, writers and dramaturgs with the company, established in 2011. It is awarded annually to one or more applicants.

Lysicrates Prize

Founded in 2015, the Lysicrates Prize is awarded annually to a play and is described as a "philanthropic initiative presented by The Lysicrates Foundation and produced by Griffin Theatre Company". The inaugural prize was won by Steve Rodgers for his playJesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam.

Incubator Fellowship

In 2020 the company partnered withCreate NSWto form theIncubator – NSW Theatre (Emerging) Fellowshipprogram (akaIncubator Fellowship). Shortlisted fellows complete a three-month incubator program for emerging playwrights, directors, dramaturgs, designers and composers to work with the company. One of the fellows is then chosen to receive $30,000 to "pursue a self-directed program of professional development in Australia or overseas".

Winners

• 2020: Ang Collins
• 2021: Happy Feraren
• 2022: Eve Beck

Suzie Miller Award

The Suzie Miller Award was established in 2024 for mid-career playwrights, named in honour of Australian playwrightSuzie Miller.The award provides a full commission and residency at the theatre, along with mentorship by Miller. It is open to established writers whose work deals with "knotty, contemporary questions". The inaugural winner of the award was Mary Rachel Brown.

Recent seasons

Recent Griffin Theatre Company mainstage seasons are listed below.

2020 season

• Family ValuesbyDavid Williamson.17 January – 7 March 2020

2019 season

• Dead Cat Bounceby Mary Rachel Brown. 22 February – 6 April 2019
• Prima FaciebySuzie Miller.17 May – 22 June 2019
• City of GoldbyMeyne Wyatt.26 July – 31 August 2019
• SplinterbyHilary Bell.6 September – 12 October 2019
• First Love Is The Revolutionby Rita Kalnejais. 6 September – 12 October 2019

2018 season

• Kill Climate Deniersby David Finnigan. 23 February – 7 April 2018
• Good Cook. Friendly. Clean.by Brooke Robinson. 4 May – 16 June 2018
• The Almighty Sometimesby Kendall Feaver. 27 July – 8 September 2018
• The Feather in the Webby Nick Coyle. 5 October – 17 November 2018

2017 season

• A Strategic Planby Ross Mueller. 27 January – 11 March 2017
• The Homosexuals or 'Faggots'by Declan Greene. 17 March – 29 April 2017
• Riceby Michele Lee. 21 July – 26 August 2017
• Diving For Pearlsby Katherine Thomson. 8 September – 28 October 2017

2016 season

• Ladies DaybyAlana Valentine.5 February – 26 March 2016
• Replayby Phillip Kavanagh. 2 April – 7 May 2016
• The LiteratibyJustin Fleming.27 May – 16 July 2016
• GloriabyBenedict Andrews.26 August – 8 October 2016
• The Turquoise Elephantby Stephen Carleton. 14 October – 16 November 2016

2015 season

• MasqueradebyKate Mulvany.7–17 January 2015
• Caress/AchebySuzie Miller.27 February – 11 April 2015
• The House on the LakebyAidan Fennessy.15 May – 20 June 2015
• The Bleeding Treeby Angus Cerini. 31 July – 5 September 2015
• A Rabbit for Kim Jong-ilby Kit Brookman. 9 October – 21 November 2015

2014 season

• Emerald CitybyDavid Williamson.17 October – 6 December 2014
• The WitchesbyRoald Dahl,adapted from the stage play by David Wood. 24 September – 5 October 2014
• Ugly MugsbyPeta Brady.18 July – 24 August 2014
• Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornographyby Declan Greene. 2 May – 14 June 2014
• Jump for Jordanby Donna Abela 14 February – 29 March 2014
• The Serpent's Tableby Darren Yap andLee Lewis.24–27 January 2014

2013 season

• Dreams in White- byDuncan Graham.8 February – March 2013
• The Bull, the Moon and the Coronet of Stars– byVan Badham.2 May – June 2013
• Beached– by Melissa Bubnic. 17 July 31 August 2013
• The Floating World– byJohn Romeril.4 October – 16 November 2013

2012 season

• The Boys –byGordon Graham.6 January – 3 March 2012
• The Story of Mary MacLane by Herself– byBojana Novakovic,music by Tim Rogers, after the writings ofMary MacLane.4 April – 12 May 2012
• Angela's Kitchen–byPaul Capsisand Julian Meyrick. 15 May – 9 June 2012
• A Hoax –by Rick Viede. 20 July – 1 September 2012
• Between Two Waves- byIan Meadows.5 October – 17 November 2012

2011 season

• Speaking in Tongues –byAndrew Bovell.4 February – 19 March 2011
• Silent Disco–by Lachlan Philpott. 22 April – 4 June 2011
• And No More Shall We Part–byTom Holloway.29 July – 3 September 2011
• This Year's Ashes– by Jane Bodie. 7 October – 19 November 2011
• Museum of Broken Relationships- by the Griffin Audience, in collaboration withIan Meadows,Kate Mulvany,Shannon Murphy,Paige Rattray

2010 season

• Graces– by Angus Cerini, Elise Hearst andLachlan Philpott.14 September – 7 December 2010
• Love Me Tender– byTom Holloway.18 March – 11 April 2010
• Like a Fishboneby Anthony Weigh. 16 July – 7 August 2010
• Quackby Ian Wilding. 27 August – 2 October 2010
• Angela's KitchenbyPaul Capsisand Julian Meyrick / Associate WriterHilary Bell.5 November – 18 December 2010

2009 season

• The Fates– by Kamarra Bell-Wykes, Jonathan Ari Lander andCatherine Ryan.19 May – November 2009
• Holiday– by Ranters Theatre. 4–28 February 2009
• Concussionby Ross Mueller. 13 March – 4 April 2009
• The Call– byPatricia Cornelius.1 May – 6 June 2009
• Savage River– by Steve Rodgers. 12 June – 8 July 2009
• Strange Attractor –bySue Smith.23 October – 21 November 2009

2008 season

• Seasons– by Nicki Bloom, Jonathan Gavin,Sue Smithand Rick Viede. 19 January – 8 February 2008
• China– by William Yang. 19 January – 8 February 2008
• The Kid– byMichael Gow.22 March – 26 April 2008
• Don't Say The Words– byTom Holloway.4–26 July 2008
• The Modern International Dead– by Damien Millar. 12 September – 11 October 2008
• Tender– by Nicki Bloom. 21 November – 20 December 2008
• Impractical Jokes– byCharlie Pickering.23 January – 2 February 2008

2007 season

• Holding the Man– Adapted byTommy Murphy.from the book byTimothy Conigrave8 February – 3 March 2007
• The Nightwatchman– byDaniel Keene.9 March – 18 April 2007
• October– by Ian Wilding. 20 April – 26 May 2007
• The Story of the Miracles at Cookie's Table– byWesley Enoch.10 August – 22 September 2007
• King Tide– byKatherine Thomson.18 October – 24 November 2007
• The Seven Needs– by 7-ON. (Donna Abela, Vanessa Bates,Hilary Bell,Noëlle Janaczewska,Verity Laughton,Ned Manningand Catherine Zimdahl) 27 March – 13 November 2007
• The Emperor of Sydney– byLouis Nowra.16 August – 23 September 2007

Commissioned and premiered works

Playwrights whose work has premiered at Griffin include:

• Glenda Adams–The Monkey Trap(1998)
• Richard Barrett –The Heartbreak Kid(1987)
• Hilary Bell–Wolf Lullaby(1996),The Falls(2000)
• Andrew Bovell–After Dinner(1989),Whisky on the Breath of a Drunk You Love(1992),Speaking in Tongues(1996),Ship of Fools(1999)
• Brendan Cowell–Rabbit(2003)
• Timothy Daly–Kafka Dances(1993),The Moonwalkers(1995),Private Visions of Gottfried Kellner(1999)
• Wesley Enoch–The Story of the Miracles at Cookie's Table(2007)
• Gordon Graham –The Boys(1991)
• Michael Gow–Away(1986),Europe(1987),Live Acts on Stage(1996)
• Noel Hodda–The Secret House(1987),Half Safe(1990),
• Ingle Knight –White Nancy(1982)
• Ned Manning–Us or Them(1984),Belonging(2007)
• Tommy Murphy–Strangers in Between(2005),Holding the Man(Adapted from the book byTimothy Conigrave,2006)
• Louis Nowra–Death of Joe Orton,The Boyce Trilogy:The Woman with Dog's Eyes(2004),The Marvellous Boy(2005),The Emperor of Sydney(2006)
• Debra Oswald–Mr Bailey's Minder(2004),The Peach Season(2006)
• Stephen Sewell–The Father We Loved on a Beach by the Sea(1981),In Stillness My Sister Speaks to Me(1990),The Secret Death of Salvador Dali(2004),Three Furies Scenes from the life of Francis Bacon(2005)
• Katherine Thomson–Wonderlands(2003),King Tide(2007)
• Ian Wilding –Below(2000),Torrez(2004),October(2007)
• Catherine Zimdahl –Clark in Sarajevo(1998)

External links

• Griffin Theatre website
• SBW Foundation