MEDIA RELEASE: Thursday 10 January 2008

Help Save New Theatre

Crowd spills onto the pavement during interval at the new theatre

New Theatre is calling for urgent financial support from both government and private organisations and individuals to help keep one of Australia's unique theatre companies alive.

In October last year, New Theatre celebrated 75 years of continuous production but unless $70,000 is raised by March 2008, that might be its last birthday!

In order to comply with the City of Sydney Place of Public Entertainment (PoPE) licensing requirements, New Theatre has to undertake compulsory building upgrades that must be completed by March 2008.

To complete these compulsory works, $70,000 must be raised within the next two months. A further $70,000 will then need to be raised over the next 18 months to provide disabled access.

If New Theatre is unable to generate the initial $70,000 to complete the first stage of these compulsory building upgrades, it will be forced to close its doors in March, and Sydney will lose not only an important theatre space but also one of its oldest theatre companies.

The iconic theatre space on King Street was created in 1973 by a group of passionate theatre practitioners and idealists who had a vision. Working voluntarily, and with a one-off injection of government funds instigated by the then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, they turned a derelict television factory into one of Sydney's first independent venues, offering a smaller scale alternative to the big city theatres.

In the ensuing 34 years, the venue has provided a home for New Theatre, one of the oldest continuously producing theatre companies in Australia with a proud history that has contributed towards much of Australia?s social development and theatre history. For 75 years, New Theatre has been a not-for-profit organisation committed to producing a diverse range of quality Australian and international plays with a dedication to both classic and contemporary works, education programs, and the development of new writing.

In March 2007, New Theatre was honoured by the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) for its contribution to the Australian Performing Arts and 75 years of continuous production.

New Theatre receives no ongoing funding from either state of federal governments, nor does it attract the huge corporate sponsor dollars that enable other companies to stay viable. New Theatre survives solely on the income generated through its productions and the enormous efforts of its volunteer members who work tirelessly on and off stage.

New Theatre holds a special place in many people's hearts. Now it's time to give it a hand. Every donation, large or small, will help. All donations of $2 and above are tax deductible. To make a donation or for more information on how you can assist New Theatre, please contact Luke Rogers, Theatre Administrator, on 9519 3403 or email newtheatre@bigpond.com.

new theatre media-release-2008-01-14.shtml Last update 14 January 2008.
new theatre's website has been maintained as a community service by ramin communications since 1998.