Melbourne Theatre Company

The Foundation supports the exceptional work of the Melbourne Theatre Company.  Most recently the Foundation’s assistance has allowed new theatrical  works  to be better developed by giving them access to professional actors and workshop facilities to undertake exploratory and fine-tuning of the scripts and productions.

The tenuous economics of theatre production means that companies increasingly tend to produce established works or new works from established playwrights, where audience support is predictable, rather than plays from lesser-known authors. Many younger talented new Australian playwrights often find it difficult to get their work considered for production at either secondary or major venues. In part this is due to the fact that the resources are often not available for authors to workshop their plays to iron out script and staging issues. Presenting work that is more advanced and “stage ready” is likely to enhance the prospects of it being considered for production as a large element of risk is removed.

The support of the Foundation allows the development of a pipeline of new work from newer, local playwrights that is more “production-ready”, and ultimately result in more productions of innovative, local works.

The “First Stage” program has evolved significantly since its inception, and now involves extensive collaborations between the MTC, Footscray Arts Centre, Ilbijerri Blackwright and the Emerging Writers Festival. These have enabled a greater number of new Indigenous, CALD and gender diverse voices to be identified, as well as ensuring more consistent access to emerging writers.

In 2023, MTC and the Foundation collaborated to introduce ‘Next Stage: Act Two’. This program aims to position new Australian works as contenders on the national stage, by investment in stories that reflect Australian culture and community, and fuel cultural conversation. This supports the professional development of a First Nations artist to work in a dramaturgical capacity, addressing the lack of training opportunities for First Nations dramaturgs and their subsequent underrepresentation throughout the industry.