Identity area
Type of entity
Corporate body
Authorized form of name
New Theatre (Melbourne, Vic.)
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Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1936-2000
History
New Theatre was a radical theatre group founded in Melbourne, Victoria, by Frank Huelin and Betty Roland. Initially established as the Workers' Theatre Group, it was inspired by similar workers' theatres in the USA and UK. A Sydney counterpart, originally called the Sydney Workers' Art Club, preceded it by four years, forming in 1932. The Workers' Theatre Group mainly produced short and political sketches, and often performed on street corners and at factory gates. The first full play to be staged was Clifford Odets' Waiting for Lefty in 1936. The group was renamed as New Theatre in 1937 after affiliating with the American New Theatre League, established in New York City in 1935. Around this time it started performing plays and satirical revues in various venues around the city, such as the Princess Theatre. The group was notable for its history of recruiting women and Aboriginal Australians as writers, directors and performers in many of its productions. Financial challenges caused the closure of its city theatre in 1959, at which point the group shifted focus to suburban touring. A new venue, Centre 63, opened in 1963. The 1960s brought renewed interest due to opposition to the Vietnam War and censorship debates. In 1976, New Theatre relocated to the Organ Factory in Clifton Hill, where it operated until closure in 2000. The Sydney counterpart remains active as of 2025.
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Internal structures/genealogy
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Relationships area
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Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Revised
Level of detail
Minimal
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Revised, Kymberley Doyle, 20-Jan-2025.
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Arts Centre Melbourne (n.d.). New Theatre company history, accessed online 20-Jan-2025.