Australia’s Sydney Theatre Company has announced that Kip Williams will take over the helm as artistic director commencing immediately. Williams, who is the youngest artistic director in the theatre’s history, according to The Guardian Australia, has already begun working on programming the 2018 season.
The news comes after Jonathan Church announced in May that he was stepping down as artistic director following a short, nine-month stint. The U.K. director had replaced Andrew Upton in September 2015, marking the first time in the organization’s history that an international director was at the helm.
READ MORE: SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY’S JONATHAN CHURCH STEPS DOWN AFTER NINE MONTHS
Acclaimed Australian director Neil Armfield (Holding the Man) commented in a press statement that it was “very reassuring to have the artistic directorship of STC finally settled.”
”Kip is one of the outstanding directors of his generation, clearly a new force in Australian theatre. In everything I’ve seen him do, and the work he’s done with me, I’ve been impressed by his imagination, determination, calm and intelligence,” he added.
Williams first worked with STC in 2011 as assistant director to Upton on the production of The White Guard. In 2012, he became directing associate, and, later, a resident director at STC. He took on the role of interim artistic director in August.
Cate Blanchett, who was co-artistic director of STC from 2008–12 added, “This is wonderful news, not only for STC but for the whole theatre community. Kip’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter.”
STC executive director Patrick McIntyre described Williams as a “rigorous, thoughtful and original theatre maker, but never at the expense of keeping his audiences engaged and stimulated.”
Williams’ directing credits include the Shakespearean classics A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth, as well as Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information, and The Golden Age by Louis Nowra.
For more information visit SydneyTheatre.com.au.
