The Hayman Theatre - by the new Vice Chancellor

Gordon the Optom | 12/04/2006 - 18:33

Perth | Green Room Gossip | Theatre Critic

Hayman Theatre

Performances planned for Hayman Theatre this year have been relocated to other venues in the metropolitan area, as Curtin has been advised by independent fire engineering consultants that the theatre does not meet the relevant fire and safety standards.

Some upgrading has been undertaken to ensure the theatre can be used as a teaching space and rehearsal space, but it will cost over $1 million to bring it to the standard required for public performances. Properties is now undertaking a study to identify the most appropriate use of the space, taking into account current needs and priorities, before any decision is made.

Despite the closure of the theatre, the activities of the Performance Studies course will continue with productions planned for 2006 being staged in alternative venues within the metropolitan area. This will have the advantage of giving students experience in the types of venues they will work in after graduation, and will showcase the Performance Studies course in different areas and to different audiences.

OBSERVATION by reader

The several UWA theatres are used extensively - check the lack of parking any night! - surely Curtin can support one theatre and their acting and theatre skills courses. They have the space, facilities and parking

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Investment properties

Author: crgwllms
Date: 13/04/2006 - 11:34

And the theatre would be one of the few buildings at Curtin where they can charge people admission to enter...giving at least some return on the investment.

Of course, the most profitable building on campus IS the carpark....

Cheers,
Craig

~<8>-/====\---------

Marketing Potential

Author: Labrug
Date: 13/04/2006 - 12:46

Theatrical Publicity and Community Image is something else that Curtin will lose with this latest move. Theatre has always been, at least as I understand it, a great way to improve a Community Profile. It is an easy way to "give back to the community."

It's Curtin's loss at the end of the day.

Dixi

Jeff Watkins
Perth based Actor/Performer
Fight/Sword Choreographer

http://au.geocities.com/labrug

13/04/2006 - 14:36 toby32 (not verified) Hayman is important

Phasing out the performance studies course?

Author: Talei
Date: 17/04/2006 - 06:48

Back in June last year Curtin decided to charge Humanties rental for the Hayman Theatre space hoping that this would put financial pressure on the department and close down the performance studies course.
Plans changed when the issue got publicised in the press and letters flooded the VC's desk.
Now they have a legitimate excuse to close down the Hayman theatre space and turn it into a lecture theatre.
As Gordon and Craig have both pointed out Hayman Theatre could be marketed more aggresively as a theatre for public hire like the UWA theatres and Nexus Theatre at Murdoch (which is self sustaining financially)and provide some return on the investment needed to fix the theatre up.
It's wonderful that students will have the opportunity to perform in various venues outside of the university but I have a feeling that the added expense of hiring these venues etc will add to the reasons needed for Curtin to phase out the performance studies course and that would be a damn shame.
I hope my suspicions prove to be wrong.

20/04/2006 - 09:02 Walter Plinge (not verified) Hayman

20/04/2006 - 15:38 Debra Y (not verified) What sort of kudos does

Hayman's Kudos....

Author: Crispian
Date: 20/04/2006 - 16:46

Hi Debra,

You'll find that many Western Australian theatre professionals (i.e Directors/Actors/Technical/Arts Administrators/Curators/) working around Australia have had some connection to Hayman Theatre and the Performance Studies course over it's long history.

In it's golden years, Hayman Theatre was putting on 3-4 main productions in it's downstairs theatre and in the upstairs theatre (which was completely run by the students) about 20-30 productions a year. This gave a lot of young actors practical opportunities to hone their skills. If they wanted to become a director they could focus on that by directing their own shows at Hayman; if they wanted to be technical specialists, they could crew as many shows as they could to pick up the skills. Students were exposed to all aspects of administrative/technical/on stage practices in the one course.

Hayman Theatre was a great breeding ground for future NIDA/WAAPA/VCA grads. Every year saw at least couple of students go into the Drama schools and I'm sure the practical experiences they got at Hayman contributed to their successful application.

Hayman Theatre was not an DRAMA ACTING SCHOOL. It was an institution that created THEATRE/FILM ARTISTS.

Here is a list of Hayman grads I know currently working in the industry...

Frances O Connor - Mansfield Park, Importance of Being Ernest, AI & others - actor
Kate Atkinson - Seachange & others -actor
Steve Jodrell - Seachange & others - director
Matthew Parkinson - Eistein Factor - ABC TV
Mandy McElhinney - The Bank(film), Comedy Inc. CH9
Luke Devenish - script producer Neighbours - CH10 Grundy
Jonathon Beale - Stateline ABCTV Perth
Aela Callan - Ch7 News Syd.
Gibson Nolte (actor)
Jim Scott - MLC (Greens WA) upper house
Judith Lucy - comedienne
Daina Reid - comedienne
Andrea Powell - comedienne
Andrea Gibbs - 96fm Breakfast Crew
Claire Hooper - Stand Up Comedian/Actor
Judy Davis (actor)
Michael Loney (actor)
Caroline Mc Kenzie (actor)
Bill Mc Clusky (actor, director, teacher)
Sarah Smith (script-writer, film director)
Glenn Swift (actor, variety performer, teacher of the Alexander Technique
Denise Kirby (actor)
Joanne Foley (actor, puppeteer, clown doctor)
Ian Triggoning (puppeteer, technical wizard)
Don Smith (actor, clown, comedian, teacher)
Brent Hill (actor/writer/musical director)
Luke Milton
(writer/director)
Adam Mitchell (director)
Michelle Nussey (actor)

Crispian Chan (actor)
Craig Williams (actor)
Julia Moody (now
teaching voice at WAAPA)
Paul Goddard (actor)
Michelle Baginski (actor)
Kerry O Sullivan (director/actor)
Angelique
Malcolm (founder of Class Act/actor)
Simon Keen (actor - NIDA)
Tom
Milton (actor - WAAPA)
Jenny Courtney (actor -VCA)
Lucy Bath (actor -
WAAPA)
Damien Robertson (actor- WAAPA)
Austin Castiglione (actor -
WAAPA)
Cavan Gallagher (writer/director/actor)
Calida With
actor/singer)
Carla Kissane (actor)
Sarah Borg
(actor)
Ingrid Hartwig (actor)
Kingsley Judd (actor/puppeteer)
Mike
Frencham (actor/film director)
Mike McCall (actor/director - NIDA)
Tye Harper (actor - NIDA)
Ian Meadows (actor - WAAPA)
Renato Fabretti (actor - WAAPA)

and so many, many more....

There was an earlier posting from last year when Hayman was first threatened with closure. You can check it out at http://www.theatre.asn.au/node/2266 - there is a lot of testimonies from ex-grads on that thread regarding Hayman Theatre's contribution to the arts.

Crispy.

20/04/2006 - 22:26 Walter Plinge (not verified) Kudos?

Hayman's Kudo...

Author: Crispian
Date: 20/04/2006 - 17:21

and so many, many more....

There
was an earlier posting from last year when Hayman was first threatened
with closure. You can check it out at
http://www.theatre.asn.au/node/2266 - there is a lot of testimonies
from ex-grads on that thread regarding Hayman Theatre's contribution to
the arts.

Crispy.

The Hayman Theatre - by the new Vice Chancellor

Hayman Theatre

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