LOOK BACK / MOVE FORWARD
KXT is a busy theatre. A year features back to back seasons in the Kings X Theatre, a year-round popup program in the Bordello, multiple support programs for Artists included emerging writers and new work, a year-long season of play reads, a formalised platform offering mentoring and opportunities for young and emerging artists, and multiple open-door meet ups and networking events
2020 has been a wild ride. The lockdown and temporary halt to all productions was an extraordinary event, and our sector will likely feel its impact for some time yet. Here at KXT the Cost of covid has been high and has meant the cancellation of
14 full scale productions
9 pop up seasons
3 platform programs for new writers
the 2020 mentoring team
6 scheduled play reads
6 networking events
9 production placements for emerging artists (internships)
A month-long fringe program
10 foyer meet-ups
4 artists networking opportunities
In March when theatres went into lockdown, we had just seen the opening week of Everybody by Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins in a warmly received and well-reviewed season by Cross Pollinate Productions, one of only 3 seasons that made it to the KXT stage. We closed the doors mid-run of a play that took an existential look at the meaning of life, love and death. We had snuck in another season of Charlie Vaux’s Popup Comeout a little festival that does a lot, and we were scheduling meetings to finalise the 2020 Step Up team.
We made the decision early to leave screen to those best skilled in the medium. Rather we threw all our focus into building a broad program of Artist Support, moving some existing initiatives to a digital platform, extending others to offer more, and launching some new programs. We were most concerned for those artists who were on their way, and for whom the momentum of 2020 was key to the development of their career. With Phone A Friend Rebecca Blake worked with us to connect industry professionals with young producers, directors, designers and actors, Bounce Back was our investment in upskilling emerging producers so they are well equipped to deliver quality work quickly, and we launched The Laboratory, a writer development program led by Saro Lusty-Cavallari, that this year was launched digitally.
The hard data from the previous 12 months tells a story: 21,928 people attended productions at KXT. 476 artists participated in productions - with additional artists participating in our many industry support programs and events, such as KXTeethcutting our regular play reading program run by Legit Theatre Co. Also in 2019: KXT provided opportunities for 103 working artists in production support and technical design.
Less than three months in our 2020 season was on track to exceed these numbers.
There’s nothing quite like a global pandemic for triggering an analysis of how we spend our time, and like many of us we looked closely at how we do what we do and why we do it. And we’re here for another year. The arts, and the independent sector most particularly, is as always fragile, uncertain and underfunded, and we hope that we move forward with a greater understanding of our inter connectedness, and the need for us to work together more closely, and in support of one another.
When the govt said we could open up back in July, Health regs around social distancing meant our audience was at 25% a number that at the time made it impossible for producers to pay artists even the smallest fee, so we made the decision to focus on our Artist Support program with a series of residencies at KXT, investing in the future by supporting 12 producers, 7 companies, 3 designers, 10 emerging writers and 6 directors.
This has only be possible due to the patronage and ongoing support of our partners at KX Hotel and Solotel.
Back in March we made the commitment to every producer programmed for 2020 that their show was not cancelled, but rather postponed, and we are thrilled that our 2021 launch features some highly anticipated work. We’ve made room for some important new shows and exciting surprises, and we’ll be back in 2021 bright eyed and bushy tailed, newly excited for it all.
2021 // ANNOUNCING…
KXT Storytellers is a pop-up celebration of playwrights and words, the presentation of full-length plays, small pieces of writing, and special events created, launched and curated by Joanna Erskine. The festival has showcased 51 plays, pres by 34 directors working with hundreds of actors.
Productions of scripts that had their first showing as part of Storytellers include: James Elazzi‘s plays Omar + Dawn and Son of Byblos, The Park by Simon Thomson, Jackson Used’s Lilac, Deadskin by Laneikka Denne, Sam O’Sullivan’s You’re Not Special, and Orange Thrower by Kirsty Marillier. Plays have continued dev as part of STCs rough drafts, and have been programmed at Griffin, NToP, Belvoir and KXT.
These are extraordinary results from 2 short seasons, thanks to Jo Erskine’s skill and hard work. Storytellers will be back in 2021 and we can’t wait to see what gems are discovered and polished
