Western Australian theatre companies to thrill thanks to grants for new works

Six Western Australian theatre companies have been awarded $380,000 in grants to develop new performances and enhance the local theatre industry.

Announcing the grants, Western Australian Culture and Arts Minister John Day said the funding would enable recipients to begin work on their productions which will be performed in WA theatres, including the State Theatre Centre and The Blue Room.

Minister Day said some of the recipients were new and emerging groups with imaginative ideas and the talent to bring stories to life, explaining "these grants are a significant investment in the State's performing arts sector and will provide important opportunities for local practitioners to further develop and expand their craft.

"The six works in development are exciting new pieces that will enable collaboration between the local and national theatre scenes.

"For example, Perth band, The Growl, will be working with The Skeletal System on Coma Land and Barking Gecko Theatre Company will work with the Perth International Arts Festival and Opera Australia.

"In some cases, it is the first time that recipients have received funding from the State Government. This is encouraging as it indicates that the arts in WA continue to evolve."

The Theatre Works Grants Program was established with funding previously allocated for the former Deckchair and Thin Ice theatre companies.

In 2013, DCA provided more than $3million in theatre funding for small to medium companies, the major performing arts company and service organisations

The Theatre Works Grants recipients are:

Danielle Micich (Perth) - $140,000 for the development and production of Overexposed, a physical theatre work about a woman in detention. The show will feature theatre and dance and be performed at the State Theatre Centre of WA.

The Duckhouse Theatre Company (Northbridge) - $107,440 for a new work about the pursuit of impossible dreams, Falling Through Clouds. The piece will be created by a new collaboration, The Last Great Hunt, incorporating The Duckhouse, Weeping Spoon Productions, performer Arielle Grey and playwright Chris Isaacs.

Barking Gecko Theatre Company (Subiaco) - $40,000 to develop an operatic and theatrical adaptation of Shaun Tan and John Marsden's children's' book, The Rabbits. The book delves into the themes of colonisation and environmental destruction.

Joe Lui of Renegade Productions (Perth) - $31,318 for the development of, The Tribe, a multi-art form series of works exploring tribalism, race and culture.

The Skeletal System (Perth) - $29,479 to develop a work titled, Coma Land, which will explore the experience of people in comas. This project is a collaboration with Alicia Clements, Will O'Mahony and local music act The Growl.

Perth Theatre Company (Perth) - $28,614 for the theatrical love story combining music, image, dance and fashion, The Song Was Wrong. The production will be performed at the State Theatre Centre of WA.

For more information go to www.dca.wa.gov.au

28th April 2013 - STATE THEATRE CENTRE AT FOREFRONT OF PERTH’S GOLDEN AGE OF ARTS

22nd December 2009 - ONE YEAR TO WA STATE THEATRE CENTRE OPENING