Melbourne Theatre Company Honours Benefactor Patricia Burke with Lifetime Patron Award

Melbourne Theatre Company honoured long-time benefactor PaTricia Burke with a Lifetime Patron Award last night at a special preview event for MTC's 2018 Season.

Patricia has been an MTC subscriber since 1953 and has supported the Company as a donor since 1990. She has been an active and cherished member of the MTC family for 64 years, first participating in The University of Melbourne's Union Repertory Theatre, which went on to become Melbourne Theatre Company. MTC is honoured to have received Patricia's passionate and continued support since the Company's inception.

MTC Executive Director Virginia Lovett said, 'Pat has not only been a subscriber since 1953, but has also been a donor for many years and given many thousands of hours to MTC fundraising efforts. She has introduced a great many people to the Company including her family - now three generations of Burkes enjoy MTC. She is our longest-serving subscriber, one of our greatest champions, and utterly deserving of this year's Lifetime Patron Award.'

In recognition of her immense contribution to MTC for over 25 years, Patricia was presented with a handmade gold lapel pin, compliments of Kozminsky.

In 2015 the MTC Foundation introduced the Lifetime Patron Award to acknowledge and celebrate MTC's most loyal and extraordinary supporters, and their astonishing generosity that has enriched the arts throughout Victoria and Australia.

Patricia joins Peter Clemenger AO, Joan Clemenger AO, Allan Myers AO QC, Maria Myers AO, the late Biddy Ponsford, Roger Riordan AM, Derek Young AM and Caroline Young as MTC Lifetime Patrons.

MTC's Season 2018 will be announced to the public on Monday 28 August during a launch at Hamer Hall.