Junction Theatre Company

The Junction Theatre Company was South Australia’s first professional community theatre company, founded in 1984.[1]

Junction Theatre Company created touring works in schools, factories and other workplaces, with an aim to “create theatre of a high artistic quality which is accessible to those sections of the community who have not traditionally participated in theatre as an accessible option for entertainment, learning and expressing issues” [2]

In its early days Junction Theatre was one of the country's main proponents of work supported by the program of funding Art and Working Life,[3] along with companies such as Melbourne Workers Theatre in Victoria. The Art and Working Life funding program supported projects created in partnership with Trade Unions. Through the use of its own venue, it also became known as having an important role in facilitating the work of smaller companies in South Australia [4]

Junction Theatre Company’s first Artistic Director was Malcolm Blaylock.[5] The subsequent and artistic director was Geoff Crowhurst, who was in the role until the closure of the company in 2001. Geoff Crowhurst was considered “A master of making theatre work for the good of whole communities”,[6] and had an Arts South Australia Ruby Award category posthumously named in his honour for individuals who make "an outstanding contribution to community cultural development” [7]

Productions by Junction Theater Company include:

  • The company's first production, Next Year's Model in 1984, about the gradual closure of the General Motors Holden plant in Woodville, Victoria [8]
  • The Keys to the Animal Room by Peta Murray, 1993, about an abusive marital relationship, which received the 1994 Gold AWGIE Award [9]
  • Hello Down There in 1993, a play about the collapse of the State Bank of South Australia, which was named 'Best Community Theatre for 1993' in The Advertiser [10]
  • The company's last production, Love Land and Money, 2002, relating to themes of reconciliation and mining industries,[11] co-presented by Adelaide Fringe Festival and Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute

References

  1. ↑ "New Theatre Company Formed", The Advertiser, Sunday October 6, 1984, Page 10
  2. ↑ "Junction Theatre Company Annual Report 1990", State Library of South Australia
  3. ↑ Geoffrey Milne, Theatre Australia (un)limited: Australian Theatre Since the 1950s, Rodopi 2004
  4. ↑ Don Rubin, Chua Soo Pong, Ravi Chaturvedi, The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia/Pacific, Taylor & Francis 2001
  5. ↑ Geoffrey Milne, Theatre Australia (un)limited: Australian Theatre Since the 1950s, Rodopi 2004
  6. ↑ "AUSTRALIA COUNCIL MOURNS GEOFF CROWHURST"
  7. ↑ "Ruby Awards have an art of glass for 10th Anniversary" The Advertiser
  8. ↑ "AusStage Database"
  9. ↑ "Peta Murray | Australian Plays Online"
  10. ↑ Junction Theatre Company Annual Report, 1993, pp 6
  11. ↑ "The Adelaide Review, No.222, March, 2002. pp.22-23"
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