Queensland Theatre’s Chair Elizabeth Jameson has announced that the new Artistic Director for the company will be well known cultural leader and director, and current Artistic Director and CEO of Griffin Theatre Company, Lee Lewis. “Queensland Theatre has made real its vision of leading from Queensland, with key achievements including a new theatre, record audiences and growth, national industry leadership through gender parity of writers and directors for four successive years, more diverse voices, more new stories and world premieres, and the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories. It is important that our next Artistic Director share our vision and Lee Lewis most certainly does,” Jameson said.
Many of Lee Lewis’ productions have been nominated for awards and her directorial successes include Prima Facie, which has its Queensland premiere in Season 2020; The Homosexuals or Faggots, and A Rabbit for Kim Jong-il. For Melbourne Theatre Company, she directed David Williamson’s Rupert, which toured to Washington DC as part of the World Stages International Arts Festival and to Sydney’s Theatre Royal in 2014.
Lee Lewis said leading Queensland Theatre artistically was exciting because of the enormous potential for growth rather than change.“The company needs to continue to commit to the directions and ideals laid down in the last five years so that the home audience can start to deeply own and celebrate the achievements of its theatre company. Because that is what we all want in the end isn’t it? Building audience means making sure every show counts.”
Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said the next Artistic Director will share the richness of vision that Sam Strong brought to the position to help the company grow.“She has curated seven successful seasons at Griffin and it is fantastic that she will now call Queensland home. It is an exciting time for Queensland Theatre.”
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