Press Release
The Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) has announced its 2022 season, with five professional productions to take place in ATYP’s brand-new ‘The Rebel Theatre’. In a world-first for youth-theatre, Australians will be able to purchase an annual subscription.
“This rebirth of ATYP as we move into our new purpose-built theatre on Pier 2/3 at Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, has been a decade in the making. It is the first time in our 59-year history we’ve had our own theatre and gives us the ability to expand from one or two professional productions a year to a season of five shows.
“Never before has a youth theatre company offered a professional subscription season of performances. It’s a coming of age for us,” says ATYP Artistic Director, Fraser Corfield.
Corfield says each of these five shows will give the experiences of young people, performed by extraordinary young artists who get to work in partnership with industry leaders.
“We know that after two of the hardest years our theatre industry has ever endured, there is a huge appetite to get back into the theatre! We’re particularly excited to be launching a subscription season so theatre lovers can join us in seeing our shows at a great price,” he said.
From just $115 for adults, $87 for concession and $73 for those under the age of 26, audiences can commit to seeing 2-5 shows across the season. Subscribers will also have access to special discounts, benefits and promotions throughout 2022.
Subscriptions are on sale now from the ATYP website. Those who purchase a 5-play package by 20 December 2021 automatically enter the draw to win one of two fantastic prizes: www.atyp.com.au.
The 2022 season
ATYP’s 2022 season will open in February with new Australian musical, The Deb, from the minds of writer, actor and rising comedic talent, Hannah Reilly, and multi-Aria award-winning musician and songwriter, Megan Washington. The script was the inaugural winner of ATYP’s Rebel Wilson Comedy Commission and has been developed by ATYP and Camp Sugar Productions.
Reilly claims that audiences can expect to see: “An unapologetically joyful celebration of teenage awkwardness, friendship and learning to love who you are. As if Kath & Kim, The Castle and Muriel’s Wedding were put through a musical blender.”
Following The Deb, the 2022 season will also include:
- The intergenerational dance party that is M.Rock by Lachlan Philpott, featuring the magnificent Valerie Bader, directed by Fraser Corfield.
- A co-production with New Zealand’s Auckland Theatre Company presenting the world premiere of The Resistance, written and directed by Kip Chapman.
- The contemporary classic that dissects teenage crime and punishment in A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, directed by Fraser Corfield.
- Favel Parrett’s haunting Tasmanian novel Past The Shallows, adapted for the stage by Julian Larnach, directed by Ben Winspear and presented in partnership with Tasmanian theatre company, Archipelago Productions.
The Rebel Theatre
ATYP’s new theatre, The Rebel Theatre, has been named in honour of ATYP Alumna, Australian actor, singer, writer, comedian and producer Rebel Wilson, who has been involved with the company since she was 19.
Rebel has donated one million dollars to ATYP to help the theatre company reach the goal of $2.6 million to set up the new home.
The theatre will be located at Pier 2/3 in the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, a priority infrastructure project for the NSW Government. The precinct will create a public arts and cultural hub on Sydney’s famous waterfront, while preserving its iconic heritage.
The company is also offering its benefactors the chance to own a piece of history and buy a seat at the brand-new theatre. For a donation of $1,000 to the ATYP Foundation Capital Campaign, individuals can have a plaque of their choice affixed to one of the theatre bench seats.
“ATYP acknowledges the personal support of NSW Arts Minister Don Harwin, and the NSW Government through Create NSW, through which we have secured both operational and project funding as well as COVID-recovery funds to see us through to this historic event. Additionally, we would like to extend our gratitude to the Federal Arts Minister Paul Fletcher for the vital lifeline extended to ATYP through the RISE funding initiative,” says ATYP Chair, Chris Puplick AM.
To own a piece of history and buy a seat in The Rebel Theatre, visit: https://hub.givar.com/connect/org/ATYPfoundation/campaigns/buy-a-seat-at-the-rebel
