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Richard Wherrett - Wikipedia
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Richard Wherrett

Richard Bruce Wherrett AM (10 December 1940 – 7 December 2001) was an Australian stage director, whose career spanned 40 years. He is known for being the founding director of the Sydney Theatre Company in 1979.

Richard Bruce Wherrett
Born(1940-12-10)10 December 1940
Australia
Died7 December 2001(2001-12-07) (aged 60)
OccupationDirector
Years active1970 - 2001

Early life

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Richard Wherrett was born on 10 December 1940, the younger brother of motoring journalist Peter Wherrett.[1] Their father Eric was an abusive and violent alcoholic[2] from whom the family would often escape to nearby cinema houses when he would fly into a rage. This, together with his mother Lyle McClintock's love of Jerry Lewis films played a big part in Wherrett developing an interest in show business and a talent for comic impersonations.[3]

He was educated at Trinity Grammar School in Sydney, before attending the University of Sydney, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1961.[1] His contemporaries at the university included Clive James, Germaine Greer, Bruce Beresford, Mungo McCallum, Bob Ellis, John Bell, John Gaden, Laurie Oakes and Les Murray.[citation needed]

After falling off stage during a university performance of The Three Musketeers, Wherrrett abandoned the idea of acting, but discovered his love of directing while in London in the mid-1960s.[3]

He taught English and Ancient History at Trinity Grammar for four years.[citation needed]

Career

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In 1965 Wherrett moved to London and worked with the East 15 Acting School in Loughton, Essex. He also directed at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, the Lincoln Theatre Royal and Lancaster University.[4]

Old Tote Theatre Company

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He moved back in Australia in 1970, and worked for the ABC in South Australia, before becoming an assistant on King Oedipus and assistant director on Major Barbara, both for the Old Tote Theatre. Soon after, he was appointed associate director to Robin Lovejoy, as well as artistic director of the Australian Theatre for Young People. His tenure was short-lived, and he ultimately returned to London for a spell, teaching again at East 15.[4]

Nimrod Theatre Company

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In 1972 Wherrett moved back to Australia. He joined the Nimrod Theatre Company, and became co-artistic director in 1974, alongside John Bell,[3] the year it relocated to its Belvoir Street premises. Most notably, Wherrett toured The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin, including seasons in London and New York, where it garnered Off-Broadway OBIE awards.[4]

National Institute of Dramatic Art

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Wherrett also directed at NIDA, including a 1976 production of Romeo and Juliet, starring Mel Gibson and Judy Davis.[4]

Sydney Theatre Company

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In 1979 Wherrett was appointed artistic director at the newly created Sydney Theatre Company. He staged successful productions of The Sunny South, Chicago (which toured interstate and in Hong Kong), and an eight-and-a-half hour version of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (which also played interstate).

Wherrett procured Government funding for a new headquarters for STC and an extra performance space at what became Wharf Theatre, which opened in 1984. After eleven years, Wherrett resigned from the Sydney Theatre Company in 1990.[4]

Other stage productions

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Wherrett directed 127 professional theatre productions.

He directed the first performance of The Sweatproof Boy (1972), the first play written by Alma De Groen, of whom he directed most of her early works.

He also directed the Australian productions ofJesus Christ Superstar (1992), featuring John Farnham, Kate Ceberano, Jon Stevens, John Waters and Angry Anderson, and Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1995) starring Hugh Jackman, and Bert Newton. Other notable productions wereThe Stars Come Out (1996), a gala concert for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (1996) for the Melbourne International Festival, the musical Cabaret (1997), Rhonda Burchmore's Red Hot and Rhonda (1997) and Bell Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (1998).

Wherrett also tackled opera, with Kurt Weill's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (1982) for Opera Australia, and Turandot (1987) for the Victoria State Opera.[5] He also directed the world premiere of "Summer of the Seventeenth Doll" for the Victorian State Opera and Opera Australia.

His last major production was the Johnny O'Keefe musical Shout! The Legend of the Wild One, which toured interstate.

Wherett was the creative director for the lighting of the torch segment of the Opening Ceremony for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

From 1985 to 1988 Wherrett was a member of the Australia Council's Performing Arts Board.

In 1992 Wherrett became artistic director of the Melbourne International Arts Festival, but resigned after producing only two festivals.[4]

Film

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Wherrett's only feature film was musical comedy Billy's Holiday. He also directed two short films – The Girl Who Met Simone de Beauvoir in Paris and The Applicant (1981), and ABC TV play, The Girl from Moonooloo, with Jacki Weaver (1982).[4]

Publications

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In 1997 Wherrett and his brother Peter co-wrote the autobiographal memoir Desirelines: An Unusual Family Memoir. His own autobiography, The Floor of Heaven (2000) was dedicated to Jacki Weaver. He also wrote Mardi Gras! From Frock Up to Lock Up (1999).[4]

Directing

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Stage

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Year Title Role Type
1970 King Oedipus Assistant Old Tote
1970 Major Barbara Assistant Director Tour with Old Tote
1971 The Man of Mode Director Old Tote
1971 The Roy Murphy Show Director Nimrod
1972 The Legend of King O'Malley Director Festival of Pacific Arts with Old Tote
1972 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Director Old Tote (televised by the ABC)
1972 The Sweatproof Boy Director Nimrod
1973 Kaspar Director Nimrod
1973 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll  Director  Nimrod
1973 Hamlet Director Nimrod
1973 Tom Director  Nimrod
1974 Kookaburra Director  Nimrod
1974 The Seagull Director  Nimrod
1974 The Jesters Director  Nimrod
1974 The Ride Across Lake Constance Director  Nimrod
1974 My Foot, My Tutor Director  Nimrod
1975 Richard III Director  Nimrod
1975 Perfectly All Right Director Nimrod
1975 They're Playing Our Song Director Nimrod
1976 Sextet Director Nimrod
1976 The Dark and Endless Sky Director Nimrod
1976 One of Those Girls Director Nimrod
1976 Poor Jenny Director Nimrod
1976 It Takes a While to Know One Director Nimrod
1976 Martello Towers Director Nimrod
1976 Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know Director Nimrod
1976 Romeo and Juliet Director NIDA[4]
1977 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Old Tote
1977 The Government Inspector Old Tote
1977 Young Mo (or The Resuscitation of the Little Prince Who Couldn't Laugh as Performed by Young Mo at the Height of the Great Depression of 1929) Director Nimrod
1977 Going Home Director Nimrod
1977 Going Bananas (triple bill): Bananas, The Coroner's Report & The Flaw Director Nimrod
1977 Fanshen Director Nimrod
1977 The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin Director Malthouse Theatre with Nimrod
1978 Rock-Ola Director Nimrod
1978 A Visit with the Family Director Nimrod
1978 Gone with Hardy Director Nimrod
1979 Henry IV, Part 1 & Henry IV, Part 2 Director Nimrod
1979 The Sea Director Nimrod
1979 The High and the Mitey Consultant Playbox Theatre with Malthouse Theatre
1979 The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin Director London & Theater 4, New York
1979-81 Cyrano De Bergerac Director STC[3]
1980 The Sunny South Co-director STC
1980 Precious Woman Director STC
1981 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Director STC[6]
1981-82 Chicago Director Sydney Opera House, Theatre Royal, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Festival Theatre Adelaide with STC[7]
1982 Amadeus Director Theatre Royal with STC
1982 Macbeth Director Sydney Opera House with STC[8]
1982 Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny Director Australian Opera
1983 Present Laughter Director Theatre Royal, Sydney with STC
1983 Chicago Director Hong Kong Arts Festival with STC[9]
1983 The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Co-director Wharf Theatre with STC & Australian Opera; later played in Melbourne and Adelaide[10]
1983 The Cobra Director Wharf Theatre & Melbourne Athenaeum with STC & MTC
1985 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Director Nimrod
1985 Jonah Jones Director Wharf Theatre with STC[11]
1986 Company Director Sydney Opera House with STC
1986 Hedda Gabler Director STC[12]
1986 The Floating World Co-director STC
1987 Turandot Director State Theatre with Victoria State Opera
1987-88 Away Director STC & PepsiCo Summerfare Festival, New York
1987-88 Emerald City Director STC & in London
1988 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Director Melbourne International Film Festival (televised by the ABC) & PepsiCo Summerfare Festival, New York
1988 Loot Director STC
1988 An Ideal Husband Director STC
1988 The Game of Love and Chance Director STC
1988 The Mortal Falcon Director STC
1989 Harold in Italy Director STC
1989 Romeo and Juliet Director STC
1989-90 A Midsummer Night's Dream Director Sydney Opera House with STC
1990 Once in a Lifetime Director STC
1992 Jesus Christ Superstar Director Harry M. Miller / IMG
1992 Einstein on the Beach Director Melbourne International Arts Festival
1993 Follies Director Melbourne International Arts Festival
1994 The Temple Director STC
1994 The Gift of the Gorgon Director QTC
1995 Beauty and the Beast Director
1996 The Stars Come Out Director State Theatre, Sydney for Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
1996 Melbourne's Regent Theatre reopening Director Regent Theatre, Melbourne
1996 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Director Melbourne International Film Festival (televised by the ABC)
1997 Cabaret Director Footbridge Theatre, Sydney with Gordon Frost Productions
1997 Pageant Director Paddington Town Hall with Harry M. Miller
1997 Red Hot and Rhonda Director Crown Melbourne
1997 Navigating Director QTC & MTC
1998 Wunnerful Liberace Director STC
1998 The Merchant of Venice Director Bell Shakespeare
1999 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Director Sydney Opera House
2000 Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony - lighting of the torch segment Creative Director Sydney Olympic Stadium
2000-01 Shout! The Legend of the Wild One Director State Theatre, Sydney, Adelaide & Brisbane[13]

Source:[4][14]

Film

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Year Title Role Type
1981 The Girl Who Met Simone de Beauvoir in Paris Director Short film
1981 The Applicant Director Short film
1982 The Girl from Moonooloo Director ABC TV play
1995 Billy's Holiday Director Feature film

[4]

Publications

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Year Title
1997 Desirelines: An Unusual Family Memoir
1999 Mardi Gras! From Frock Up to Lock Up
2000 The Floor of Heaven: My Life in Theatre

Awards & honours

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Year Nominated work Award Result
1979 The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin Obie Award Special Citation for direction Won
1980 The Girl Who Met Simone de Beauvoir in Paris Chicago International Film Festival Gold Hugo Award for Best Short Film Nominated
1984 Services to the Theatre as a Producer & Director Membership of the Order of Australia Won

[15]

1990 Significant Contribution to Sydney Theatre Sydney Theatre Critics' Circle Award Won
2001 Shout! The Legend of the Wild One Helpmann Award for Best Direction of a Musical Nominated

[16]

2002 Richard Wherrett Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Awards 2002 Hall of Fame Inductee (posthumous) Won

[17]

Personal life

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Wherrett knew he was gay from the age of 17. Nevertheless, he had a well-publicised relationship with the actress Jacki Weaver[2] from 1971 to 1974. Weaver claimed she always knew about Wherrett's sexual orientation, but nevertheless described him as the love of her life. She even moved back in with Wherrett to nurse him during his final days.[18]

Death and legacy

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Wherrett died of liver failure on 7 December 2001, three days before his 61st birthday, after 15 years warding off the effects of HIV.[19] His funeral service was held at St John's Anglican Church, Darlinghurst, with ushers provided by the Sydney Opera House.[20] The General Manager of the Opera House, Michael Lynch, dimmed the lights on the Opera House sails in what Jacki Weaver called "a movingly fitting tribute".[citation needed]

Richard Wherrett Fellowship

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The 'Richard Wherrett Fellowship' was created in his memory by the STC in his memory. Over the years it has been granted to the following recipients:

Recipients

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Year Recipient Ref
2003 Joseph Couch [21]
2006 Wayne Blair [22]
2007 Lee Lewis [23]
2011 Sarah Giles [24]
2014 Imara Savage [25]
2015, 2016 Paige Rattray [26]
2017 Jessica Arthur [27]
2019, 2020 Shari Sebbens [28]
2021 Courtney Stewart [29]
2022 Ian Michael [30]

References

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  • Richard Wherrett (2000). The floor of heaven : my life in theatre. Sydney : Hodder Headline. ISBN 0-7336-1049-8.
  • Philip Parsons, Victoria Chance (Ed.) (1995). Companion to theatre in Australia. Sydney : Currency Press in association with Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-86819-357-7.
  • Jacki Weaver (2005). Much love, Jac x. Crows Nest, N.S.W. : Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-74114-618-6.

Citations

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  1. ^ a b "Richard Wherrett AM 1940-2001". Live Performance Australia. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
  2. ^ a b David Leser, "The Demons That Drive Richard Wherrett", Sydney Morning Herald, CorkFloor, 9 June 1995 Archived 29 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 9 July 2013
  3. ^ a b c d Richard Wherrett davidleser.com March 2016
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "– Richard Wherrett AM 1940 – 2001". Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  5. ^ Hince, Kenneth. The Victoria State Opera [online]. Meanjin, Vol. 43, No. 1, Autumn 1984: 123–128. Availability: <http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=906314389337341;res=IELLCC> ISSN 0025-6293. [cited 30 May 2013]
  6. ^ "Tennessee Williams". sydneytheatre.com. March 2019.
  7. ^ "'Chicago' in the 1920s — not a cheap American copy". The Canberra Times. Vol. 55, no. 16, 697. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 14 June 1981. p. 8. Retrieved 21 May 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ Macbeth Poster sydneytheatre.com.au
  9. ^ "AusStage - Chicago". www.ausstage.edu.au. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  10. ^ Into the soul of STC sydneytheatre.com May 2023
  11. ^ Simon Burke sydneytheatre.com January 2013
  12. ^ Nick Schlieper sydneytheatre.com September 2018
  13. ^ "AusStage - Shout!". ausstage.edu.au. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  14. ^ "Contributor. Richard Bruce Wherrett AM". AusStage. 10 December 1940. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  15. ^ "Mr Richard Bruce WHERRETT". Australian Honours Search Facility. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia).
  16. ^ Richard Wherrett AM PRODUCTION/EVENT Shout! The Legend of the Wild One
  17. ^ Staff Writers (20 April 2008). "Mardi Gras awards". Star Observer.
  18. ^ Roach, Vicky (29 August 2014). "Weaver's extraordinary career renaissance". heraldsun. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  19. ^ O'Brien, Kerry (10 December 2001). "His way to the end: Richard Wherrett". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 7.30 Report. Includes transcript of an earlier interview with Wherrett. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012.
  20. ^ Much Love, Jac; Jacki Weaver (Allen & Unwin) 2005, p.257
  21. ^ "Moan and Away". amp.smh.com.au.
  22. ^ "Wayne Blair - Director & Screenwriter | HLA Management". Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  23. ^ "Speakers 2015". www.thewomensclub.com.au.
  24. ^ "About". Sarah Giles.
  25. ^ "Imara Savage". Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  26. ^ "Paige Rattray". Cameron's.
  27. ^ "Resident Artists". Sydney Theatre Company. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  28. ^ Browning, Daniel (13 February 2021). "Word Up: Shari Sebbens" (Audio + text). ABC Radio National. Awaye!. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  29. ^ Morris, Linda (7 January 2021). "A second act for Single Asian Female star Courtney Stewart". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  30. ^ Ian Michael joins STC as Richard Wherrett fellow sydneytheatre.com.au February 2022
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