Tamarama Rock Surfers

The Tamarama Rock Surfers are an independent theatre company who operate out of the Old Fitzroy Hotel in Woolloomooloo, New South Wales, Australia, and beyond. Formed by a collection of local actor/surfers in 1998, they felt at the time there was lack of a platform for new voices in the industry.[1] The story behind the name is that some of the founding members were regular board riders in Tamarama, a notoriously dangerous surfing spot known for its hazardous rocks. The name was to become a metaphor for the edgy and risky plays these performers were to produce. As of 2008, over 133 shows, including 53 new Australian pieces, that have been seen by over 88,000 audience members[2]

Not confined to the space, the TRS have also performed in the Studio venue of the Sydney Opera House

Programmed a year in advance, the subscription submission cut off is October, after which a selected panel of industry experts select the chosen pieces, their decision based on a number of variables.

Many talented Australian actors, both veterans and newcomers, perform in plays at the Old Fitzroy Theatre such as Bojana Novakovic, Beejan Olfat, Jeremy Cumpston, Simon Burke, Pippa Grandison, Toby Schmitz, Victoria Hill, Damon Herriman, Carole Skinner, Leah Vandenberg, Danny Adcock.

In addition, many notable directors have recognised the space as one of Sydney's finest intimate venues, among them David Field, Simon Lyndon, Jason Clarke, Brendan Cowell, Van Badham, Jeremy Sims.

2002 saw the introduction of the innovative 'late shows'. Running on Sunday nights after the scheduled performance, the space was opened up to a variety of performances such as cabaret, multi-media, music and dance.

2006 - A particular highlight of the season was Sue Smith's Thrall, directed by current CEO Leland Kean, starring Peta Sergeant, John McNeill, Tamara Cook and Bryce Youngman. "Sue Smith's beautiful, evocative and erotic play understands the necessary seduction of narrative set-up but, even better, knows how to develop bigger and universal ideas inside the reductive machinery of plot. It's a grounded work in which the thematic ideas transcend the narrative" [3]

2008 was a mixed year for the Company with the success of Toby Schmitz's Cu*t Pi, and the sudden tragic loss of company member Mark Priestley

The 2009 season opened with the Philip Ridley play Vincent River, starring Beejan Land and Elaine Hudson to encouraging reviews, "In a period of heatwaves in Sydney (turning the Fitz into an oven) and the distractions of the Sydney Festival, these two have risen above all to grip audiences by the throat and not let go for a minute"[4] TRS continually collaborate with other independent production companies both nationally and internationally.


The current Artistic Director and CEO of the TRS is Leland Kean

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Not waiting for Godot". The Sun-Herald.
  2. ↑ http://www.rocksurfers.org/about-us/trs
  3. ↑ Sue Smith's beautiful, evocative and erotic play understands the necessary seduction of narrative set-up but, even better, knows how to develop bigger and universal ideas inside the reductive machinery of plot. It's a grounded work in which the thematic ideas transcend the narrative
  4. ↑ http://www.stagenoise.com/reviewsdisplay.php?id=301