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The Real FLY GIRL: Deborah Lawrie’s story takes flight
Meet Deborah Lawrie, the trailblazing pilot who fought for her right to fly and became Australia’s first female commercial airline pilot. Genevieve Hegney and Catherine Moore, the powerhouse writing team behind the new play FLY GIRL, share how Deborah’s courage and determination sparked their creative journey. From the cockpit to the courtroom, FLY GIRL is […]
Playwright’s Note: Genevieve Hegney & Catherine Moore, FLY GIRL
It was January 2023 when the Artistic Director of Ensemble Theatre, Mark Kilmurry, emailed us an article, his wife Jacqui had sent him, about an Australian pilot named Deborah Lawrie. He asked if we’d be keen to write a play based on her story believing we’d bring a sense of “the comic (and dramatic) to this […]
Spotlight: Deborah Lawrie
DEBORAH LAWRIE – AUSTRALIA’S TRAILBLAZING PILOT In 1979, Deborah Lawrie made aviation history — and changed the skies forever. When Australia’s major airlines said women didn’t belong in the cockpit, Deborah pushed back. Armed with talent, training, and sheer determination, she became the first woman to be employed as a pilot by a major Australian […]
Director’s Note: Janine Watson, FLY GIRL
What an immense privilege to have been a part of the development of FLY GIRL for the last two years, and to direct the World Premiere of this incredible new play. This is my third collaboration with Genevieve Hegney and Catherine Moore, who I just adore, and who have made my life infinitely funnier. In […]
Trailer: TRUE WEST
Set against the searing backdrop of the Californian desert, don’t miss Sam Shepard’s modern American classic TRUE WEST. “★★★★1/2 high calibre theatre… Maiden and Kent are riveting” (The Sydney Morning Herald) BOOK TICKETS
Trailer: HOW TO PLOT A HIT IN TWO DAYS
Don’t miss this “★★★★1/2 delightful, nostalgia-fuelled dramedy” Limelight, on stage until Sat 11 Oct. BOOK TICKETS
A Country Practice Actor Throwback
In the 1980s, A Country Practice was arguably the biggest show on Australian network television. Set in the quiet country town of Wandin Valley, the beloved series became a launchpad for countless Australian actors — and a staple of living rooms around the country. For many familiar Ensemble Theatre faces, A Country Practice was a […]
Spotlight: Sam Shepard
Who was Sam Shepard? Sam Shepard wasn’t just a playwright – he was a force. Gritty, poetic, and fearless, his work dives headfirst into the chaos of family, masculinity, and the crumbling myths of the American Dream. Over four decades, Shepard wrote more than 40 plays, blending dark humour with explosive tension. He won the […]
Applications now open for 2026 Ensemble Theatre Sandra Bates Director’s Award
Are you an emerging Director on the lookout for an exciting and unique opportunity with real, hands-on rehearsal room experience? The Ensemble Theatre Sandra Bates Director’s Awards could be your ticket! The two successful applicants will each be offered a paid position of Assistant Director on two of our mainstage productions in 2026. Ensemble […]
Video: Ensemble 2026
Our 2026 Season has launched! Check out what’s in store for next year… EXPLORE THE 2026 SEASON SUBSCRIBE NOW 2026 Brochure Request If you prefer to browse our new season by flipping through the pages of our glossy brochure, simply complete the form below and we’ll mail a copy to you. If you’re a 2025 […]
Director’s Note: Mark Kilmurry, EMERALD CITY
The joy of revisiting a play like EMERALD CITY is in the contrast between time past — in this case 1987 — and time present and seeing where the changes lie. The surprising thing to discover is how much remains the same: the duel between Sydney and Melbourne, the rage against art and commerce, and […]
Writer’s Note: David Williamson, EMERALD CITY
I’d be lying if I didn’t say the subject matter for EMERALD CITY came from quite close to home. In 1979 the family did drive up from Melbourne to Sydney to start a new life. Sydney and its sub tropical lushness had imprinted itself on my mind in my very first memories as a three […]
Director’s Note: Mark Kilmurry, THE LOVER & THE DUMB WAITER
The beauty of directing a Harold Pinter double bill is in the admiration for his breath and range of characters and subject matters. In THE LOVER & THE DUMB WAITER we see two different class settings: a marriage and a secret, in parallel with two hit men and a dumb waiter. Through the unique voice […]
Director’s Note: Liesel Badorrek, THE GLASS MENAGERIE
Tennessee Williams is a towering figure in the landscape of twentieth century theatre. His work continues to be performed constantly – a standard in the season of theatre companies the world over; as well as studied and adapted. In fact, he looms so large as a literary stalwart, that it is easy to forget how […]
Director’s Note: Janine Watson, ARIA
I first encountered ARIA by David Williamson when I was asked to present a scene from it for a fundraising event at Ensemble Theatre. After working on just four pages of the play I told Mark Kilmurry that if they were programming ARIA I wanted to direct it. It isn’t surprising, given the immense wit […]
2025 General Auditions
Ensemble Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, Griffin Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company are holding General Auditions for actors from Monday 3 February – Friday 14 February 2025. Submissions close on Wednesday 22 January. General auditions are open to Sydney based actors. This is an open call for performers of all backgrounds and experiences to meet and […]