The Demise of Hayman Theatre at Curtin Uni
Wed, 22 June 2005, 12:17 pmCrispian42 posts in thread
The Demise of Hayman Theatre at Curtin Uni
Wed, 22 June 2005, 12:17 pmHi Peoples,
With the recent announcement that Curtin Uni will be cutting the number of courses it will run by over 300, it seems the Hayman Theatre is about to be a casualty.
The following was posted by Tony Nicholls on an online forum run by Hayman students:
***************************
IÂ’m sorry to say that this course is now under serious threat of closure.
Curtin recently changed the way funding is distributed to the various Divisions. Teaching areas are now expected to pay for the space they use. In most cases this makes little difference but the Hayman Theatre is a large space to which we have exclusive access. The annual ‘rent’ has been calculated by the university as about $200,000 per year.
The Division of Humanities and our Faculty of MSC are both considerably in deficit already. Closing the Hayman, as you can see, is from that point, an attractive and some would say, necessary choice.
My view is that without a theatre there can be no worthwhile theatre course.
We shall obviously be making every effort to find an alternative solution but as high school students will very soon be making their applications to university courses a final decision must be made within a very few weeks about the continuance of Performance Studies.
The Guild has been informed of the situation.
I believe the university has an obligation to allow students currently enrolled to complete their course.
There is considerable goodwill towards PS within the Division for many reasons not least of which is the contribution theatre students have made to the cultural life of the campus. However we now appear to have moved to a rather less than brave new world in which our leaders cannot distinguish between value and price.
TONY NICHOLLS
22/6/05
*********************************************
Would love to hear the thoughts of any ex-Haymanites out there or from any patrons who have come to a Hayman performance, on the demise of this course.
Perth's theatrical and cultural landscape will suffer as a result of the closure of this course. Hayman Theatre has been a testing ground for new writers, directors, performers and tehcnical crews who have gone on to successful careers in the local, national and international theatre industry.
Without the Hayman Theatre, the ladder to a professional career in theatre arts has just become longer.
Crispy.
With the recent announcement that Curtin Uni will be cutting the number of courses it will run by over 300, it seems the Hayman Theatre is about to be a casualty.
The following was posted by Tony Nicholls on an online forum run by Hayman students:
***************************
IÂ’m sorry to say that this course is now under serious threat of closure.
Curtin recently changed the way funding is distributed to the various Divisions. Teaching areas are now expected to pay for the space they use. In most cases this makes little difference but the Hayman Theatre is a large space to which we have exclusive access. The annual ‘rent’ has been calculated by the university as about $200,000 per year.
The Division of Humanities and our Faculty of MSC are both considerably in deficit already. Closing the Hayman, as you can see, is from that point, an attractive and some would say, necessary choice.
My view is that without a theatre there can be no worthwhile theatre course.
We shall obviously be making every effort to find an alternative solution but as high school students will very soon be making their applications to university courses a final decision must be made within a very few weeks about the continuance of Performance Studies.
The Guild has been informed of the situation.
I believe the university has an obligation to allow students currently enrolled to complete their course.
There is considerable goodwill towards PS within the Division for many reasons not least of which is the contribution theatre students have made to the cultural life of the campus. However we now appear to have moved to a rather less than brave new world in which our leaders cannot distinguish between value and price.
TONY NICHOLLS
22/6/05
*********************************************
Would love to hear the thoughts of any ex-Haymanites out there or from any patrons who have come to a Hayman performance, on the demise of this course.
Perth's theatrical and cultural landscape will suffer as a result of the closure of this course. Hayman Theatre has been a testing ground for new writers, directors, performers and tehcnical crews who have gone on to successful careers in the local, national and international theatre industry.
Without the Hayman Theatre, the ladder to a professional career in theatre arts has just become longer.
Crispy.
Re: The Demise of Hayman Theatre at Curtin Uni
Sat, 25 June 2005, 05:12 pmWalter Plinge
Aubrey Mellor wrote:
>
> Thanks to Simon Keen for alerting me to this possibility. It
> is a well known fact amongst NIDA staff that young people who
> have worked at Hayman have impressive confidence, fine
> interpretive abilities, rich imaginations, the strongest
> motivation, the widest experience of plays in production and
> advanced skills in communication and perfromance. Therefore
> each year we regularly take several ex Hayman artists into
> our courses. I have not yet done the number crunching, but i
> suspect that a Hayman background might be THE best
> qualification for entering the National Institute of Dramatic
> Art (or WAPPA or VCA for that matter) and be accepted to the
> precious few places out of thousands of applicants. As an
> Australian I am proud that we have such an example of how
> best to introduce young people to the multiple skilling
> developed through the performing arts. Perth, indeed the
> whole of W.A., should value this unique excellence - and
> boast of it internationally.
Without doubt my time at the Hayman gave me the best overall knowledge and appreciation of what theatre is all about, and what it can be. It enables young people to experience every aspect: acting, directing, lights, sound, stage-management, wardrobe, management - but most importantly the understanding that it is a combination of all of these things that makes theatre. A sense of community and teamwork.
For me personally it was a time of excitement and creativity, and I was surrounded by likeminded individuals who shared the same passion. The majority of my closest friendships were founded there, and so many of us are still pursuing what we love. I believe the Hayman theatre to be a unique, invaluable, one-of-a-kind 'experience', and not just a building to be bartered.
Times are economically tough for universities no doubt, but the scope of excellence that a place like the Hayman generates gives this country a 'return of investment' far greater than what the "number-crunchers" calculate.
Benj D'Addario
>
> Thanks to Simon Keen for alerting me to this possibility. It
> is a well known fact amongst NIDA staff that young people who
> have worked at Hayman have impressive confidence, fine
> interpretive abilities, rich imaginations, the strongest
> motivation, the widest experience of plays in production and
> advanced skills in communication and perfromance. Therefore
> each year we regularly take several ex Hayman artists into
> our courses. I have not yet done the number crunching, but i
> suspect that a Hayman background might be THE best
> qualification for entering the National Institute of Dramatic
> Art (or WAPPA or VCA for that matter) and be accepted to the
> precious few places out of thousands of applicants. As an
> Australian I am proud that we have such an example of how
> best to introduce young people to the multiple skilling
> developed through the performing arts. Perth, indeed the
> whole of W.A., should value this unique excellence - and
> boast of it internationally.
Without doubt my time at the Hayman gave me the best overall knowledge and appreciation of what theatre is all about, and what it can be. It enables young people to experience every aspect: acting, directing, lights, sound, stage-management, wardrobe, management - but most importantly the understanding that it is a combination of all of these things that makes theatre. A sense of community and teamwork.
For me personally it was a time of excitement and creativity, and I was surrounded by likeminded individuals who shared the same passion. The majority of my closest friendships were founded there, and so many of us are still pursuing what we love. I believe the Hayman theatre to be a unique, invaluable, one-of-a-kind 'experience', and not just a building to be bartered.
Times are economically tough for universities no doubt, but the scope of excellence that a place like the Hayman generates gives this country a 'return of investment' far greater than what the "number-crunchers" calculate.
Benj D'Addario
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