Maunder’s theatre dream
CAIRNS’ JUTE THEATRE COMPANY HAS TAKEN THE THEATRE WORLD BY STORM BUT IT NOW REQUIRES PLENTY OF MANAGEMENT SKILLS AS WELL, WRITES HAYDEN SMITH
In 1992, Suellen Maunder (above) founded JUTE with friends Kathryn Ash and Susan Prince after giving up her “real job”.
IN 1992, MS MAUNDER FOUNDED JUTE WITH HER FRIENDS KATHRYN ASH AND SUSAN PRINCE AFTER GIVING UP HER “REAL JOB” AS THE MANAGER OF A RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT.
THERE’S a term used in the performing arts world called “theatre gold”, which is when the connection between performers and audiences becomes electric.
For Suellen Maunder, chief executive and co-founder of Cairns’ JUTE Theatre Company, these moments of intimacy are addictive.
“There are nights when theatre magic is palpable in the room,” she said.
“You can feel the audience breathing in the work, they’re amazing occasions.”
These raw, golden moments are at the heart of JUTE, which is now celebrating its 25th year. Based at the Centre of Contemporary Arts on Abbott St, the beloved Far North not-forprofit organisation is toasting another groundbreaking win.
JUTE was nominated for six Matilda Awards, which recognise the best of Queensland theatre, winning Best New Australian Work for its compelling play Bastard Territory.
“We received six Matilda nominations after the first time we performed on stage in Brisbane,” Ms Maunder said.
“If we can do this with one show, imagine if we took all of them down.
“We can see ourselves winning a lot more.”
The organisation’s remarkable growth over the past quarter of a century boils down to a voracious passion for performing arts. In 1992, Ms Maunder founded JUTE with her friends Kathryn Ash and Susan Prince after giving up her “real job” as the manager of a radiology department.
A Parramatta Park house doubled as their share house and creative studio.
“It was like this amazing spark, just a smashing of creative ideas coming together,” she said.
“It was such an extraordinary time in my life, like living a movie. Nothing could stop us.
“We lived and breathed creativity and theatre and just made everything happen with absolutely no money.
“We were very poor and ate potatoes most of the time.”
Through unique productions, performed at a host of different Cairns venues, they started to gain recognition.
JUTE started to receive a stream of state and federal grant funding, which facilitated growth over several years.
But a “breathtaking” moment came in 2001, when the Beattie Government forked out $2.7 million to build the Centre of Contemporary Arts.
JUTE and fellow not-forprofit KickArts have called the facility home since 2004.
As the organisation grew