Sydney Theatre Company

Joining us today are three actors – Helen Thomson, Heather Mitchell and Michelle Lim Davidson – all of whom are performing in our production of Top Girls which is currently playing at Sydney Opera House. Top Girls was written by British playwright Caryl Churchill, and first performed back in 1982. Margaret Thatcher was in power, the term “glass ceiling” had only just been coined and the new hit self-help book for women was Helen Gurley Brown’s “Having It All”. Top Girls explores all this in some remarkable and unpredictable ways. Top Girls, 12 Feb – 24 Mar 2018, Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House www.sydneytheatre.com.au/topgirls Seeing the show? Let us know your thoughts. Tag @sydneytheatreco or #sydneytheatreco

Actor Emily Barclay and STC's Directing Associate Jessica Arthur join us to discuss the new play they're working on, Lethal Indifference. It’s a powerful, moving, but also rather funny one-woman show that tells the story of a murder. Part detective story, part intimate confessional, it examines how domestic violence can occur right under our noses. Lethal Indifference, 17 Feb – 10 Mar 2018, Wharf 1 Theatre sydneytheatre.com.au/lethalindifference Seeing the show? Let us know your thoughts. Tag @sydneytheatreco or #sydneytheatreco

Artistic Director Kip Williams and Executive Director Patrick McIntyre sit down to discuss our 2018 Season. They talk about our line-up of plays, how they fit into STC’s vision and what you can expect in the theatre. Listen in for some fascinating insights into how the season came together, the stories we'll be telling and the artists who'll be involved. We hope you enjoy the conversation. Find out more at http://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/2018   Producer Carl Nilsson-Polias Composition Max Lyandvert

On this episode of our podcast, we’re joined by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall, who have written the music and lyrics for Muriel’s Wedding the Musical. Kate is best known as a pop singer-songwriter with an operatic voice. Together with Keir she’s written award-winning songs and earned a dedicated following. They’re also a couple in life and, last year, became parents to a gorgeous little boy. In between all this, they found time to chat with our Content Manager Carl Nilsson-Polias about the songs for Muriel’s Wedding and how they got involved with the project.   http://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/murielswedding Muriel’s Wedding, 6 Nov 2017 – 27 Jan 2018, Roslyn Packer Theatre Seeing the show? Let us know your thoughts. Tag @sydneytheatreco and #STCMurielsWedding

John Bell is a titan of Australian theatre. He’s here on The Wharf to rehearse The Father by Florian Zeller. In this podcast, he discusses the show, some Australian theatre history, and whether or not he will ever retire. The Father, 19 Aug – 21 Oct 2017, Wharf 1 Theatre sydneytheatre.com.au/father Seeing the show? Let us know your thoughts. Tag @sydneytheatreco or #sydneytheatreco

Our Artistic Director Kip Williams joins us to discuss his latest production, Cloud Nine by Caryl Churchill. Kip talks about why he loves the play, what he was looking for in casting the actors, how the set and costumes were designed, and what he feels the show is all about. Cloud Nine, 1 Jul – 12 Aug 2017, Wharf 1 Theatre sydneytheatre.com.au/cloudnine Seeing the show? Let us know your thoughts. Tag @sydneytheatreco or #sydneytheatreco

Simon Phillips, one of Australia's top stage directors, joins us to discuss his work on bringing Muriel's Wedding the Musical to the stage. We talk about the show, the set, the songs and why he thinks Muriel's Wedding the movie makes for a great musical.  http://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/murielswedding Muriel’s Wedding, 6 Nov 2017 – 20 Jan 2018, Roslyn Packer Theatre Seeing the show? Let us know your thoughts. Tag @sydneytheatreco and #STCMurielsWedding  

Playwright Nakkiah Lui has described her new STC comedy Black is the New White as the world’s first middle class Aboriginal Christmas rom-com. In this episode of our podcast, we discuss the show with actors Tony Briggs and Shari Sebbens, who play the father Ray and daughter Charlotte in the Gibson family. Black is the New White, 5 May – 17 Jun 2017, Wharf 1 Theatre Producer Carl Nilsson-Polias Recording Engineer Ben Lightowlers Composer Max Lyandvert  

In this podcast, we feature someone with a unique connection to STC. John Preston, our Production Workshops Manager is retiring after 38 years with the company. John, or JP, as we all know him, has worked with the company from its first day. No one else knows the Wharf and STC's history the way he does. Share your memories of STC via social media. Tag #sydneytheatreco "John Preston is a giant among men, and will be nigh impossible to replace" – Jacki Weaver, actress "Reliable, resourceful, cheerful and always there. The Wharf will carry his DNA. We love him." – Robyn Nevin, former Artistic Director of STC Producer Carl Nilsson-Polias Recording Engineer David Bergman Composer Max Lyandvert        

Nakkiah Lui is not only an award-winning playwright, but also a screen writer, an actor and a columnist. Her play Black is the New White is part romantic comedy, part social satire, and it’s a story of two Australian families – the Gibsons and the Smiths – who have been brought together at Christmas time. Amidst the food, the wine and the family arguments, there’s a love story, there’s racial politics and there’s a lot of laughs. Carl Nilsson-Polias speaks with her to find out more. Black is the New White, 28 Feb — 10 Mar 2018, Roslyn Packer Theatre https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/productions/2018/black-is-the-new-white-2018  

Assistant director Jessica Arthur and costume designer Renée Mulder talk about Lucy Kirkwood's Chimerica with host Carl Nilsson-Polias. They discussed the creation of this enormous production and how it was informed by the history of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. www.sydneytheatre.com.au/chimerica Chimerica, 28 Feb — 1 Apr 2017, Roslyn Packer Theatre 

We sit down with playwright Angus Cerini to discuss his multi-award-winning play The Bleeding Tree, which is about to open at STC's Wharf 1 Theatre. This production of The Bleeding Tree, directed by Lee Lewis, was originally staged at Griffin Theatre Company in 2015. Those shows quickly sold out, so its upcoming season at the Wharf gives those who missed out a second chance to see it. The Bleeding Tree, 9 Mar – 8 Apr 2017, Wharf 1 Theatre Seeing the show? Let us know your thoughts. Tag @sydneytheatreco and #STCBleedingTree

PJ Hogan is the writer and director of the iconic Australian film, Muriel’s Wedding. When the movie came out in 1994, it became a global sensation. Now, three decades later, PJ is here at STC as part of the team who are bringing Muriel back, and turning her story into an all-new stage musical. http://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/murielswedding Muriel’s Wedding, 6 Nov – 30 Dec 2017, Roslyn Packer Theatre Seeing the show? Let us know your thoughts. Tag @sydneytheatreco and #STCMurielsWedding

Matt Lutton, Artistic Director of Malthouse Theatre, joins us to discuss his latest show with STC, Away by Michael Gow. Away is a classic Australian play, set during the Vietnam War, that tells the stories of three families as they head off on their summer holidays. Away, 18 Feb – 25 Mar 2017, Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House Seeing the show? Let us know your thoughts. Tag @sydneytheatreco and #STCAway Producer Carl Nilsson-Polias Composer Max Lyandvert

In this episode, recorded live on the Wharf, Resident Director Imara Savage, actor Alison Whyte, Composer & Sound Designer Max Lyandvert and Lighting Designer Emma Valente discuss STC’s latest production, The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín, showing until the 25th of February. They discuss Tóibín’s inspiration for writing the play, Alison’s approach to performing as Mary, and the design of the production. sydneytheatre.com.au/testament This Q&A was part of STC’s series of Insight Events. We hold lots of events that get audiences together with the actors and creative teams behind STC’s work. Everyone is welcome to attend, so we encourage you to check them out at sydneytheatre.com.au/insightevents Host Polly Rowe Producer Carl Nilsson-Polias Recording Engineer Ben Lightowlers Composer Max Lyandvert  

In this episode, recorded live at Roslyn Packer Theatre, assistant director Paige Rattray and designer David Fleischer talk about David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow. https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/productions/2016/speed-the-plow They discuss the show’s gender politics, its resonance with Donald Trump, its remarkable dialogue, as well as the set and costume designs. This Q&A was part of STC’s series of Insight Events. We hold lots of events that get audiences together with the actors and creative teams behind STC’s work. Everyone is welcome to attend, so we encourage you to check them out at https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/insightevents   Speed-the-Plow, 8 Nov - 17 Dec 2016, Roslyn Packer Theatre Seeing the show? Let us know your thoughts. Tag @sydneytheatreco and #STCSpeedThePlow Producer Carl Nilsson-Polias Composer Max Lyandvert  

Designer Gabriela Tylesova joins STC's Jono Perry to discuss the set and costumes for A Flea in Her Ear. They talk about the complex set, which includes three concentric revolving parts, its Art Nouveau influences and much more…  https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/flea   Seeing the show? Let us know your thoughts. Tag @sydneytheatreco and #STCFlea  Producer Carl Nilsson-Polias  Recording Engineer Ben Lightowlers Composer Max Lyandvert

Interim Artistic Director Kip Williams and Executive Director Patrick McIntyre sit down to discuss Sydney Theatre Company's 2017 Season. They talk about our line-up of plays, how they fit into STC’s vision and what you can expect in the theatre. Listen in for some fascinating insights into how the season came together, the stories we'll be telling and the artists who'll be involved. We hope you enjoy the conversation.  Find out more at http://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/season-2017 …   Producer Carl Nilsson-Polias Recording Engineer Ben Lightowlers Composition Max Lyandvert

Sydney Theatre Company Resident Director Sarah Goodes joins Carl Nilsson-Polias to discuss her world premiere production of The Hanging by Angela Betzien. www.sydneytheatre.com.au/thehanging Sarah discusses the process of developing a new play for the stage, the cast and characters of The Hanging, the production's design, and what it has meant for her to be a Resident Director at STC. They also discuss the upcoming tour of STC's production of Switzerland to Melbourne. The Hanging, 28 Jul — 10 Sep 2016, Wharf 1 Theatre Seeing the show? Let us know your thoughts. Tag @sydneytheatreco and #STCHanging Producer Carl Nilsson-Polias Recording Engineer Ben Lightowlers Composer Max Lyandvert  

In this episode, recorded live at Roslyn Packer Theatre, STC Resident Director Kip Williams talks about his production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/productions/2016/all-my-sons   In our previous episode, Kip spoke about his approach to the play in the rehearsal room. Now that it’s opened, we wanted to chat to Kip about the final production and what he learned along the way. This Q&A was part of STC’s series of Insight Events. We hold lots of events that get audiences together with the actors and creative teams behind STC’s work. Everyone is welcome to attend, so we encourage you to check them out at https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/insightevents   All My Sons, 4 Jun – 9 Jul 2016, Roslyn Packer Theatre Seeing the show? Let us know your thoughts. Tag @sydneytheatreco and #STCAllMySons Producer Carl Nilsson-Polias Recording Engineer Ben Lightowlers Composer Max Lyandvert