STEP UP the philosophy

young, lively and imbued with a feeling of magic - concrete playground

bAKEHOUSE on opportunities, collaboration, diversity. Taking risks and saying Yes. And championing new and emerging artists, companies and work

2012 bAKEHOUSE presents STORYLINES at NIDA / TRS

bAKEHOUSE presents STORYLINES at NIDA / TRS

Curating KXT was a steep learning curve. It’s a circus act, juggling what’s best for a venue, the artists, the audiences. The community. Our partners. We want to keep it accessible and affordable. We want the work to be ambitious and new and exciting and challenging and entertaining. And successful. We want to nurture the existing audience and grow a new one. We want to help existing companies to sustainability, supporting those indie legends that continue to bring world class theatre to Sydney at affordable prices. While providing opportunities to new and emerging companies.

Its not possible to be all things to all people. But we took some time to reflect on what we’ve done, what we’re doing and what we want to do. And the next big thing is the next big thing.

THE LIFE OF GALILEO

“the next big thing is the next big thing”

WHATS THE bAKEHOUSE STEP UP TEAM?

We work with each team member to shape their role at KXT. For some that may mean assisting on bAKEHOUSE productions, working with designers or directors. For others, it may be that we work with you on your script development. Or introduce you to people who might champion your work. Perhaps you just want to hang out at KXT, come to the shows, help out with FOH, learn how to operate the desk, sit next to some experienced designers, or producers, or directors. Maybe you want to come sit in on some rehearsals. Or find out about auditions. Help at auditions. Perhaps you've got a project you want to run that you reckon is a good fit for bAKEHOUSE & KXT. We'll make a time to have a chat about it. 

You’ll get free tickets to the shows, opportunities to meet and work with some of Sydney’s professional artists and indie legends, and the chance to pitch for full productions and developments.

2013 TWO CHAIRS in development with Cheyne Fynn, Jarrod Crellin & Elijah Williams

TWO CHAIRS in development with Cheyne Fynn, Jarrod Crellin & Elijah Williams

 LOOK BACK

and then it got big … 2018

Tonsils & Tweezers with JackRabbit theatre

Visiting Hours John Harrison & Michael Dean working with Con & Michael Costi

Are We Awake by Charles O’Grady with Daniel Monks

Being Dead by Kerith Manderson-Galvin

the STEP UP FESTIVAL with Last One Standing Theatre, The Carousel from Pip and Han Inc, the first Upstart, Bite Productions & developments

YOUTH + DESTINATION played an extraordinarily successful season

new company The Anchor launched Laura Lethlean with the beautiful TWO HEARTS

New Ghosts staged their first full length play

and Jo Erskine launched the first STORYTELLERS FESTIVAL

all alongside work from Alex Berlarge, Workhorse Theatre, Mad March Hare, Brevity theatre and Erin Taylor, Kim Hardwick, bAKEHOUSE and Suzanne Millar

BUT WAIT … THEN 2019 HAPPENED

FEATURING

Leopardskin by Michael McStay

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Little Eggs Collective

A Little Piece of Ash by Megan Wilding

Omar and Dawn by James Elazzi

Doing by Amy Sole for KXTPopupstairs

Ignite by the writers of New Ghosts Theatre

nomnomnom at KX by Roshelle Fong for KXTPopupstairs

Rudy & Cuthbert presented by Toby Blome and Zelman Cressey-Gladwin

for KXTPopupstairs *Melbourne 2020

Honey Boo Boo Blood & Gore by Carissa Licciardello in dev

Maureen, the Harbinger of Death by Jonny Hawkins with JackRabbit

And so much more

But bAKEOUSE has been doing this for a while now: big love and a bAKEHOUSE shout out to Harry Tseng, Danielle Jackson, Monica Sayers, Alice Kheovong, Elijah Williams, Constantine Costi, Joshua McElroy, Clare Hennessey, John Goodway, Arisa Yura, Dino Dimitriadis, Michael Dean, Guy Simon, Michael Costi, Randa Sayed, Belinda Jombwe, Lucy Clements, Jessica Paterson, Mansoor Noor, Suz Mawer, Bardiya McKinnon, Becks Blake, and a whole crowd of other wonderful artists who've been a part of a KXT project.

Who said Yes. 

“every KXT work in some way pushes forward the Sydney arts scene - its an opportunity for artists to experiment and create, and its a chance for the audience to see where our local performance culture is headed””
— Cassie Tongue, Time Out Sydney

KXT2017 RISKY BUSINESS... breaking it down

13 seasons * 15 plays *2 festivals * 4 world premieres * 9 Australian premieres * 8 female directors * 7 male directors * 8 Australian plays * 14 female writers * 5 male writers * 4 script developments * 6 female producing teams * 7 new plays * 3 major diverse projects * 2 international co-productions * 7 first time teams * 5 companies returning * 6 directors returning

1. KXT champions new work: 4 world premieres ~ 8 Australian premieres ~ 4 script developments

“one had the right to write because other people needed news of the inner world, and if they went too long without such news they would go mad with the chaos of their lives”
Arthur Millar”

 

2. KXT supports new AUSTRALIAN writing: 8 Australian plays ~ 4 script developments

Writers are magicians: they conjure worlds out of words filling blank pages with people and places where once there was nothing. When we invest in Australian writing we play a part in creating the voice the next generation will hear, respond to and build on. 

 

3. KXT aims for (and exceeds) gender parity: 8 female directors ~ 7 male directors ~ 14 female writers ~ 5 male writers

In 2017, DTC (59% women), Belvoir (50%) and Griffin (50%) achieved gender parity in their programming of writers and directors. Sydney Theatre Company (34%) and Ensemble Theatre (16%) have male-dominant seasons, again. It should be noted that Griffin did not achieve gender parity in its independent season programming (40%). - WiTS

 

4. KXT invests in diversity: 3 major diverse projects

bAKEHOUSE is committed to providing a platform for the often unheard voices of Sydney.

The voice of Sydney in 2017 is indigenous. It is Australian, American, English Irish, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese. It comes from Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, New Zealand, India, the Philippines. And many more. It is no longer white and English - it is much, much more. 

“I’ve been wracking my brain trying to think of a play produced in Sydney over the past decade set in modern day Africa. Credit to bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company for staging it [Black Jesus] and believing it can find an audience. It should”
Jason Blake, SMH ”

 

5. KXT invests in the arts community: 7 first time teams ~ 2 international co-productions ~ 5 companies returning ~ 6 directors returning ~ 2 festivals

KXT is a not for profit organisation set up to support the local arts industry. It is run entirely be volunteers and neither KXT nor bAKEHOUSE makes any money from the venue. By opening the door to new companies, and by welcoming back others, we aim to play a role in the development of a sustainable arts ecology. 

bAKEHOUSE has been kicking around the curated seasons and venues for hire for a while now. We're a self-funded company - like many of you - and we're still here due to the loyalty of our audience and the extraordinary generosity of the artists we've collaborated with. At KXT we've attempted to put in place processes that consider the needs of indie companies, providing them with an opportunity to create viable new work that inspires audiences and artists alike. For now that means subsidising hire and supporting companies in a way that will help them pay their artists. And we see this as an investment in the cultural life of Sydney 

We're here to support the game changers and the risk takers. 

 

 

Paul Capsis in the house!

We had our first taste of celebrity at KXT last night, as Paul Capsis joined the post-show panel for the play in development, Kin. The play is about a trans-woman returning home to visit her father on his deathbed. But the reunion sets family members scratching at old wounds...

Vibrant post-show discussion ensued, led by the freakin' fabulous Natasha Io - was the trans character "made palatable" for the general public? Can a cis-gender man play a trans-gender woman? Who has the right to tell these stories? And how do trans-women manage to strut so damn good in stilettos?

(The answer, by the way? Years of practice!) Natasha and splendid company - kicking down the doors! 

green light

So this happened. Last Thursday night a bunch of artists and supporters gathered at the newly minted Kings Cross Theatre for a low-key air-quotes launch. With a little 'l'. No big announcements. No rock stars. Just a chat. Chalk outlines on the floor. And some booze.

We had quite a good time...