Theatre Republic, Adelaide (2026)

Q: What is the website?

http://www.theatrerepublic.org/, https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/how-not-to-make-it-in-america-by-emily-steel-af

10/12/2025

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

After a short but mighty premiere season in 2021, we are bringing back Emily Steel's funny, moving, one-man show, HOW NOT TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA for the 2026 Adelaide Fringe , from the 10th to the 22nd of March at Holden Street Theatre.

It’s 2001. A naive young Australian actor sets out to make it in New York. But then 9/11 brings down the Twin Towers, his high-school sweetheart dumps him and his visa expires. What do you do when your dreams collapse around you?

Inspired by real-life experiences of playwright (and our Artistic Director) Emily Steel, actor James Smith plays 28 characters to make you laugh, cry, cringe and hope in this remount of our former Artistic Director Corey McMahon's original production.

To celebrate the launch of the Adelaide Fringe 2026 program, we’re giving you a 30% discount on tickets to our show! Available NOW until the 11 December 2025.

If you miss this offer, BankSA Cardholders can access a 25% discount on full price tickets for all our performances from now until our season is over!

T&Cs apply to both of these offers.

Snag your tickets through the link in our bio, our QR code, or here: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/how-not-to-make-it-in-america-by-emily-steel-af2026.

This production has received generous support through the Adelaide Fringe Foundation Fringe Fund.

18/10/2025

🖼 FUTURE:PRESENT IS OPEN 🖼

Our rapid fire, experimental theatre project opened to an absolutely incredible crowd last night!

After just four days of preparation, our team of actors, directors, creatives, and production brought these four brand new plays to life on stage. We laughed, we cried, we very quickly changed the set between shows...

We are on for one more performance only TONIGHT at 7:30pm at the Goodwood Theatre. Don't miss this uniquely chaotic and poignant night at the theatre before it's gone as quickly as it was made.

🎟 Tickets 🎟
At the link in our bio, or you can score them at the Goodwood Theatre bar before the show!

Production photos by Jamie Hornsby,

FUTURE:PRESENT is made possible with project funding from CreateSA, and support from Goodwood Theatre and Studios, and State Theatre Company South Australia.

15/10/2025

🖼 THE CREATIVES & PRODUCTION🖼

Busy working behind the scenes are the people who actually make it all happen. Our creatives and production team are run off their feet, creating the framework for our four plays to sit within, all with only a couple of days to do it.

Bianka Kennedy (in a western themed photoshoot), Set and Costume Design
Steven Durey (sporting flannel), Lighting Design
James Oborn (making music from a young age), Sound Design and Composition
Isabella Strada (cheesing out), Production Management
Ashlee Scott (and her entire family in a spa), Stage Management

These people are making us look, sound, and feel good. See their work in action this weekend, at the Goodwood Theatre on October 17th and 18th.

🎟 TICKETS ARE SELLING FAST 🎟
Get yours at tix.yt/futurepresent2025, or at the link in our bio.

FUTURE:PRESENT is made possible with project funding from CreateSA, and support from Goodwood Theatre and Studios, and State Theatre Company South Australia.

13/10/2025

🖼 THE ACTORS 🖼

Allow us to introduce the brilliantly talented actors bringing FUTURE:PRESENT to life. With just days of preparation, they will take to the stage and bring audiences on a journey through the twists and turns of Family stories.

Sam Calleja (pictured in his formal suit)
Ashton Malcolm (pictured with her Oma's writing)
Connor Pullinger (pictured looking at the night sky)
and Elvy-Lee Quici (pictured in her princess crown)

These incredible actors will play multiple characters across four world premiere plays this weekend, at the Goodwood Theatre on October 17th and 18th. Risky and exciting storytelling awaits. Join us!

🎟 TICKETS ARE SELLING FAST 🎟
Get yours at tix.yt/futurepresent2025, or at the link in our bio.

FUTURE:PRESENT is made possible with project funding from CreateSA, and support from Goodwood Theatre and Studios, and State Theatre Company South Australia.

09/10/2025

🖼 THE DIRECTORS 🖼
It gives us extreme pleasure to introduce our FUTURE:PRESENT Directors. These brilliant directors are now deep in preparation to bring four brand new South Australian Premieres to the stage in just over a week. Bursting with talent, this group is filled with familiar Theatre Republic faces.

Matt Crook (pictured with his sister Emily)
Elizabeth Hay (pictured with a gappy grin)
Nescha Jelk (pictured with her brother, fellow theatre artist Antoine)
and Annabel Matheson (pictured with her cousin Lucy)

Join us at the Goodwood Theatre on October 17th and 18th, and be part of this rapid-fire, urgent, and exciting experimental night at the theatre. Four distinctive world premiere family portraits await...

🎟 Get your tickets at tix.yt/futurepresent2025, or at the link in our bio.
FUTURE:PRESENT is made possible with project funding from CreateSA, and support from Goodwood Theatre and Studios, and State Theatre Company South Australia.

01/10/2025

🖼 THE WRITERS 🖼

Our FUTURE:PRESENT writers are hard at work this week. They have just four days to write their scripts in response to our theme, FAMILY. We've assembled a team of extremely talented writers, and we are so pleased to introduce them to you here.

Elena Carapetis (pictured with her furry son Snuggles Wuggly)
Alysha Herrmann (pictured with a storybook)
James Smith (pictured with his grandma and brother)
and Luke Wiltshire (pictured with his sister and parents)

These incredible writers will hand up their final drafts tomorrow and their brand new short plays will premiere in just two weeks time. Join us at the Goodwood Theatre on October 17th and 18th, and embark on an unknown journey of exciting, rapid-fire theatre.

🎟 Get your tickets at tix.yt/futurepresent2025, or at the link in our bio.

FUTURE:PRESENT is made possible with project funding from CreateSA, and support from Goodwood Theatre and Studios, and State Theatre Company South Australia.

11/09/2025

FUTURE:PRESENT is back! On 17 & 18th October, Theatre Republic’s fast-response experimental theatre event returns to the Goodwood Theatre.

4 playwrights. 4 directors. 4 actors. 4 world premieres.

This year’s theme is FAMILY.

THE PLAYWRIGHTS: Elena Carapetis, Alysha Herrmann, James Smith and Luke Wiltshire.

THE DIRECTORS: Matt Crook, Elizabeth Hay, Nescha Jelk and Annabel Matheson.

THE ACTORS: Felix Jozeps, Ashton Malcolm, Connor Pullinger and Elvy-Lee Quici.

THE CREATIVES: Bianka Kennedy (Designer), Steven Durey (Lighting Designer) and James Oborn (Composer), with Production Manager Isabella Strada and Stage Manager Ashlee Scott.

GET READY FOR YOUR FAMILY PORTRAIT.

Friday 17 & Saturday 18 October, 7.30pm at the Goodwood Theatre.

Get your tickets at the LINK IN BIO.

FUTURE:PRESENT is made possible with project funding from , and support from and

Poster design by .designed

22/04/2025

GOODBYE AND THANK YOU FROM COREY

This is my final week with Theatre Republic.

It's hard to believe that Theatre Republic has been in existence for almost eight years. Since 2017, we've presented five major productions, including two world-premiere plays by Emily Steel and three South Australian premiere productions of critically acclaimed existing works. We have supported the development of three new full-length plays, presented four new audio dramas as part of our Covid lockdown project PodPLAY and created eight new short plays, as part of our bi-annual new writing incubator event, FUTURE:PRESENT.

It's been an exciting time!

But Theatre Republic would not be the 'big little company' it is today without the people who have written, acted, designed, lit and composed for our productions. And let's not forget the brilliant production and stage managers we've had the opportunity of working with. They are the unsung heroes of theatre.

It truly does take a village to create art, and we have been blessed to collaborate with some incredibly talented and committed artists. Providing opportunities to South Australian theatre makers has been at the core of everything we do and it is something I am immensely proud of.

During my time with Theatre Republic, the company has benefited from the leadership and guidance from three generations of Boards of Directors. Each director has donated their time and expertise to ensure the company's success. They have been with us during the many highs (and lows) that come with running a small theatre company. Special thanks must go to Geordie Brookman, the late Jamie Anderson and Terence Crawford. Each have led the board with integrity, expertise, passion and a genuine commitment to the work of the company.

We have enjoyed the support from our Foundation Donors who, each year, donate to Theatre Republic. Funding from government only covers a small percentage of what it costs to produce a theatre production. Their financial support ensures we continue to commission local writers and employ local theatre makers. We are incredibly grateful for their ongoing support. We simply couldn’t do it without them.

Thank you to Manda Flett, the company’s inaugural producer and the current team of producer Annabel Matheson and finance officer Will Traeger. Thanks must also go to Anthony Nocera who donated his talent and expertise to create our marketing campaigns. They have all kept the wheels turning. I couldn’t have done my job without them.

And finally my sincere thanks to you, our audience. Without you, our work has no purpose. Thank you for investing in us. I hope, through our productions, we have made a difference to your lives and shown you a new way of looking at the world.

Most importantly, I hope we've given you some bloody good nights in the theatre!

But it’s now time for new beginnings. Please continue to support Theatre Republic. The company plays a vital role in the life our local theatre scene. I know that with Emily Steel at the helm, the company's best days are still to come.

It's been an absolute privilege.

Corey McMahon
Artistic Director 2017-2025

08/03/2025

Today we celebrate International Women's Day. Theatre Republic is committed to ensuring women are front and centre in the work we do, both on stage and behind the scenes. Here are some of the amazing women we've had the privilege of working with since 2017.

05/03/2025

MEET OUR NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR!

Award-winning playwright, dramaturg and theatre maker, Emily Steel, has been appointed the new Artistic Director of Theatre Republic.

Emily has written critically acclaimed, award-winning new plays for community, independent and main-stage theatre companies. Her work has also been produced for radio, podcasts and online. She is a highly respected artist in the South Australian theatre sector, playing lead roles in the writing, development and production of new South Australian plays, as well as working as an advocate and mentor to emerging artists across the sector.

In taking the role, Emily said “I’m thrilled to be the new Artistic Director of Theatre Republic. The company plays such an important role in the development of new writing and emerging artists here in SA, and in bringing responsive, current, thought-provoking works to local audiences.”

“As a playwright, I’ve been very lucky to have had the support of Theatre Republic to develop my own plays. As Artistic Director, I will work to support other theatre artists as they ask unanswerable questions, tell stories we’ve never heard before and say things we think we’re not supposed to say. If we can’t do that in a theatre, where can we do it?”

Emily has been a long-term collaborator with Theatre Republic. In addition to her short plays, written for the company’s new writing incubator project Future:Present, her play Rabbits was presented as part of Theatre Republic’s Covid podcast series, PodPLAY. Emily also wrote the critically acclaimed plays How Not to Make It In America and The Garden for Theatre Republic, directed by outgoing artistic director, Corey McMahon.

Her play, Euphoria (presented by Country Arts SA and State Theatre Company South Australia), won the 2022 AWGIE Award (Community and Youth Theatre). She was also the 2018 Jill Blewett award-winner for her play 19 Weeks. Her latest play, Housework, recently had its world premiere as part of the 2025 State Theatre Company South Australia season.

Chair of the Board of Theatre Republic, Terence Crawford said "This is a great moment for Theatre Republic. It honours Corey's heroic effort and vision in setting up the company eight years ago. It was founded to serve a belief that we all share: that theatre as an artform always has and always will find its core, its propulsion, and its audience through the words and ideas of writers."

"Emily is an eminent writer, dramaturg and teacher. She is the perfect person to make clear Theatre Republic's unique place in the SA theatre landscape."

Outgoing Artistic Director Corey McMahon said “I’m very excited about Emily’s appointment as the new artistic director of Theatre Republic. I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with Emily on several projects over many years. She is an artist of immense talent, skill, passion and integrity. I can’t wait to see where Theatre Republic goes next under Emily’s leadership."

Emily Steel joins Theatre Republic late April.

20/01/2025

The fantastic team who came together last week to work on the development of 'Collegiality' by Matt Crook. Big shout out to Matt for the countless hours he put into writing across the week, supported by director Corey McMahon and dramaturg Elena Carapetis. Thank you to our brilliant actors Annabel Matheson, James Smith, Antoine Jelk, Lizzie Hay and Chris Asimos for bringing this thrilling new South Australian play to life. We can't wait to see where Matt takes the play next!

The development of 'Collegiality' was supported by the Department of Premier and Cabinet (through Arts SA) and Lesley Forwood.

15/01/2025

INTRODUCING 'THE ROOM'

We're thrilled to announce our second project for 2025!

Introducing our new writing commissioning initiative, THE ROOM. Created in response to the lack of commissioning opportunities for South Australian playwrights, Theatre Republic has commissioned two local writers to each write a new 50-minute play, that will form part of a double bill of season of new works.

Elena Carapetis, one of South Australia's leading theatre makers and wunderkind emerging playwright, Anthony Nocera have been invited to take part in THE ROOM and write their plays across 2025.

Elena and Anthony will provide a thrilling contrast in style, form and aesthetic. Both are provocateurs, unafraid to use their writing to maximum effect. Elena and Anthony are highly engaged with their own culture and passionate about bringing authentic storytelling to the stage. They each have distinctive and complimentary voices which promise to deliver a challenging, funny, intelligent, thought-provoking (and possibly dangerous!) night in the theatre!

THE ROOM is a long-term investment in local playwriting. The program will take place across two years, culminating in a thrilling season of new South Australian theatre, written by two of the State's most exciting artists.

THE ROOM is supported by the Department of Premier and Cabinet (through Arts SA ) and by members of our Foundation Donor Circle.

Theatre Republic

10/12/2025

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