• Please find below a selection of the most common questions we are asked on a daily basis. If you can't find the answer you're looking for please go to the Contact section of the website and send us an email with your enquiry.


    • UTP will always advertise upcoming auditions on its web site and in our e-bulletin. Often, notices are emailed or mailed to artists on the company's database. Anyone interested in information about upcoming auditions please subscribe to our mailing list or email contact details to mail@urbantheatre.com.au.



    • UTP is happy to receive resumes from artists, technicians or administrators who would like to work with the company. They can be emailed to mail@urbantheatre.com.au. Once the company has been sent a resume, applicants are welcome to contact UTP staff to discuss their experience. When the company is seeking artistic or administrative personnel it often advertises on its web site, ebulletin and the Arts Hub web site at www.artshub.com.au


    • No, we do not have a permanent theatre or performance venue. UTP is a theatre producer, often creating work for unconventional sites, as well as theatres.



    • Yes we do. At our premises in Hackett House, UTP shares rehearsal and meeting rooms with our co-tenants. Sometimes these facilities are provided to external hirers, so please call our Administrator for information on conditions and availability. You can also see information about residencies that UTP provides for artists, including rehearsal space, in our 'Support Programs' section of the web site.


    • Depending on the nature of the internship, the timeframe and the projects UTP is working on, UTP is capable of accommodating interns and secondments. Candidates should contact the company to discuss their proposal before submitting a formal request.


    • Occasionally the company will accept work experience students, depending on the student's area of interest and projects that the company may be undertaking at the time requested. In most cases, students can not participate directly in rehearsals and some workshops, but are welcome to observe the artistic process and undertake tasks that support the artistic and administrative teams.


    • Generally, no we don't run drama workshops. However, UTP may occasionally conduct or host workshops in specific performance art forms, or masterclasses for emerging and established artists. Please let us know your contact details if you would like to be notified if any workshops or masterclasses are on offer.

      There are many youth arts organisations and performance companies that provide a range of theatre classes and arts projects as part of their annual program. We suggest that you contact the groups listed below for more information:

      Bankstown Youth Development Service (BYDS) www.byds.org.au ph: 9793 8324

      PACT Youth Theatre, Erskineville www.pact.net.au ph: 9550 2744

      Powerhouse Youth Theatre (PYT) www.pyt.com.au Fairfield ph: 9724 6077

      Ashfield Youth Theatre ph: 9716 1847

      Legs On the Wall, Lilyfield www.legsonthewall.com.au ph: 9560 9479

      National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), Kensington www.nida.edu.au ph: 9697 7600

      Shopfront Theatre for Young People, Carlton. www.shopfront.org.au ph: 02 9588 3948

      Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP), www.atyp.com.au, Walsh Bay ph: 9251 3900


    • Yes. In 2007 UTP launched its Intersection residency program. Intersection supports research and/or creative development undertakings by individual or groups of artists wanting to create new cross-cultural and cross-art form performance work in or about western Sydney. UTP offers successful Intersection applicants wages, a rehearsal space as well as dramaturgical and basic technical support during their residency. For more information on the Intersection application guidelines and deadlines, please email us or click here to download a recent application form.


    • No. UTP mainly produces original work devised through a process of research and creative development between a director/devisor, performance artists and other creative and community collaborators. As we rarely produce works that are pre-scripted, we can't offer a script-reading service.

      If you are a playwright or you have play-texts ready for readings, performance or further script development, we recommend you contact the following organizations, who may be able to offer more expertise:

      Playwriting Australia www.pwa.org.au

      The Australian Script Centre www.ozscript.org

      Australian Writers' Guild www.awg.com.au

      Parnassus' Den www.parnassusden.org.au


    • The UTP program is organised and run over a two- to three-year artistic plan. Generally, we don't produce or co-produce new works unless they have been developed from inception as part of our program. UTP produces shows that are a synthesis of invited guest teams of artists working in creative development and usually in western Sydney. UTP has set up the annual Intersection residency program as a space within our artistic program that supports independent research and/or creative development of new works by artists. If appropriate, UTP will consider supporting an Intersection project for further creative and production development.


    • UTP is not an arts funding body. Other than supporting research and creative development projects through our Intersection program, we are not able to offer funding for artists or independent productions.

      Your first stop in finding out about theatre, performance and arts funding in NSW and Australia should be:

      The Australia Council for the Arts www.australiacouncil.gov.au

      Arts NSW www.arts.nsw.gov.au

      UTP also recommends contacting your local council for any arts or community grant programs, or searching for philanthropic foundations that may have objectives compatible with your project.


    • Yes we do. You can find more information about our assistance and criteria in Opportunities


    • No problem. However, due to the company often being involved in intensive projects it is not always possible to talk to students straight away, or respond to extensive emails. Initially, students should search the UTP web site for information relevant to their assignment, then contact the company to discuss the potential of obtaining any further information that may be required. This should be done weeks rather than days prior to a deadline.


    • Yes we do have archives that contain photo and video documentation of many projects. While we can't let this material leave the office, anyone interested in viewing documentation is welcome to go through our archives or view video documentation in the office - please call us to make a time. In some cases DVD or video documentation can be provided at cost price.


    • Because we have our own annual program of events, it is unlikely that we are able to create additional work for events, however, we may be able to point you in the direction of artists or companies who can assist.