Black Swan State Theatre 2013 Launch

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Tue 01 Jan 2013 - Tue 31 Dec 2013

I love seeing live productions and have been a Black Swan Theatre subscriber for a few years – enchanted by their Year of Magical Thinking in 2009, I have regularly kept up to date with all their shows since then, usually purchasing a three play preview subscription and experiencing some amazing shows first at the Octagon Theatre (UWA) and The Playhouse, and now at the State Theatre Centre.

I was lucky enough to get an invitation to attend the launch recently of their 2013 season and it was an exciting industry event night, with performers and playwrights, critics and creatives all milling around and smiling at recognized and familiar faces, eager to find out what was on the slate for next year.

Relaxing into the evening with a cool beverage in hand and canapés on offer, the angelic notes of a live jazz harpist drifting over the friendly network chatter, we were nonetheless soon politely ushered into the Heath Ledger Theatre, where after the early welcoming speeches from General Manager Shane Colquhoun and Chairman Sam Walsh AO, Artistic Director Kate Cherry took centre stage to begin the reveal for the 2013 season.

Each play introduced received oohs and ahhs from the gathered audience with a slide of the poster in the background to spark the imagination. A couple of classics are on offer next year, with Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest scheduled for March (we were treated to some humourous anecdotes from actors Stuart Halusz and Pete Rowsthorn); and also Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman in May, announced with some fanfare to be directed by the inventive Adam Mitchell and starring iconic Australian character actor, John Stanton.

June brings Day One, A Hotel, Evening, a titillating comedy farce starring Roz Hammond (Librarians) and featuring the razor-sharp wit of one of Australia's most produced playwrights, Joanna Murray-Smith. The play with be directed by award winning film director Bruce Beresford, in what can only be considered quite a coup for the company.

Late July/ August will deliver a recent multi Tony award and Pulitzer Prize nominee for Best Play and Drama for 2012, Other Desert Cities by Jon Robin Baitz. A complex, dysfunctional family drama, this will be its West Australian premiere. We will also be treated to a world premiere of Tim Winton's new play, Shrine, in late August/ September, starring Silver Logie winner John Howard and set against the rocky backdrop of the headlands in the south coast of Western Australia, where the forest meets the sea.

The year ends with a misbehaving bridesmaid, a bag of money and Japanese rope bondage via riotous comedy, Midsummer

(A Play with Songs), to be directed by one of Perth comedy's most recognized proponents, Hoo Haa alum Damon Lockwood, and starring recent I Will Survive triple threat Brendan Hanson, who helpfully translated to Scottish all the neat points in Lockwood's presentation – and pretty damn hilarious it was too!

The last play delivered at the launch will actually be the first play received, with irreverent and foulmouthed multi award nominee, The Motherfker with the Hat** scheduled to be part of the 2013 Perth Fringe Festival in mid January. To be staged in the Studio Underground at the State Theatre Centre, its warning is listed as, "Extremely frequent coarse language, explicit sexual descriptions, drug use and adult themes." But don't be put off by that, it's also been regarded as "one of the best new plays to come out of Broadway in ages" and a "vibrant and serious new comedy."

So, lots of fantastic theatre to look forward to in the new year - you can book your subscriptions or individual tickets via the Black Swan 2013 website or through general sales with Ticketek.

See a video of the launch here .

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!date 01/01/2013 -- 31/12/2013
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