Adelaide Spotlight turns off

About 30 years ago, Spotlight Theatre Co Adelaide, then called Collage, started rehearsing its first play in a members lounge room. They found a home in the old Enfield High School Drama Centre (complete with resident cat) changing their name to Spotlight in 1988, then in 1991 moving to Salter Hall in Hillcrest Hospital and in 1995 to Covernton Hall at Strathmont. Spotlights fare was mostly drawn from the better farces, comedies and murder mysteries but they did test themselves regularly with more challenging plays. In the list of shows you can find Genet’s “The Maids”, “84 Charing Cross Road” and “Educating Rita.” In addition, in the 90’s, the company formed a relationship with the SA Writers Theatre and presented some works from members of SAWT. Over the years a number of almost legendary local theatre figures were involved in Spotlight. These included Sam and Jaqui Franks, Ray Creevey, Brian Godfrey, Paula Carter and many others no less prominent but too numerous to name. The Company was a busy one, doing sometimes as many as 6 plays a year but eventually they were met yet again with the necessity to move as Strathmont wanted to close Covernton Hall. No alternate venue could be found, The Proscenium Theatre where they had made some forays into the city was closing and a new venue could not be found. A decision was made to possibly fold the group and at this moment Jo Webb and Tony Moore arrived on the scene, returning from a long stay in the UK. They were invited to a Special General Meeting and the company decided to continue, doing one of Tony’s plays “Vampire!!”in 2005. A temporary stay of execution was granted allowing them to stay in Strathmont for this one play, it was the last play done there however and after that the company became peripatetic for a while presenting productions at Goodwood and then eventually in 2007 at Holden Street. The decision was made at this time to focus on new work. Since 2005 Spotlight has presented about 10 world premieres and one SA premiere. (Not all of these are Tony’s work. The company is very proud to have presented works by a number of other Adelaide and interstate writers including a young Adelaide based Sudanese writer, Dak Thondit.) Since 2007 Spotlight has developed a valued relationship with Martha Lott and has continued to use the Holden Street Theatres, mostly The Arch until now. The time has come however to turn off the Spotlight. Facing reducing audience numbers and the difficulty of running a company that only does new work, we have decided that the end of June 2013 will also see the end of Spotlight Theatre Company. We are ‘switching off’ after over thirty years of plays. As a last hurrah and nod to the past we are producing a comedy, however we are staying true to our ethos and it is a world premiere! Tainted Love by award winning playwright Johnny Grim will be presented at The Arch, Holden Street Theatres, from 16 to 29 June. We hope to see you there.... www.spotlighttheatre.info Jo and Tony are not quitting Adelaide theatre nor will they stop producing plays, however work will be presented on an ad hoc basis. When we find a good play we’ll do it, but no longer as Spotlight. We also intend to continue our working relationship with Martha at Holden Street.