The Genesian Theatre is an

amateur theatre Amateur theatre, also known as amateur dramatics, is theatre performed by amateur actors and singers. Amateur theatre groups may stage plays, revues, musicals, light opera, pantomime or variety shows, and do so for the social activity as well as f ...

company based in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, named in honour of Saint Genesius, patron saint of actors. Formed in 1944 by members of the Sydney Catholic Youth Organisation, it has since evolved into a

community theatre Community theatre refers to any Theatre, theatrical performance made in relation to particular Community, communities—its usage includes theatre made by, with, and for a community. It may refer to a production that is made entirely by a communit ...

in the heart of the

Sydney central business district The Sydney central business district (CBD) is the historical and main Central business district, commercial centre of Sydney. The CBD is Sydney's city centre, or Sydney City, and the two terms are used interchangeably. Colloquially, the CBD or ...

Description and history

The Genesian Theatre has been operating from historic St John The Evangelist Church in Kent Street since January 1954. St John's Church dates from 1868. It has served as both a church and a poor school until 1932 when it became the Kursaal Theatre, housing the Sydney Repertory Company. In 1938 it became the first Matthew Talbot Hostel. Alumni of the theatre include John Bell,

Bryan Brown Bryan Neathway Brown AM (born 23 June 1947) is an Australian actor. He has performed in over eighty film and television projects since the late 1970s, both in his native Australia and abroad. Notable films include '' Breaker Morant'' (1980), ...

Baz Luhrmann Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann (born 17 September 1962) is an Australian film director, producer, writer, and actor whose various projects extend from film and television into opera, theatre, music, and the recording industries. He is regarded by ...

Coral Lansbury Coral Magnolia Lansbury (14 October 1929 – 3 April 1991) was an Australian-born feminist writer and academic. Working in the United States from 1969 until her death, she became Distinguished Professor of English and Dean of Graduate Studies at ...

, Judi Farr,

Nick Enright Nicholas Paul Enright AM (22 December 1950 – 30 March 2003) was an Australian dramatist, playwright and theatre director. Early life Enright was born on 22 December 1950 to a prosperous professional Catholic family in East Maitland, New So ...

, Angela Punch Peter Carroll. Membership is open to any members of the community that are over the age of 18. Members are invited to participate in all aspects of theatre production, including acting, designing, back-stage work, directing and administration. The Genesian Theatre produces six main stage productions each year as well as running classes, workshops, and many other activities. In September 2017, the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

advised Genesian that they had sold the building to a developer for over $6 million and that the theatre company would be required to vacate by November 2018. The company later negotiated with the new owner of the building to remain at Kent Street until 2020. The company announced a further year at Kent Street in October 2019, with a likely move from the building to a new venue in 2021. The church is heritage listed. The company reopened at a hall at St Joseph's Church in early 2025,

Rozelle Rozelle is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 4 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Inner West Council. Location Rozelle s ...

following renovations.

References

External links

Official website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Genesian Theatre Amateur theatre companies in Australia Theatres in Sydney Theatre in Sydney