COMMERCIAL
Delivering audience growth and brand recognition, generating income to support complementary programming streams
Our strategic pillars that guide business activity are designed to support DTC’s values of Creativity, Courage & Equity. Specifically, our venue hire, commercial and touring outcomes are expertly curated and managed to support the progressive development and presentation of new works.
Our Commercial works entertain audiences with world-class theatre, reimagined by Australian creative teams, in our intimate 200 seat theatre. These ambitious projects offer employment opportunities for Australian artists to be recognised on an international scale.
Musical Theatre
A global first, DTC’s production of A Chorus Line (2022) featured newly devised choreography which was met with critical and commercial acclaim during it’s seasons at Parramatta Riverside for Sydney Festival and the DTC presentation at the Sydney Opera House. Programmed to showcase the talents of emerging Director Amy Campbell, this work demonstrates our commitment to innovation, ambition and our mandate to centralise the artist. Additional musicals include the sell-out season Once (2019, 2021, 2022) and our Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 (2023).
Cabaret
In 2020, our foyer space was activated for cabaret, comedy and music presentations in response to artist and audience feedback for more small intimate performance spaces. Programming has included a wide variety of forms from classical (virtuoso cellist Umberto Clerici), storytelling (Still I Rise by Shakira Clanton), live music (all trans indie folk band Boy and Bucket), drag (Sydney Drag Kings) and cabaret (Thirsty Thursdays, and Darlo Supper Club with Sydney Festival), DJs, comedians and much more. Large scale commercial buy-ins have included the likes of Reuben Kaye and Courtney Act.
International & National Plays
Torch Song Trilogy (2018), The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (2019), Let The Right One In (2022).
Touring
Providing opportunities for our artists and productions to reach new audiences regionally and interstate, generating income and extending the life of new works.
Highlights: Once The Musical’s national tour established our connection to other venues and presenters and opened doors to future collaborations and partnerships. To date, Once has played Eternity Playhouse, Black Swan State Theatre Company in Perth and is scheduled for a 2023 season at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre and Home Of The Arts in the Gold Coast.
Other touring works have included A Chorus Line (Parramatta Riverside with Sydney Festival & The Sydney Opera House), seven methods of killing kylie jenner (La Boite & Malthouse Theatre Company), Overflow (Canberra Theatre Centre & Arts Centre Melbourne).
Expertly managed high quality income generating events from hospitality through to production for clients ranging from NFPs to corporate. This activity ensures our long term economic sustainability. These included Darren Criss, Dami Im, Kawaii, and Keith Urban. Community events include ACON, Flamenco Australia, Russian Transport (Fishy Productions), The Man in the Attic, The God of Issac (Moira Blumenthal Productions/Shalom), The Secret Singer (John Feitelson), and Positive Life NSW.
Corporate hires have included St Vincent’s Curran Foundation, ATYP, ResMed, Australian Theatre Live, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Bacardi and a continued relationship with SJB Architects going on seven years.
WORD ON THE STREETS…
Once Image by Robert Catto
Community and Artist Statements
Türkan Aksoy, NSW Coordinator Welcoming Cities, Welcoming Australia
DTC is leading the way in this investment in the arts, and their deep commitment and integrity makes them an arts company of national significance.”
Virginia Hyam, Head of Programming, HOTA
I have been impressed by the quality and scale of work that the team create, enabling them to grow and enrich audiences with a commercial reach presented alongside more niche productions, offering a diverse mix of artists and stories across the whole program.
Julieanne Campbell, Griffin Theatre Company
DTC is a necessary and important part of Sydney’s theatre industry, and informs a national conversation in relation to the ideas and issues that great theatre can inspire.
Executive Team, Sydney Festival
Sydney Festival is excited to work with an organisation that is leading the way with its desire to deeply connect the work they are presenting with the communities that their work represents, and we hope to grow this relationship in the future to help us continue to build our city-wide celebration of culture, creativity, and the questioning mind.
Brendan Yeates, Artist
DTC is a revolutionary within the Australian arts community. Their commitment to creating inclusive spaces is still at the forefront of the fight for equality. Their work not only creates healthy lives, livelihoods and communities; it makes for some excellent theatre.
Daniel Clarke, Sydney WorldPride and Canberra Theatre Centre
Every time I go there I am blown away by the energy in the audience, the age of the audience (always feels so young) and the cultural, sexual and gender diversity of the packed theatre.
Torch Song Trilogy
In The Media
ABC News
"I'm absolutely in love with the idea of someone sitting right next to me and seeing the tears, or the hilarity, and really feeling it," she enthuses.
A New Chapter at Darlinghurst Theatre Company
Urban Village
“We’ve been using this pause to really evaluate our identity, really evaluate our values and ethics, processes and practices. What do we stand for? And why do we do what we do?” says Harris.
Once The Musical at Darlinghurst Theatre Company Extended
City Hub
“In the commercial theatre world, it is not uncommon at all for something like Hamilton or Moulin Rouge to reach 100 shows. However, for a theatre piece produced by a company like Darlinghurst Theatre Company this is incredibly unusual & is a testament to the hard-work of all the people involved in this show.”
An Eternity of Pride from Darlinghurst Theatre
City Hub
Four shows have been specially curated to represent and appeal to distinct and diverse segments of the LGBTQI+ community across a spectrum of age, identity, and taste.
Officially part of Pride Amplified, the DTC program reflects the company’s long history of providing arts and accessibility to the LGBTQI+ community.
A Chorus Line Image by Robert Catto
Critical Review
‘Once’ from Black Swan State Theatre Company leaves you wanting more’
OUT in Perth
Once has truly set a new benchmark for musical theatre, ushering in the age of the quadruple threat... With so many moving parts, audiences will be left inspired.
Suzy Goes See
Amy Campbell’s ambitious revival, is a breath-taking experience... it is always an unequivocal joy when the performers are in motion.
Weekend Notes
Incredibly important and powerful play... produced with such sincerity ...an experience like no other.
City Hub
This production of Once is faultless, remarkable, and unmissable five-star entertainment suitable for all audiences and quintessentially highlights the joy that quality live theatre brings to audiences.
