• broken image

    The

    Austin Theatre Group

    Originally affiliated with the

    Saint Augustine’s College

    Old Boys Association

    Brookvale

  • broken image

    About the Austin Theatre Group

     

    The first question most people ask about Austin is: “Why ‘Austin’?” Austin is the early Anglicised version of the name ‘Augustine‘.
     
    The curtain was brought up on what was to become the Austin Theatre Group in 1973 when a group of Old Boys from St Augustine’s put on A Man For All Seasons in a small hall in Dee Why. The show was directed by Barry Hayes, who was at that time a teacher at the school and largely responsible for initiating the strong tradition for drama that continues to this day.
     
    For several years Old Boys who had acquired the taste for drama asked Barry to direct a series of successful productions until the time when Barry went overseas to concentrate on writing. Larry Scheid took over and mounted a mammoth production of King John at the new venue of Balgowlah Boys High School.
     
    In 1976, due to expanding community involvement, the group set itself up in its own right, distinct from the Old Boys Association. At this time Kevin Jackson (later to become head of NIDA) took over as the artistic director of the group and produced several plays including Jean Anouilh’s Ring Round The Moon.
     
    Over the next six years Austin became the leading drama group in the area. Several theatre professionals such as Murray Picknett and Tom Bannerman as designers and David Goddard as Artistic Director helped to gain for the group a reputation for outstanding productions that aimed to be both entertaining and thought-provoking.
     
    At the heart of the group was a dedicated band of theatre lovers, closet Oliviers, handypersons and friends who sacrificed their time and sanity to the mad thespian obsession.
     
    During this period Austin produced a vast range of shows from Samuel Beckett and Bertold Brecht to Neil Simon and Alan Ayckbourn. The membership grew and with it the need for a permanent performing space. Unfortunately, no such home could be found. Along with the changing lifestyles of the existing members this effectively meant the group was forced into hibernation.
     
    In 1990 a new group of Old Boys and friends reinvigorated the spirit of Austin and performed several memorable productions including Metamorphosis by Steven Berkoff and The Suicide by Nicholai Erdman.
     
    And now in 2021, a similar vision has been rekindled. Many of the names have changed, but the aim remains the same: quality productions of entertaining and stimulating plays.
     
    We look forward to your support and encouragement over the years to come.
  • broken image

    The Suicide

    7:30 pm June 14th, 16th, 17th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th

    St Augustine's College Brookvale

    Lecceto Auditorium

    Adults $30; Concessions $20

  • Past Productions

    Click on image to see more

    A Man for All Seasons 1973

    A Man for All Seasons

     

    1973

    by Robert Bolt

    The Importance of Being Eearnest 1974

    The Importance of Being Earnest

    1974

    by Oscar Wilde

    The Crucible 1975

    The Crucible

     

    1975

    by Arthur Miller

    King John April 1976

    King John

     

    April 1976

    by William Shakespeare

    Thark 1976

    Thark

     

    1976

    by Ben Travers

    Ring Around the Moon 1977

    Ring Round the Moon

     

    April 1977

    by Jean Anouilh

    Blithe Spirit 1978

    Blithe Spirit

     

    April 1978

    by Noël Coward

    In Celebration 1978

    In Celebration

     

    1978

    by David Storey

    Henry IV 1978

    Henry IV

     

    September 1978

    by William Shakespeare

    Plaza Suite 1979

    Plaza Suite

     

    June 1979

    by Neil Simon

    Bonaventure 1980

    Bonaventure

     

    January 1980

    by Charlotte Hastings

    Playboy of the Western World 1980

    Playboy of the Western World

     

    January 1980

    by John Millington Synge

    Garden District 1981

    Garden District

     

    April 1981

    by Tennesee Williams

    All My Sons 1982

    All My Sons

     

    September 1982

    by Arthur Miller

    The Killing of Sister George  1983

    The Killing of Sister George

     

    February 1983

    by Frank Marcus

    The Suicide 1990

    The Suicide

     

    1990

    by Nikolai Erdman

    metamorphosis 1994

    Metamorphosis

     

    August 1994

    by Steven Berkoff

    The Importance of Being Earnest 2022

    The Importance of Being Earnest 

    March/April 2022

    by Oscar Wilde

    The Suicide

    The Suicide

    June 2023

    by Nikolai Erdman

    Translated by Peter Tegel

  • CONTACT US