Marion Potts

{{short description|Australian theatre director}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

{{use Australian English|date=December 2021}}

{{Infobox writer

| name = Marion Potts

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| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1965}}

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| education = University of Sydney


National Institute of Dramatic Art

| occupation = Theatre director

| nationality = Australian

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| spouse = Ned Manning

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| children = 2

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Marion Potts is an Australian theatre director.

Early life and education

Potts developed an interest in the theatre when she went to see Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night on a school excursion.{{cite web|url= https://engagingwomen.com.au/create/malthouse-theatre/ |title= The Theatre Director |publisher=Engaging Women}}

While attending the University of Sydney, she joined the Sydney University Dramatic Society and contemplated a career in theatre after studying theatre symbiotics with an inspiring female academic. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in French and a Master of Philosophy in Performance Studies. She also studied directing at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).{{Cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/arts/power-women-of-australian-arts-setting-the-scene/news-story/cdd96a2b3ea6e21ecb90e334a9cb55ee|title=Power women of the arts|last=Lambert|first=Catherine|date=September 11, 2014|work=Herald Sun|access-date=2017-06-16}}

Career

Potts has directed productions for many of Australia's major theatre companies including Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Griffin Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare and Victorian Opera.

Potts was a Resident Director for the Sydney Theatre Company from 1995 to 1999. She was Bell Shakespeare’s Associate Artistic Director and Artistic Director of its development arm, Mind’s Eye, from 2005 to 2010.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/arts/at-play-within-a-poem/2008/04/03/1206851100118.html|title=At play within a poem|website=www.theage.com.au|language=en|access-date=2017-06-16}} She was Artistic Director of the Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne from 2010 to 2015. She became Director of Theatre with the Australia Council in 2015.{{Cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/theatre/marion-potts-to-leave-melbournes-malthouse-theatre-for-the-australia-council-20150120-12u72b.html|title=Marion Potts to leave Melbourne's Malthouse Theatre for the Australia Council|last=Cuthbertson|first=Debbie|date=2015-01-20|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=2017-06-16|language=en-US}} Marion was Executive Producer of Performing Lines from 2017 to 2024.{{Cite web|url= https://performinglines.org.au/2023/11/22-marion-potts-executive-producer-to-step-down/ |title= Performing Lines announces Marion Potts to step down |website= performinglines.org.au}}

She was also a founding directorate member of HotHouse Theatre and has been Chair of World Interplay, Townsville, a board member of Griffin Theatre Company, Windmill Theatre and Playworks, and Curator of the National Playwrights Conference.{{Cite web|url= https://performinglines.org.au/2023/11/22-marion-potts-executive-producer-to-step-down/ |title= Performing Lines announces Marion Potts to step down |website= performinglines.org.au}}

Awards and nominations

class=wikitable

! Year

! With

! Award

! Category

! Result

2006The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?Helpmann AwardsBest Direction of a Play{{won}}
2007The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?Sydney Theatre AwardsBest Direction of a Play{{nom}}
2008Venus and AdonisGreen Room AwardsBest Direction{{nom}}
2011Meow Meow's Little Match GirlGreen Room AwardsBest Cabaret Director{{won}}

{{cite web|url= https://shanahan.com.au/client/marion-potts/ |title= Marion Potts |publisher= shanahan.com.au}}

Personal life

Potts is married to actor Ned Manning, with whom she had two children. In 2010, they relocated from Sydney to Melbourne when she was appointed director of the Malthouse Theatre.{{Cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/arts/potts-wins-malthouse-post/2010/02/05/1265151969590.html|title=Potts wins Malthouse post|last=Usher|first=Robin|date=6 February 2010|work=The Age|access-date=31 May 2010}}

Credits

=As director / creator=

class=wikitable

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Venue / Co.

1988Sylvia Plath: a dramatic portraitDirectorUniversity of Sydney
1990StruthDirectorStables Theatre, Sydney
1992The WillDirectorHarold Park Hotel, Sydney with Lounge Acts
1993, 1994The GapDirectorBelvoir Street Theatre, Sydney, Civic Square, Canberra with Asia Arts Management
1993The Gentleman's New Clothes (aka Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme)DirectorBelvoir Street Theatre, Sydney
1994FalsettosAssistant DirectorMonash University, Melbourne with STC
1994The Cafe Latte Kid / Darling OscarDirectorWharf Studio Theatre, Sydney with STC
1995Sydney Stories 2: The Blessing / Two Wongs / In the Club / The Way I WasWharf Theatre, Sydney with STC for Sydney Festival
1995Dead White MalesAssistant DirectorRegional Australian tour, Sydney Opera House with STC
1995Two Weeks with the QueenDirectorAlexander Theatre, Johannesburg, South African State Theatre, Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC
1995Tales from the Vienna WoodsDirectorNIDA Parade Theatre, Sydney
1995Three Tall WomenAssistant DirectorWharf Theatre, Sydney with STC, Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC, Gold Coast Arts Centre
1995, 1996BeechamDirectorMarian Street Theatre, Sydney for Sydney Festival
1996PlaygroundsDirectorWharf Theatre, Sydney with STC
1996The TorrentsDirectorPlayhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1996, 1997Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?Assistant DirectorQueens Park Theatre, Perth, Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, Esperance Civic Centre, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, Theatre Royal, Hobart, Burnie Arts and Function Centre, Princess Theatre, Launceston, Canberra Theatre, Sydney Opera House with Glen Street Theatre & STC
1997, 1998The Herbal BedDirectorWharf Theatre, Sydney, Playhouse, Adelaide, Canberra Theatre with Royal Shakespeare Company, with STCSA & STC
1997PygmalionDirectorGlen Street Theatre, Sydney, Canberra Theatre with STC
1997Gary's HouseDirectorAdelaide Festival Centre with STCSA
1997CloserDirectorWharf Theatre, Sydney with STC
1998NavigatingDirectorSydney Opera House with STC
1999Cyrano de BergeracDirectorWharf Theatre, Sydney with STC
1999Big Hair in AmericaDirectorThe Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga with HotHouse Theatre
2000EquusDirectorPlayhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
2000The Beauty Queen of LeenaneAssociate DirectorPlayhouse, Adelaide, Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with STC & with MTC
2000Life After GeorgeDirectorWharf Theatre, Sydney with STC
2001Don JuanDirectorSydney Opera House with STC
2002VolponeDirectorSydney Opera House
2002Fear and Misery of the Third ReichDirectorWestern Sydney University
2003WonderlandsDirectorThe Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga, Riverina Playhouse, Wagga Wagga, Stables Theatre, Sydney with HotHouse Theatre, Griffin Theatre Company & Riverina Theatre Company
2003A Midsummer Night’s DreamArtistic DirectorAmphitheatre, Gateway Island, Wodonga with HotHouse Theatre
2004Dreaming TransportationDirectorSydney Opera House with Performing Lines
2004A NumberDirectorBrisbane Powerhouse with STCSA
2004Newton's CradleDirectorWharf Theatre, Sydney with Blueprints
2005Cyrano de BergeracTranslatorPlayhouse, Melbourne with MTC
2005, 2006The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?DirectorDunstan Playhouse, Adelaide, Seymour Centre, Sydney with STCSA
2006Constance Drinkwater and the final days of SomersetDirectorBille Brown Studio, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre
2007OthelloDirectorPlayhouse, Canberra, Playhouse, Melbourne, Sydney Opera House, Orange Civic Theatre with Bell Shakespeare
2007The Story of the Miracles at Cookie's TableDirectorStables Theatre, Sydney, Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga with HotHouse Theatre & Griffin Theatre Company
2008, 2009Venus and AdonisDirectorMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Wharf Theatre, Sydney, Bruce Mason Centre, Auckland with Bell Shakespeare
2008HamletDirectorSydney Opera House, Playhouse, Melbourne with Bell Shakespeare
2009GraceDirectorFairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC
2009The Wonderful World of DissociaDirectorWharf Theatre, Sydney with STC & MTC
2009The Taming of the ShrewDirectorTheatre Royal, Hobart, Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre, Mt Gambier, Chaffey Theatre, Renmark, Barossa Arts and Convention Centre, Northern Festival Centre, Port Pirie, Middleback Theatre, Whyalla, Nautilus Theatre, Port Lincoln, Canberra Theatre, Sydney Opera House with Bell Shakespeare
2010King LearDirectorSydney Opera House, Playhouse, Canberra, Playhouse, Brisbane, Playhouse, Melbourne, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth with Bell Shakespeare
2010Sappho...In Nine FragmentsDirectorMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne
2010Uncle VanyaAssociate DirectorSydney Theatre with STC
2011‘Tis Pity She’s a WhoreDirectorMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne
2011, 2012Little Match GirlDirectorMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne, The Famous Spiegeltent, Sydney, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
2012Blood WeddingDirectorMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne
2012Wild SurmiseDirectorMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne
2013HateDirectorMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne
2013The DragonDirectorMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne
2013–2014, 2016The Shadow KingDramaturgeMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Carriageworks, Sydney, Heath Ledger Theatre, Perth, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Darwin Amphitheatre, Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture, Katherine, Brisbane Powerhouse, Barbican Theatre, London
2014Ugly MugsDirectorMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company
2014Cyrano de BergeracTranslatorSydney Theatre with STC
2014, 2016The RidersDirectorMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Victorian Opera, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth with West Australian Opera
2015Meme GirlsCreatorMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne
2017Di and Viv and RoseDirectorSouthbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
2018Good Cook. Friendly. Clean.DirectorStables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company

=As actor=

class=wikitable

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Venue / Co.

1989Artaud at RodezUniversity of Sydney

{{cite news|url= https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/5131 |title= Marion Potts |publisher=AusStage}}

References