Artistic Director’s Message
For years now the title of the Short+Sweet has been somewhat ironic, especially the ‘shortness’ aspect. While it’s true that the plays are definitely 10 minutes or less, the organisational side makes the festival a year-round undertaking.
This year the playwriting competition opens in March, which leaves about two days between the end of one year and the start of the next.
When people ask “what are you doing on the weekend?” my standard response has been “Oh, when does the week actually ‘end’?”. But I’ve decided to stop using the phrase because it’s becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Truly, for S+S, the week never ends. Now, I’m not complaining (or is that more irony?). In fact as things have gotten bigger, in many ways they have gotten easier. And the big difference is that more people are now involved and shouldering parts of the multi-coloured behemoth.
Adam Gelin stepped in when Alex Broun relocated to Melbourne to head up S+S at the Arts Centre. We knew Adam had great potential - after all he won the Best New Talent Award in 2005 - but we thought his talent was as actor, writer and director. Who would have thought he’d also make a wonderful Artistic Coordinator.
Another notable addition over the last 12 months includes the appointment of Joanne Kee as Executive Director. Joanne brings enthusiasm, dedication and a rich experience as a senior arts manager in Australia and overseas. Her addition to the team has greatly increased the development of solid, long-range strategies that will broaden our ability to support the talented creative artists that make up the S&S family in Australia and beyond.
Also enter, stage right, Frank Newman, the new General Manager and Co-Artistic Director of Newtown Theatre. His imagination and inspiration are already hard at work transforming the venue (physically) and planning its approach to independent theatre (philosophically) for the coming years. And also welcome to Beryl Segers, our part-time Office Administrator for whom we would quickly like to remove the ‘part-time’ aspect of her job description.
I’d also like to welcome our new Principal Sponsor The Movie Network. With special thanks to General Manager Peter Jenetsky for his vision and commitment to new Australian theatre (and television and movies).
And also a warm welcome back to our Major Sponsor, Nudie Foods (best juice in the known universe) in the persons of James Ajaka & Sally Draycott. It’s not often in the arts, or anywhere for that matter, you find such a wonderful ‘fit’ between sponsor and sponsored, as there is between our two organisations.
In addition I’d like to thanks Denise Roberts at Screenwise for her sponsorship and support.
Mark Cleary
Artistic Director
Short+Sweet