As of Semester 1 2024, SSAF funding for student theatre (including productions and creative developments) is being managed by Student and Scholarly Services through the Student Theatre Grant. To learn more and apply please see the dedicated webpage: Student Theatre Grant here.
While the Theatre Board reassess its sixty-year plus legacy and strategic direction, this blog is no longer being maintained and all student theatre enquiries should be directed to:
Student theatre groups, venues and Union House Theatre – Xanthe Beesley: xanthe.beesley@union.unimelb.edu.au
Student Theatre Grants program – Cat Black-Dinham: impactgrants-team@unimelb.edu.au
2024 Student Theatre Grant Guidelines
2024 Student Theatre Grant Application
2022 Theatre Board Grant Program Recipients
The Theatre Board offers Accessibility Grants to Student Theatre Groups to assist students with making their work accessible and inclusive for everyone.
You may apply to fund access provisions including general access, blind and low vision, deaf and hard of hearing, captioning, and relaxed performances.
Before completing the application form, please read more about UMSU Access Resources here.
The Board oversees the management of the Hannah Barry Memorial Award, Murray Sutherland, and Louise Homfrey Trust prizes:
Hannah Barry Memorial Trust Award
This is a single award open to all current undergraduate University of Melbourne students to develop creative work in the performing arts.
Hannah Barry Memorial Trust Award 2023 round is now CLOSED
To read all about the Award: Hannah Barry Memorial Award Guidelines
Do you have any questions? Email the theatre-board@unimelb.edu.au
Past Recipients
The value of the award in 2022 was $780.
Hannah Barry Memorial Award – Guidelines 2022
Luke Macaronas ~ This is my Body (2021)
‘This is my Body’ is a participatory queer ritual that traces the history of the Eucharist in order to uncover the erotic, subversive and sacred meanings of breaking bread and drinking flesh and blood. The first development showing of this work was staged on Holy Thursday night, 14 April 2022. Drawing on the director’s own experience growing up queer in both the Catholic and Greek Orthodox church, this show was simultaneously a lament and a celebration of the bizarre, cruel, and sublime impact that food has in our lives.
Performer: Luke Macaronas
Writer: Sar Fegan
Project Mentor: Joel Bray
Photo Credits: Sodi Murphy-Shrives
Laura Collins and Freya McGrath ~ A Dog Called Monkey (2020)
This piece, drawn from the true experiences, explored how language can be manipulated and agency over truth ripped away. The intention of the piece was to challenge that injustice, and to explore the complexities surrounding sexual assault, the silences and damaging rhetorics.
Tedious Theatre ~ Shadow Piece (2019)
Shadow Piece was a 45-minute film shown during Digital Fringe in 2020
We wanted to merge the mediums of film and theatre, so the film had long takes which required lots of rehearsal and planning. We explored shadow and lighting, as well as music, particularly how these elements can express dynamics and relationships just as well as speaking. The film had minimal dialogue, as we wanted the audience to be able to project their own ideas onto what was happening, with the film providing merely suggestions of situations.
Tedious Theatre is Antoinette Tracey and September Barker – the recipients of the Award and creative team for the work. The film was shot in September’s living room during Covid-19 restrictions in 2020.
Murray Sutherland Trust Prizes
Two prizes are awarded for outstanding performances in a student theatre production. The prizes are announced at the UHT Awards Night in October.
Louise Homfrey Trust Prizes
Book vouchers are awarded to two students who have performed in student theatre productions. The prizes are announced at the UHT Awards Night in October.
The Theatre Board has prided itself in offering valuable opportunities to students for creative explorations and skills development since its inception. In 2021 the 4 existing funding streams were consolidated into two open rounds; the Theatre Board Grant and Accessibility Grant, providing applicants with an universal and accessible grant form.
PAST RECIPIENTS
Past Recipients: Theatre Board Grant Program Recipients 2022 (inclusive of Accessibility Grant)
Past Recipients: Creative Development Grants 2019
- Four Letter Word’s theatre season of ‘The Playground’ was performed in the Guild Theatre from 26 – 28 September 2019 as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
- Sophie O’Brien led a creative project ‘UN/AKIN’ in August 2019.
Past Recipients: New Work Grants 2019 – 20
- DIE ANGLE performed ‘Dark Points’ at Mycelium Studios, Brunswick, from 18 – 20 September 2019 as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
- Dominic Weintraub directed ‘Leopard Print Loincloth’ which was performed at Theatre Works, St Kilda, from 4 – 8 February 2020.
Past Recipients: Remote Creativity and Connection Grants 2019
- Jean Baulch ~ Surreal Scripts from the Unconscious
- Floor Work ~ Facet
Past Recipients: Venue Hire and Production Support 2019
- Melbourne University Modern Theatre Group performed ‘The Flick’ in the Guild Theatre from 3 – 6 April 2019.
- ‘Our Father’, staged in the Guild Theatre from 26 – 28 September 2019 as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
- St Mary’s Drama Society staged ‘Spamalot’ in the Union Theatre from 12 – 14 September 2019.