Adelaide Repertory Theatre Explained

'The Adelaide Repertory Theatre, often called Adelaide Rep or The Rep, is an amateur theatre company in Adelaide, South Australia, founded in 1908. It usually presents its productions at The Arts Theatre.

History

Adelaide Rep is the longest surviving amateur theatre company in the Southern Hemisphere,^{[1] [2]} having been set up in 1908 by students from the Elder Conservatorium.^{[3] [4]}

Since its inception, the company's venues have included:^[5]

• Unley Town Hall
• Walkerville Hall
• Queen's Hall at 102a Grenfell Street^[6] (later the Embassy Ballroom, Plaza Theatre, and Paris Cinema, before demolition)
• King's Theatre (built 1911, on the corner of Carrington Street and King William Street, Adelaide^[7])
• Tivoli Theatre (now Her Majesty's)

In 1963, the company built The Arts Theatre in Angas Street in the Adelaide city centre.^[8] The 500-seat theatre was built for £45,000, on land bought 15 years prior by the company. It has since become a major venue for other amateur companies as well as Adelaide Fringe and other performances.^[9] The first production there was the Peter Ustinov comedy, Romanoff and Juliet.^{[10] [9]}

Description

The company has performed at many venues around Adelaide, but most are at The Arts Theatre.

The company is run by a board, chaired by Rose Vallen.^[11]

Awards

• 2001: Messenger Newspapers Light Year Award, for Glen Christie's performance as Norman in The Dresser
• 2001: Messenger Newspapers Theatre Awards, for Barney in Kid Stakes won Best Amateur Actor^[12]
• 2006: Adelaide Critics Circle The Coopers Group Award for School for Scandal^[13]
• 2006: Messenger Newspapers Light Year Award for best comedy: I Hate Hamlet^[14]
• 2008: Ruby Award for Sustained Contribution by an Organisation (Arts SA)^[15]

People

Notable associates of the Theatre include:

• Roxy Byrne - actress^[16]
• Frank Ford AM - Director
• Alexander Melrose - playwright^[17]
• Keith Michell - Actor
• Jean Robertson - actress
• Sydney Talbot Smith - Chairperson, Vice President and President at times between 1919 and 1948^[18]

External links

• • Adelaide Repertory Theatre in the Adelaide Theatre Guide
• Adelaide Repertory Theatre at AusStage
• Web site: George . Bev . The Performing Arts Collection - The Adelaide Repertory Theatre Inc. . January 1998 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110706100014/http://www.pacsa.asn.au/pac/cf/compinfo.cfm?id=13 . 6 July 2011 .

Notes and References

1. Affort, T. (1995). Adelaide Repertory Theatre. In P. Parsons (General Editor), Companion to Theatre in Australia. Sydney, Currency Press, p. 11
2. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/archive/00007088/01/7088.pdf Comans, Dr Christine A.W. (2006) La Boite's History as Doctoral Study: A Research Methodology Story. NJ Drama Australia Journal 30(2):pp. 73-82.
3. Geoffrey Milne, (2004), Theatre Australia (Un)limited: Australian Theatre Since the 1950s, Rodopi, p. 75,
4. News: Brissenden . Alan . Stirring the intellectual pot . The Adelaide Review . 2008-10-16 . 2008-09-25 .
5. Web site: Adelaide Repertory Theatre . . 2 September 2021 . 10 January 2023.
6. News: S.A. Allgemeiner Deutscher Verein. . . XXVI . 7381 . South Australia . 15 June 1894 . 10 January 2023 . 3 (SECOND EDITION) . National Library of Australia.
7. Web site: Carrington Street, Adelaide (1928) . . photo + caption. 10 January 2023.
8. Web site: Adelaide's Premiere venue for award winning amateur theatre . The Arts Theatre . 10 January 2023.
9. Web site: Arts Theatre a home at last in 1963 for Adelaide Repertory; used by other music/theatre groups, Fringe shows. AdelaideAZ . 10 January 2023.
10. Web site: Romanoff and Juliet . . 10 January 2023.
11. Web site: Board Members . The Adelaide Repertory Theatre . 1 April 2017 . 10 January 2023.
12. http://www.messenger.net.au/pulse/htm/theat12.html City Messenger Theatre Awards
13. http://www.adelaidecritics.com/html/theawards.html The Awards
14. http://www.messenger.net.au/Pulse/htm/amatth2506.htm Amateur Theatre I Hate Hamlet, Messenger Newspapers, 2006
15. https://web.archive.org/web/20081001074314/http://www.arts.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/2008_AbaF_Ruby_Book.pdf Adelaide Repertory Theatre, Sustained contribution (organisations) 2008 Winner, Ruby Awards, ARTS SA
16. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150410b.htm Roxy Byrne entry at the Australian Women’s Archives Project
17. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150410b.htm Alexander Melrose entry
18. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A160329b.htm Sydney Talbot Smith entry