65th Anniversary Performance

65TH ANNIVERSARY PROGRAMME

WAYNE GOSS

PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND AND MINISTER FOR THE ARTS

One of Australia's oldest repertory theatre companies and the first theatre company, either amateur or professional, to exist in the city of Brisbane, La Boite serves as an example of the Queensland Government's ongoing commitment to the development of the cultural life of our State.

65 years ago Brisbane Repertory Theatre (La Boite) staged its first production at the Theatre Royal. During the next 40 years it worked in various venues throughout Brisbane and gave birth to both Twelfth Night Theatre and the Brisbane Arts Theatre.

La Boite's traditional role has been to encourage Queensland playwrights, and to provide opportunities and training for directors, designers, theatre technicians and performers. It has been the training ground for many of Australia's finest actors, writers and directors.

The Queensland Government congratulates La Boite for taking the initiative in setting up the Actors Centre Brisbane in 1990, an in-service training programme for professional performers, and is pleased to have assisted the project in its early stages.

Queensland is proud to be the home of La Boite and I applaud the Company's 65 years of service to theatre and its role in the training and development of Queensland theatre artists.