Spookily, as I write these words to you today, I am also celebrating (to the day!) my one-year anniversary as Artistic Director and Co-CEO of Sydney Theatre Company.
It was a huge delight and honour to take up this role and it continues to be. Every day on the Wharf this year this has provided some moment of joy to me – admiration of our amazing artists making brilliant theatre, deep gratitude for the skill and commitment of STC’s staff facilitating the creation of that work, relish at witnessing our audiences enjoying our productions, immense satisfaction at seeing our work find new and appreciative audiences around the country and the world.
It’s also been a thrill to have been able to support the final season in the tenure of the extraordinary Kip Williams in 2025 – a season that has recently seen the birth of phenomenal new Australian works like Joanna Murray-Smith’s stunning adaptation of The Talented Mr Ripley and Kate Mulvany’s equally epic, moving and fresh take on The Shiralee. It’s been exciting to be able to see Hickson Road hot with hits from other locales and companies too. (I will now confess to having slipped into the Roslyn Packer Theatre on many a night – after a stiff drink in our new Folio Bar - to be once more left breathless at the bravura bounty of Kat Stewart and David Whiteley in full flight as Martha and George in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Here’s hoping their real-life marriage can settle down to less devastating evenings when the wonderful production, which came to us from our collaborators at Red Stitch Theatre, closes next week.)
Speaking of great collaborations, I’m currently mid-way through directing a two-week workshop of Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical which we are producing in association with Michael Cassel and Gaynor Wheatley. The roof is being blown off the Wharf’s rehearsal rooms with such banger songs and the best Australian music theatre talent around working on this electric piece. I cannot wait to get your feet tapping along to this inspiring show when it opens next November.
Our collaboration with Michael Cassel Group will also see Sydney Theatre Company once more become the toast of the West End when our production of Kip William’s adaptation of Dracula opens in London in February. Rehearsals with Wicked! star, Cynthia Erivo have commenced and word is that she’s already defying gravity in a whole new way.
And speaking of things flying out the door, I’m incredibly chuffed at the huge response to our 2026 Season and the first I have curated for you. We have broken new records for some of our Season Ticket Holder packages, which is a heartening signal of your desire to come on a new theatrical journey with me. Single tickets for the first half of our 2026 Season are now on sale too (including Larry Kramer’s Tony Award-winning The Normal Heart in which I’m excited to return to the Sydney stage after seven years to play anti-hero Ned Weeks). With some shows in our 2026 Season already being close to sold out at some performances, get in early to avoid being THAT person who is not part of the conversation about the best theatre in Sydney!
I want to thank everyone in the Sydney Theatre Company community for making my first year such a happy one – my Co-CEO and Executive Director, Anne Dunn, our Board chaired by Ann Johnson and Foundation chaired by Anita Belgiorno-Nettis AM, our tireless and expert staff, our first-rate artists, our eager and engaged audiences, our generous donors and government and corporate partners and all those who’ve stopped me in a foyer or met me for a coffee or posted me their play or sent me an email about the dreams they have for the future of our Company, of our city and of what theatre can be. I am truly grateful to you for entrusting me with your ambitions and ideas. It’s a sign of your great love for Sydney Theatre Company and the place it holds in our culture and consciousness.
We hope you have a restful and happy holiday season and we’re so looking forward to sharing more brilliant theatre with you in 2026.
All the best,
Mitchell Butel
Artistic Director and Co-CEO