Company B (theatre)

Company B is an Australian theatre company based at the Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney, Australia.

Company B was formed in 1984 and, under the artistic leadership of Neil Armfield, the company engages Australia's most prominent and promising playwrights, directors and actors. Company B also tours to major arts centres and festivals both nationally and internationally.

Company B sprang into being out of the unique action taken to save the Nimrod Theatre building from demolition in 1984. Rather than lose a performance space in inner city Sydney, more than 600 arts, entertainment and media professionals as well as ardent theatre lovers, formed a syndicate to buy the building. The syndicate included nearly every successful person in Australian show business.

Belvoir St Theatre’s greatly loved Upstairs and Downstairs stages have been the artistic watering holes of many of Australia’s great performing artists such as Geoffrey Rush, Cate Blanchett, Jacqueline McKenzie, Ursula Yovich, Richard Roxburgh, Max Cullen, Bille Brown, David Wenham, Tyler Coppin, Deborah Mailman and Catherine McClements.

Sell-out productions like "Cloudstreet", "The Judas Kiss", "The Alchemist", "Hamlet", "Waiting for Godot", "Gulpilil", "Stuff Happens", "Keating!", "Parramatta Girls", "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and Michael Gow's "Toy Symphony", have consolidated Company B's position as one of Australia's most innovative and acclaimed theatre companies. Company B also supports outstanding independent theatre companies through its annual B Sharp season.

On 4 October 2006, Belvoir St Theatre reopened after undergoing a major renovation to provide Company B with a state of the art home for the future whilst retaining the charm of the original building. From July 2005 until September 2006, Company B and B Sharp were resident at the Seymour Centre, Chippendale in Sydney.

Company B receives government support for its activities from the federal government through the Major Performing Arts Board of the Australia Council for the Arts and the state government through Arts NSW.

2008 Season

* "Ngapartji Ngapartji" - written and directed by Scott Rankin
* "The Seed" - written and performed by Kate Mulvany, directed by Iain Sinclair with Neil Armfield
* "Antigone" - written by Sophocles, directed by Chris Kohn
* "The Pillowman" - written by Martin McDonagh, directed by Craig Ilott
* "Scorched" - written by Wajdi Mouawad, directed by Neil Armfield
* "Yibiyung" - written by Dallas Winmar, directed by Wesley Enoch
* "The Importance of Being Earnest" - written by Oscar Wilde, directed by Jude Kelly
* "Tough Time, Nice Time" - written and performed by John Haynes and David Woods

Company B Education Program

School matinee performances: Company B holds up to five school matinee performances of every subscription season show.

Tours: School groups are able to take a behind the scenes tour of Belvoir St Theatre where they learn a little about the history of the building and Company B, and the running of a professional theatre company.

Priority Funded Schools Program: Through the support of Education Partner, Freehills, Company B offers students from priority funded schools the opportunity to attend school matinee performances for free.

Workshops: Company B runs a number of education workshops throughout the year for both students and teachers. The workshop program includes workshops in lighting, set, costume and sound design as well as in composition, theatre criticism and performance.

Work Experience: Company B runs a work experience program for high school students the aim of which is to give students a first hand experience of the company's artistic and administrative operations.

Work Placement at Company B: Company B also offers a limited number of work placements to students studying the VET Entertainment Industry Course.

External links

* [http://www.belvoir.com.au/ Company B (and Belvoir St Theatre) website]