Barstool Conversations
A series of informal conversations in the Tathra Hotel to whet our community’s appetite in anticipation of the new Headland Theatre

#6 - Creative Adventurer: A conversation with director Ella Caldwell

Growing up on Kameruka, Ella Caldwell started her creative journey with the Candelo Arts Society and In Theatre. A drama scholarship took Ella to Melbourne where today she serves as the Artistic Director and CEO of Red Stitch Actors' Theatre, Australia's home of 'Big Little Theatre’.

Ella directed Red Stitch’s production of Monument, written by Emily Sheehan, which received its first public reading at the Headland Writers Festival in 2022. This year Monument embarks on a national tour, and will be the first play to be presented in Tathra's new Headland Theatre, in mid-October.

Join Ella Caldwell for a Barstool Conversation with Lindy Hume about her creative adventures, the making of Monument, and her hopes for Tethra's own big little theatre, the Headland.

Ella Caldwell is a founding member of Red Stitch and has been Artistic Director of the company since July 2013. During this time, Ella has evolved and steered the company’s new writing program, INK, providing significant opportunities for the development and production of new writing at Red Stitch. Since its inception, this program has produced numerous acclaimed productions and toured nationally and internationally.

Most recently, Ella directed the critically acclaimed Australian premiere season of Ella Hickson’s epic work, Oil. In 2018 Ella directed the acclaimed Australian premiere season of The Antipodes by Annie Baker. Previous directorial work includes the sold-out Victorian premiere season of Joanna Murray-Smith’s Fury and the Australian premiere production of Incognito by Nick Payne, both directed in collaboration with ensemble member Brett Cousins, and the world premiere of Caleb Lewis’ The Honeybees.

As an actor, Ella most recently performed in the world premiere of desert, 6:29pm by Morgan Rose. Following a premiere season at Red Stitch, desert, 6.29pm sold out at Wuzhen Theatre Festival in China on the company’s first international tour. Previous acting credits include The Realistic Joneses by Will Eno, The Village Bike by Penelope Skinner, Love, Love, Love by Mike Bartlett, Midsummer – A Play with Songs by David Greig and Gordon McIntyre, Oh Well Never Mind Bye by Stephen Lally, The Laramie Project – 10 Years Later by Moises Kaufman, Stop.Rewind by Melissa Bubnic, The Winterling by Jez Butterworth, Crestfall by Mark O’Rowe, Outlying Islands by David Greig, The Night Season by Rebecca Lenkiewicz and Bug by Tracy Letts.

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It's free to attend, but registrations are required, as there is limited capacity at the venue.

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