Windmill Theatre Expands International Touring Program

Award-winning Adelaide-based national theatre company, Windmill Theatre, is breaking into new territory with the expansion of its international touring program, in addition to the commencement of several new strategic partnerships, as it enters a period of further growth and momentum.

Following a successful pitch at the invitation-only International Performing Arts for Youth Market in Philadelphia earlier this year, the 13-year-old company today confirmed it's early childhood work, Grug, will play a premiere season in Hong Kong from April 10. It has also received considerable interest from presenters in Shanghai for it's multi-award winning family musical, Pinocchio, which completed it's highly successful US premiere season on Broadway in New York City last month.

Appetite for Windmill's unique style of theatre works for children, families and teenagers is growing steadily, with the company in early negotiations to tour two of its newest works, Big Bad Wolf and Grug and the Rainbow, across North America in 2016 and 2017 respectively, following a successful five-month, 157-performance stint of Grug to 13 cities across the US and Canada in 2013.

Sandy Verschoor, Windmill's new General Manager and Producer said today, "The Chinese market represents an incredible opportunity to expand our international touring footprint whilst also showcasing our quality new work for children in one of the world's fastest growing markets. Following success in North America with Grug and most recently Pinocchio, China was a natural extension for us and we're thrilled with the initial response.

Exporting new Australian stories to the world stage celebrates our unique Australian spirit in the international cultural landscape and in this way, certainly takes our company to a new level."

Today the youth theatre company also announced several new strategic partnerships with leading Australian businesses including Art Series Hotel Group and Budget Car and Truck Rental.

Art Series Hotel Group is an Australian owned and operated collection of four and five star hotels and residences in Melbourne, Bendigo and Adelaide. The Watson Hotel, dedicated to indigenous artist Tommy Watson and located in Walkerville, is the group's first foray into the SA market.

Ryan Tuckerman, Group Director of Sales and Marketing for Art Series Hotel Group remarked, "We are thrilled to partner with one of Australia's most celebrated and treasured theatre companies for young people, an organisation that shares our values of creative excellence, innovation and quality."

Long term community partner Beyond Bank Australia also pledged its continued support of Windmill, sponsoring its acclaimed community program that delivers free educational workshops and access tickets for hundreds of disadvantaged schools and community groups every year.

Windmill's Marketing and Development Manager, Adam Rossetto said, "These new partnerships represent a wider confidence in the South Australian arts industry and its ability to deliver innovative sponsorship programs that benefit local audiences, whilst also delivering all-important return on investment."

South Australia's Windmill Theatre has enjoyed a remarkable period of growth and success in recent years, marked by a string of accolades including four national Helpmann Awards, two Business SA Export Awards, two SA Ruby Awards for Best Work and the 2012 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award for Excellence - the first such awarded to a youth theatre company in Australia.

The next 12 months promises to be another exciting period for the company with the premiere of its first feature film, Girl Asleep, as part of the Adelaide Film Festival in October. The film received funding from the Australia Council for the Arts, as well as new partners Screen Australia, ABC Arts, SA Film Corporation, Adelaide Film Festival and The Ian Potter Foundation.

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