La Boite Theatre - An Innovative Force

The 1986 newspaper article that follows gives a snapshot of La Boite in the mid-1980s when Jim Vilé was Artistic Director. I don’t know who wrote it or in which newspaper but I’m sure you’ll agree that at the 60 year mark La Boite was a theatrical force to be reckoned with! This article was kindly given to me by Bev Langford, one of Brisbane’s most gifted actresses. Bev first performed for La Boite in Rikki Burke’s 1975 production of The Women.  Writer: Christine Comans

La Boite Theatre is a unique space where creative people can meet the challenges and the unknown ... the unpredictable.

It belongs essentially to our community. It is now a major force for innovation in Australian Theatre. The goal for everyone at La Boite is to take the creative risks that ensure progress in the performing arts. It is not an exclusive club but rather a dynamic entity. It wants to involve everyone, whether they are actors, stage crew, writers, musicians or the audience.

The Theatre has a large membership which elects a Council or Board to run its affairs. In turn, the Council employs a small group of highly professional staff to develop and implement the Theatre policies. For $20.00 for employed persons and $10.00 for pensioners, unemployed persons and fulltime students, interested persons can become members of La Boite for a 12 month period.

Membership benefits include discounts to all La Boite performances, regular newsletters, priority access to all members' functions and voting tights at La Boite General Meetings. Most importantly, membership of La Boite means becoming actively involved in one of Australia's most exciting alternative theatre companies.

In 1986 La Boite Theatre enters a brilliant new phase in its already illustrious history. Established in 1925 as an innovative and progressive new theatre company, La Boite has continued to build on those early principles and to consolidate its position as a dynamic contributor to the national Performing Arts scene.

La Boite Theatre has a well deserved Australia-wide reputation as an exciting, challenging and accessible Theatre company committed to developing and presenting stimulating theatre of a high standard. In the quest for the development of high standards, La Boite's policy is to train and nurture people interested in various aspects of the arts.

La Boite Theatre offers a range of workshop classes in theatre (including acting methods and technical production skills) and creative drama for children, young people and adults. The workshops and classes are designed to cater for beginners and those with some previous experience in theatre. All workshops and classes are taught by qualified tutors. Class and workshop sizes are limited to ensure effective teaching.

La Boite Theatre stages between 8 and 10 major productions per year. The majority of these productions rely on volunteer support in the areas of acting, stage crew and technical personnel. Open auditions are held for each of these productions and interested persons are invited to attend.

La Bamba, the late night cabaret, is another enterprise currently operating at La Boite Theatre. Organised from a collective base, La Bamba is vital and challenging, providing as it does accessiblity for artists to present a variety of new and innovative work.

All in all, La Boite Theatre is definitely the place to be for those interested in playing a less than passive role in one of Australia's most dynamic alternative theatre companies and for those interested in viewing innovative theatre of a high standard.

Courtesy Bev Langford