About Us
JUTE Theatre Company
From humble beginnings in regional obscurity, stretched and moulded through years of hard work, fuelled by tenacity, rigour and persistence, JUTE Theatre Company has become a dynamic, award-winning, nationally regarded new work theatre company, sitting at the forefront of industry practice and consistently seeking new boundaries to explore in theatre practice.
Over time, our story has developed a compelling plot; one that twists and turns, adapts and refines, delivering extraordinary experiences time after time. But our story is also grounded in reality, with a clear eye on the practical challenges of the current world and foreseeable landscape.
From its base in North Queensland, JUTE is uniquely placed to champion regional artists and create new audiences. Our region is teeming with cultural influences from Asia, the Pacific, Italy, Greece, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, and has a significant First Nations population.
Drawing on over three decades of industry experience, JUTE is a crucible in which new stories and perspectives are forged that inspire our communities and allow us all to reimagine ourselves through powerful shared theatre experiences. JUTE yields the floor to regional voices to examine the marginal, the unexplored, the unforeseen, to create stories that impact us deeply and change our world.
We do this through a wide range of inclusive programs of new work development, productions and touring, our Dare to Dream regional and remote tours with residencies, training, mentorship and community outreach.
What we do
Production Seasons of new works
Our writing programs and commissions bring forth a range of stories that challenge, explore and expose contemporary themes. While the themes can be challenging they are told through captivating stories that resonate with an audience on emotional, intellectual and visceral levels. These stories might include migration, racism, cultural heritage, women’s rights, domestic and sexual violence, mental health, environment, disability and LGBTIQ stories.
Creative Developments
An essential component of the development of new work is the testing and dramaturgical reshaping of the work through the creative development process. Each week-long process culminates in a public showcase, engaging the audience in the behind the scenes insights into the creation of theatre while developing an investment in the artists and the upcoming production of the work.
Dare to Dream Indigenous Theatre Tour and residency program
The Dare to Dream program exists to promote positive Indigenous stories by Indigenous writers, to provide access to remote Far North Queensland/Cape York communities to quality Indigenous theatre, showcasing leadership in the residency program from the all-Indigenous cast and crew in order to support young Indigenous people to voice their aspirations for the future.
JUTE Actors Studio
JAS is crafted to meet the needs of the students, the company and the broader capacity building of artists from the region, providing pathways through craft development while building resilience, self-confidence, problem solving and focus.
Theory of Change
What do we do, how do we do it and why?
JUTE Staff
Chris Kohn
Executive Artistic Director
Monica Stevens
Creative Producer
Jessica Lamb
Creative Producer – DARTS
Regional Arts Advisor – RASN (Theatre)
Cassandra Ramsay
Regional Arts Advisor – RASN (Theatre)
Gabrielle Thomasz
Business Development / Marketing Manager
Nadia Thompson
Operations Manager
Amy Rhodes
Administration and Marketing Coordinator
Company Opportunities
Employment
EOI – Theatre Professionals
JUTE is always keen to hear from experienced professional theatre workers including Designers, Workshop Facilitators, Productions Managers, and Directors living in the Far North. So if you are new to the North or thinking of migrating here, we’d love to talk about future engagement opportunities JUTE might have for you.
Please submit your CV and covering letter to info@jute.com.au.
For further information, please contact us directly on 07 4281 6832
Donate
Create change with small change
Help us tell the real stories of regional Australia with a tax-deductible donation to JUTE Theatre Company. Watch the power of performance turn small change
donations into boundless joy – touching the masses and elevating the spirit of the community one show at a time.
A donation to JUTE goes further than a single performance or season. Your support helps create jobs for locals spanning set designers to tickets sellers; it raises the
profile of theatre in regional Australia; and importantly, it encourages aspiring creative artists to believe in themselves, because the community believes in them.
You can support JUTE Theatre Company and your local community by making a single payment, regular contribution, or through a sponsorship package.