29.06.23
Dear Grif-friend,
I know what you’re thinking. It’s the end of financial year, and you’d rather eat RatSak or watch an episode of The Idol than read another email asking you for money.
But this EOFY email is different! Because unlike the BORING ones you got from all those other theatre companies:
- This one comes with a cute video starring Rebecca Massey and Michelle Lim Davidson
- This one has a new hat
- If you don’t forward this on to 5 other people your crush will never fall in love with u
So whether you’ve donated to a not-for-profit before, or this isn’t something you’re used to conceiving of, it’s a great time to think about supporting Griffin. Truly—it makes a big difference. We are, and have always been, a small company. Our theatre is intimate, our ticket prices are low, our programming is risky—and this is exactly how we like it. But it also means that we need support from donors, to make sure we don’t have to start commissioning jukebox musicals based on the discography of Scandal’us.
With the backing of people like you, our impact is very real and astonishingly big. You’ve seen this writ large in the past few months alone: Dylan Van Den Berg’s win of the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards for Whitefella Yella Tree… Oliver Twist’s Jali opening at Soho Theatre… Suzie Miller’s Prima Facie making waves on Broadway (and becoming mandatory viewing for high court judges in Northern Ireland!). All of these projects were made possible, in some way or another, by the community of donors and supporters who give to Griffin at this time of year.
Philanthropic support also means that we can continue to facilitate major Australian programs and awards like our prestigious Griffin Award (shoutout to the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund, our wonderful benefactor for this one!). I am so thrilled to announce the shortlist for the 2023 Griffin Award!
Your Name by Kate Bubalo
Animal by Cassie Hamilton
I am Kegu by Wendy Mocke
Christ Is Back by Laurence Rosier Staines
Goodbye Eli Anderson by Grace Wilson
Each of these plays shocked, moved and gripped me in vastly different ways and all will be revealed at our annual Griffin Award ceremony, which this year is taking place on Sunday 23 July.
In other news, Eloise Snape’s glorious one woman show Pony has been making waves in the nation’s capital of Canberra—there the show enjoyed its first ever audience of babes-in-arms. 70 parents and bubs packed out the Courtyard Studio to revel in Briallen Clarke’s virtuosic comic performance. I’m told that there were some tears, some screaming, and a tiny little bit of pants-soiling—so all in all, a pretty standard Griffin performance.
Love,
Declan
Declan Greene
Artistic Director & Co-CEO
