Barking Gecko Theatre Company
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Barking Gecko Arts, is a Western Australian professional theatre company for children and families. Since September 2024 incorporating AWESOME Arts, as of April 2025[update] the CEO is Ryan Taaffe artistic director and the artistic director is Sam Longley.
History
[edit]Acting Out was founded by artistic director John Saunders as a theatre company for children, touring schools and rural areas in WA.[1]
Barking Gecko Theatre Company was established in Perth in 1989[2] by the succeeding artistic director, Grahame Gavin, as an independent, not-for-profit company for young people and families.[1] In 1996, AWESOME Arts was formed as a separate entity from Barking Gecko,[3] and AWESOME Arts started presenting the annual AWESOME International Arts Festival for Bright Young Things in Perth in the September school holidays each year.[4][5]
The company has performed plays by award-winning playwright Suzie Miller, including Driving Into Walls (2012) and Onefivezeroseven (2014).[6]
The company's most notable productions include Rabbits in 2015;[7] Bambert's Book of Lost Stories in 2016;[8] and House, first performed in 2021, and reprised in 2024.[1]
On 24 September 2024 it was announced by the WA Minister for Arts and Culture David Templeman announced that Barking Gecko Theatre and AWESOME Arts combined as Barking Gecko Arts. Ryan Taaffe, CEO of Barking Gecko Theatre, was would lead as CEO of the new entity, while artistic director Sam Longley and festival director Jenny Simpson would support him in leading the two teams.[3] As of April 2025[update] all three hold their respective positions.[9]
Description
[edit] |
Barking Gecko Theatre is a resident company at the State Theatre Centre of WA, performing in the Heath Ledger Theatre and Studio Underground. It also performs in school classrooms, halls, site-specific non-theatre venues and outdoor locations. The company tours productions across Australia, and has also toured to Canada, the United States, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, and Mexico.
The company also delivers drama programs for children aged 4 to 18 across Perth, regional and remote WA.
Barking Gecko Theatre is a not-for-profit company governed by a board of directors. Receiving federal and state government arts funding, as well as corporate sponsorship and ticket revenue, the company has an annual turnover of more than $1.2 million[when?] and employs more than 60 primarily Western Australian artists each year.[when?][citation needed]
Artistic directors
[edit]- 1985?–1989: John Saunders (Acting Out)[1]
- 1989–2006?: Grahame Gavin[1]
- 2006–2010: Jeremy Rice
- 2010–2014: John Sheedy
- 2015–?: Matt Edgerton
- As of 2025[update]: Sam Longley[3]
Awards
[edit]2015
[edit]The Rabbits won several awards in 2015, including:
- Helpmann Award Winner – Best Presentation for Children[7]
- Helpmann Award Winner – Best New Australian Work[7]
- Helpmann Award Winner – Best Costume Design, Gabriela Tylesova[7]
- Helpmann Award Winner – Best Original Score, Kate Miller-Heidke with Iain Grandage[7]
- Performing Arts WA Award Winner – Best Production
- Performing Arts WA Award Winner – Best Lighting, Trent Suidgeest
2016
[edit]Bambert's Book of Lost Stories had a nomination and a win in the Helpmann Awards:[8]
- Helpmann Award Winner – Best Presentation for Children
- Helpmann Award Nomination – Best New Australian Work
2017
[edit]- Performing Arts WA Award Winner – Best Supporting Actor, St John Cowcher for My Robot[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Schmitt, Sarah (20 September 2024). "Barking Gecko Theatre Company: A Legacy of Excellence". Perth Happenings. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
- ^ "Barking Gecko Theatre Company". Act Belong Commit. 2011. Archived from the original on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
- ^ a b c "Barking Gecko Theatre & AWESOME Arts Merge to Form Barking Gecko Arts". Barking Gecko. 25 September 2024. Archived from the original on 3 October 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ "Festival Program & Tickets". AWESOME Festival. 15 January 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ "About Us". AWESOME Festival. 13 March 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ Reich, Hannah (16 June 2023). "Suzie Miller's Olivier Award-winning play about sexual assault, Prima Facie, has far-reaching impact for legal systems". ABC News. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "2015 Nominees and Winners". Helpmann Awards. Archived from the original on 12 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
- ^ a b "2016 Nominees and Winners". Helpmann Awards. Archived from the original on 29 July 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
- ^ "Our People". Barking Gecko Arts. 7 March 2025. Archived from the original on 9 April 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2025.