No Time for Mid-Winter Blues at Melbourne Theatre Company

Melbourne Theatre Company's 2014 Season is now in full flight, leaving no time formid-winter blues, said Artistic Director Brett Sheehy AO today.

"At the half-time call on the 2014 season we are in a terrific position" said Mr Sheehy. "As always there are some shows which attract more people than others, but this year, I am pleased to say there are currently far more of the more, and we are tracking very well. MTC is reaching out into the community in numerous ways and our endeavours are being met with great enthusiasm. We want to put the transformative power of theatre and live storytelling into the public arena as much as possible, and it is great to see the 2014 season fulfilling its promise so fruitfully."

Since January, MTC has delivered five mainstage shows and currently has one in rehearsal:
Private Lives - a summer hit with audiences and critics alike which did exceedingly well at the box office

Cock - a contemporary new UK play that attracted a new audience which built consistently over the season, and the production was snapped up by La Boite Theatre in Brisbane to a suite of rave reviews

Neighbourhood Watch - a star turn by Robyn Nevin meant Lally Katz's new play had a highly successful run

Ghosts - divided critics but played to appreciative houses cheering Linda Cropper's powerhouse performance

The Speechmaker - the first play by Australian comedy royalty, Working Dog, is nearing the end of its sell-out season at the Playhouse with public demands for a return season, which MTC will look at down the track

Glengarry Glen Ross - starring Alex Dimitriades, Steve Bisley and Greg Stone is currently in rehearsal at MTC HQ and opens on Thursday 10 Julyat Southbank Theatre, The Sumner.

In March, undertaking its first international tour in 30 years, MTC presented David Williamson's hit satire Rupert in Washington DC at the Kennedy Center to a warm reception from American audiences and standing ovations.

MTC's education program ensures students of all ages are part of the landscape at MTC's HQ and in its theatres. The captivating teenage thriller Yellow Moon played at the Lawler and then embarked on MTC's first-ever in-school tour of regional Victoria, playing to students from 23 regional schools, covering about 2,500 km, finishing at Geelong Performing Arts Centre and reaching a total of 2,661 students. Solo Performance Workshops for VCE Drama students took place last week, with 215 students from 25 schools attending intensive workshops over six days. As well, MTC senior executives participated in mentoring sessions with young students in collaboration with Foundation for Young Australians.

MTC's script development program has also been flat out, with the successful public readings of five new Australian plays in the Cybec Electric series in February. Three more Australian playwriting commissions were announced, bringing the number of playwrights currently under commission to nine, and various creative development workshops have been held for these.

The lights have been on for MTC's second NEON Festival of Independent Theatre for the past month. Opening with The Little Ones' Dangerous Liaisonsand followed by Angus Cerini/Doubletap's Resplendence, reviews have been positive and sales strong. Next up is Photographs of A starring Helen Morse by Antechamber Productions & Daniel Keene which opens this Friday 27 June at the Lawler. The inaugural keynote by Melbourne ex-pat and Artistic Director of Berlin's Komische Oper Barrie Kosky will be held on Sunday 20 July and is nearly booked out.

Meanwhile, 13 directors are currently participating in monthly salons, performances, briefings and mentoring as part of MTC's new Women Directors Program, a first for a major theatre company in Australia.

11 theatre artists from diverse cultural backgrounds are participating in the Company's multi-cultural initiative MTC Connect, a partnership with Multicultural Arts Victoria. Under MTC Connect, some of these artists have begun work on a project to dramatise migrant women's stories of leaving children in their country of origin, assisted by a recent grant by the Australia Council.

Melbourne Theatre Company's new tourism website, makeadatewithmelbourne.com.au, is generating interest among theatre-lovers planning to visit Melbourne and bookings are starting to flow. While it is early days, the concept has generated plaudits among tourism bodies and the arts industry, bringing together as it does MTC shows, nearby accommodation and dining, travel and other cultural attractions.

MTC staff are also now busy with preparations for Season 2015, which will be launched on Thursday 4 September.

For more information and to book tickets, go to mtc.com.au, phone 03 8688 0800 or follow Melbourne Theatre Company on facebook and twitter.

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