News

Sarah Goodes appointed
​Associate Artistic Director of Melbourne Theatre Company

Acclaimed theatre director Sarah Goodes has been appointed Associate Artistic Director of Melbourne Theatre Company.  

MTC Artistic Director & CEO Brett Sheehy says, “Sarah is an exceptional director... MTC is very lucky to have one of the best theatre artists in the country as its new Associate Artistic Director.”

After directing SWITZERLAND for Sydney Theatre Company and MTC, Sarah joined the Company as Associate Director in 2017. Since then she has directed five productions for MTC, attracting an audience of over 80,000 and multiple award-nominations and wins. Her acclaimed work has included the Australian premiere productions of JOHN, A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART II and the three-time Helpmann Award-winning production of THE CHILDREN, for which she took out the coveted awards for Best Direction of a Play and Best Play in 2018. 

​This year, Sarah directs ARBUS AND WEST and GOLDEN SHIELD for Melbourne Theatre Company and COSI for Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company.

Congratulations Sarah!

Aurora Artists win at
2019 Green Room Awards

Paul Jackson won a Green Room Award for Best Lighting Design for his work on MELANCHOLIA at Malthouse.  Paul was nominated for a total of 4 Awards this year across the categories of opera, theatre and dance.

Verity Hampson won Best Design with Elizabeth Gadsby, Mike Greaney (Oh Yeah Wow) and Emily Johnson, for their spectacular design for BLACKIE BLACKIE BROWN. Verity was nominated for a total of three Green Room Awards this year.

Other nominations include: 

CALAMITY JANE directed by Richard Carroll for 7 awards including Best Direction and Best Production.

Jean Tong and Natesha Somasundaram were both nominated for Best Writing in the Independent Theatre category: Jean Tong for her musical ROMEO IS NOT THE ONLY FRUIT; and Natesha Somasundaram for JEREMY AND LUCAS BUY A FUCKING HOUSE.

SPARTACUS choreographed by Lucas Jervies for The Australian Ballet was nominated for Best Ensemble/Duet.

ASTROMAN directed by Sarah Goodes for Melbourne Theatre Company was nominated for Best Ensemble.

PRIZE FIGHTER with fight direction by Nigel Poulton for La Boite received 3 nominations including Best Ensemble and Best Production and won Best Male Performer.

Congratulations to everyone on your brilliant work!

Aurora Artists win at
​2019 Sydney Theatre Awards

Congratulations to Alexander Berlage, Renée Mulder and Verity Hampson for their wins at this year's Sydney Theatre Awards and to all the nominees.

Alexander won Best Director of a Musical for his work on CRY-BABY which also won awards for Best Production of a Musical, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Musical (Ashleigh Rubenach) and Best Stage Design of an Independent Production.

Renée Mulder won Best Costume Design for her work on TOP GIRLS. She was also nominated for an award in this category for her work on HARP IN THE SOUTH.  Kate Box won Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for TOP GIRLS directed by Imara Savage for Sydney Theatre Company. 

Verity Hampson won Best Lighting Design for BLACKIE BLACKIE BROWN (Sydney Theatre Company/Malthouse Theatre).

Congratulations to all the nominees which include 4 award nominations for ST JOAN directed by Imara Savage including Best Director, Best Production, Best Sound Design and Best Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Mainstage Production (Sarah Snook). 

Director Alexander Berlage’s productions of CRY-BABY, THERE WILL BE A CLIMAX and HOME INVASION were nominated for a combined total of 12 nominations including: 9 nominations for CRY-BABY; and nominations for Best Direction of an Independent Production and Best Independent Production for THERE WILL BE A CLIMAX.  

Clemence Williams was nominated for Best Original Score for A CHEERY SOUL (Sydney Theatre Company), and Best Sound Design of an Independent Production for THE WOLVES (Redline Productions). 

Brilliant work everyone!

Welcome Jonathon Oxlade

We are thrilled to welcome designer Jonathon Oxlade to Aurora.  

A multi award-winning designer for theatre and film, Jonathon is currently designing costumes for Melbourne Theatre Company's production of COSI directed by Sarah Goodes. 

Jonathon designed the film GIRL ASLEEP for which he won two APDG Awards (Best Production Design and Best Costume Design), an ACCTA Award (Best Costume Design), and received an ACCTA nomination (Best Production Design). 

The same year, Jonathon won a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Costume Design for MR BURNS (Belvoir / State Theatre Company of South Australia) directed by Imara Savage. Jonathon recently designed ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST directed by Sarah Giles for Sydney Theatre Company and ASTROMAN directed by Sarah Goodes for MTC.  He is resident designer at Windmill Theatre Co and regularly creates new work with director Rosemary Myers.  

Lachlan Philpott's new role at
Playwriting Australia

Lachlan Philpott has been appointed Artistic Director and CEO of Playwriting Australia.
 
Described by Playwriting Australia Chair, Peter Wilson, as “without a doubt one of Australia’s most courageous and inspiring contemporary theatre artists”, in making the announcement, Peter noted Lachlan’s “vision for the place of playwrights and playwriting in our culture and his deep engagement with our community”. 
 
Lachlan comes to the role after a long and celebrated career as a writer, dramaturg, teacher and mentor with companies and festivals around the world, with recent projects at The American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, La Comedie Francaise in Paris, Outburst in Belfast, Malthouse Theatre, Australian Theatre for Young People, Merrigong Theatre Company and Red Stitch. He was also the Artistic Director/CEO of Tantrum Theatre, Newcastle and led Australian Theatre for Young People’s emerging writers’ program between 2008 and 2011, establishing one of the company’s most successful and enduring programs, the National Studio for emerging writers.

Lachlan’s output as a writer is prodigious, with wide production of his work in Australia and internationally and 15 plays published to-date. This year, Oberon Books will publish two anthologies of Lachlan’s plays. 

Lachlan's play PROMISCUOUS/CITIES was nominated for a 2018 AWGIE Award. He is the winner of three AWGIEs and numerous other awards.

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