’A Man for all Seasons’ - Director, Composer, Pianist, Actor, Musical Director, Dramaturg and Teacher; Terence Clarke Returns

Terence Clarke was the guest of STAGES in series 3. A jack of all theatrical trades, our conversation found a focus on his career as a Composer of such vibrant Australian Musical theatre works as Summer Rain, Variations and The Venetian twins. However, there is much more to Clarke’s contribution to the arts in Australia. It is vast and passionate. Clarke’s work as Actor and Director are also ripe for the record.

He has acted in English repertory, for Nimrod (Horatio/Rosencrantz to John Bell’s Hamlet), and for the National Theatre Company, Perth, where he was for over two years Aarne Neeme’s Associate Director. He was foundation Artistic Director of the first regional professional theatre company in Australia, the Hunter Valley Theatre Company in Newcastle, and has been the Artistic Director of the Playwrights Conference and Head of Directing at NIDA.

Terence has directed the premieres of a number of Australian plays, most notably John O’Donoghue’s A Happy and Holy Occasion (HVTC) and Janis Balodis’ Backyard (Nimrod). He has directed over 140 productions and workshopped some dozen: the companies include the Melbourne and Queensland Theatre Companies, Nimrod, and Playbox; the music theatre works include Madam Butterfly (for State Opera of SA, twice), Annie, Anything Goes, The Pirates of Penzance (with Reg Livermore, Canberra), HMS Pinafore, and The Yeomen of the Guard. Other work for the STC: The Venetian Twins (composer/pianist/MD); Summer Rain (composer); The Sunny South (composer/arranger); A Happy and Holy Occasion (director).

Terence is a member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to the performing arts as a director, actor, writer, composer and educator. Terence has directed many productions at NIDA.

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