After 80 years of actors treading the boards at its city-centre Kent Street premises, the Genesian Theatre is inviting Sydney Catholics to sponsor a seat at its new home at St Joseph’s Parish in Rozelle. Source: The Catholic Weekly.
Named after St Genesius, the patron saint of actors, the beloved theatre began as a spin-off from the Catholic Youth Organisations in the 1940s.
It grew into a community theatre company and was a training ground for young actors including talents such as Bryan Brown and Baz Luhrmann.
Cardinal Gilroy gave it its first home in the converted gothic-style St John the Evangelist church in Sydney’s CBD and the curtain first rose on a performance of Murder in the Cathedral.
After the building was sold in 2017, the Sydney Archdiocese offered Genesian president and director Barry Nielsen the use of the historic St Joseph’s parish hall.
A $2.2 million building project is now underway to convert the hall into a 132-seat auditorium with a curtained stage, theatre lighting, dressing rooms, and machinery.
The volunteer-run organisation is raising some of the funds by offering present and future patrons a chance to sponsor a seat for $770, the actual cost of each seat.
“It’s very exciting,” said Genesian board member Alice Bendall, who leads the fundraising committee.
“For five years we’ve been saying that we’re definitely moving and now it’s really happening, thanks to the brilliant support from the archdiocese.
“All the seats are in, the ceiling’s been painted, the backstage is sorted and the dressing rooms are getting there.
“We’ve just had all the rights to plays secured for next year and have put the call out for directors.”
St Joseph’s administrator Fr Richard Waddell said the “connection between the Church and the theatre is very long-standing, going back to the miracle plays of the Middle Ages”.
“In addition, theatre gives us a window into eternal truths in the same way as the Catholic liturgy which has many of the same theatrical aspects. So we can feed off each other.”
Details: genesiantheatre.com.au.
FULL STORY
Genesian Theatre seeks sponsors to support its new home (By Marilyn Rodrigues, The Catholic Weekly)
