About UsMilk Crate Theatre is the homeless and disadvantaged person's theatre company. But more than a theatre company, we are a community. A community of creative individuals who come together to make entertaining theatre, whilst exploring issues, opinions and life experiences in the process. Our strength lies in the fact that we devise our own work - everything is original, everything comes from the group. This gives us the unique and consistent opportunity to explore how we relate to each other and the world at any particular time - an intersection between professional theatre and community development. We are a diverse lot - some people are homeless, some are in a different space, some seek a creative outlet - but everyone works as a team. It can sometimes get chaotic, but it is always entertaining and NEVER dull! Milk Crate Theatre is a collaboration between professional actors and artists and participants who are, or have been, homeless or disadvantaged. WHAT WE DO We have a commitment to strong relationships and partnerships we have with the participants who join the company, the services we work with, and the quality and professionalism of the artistic staff we employ. In this way, Milk Crate operate on a number of levels: Development through Workshops - Our Open Drama workshop program at Edward Eagar Lodge, occurs in 4 week blocks consistently throughout the year. Our Home-Delivered Workshop program involves going out to other Homeless and disadvantaged services and running workshops at those venues. All workshop programs involve devising a small, original piece of theatre to be performed at one of our shows. ForumTheatre/Playback Performances - These performances are based on the real life stories of people we have connected with at services, and are sometimes grouped around particular themes. The story is performed in its entirety, then we return to various decision making points and open up a discussion to the audience about what alternative options could have been in the circumstances. The audience votes on their favourite suggestion and that audience member gets up and acts out the alternative model with the actors. The shows are not didactic, or about ‘solving' but rather about exploring options. Our shows are Free, and held every 2 months at Edward Eagar Lodge and sometimes other locations. Audiences are primarily homeless, however we do invite other people on request. Community Building Programs - Milk Crate uses the creative process as a starting point to work with particular communities. Large Scale Public Theatre Shows - we create and develop original full-length theatrical works that make inventive theatre, explore experiences of the Homeless and Disadvantaged community and aim to create a dialogue with the wider public. These shows occur approximately every 2 years. Social Networking Program - A social program where participants go out socially to see theatre shows together. Performative Forums and Commissions - we create performative forums to discuss particular issues of relevance in the Homeless and Disadvantaged community. In 2009 we are partnering with the Homeless Persons Legal Service to develop performances to consult with the Sydney Homeless community about Human Rights. WHY WE DO IT We believe in the power of belonging, of creativity, of working together and building a sense of comraderie and community. Milk Crate believes everyone has a right to expression and to explore their life experiences. Milk Crate Theatre works in different ways for different people. For many participants it provides the following opportunities:
For our audiences, we hope to provide an opportunity
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Milk Crate Theatre Participants
Are from all walks of life, and often connect to us through our workshop programs at different crisis and accommodation services. Some participants come and go, some work with us for a particular period or on a particular show, and others have been part of Milk Crate Theatre for years. Milk Crate Theatre StaffBeck Ronkson
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Milk Crate Theatre Staff Biographies
Beck graduated from University of Western Sydney, Nepean with an Honours Degree in Arts (Theatre) and is a Theatre director, Performer and Community Cultural Development (CCD) artsworker who specialises in devised work and working with communities. Amidst a sea of projects, she is currently directing a Performance project for IWCS with the Sierra Leone & Aboriginal communities of Marrickville, she was the Outreach Director at Shopfront Theatre for Young People for 3 years, was the co-director of Gathering Ground – an urban performance tour with the aboriginal community of The Block in Redfern for PACT, has performed with Sydney performance group Version 1.0, worked for Urban Theatre Projects, Erth and teaches for Darlinghurst Theatre.
Her key responsibilities as Artistic Director are to ensure the integrity of the program so that it remains true to its objectives, runs smoothly and to schedule; to manage and run the workshop program and direct the performances; and to be the central spokesperson and advocate for Milk Crate Theatre.
Maurie graduated from Theatre Nepean and has since worked in many areas of the performing arts from community and street theatre, film and television, museum and tourism work as well as fringe theatre. Currently, he is the Program Manager for Darlo Drama where he has been teaching since 1994. Before Nepean, Maurie was a workshop leader/devisor with “Side Effects”, a Youth Health Theatre project funded by the Health Department via the Adolescent Medical Unit. He is a founding member and performer of Milk Crate Theatre and at present is the “Joker/MC” for all shows.
His key responsibilities as the Joker/MC are to facilitate the performances and to be a spokesperson and advocate for Milk Crate Theatre.
Katy has a Bachelor of Arts (Anthropology), University of Sydney and a Masters of Management (Arts Management), University of Technology - Sydney. She has previously worked for Critical Path, Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Sculpture by the Sea and YHA Australia. Katy seeks to work on projects where people are the principal concern and where individuals and groups are inspired by the celebration of artistic, social and intellectual achievements.
Her key responsibilities as General Manager are to seek out and pursue funding opportunities and to coordinate and manage the administration for the program.