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History of Ballarat National Theatre Inc

294

productions

86

years

50 Golden Years

by Sonja Kinnersly

For the 50th Anniversary celebrations of BNT Past President Sonja Kinnersly compiled a history of the company. She has prepared a summary of this history which you can view on our website on the link below. This history covers 1938 - 1988 in more detail.

Snapshot of Plays of BNT

A snapshot of plays that we have staged our years of theatre, highlighting favourite playwrights that directors have selected time and again, as well as original and local works.

Award and Nomination History

Information on awards and nominations in our company's extensive history

Ballarat National Theatre has been operating since 1938. The name comes from our founding at part of Australia’s National Theatre movement.

In March 1938 the Mayor of Ballarat - Cr. J.H. Trekardo - chaired a public meeting at which the Bishop of Ballarat – Rt. Rev.W.H. Johnson – proposed the following motion:-

That this meeting of citizens of Ballarat affirms the desirability of forming a branch of the National Theatre movement in this city.

Two years earlier Miss. Gertrude Johnson OBE had formed 'The National Theatre Movement, Victoria' in Melbourne. At the instigation of Dame Nellie Melba she had gone off to train and work in Europe.

Mr Pim Passes By (1940)

A Duet For Two Hands (1948)

Indeed it was whilst appearing as Musetta to Melba's Mimi in the great diva's Old Vic Farewell that Gertrude saw the wonderful work being done by Lilian Baylis to form a national theatre and training school in the U.K. which encouraged her to decide to try and form a network of companies throughout Australia.

So the Ballarat National Theatre was to be the first of just such a network. Within a few years other branches followed in Heidelberg, Yallourn and Swan Hill. Sadly with the intervention of war the growth was halted and, although there are still amateur companies at some of these same localities none of them have sustained the continuity or included the National Concept.

The newly formed Ballarat company presented its first production, The Barretts of Wimpole Street, in June 1938 at the Alfred Hall. Other productions followed using a variety of different venues throughout the city and touring further afield.

In the early years one of the greatest handicaps for BNT was the absence of a suitable venue for rehearsals and productions. It wasn't until 1949 that the branch found its first permanent venue. This was in what was to become fondly known as The Little Theatre, in Camp Street. At it's official opening the Mayor – Cr. F.C. Wray – commended BNT for 'giving real public service, he went on to recall the meritorious work the company had done during the war raising many hundreds of pounds and entertaining the troops.

Long Days Journey Into Night (1972) at The Little Theatre

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1993) at The Courthouse Theatre

Sadly in 1984 the company had to move out of the Little theatre and was, once again, without a home for several years. During this period productions continued to be staged at a variety of venues around the city.

In 1988 the University converted the Old Courthouse at the SMB into a performing Arts Venue. BNT provided funds towards the costs for this conversion on the understanding that it would have a 'preferred' user status and first refusal for any periods when the venue was not required by the University. BNT has been presenting its annual seasons of productions at the Courthouse Theatre ever since.

In 2008 BNT not only celebrated its seventieth anniversary but also the twentieth anniversary of its first production at the Courthouse.

The company produces up to 4 shows per year but has always adjusted to do fewer or more shows as needed. 

Awarded members at our 70th Anniversary Dinner (2008)

Historic Articles

Camperdown Chronicle Vic 1875 1954 Tue 15 Jun 1954

53468443487 811 C 7 E 36 D 0 H

53469274061 1395320 D 84 H

53469347886 A 6 C 8 B 2 A 1 E 0 K

53469351281 A 93851 Cfc 1 K

Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Tuesday 14 October 1952

Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Tuesday 25 September 1951

Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Saturday 8 April 1950

Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Thursday 12 January 1950

BNT Advocate Melbourne Vic 1868 1954 Thursday 28 September 1950 Page 18

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Friday 29 April 1938 Page 14

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Monday 2 February 1953 Page 2

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Monday 9 June 1941 Page 5

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Monday 12 September 1949 Page 5

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Monday 20 June 1938 Page 14

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Monday 21 March 1938 Page 14

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Monday 28 March 1949 Page 2

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Saturday 6 August 1938 Page 20

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Saturday 15 October 1949 Page 6

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Saturday 19 July 1941 Page 8

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Saturday 26 March 1949 Page 9

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Thursday 2 June 1949 Page 3

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Thursday 11 April 1940 Page 12

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Thursday 13 April 1939 Page 13

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Thursday 14 November 1940 Page 10

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Thursday 16 March 1950 Page 15

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Thursday 17 August 1944 Page 3

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Thursday 24 July 1941 Page 2

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Thursday 26 June 1941 Page 10

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Tuesday 1 October 1940 Page 10

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Tuesday 9 August 1949 Page 4

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Tuesday 11 March 1941 Page 10

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Tuesday 12 July 1949 Page 2

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Tuesday 15 February 1944 Page 4

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Tuesday 15 July 1947 Page 3

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Tuesday 22 February 1949 Page 5

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Tuesday 29 October 1940 Page 10

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Wednesday 8 March 1950 Page 8

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Wednesday 11 December 1940 Page 12

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Wednesday 13 March 1940 Page 14

BNT Age Melbourne Vic 1854 1954 Wednesday 17 April 1940 Page 14

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Friday 10 June 1949 Page 3

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Friday 18 June 1948 Page 3

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Monday 12 September 1949 Page 5

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Monday 16 December 1940 Page 2

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Monday 21 March 1938 Page 10

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Monday 31 July 1950 Page 6

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Saturday 14 December 1946 Page 17

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Saturday 27 August 1949 Page 3

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Thursday 9 June 1949 Page 5

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Thursday 14 November 1940 Page 2

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Thursday 18 August 1949 Page 9

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Thursday 20 April 1950 Page 8

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Thursday 24 July 1941 Page 2

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Thursday 31 July 1941 Page 2

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Tuesday 11 March 1941 Page 2

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Tuesday 12 July 1949 Page 8

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Tuesday 15 July 1947 Page 3

BNT Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Wednesday 13 April 1938 Page 12

BNT Border Watch Mount Gambier SA 1861 1954 Thursday 26 February 1953 Page 10

BNT Dutch Australian Weekly Sydney NSW 1951 1993 Friday 24 May 1968 Page 5

BNT Gippsland Times Vic 1861 1954 Monday 3 September 1951 Page 2

BNT Herald Melbourne Vic 1861 1954 Thursday 7 June 1945 Page 6

BNT Herald Melbourne Vic 1861 1954 Wednesday 20 September 1950 Page 17

BNT Horsham Times Vic 1882 1954 Tuesday 4 June 1940 Page 5

BNT Horsham Times Vic 1882 1954 Tuesday 12 November 1940 Page 2

BNT Horsham Times Vic 1882 1954 Tuesday 25 June 1946 Page 1

BNT Tribune Sydney NSW 1939 1991 Friday 10 January 1947 Page 4

BNT Weekly Times Melbourne Vic 1869 1954 Wednesday 7 September 1949 Page 39

BNT Weekly Times Melbourne Vic 1869 1954 Wednesday 13 February 1946 Page 22

BNT Weekly Times Melbourne Vic 1869 1954 Wednesday 16 July 1947 Page 37

Bun And District Community News 1988

Bunn And Mt Helen Community News 1984

Camperdown Chronicle Vic 1875 1954 Thursday 17 June 1954

Gippsland Times Vic 1861 1954 Monday 3 September 1951

Gippsland Times Vic 1861 1954 Monday 10 September 1951

Gippsland Times Vic 1861 1954 Monday 28 May 1951

Gippsland Times Vic 1861 1954 Thursday 27 September 1951

Herald Melbourne Vic 1861 1954 Tuesday 4 April 1950

Horsham Times Friday 21 June 1946

The Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Fri 12 Oct 1956

The Argus Melbourne Vic 1848 1957 Tue 24 Jul 1956

The Courier 28 Oct 1950