Courtney Stewart is heading into rehearsals as Director for the stage debut of ‘The Poison Of Polygamy’, which will launch La Boite Theatre’s highly anticipated 2023 season, as well as Stewart’s inaugural season as Artistic Director and CEO of the theatre company.
To be at the helm of Brisbane’s iconic theatre is a dream realised for the acclaimed director, dramaturg, actor and teaching artist whose deep passion for intercultural works and multicultural dramaturgy has established her as a leader in the space.
“I remember being backstage during the first running of ‘Single Asian Female’ and saying “Wow I’d really love to run this company,” Courtney says.
A proud graduate of Queensland University of Technology, Courtney started her professional career as an actor before honing her talents as an artistic leader, diversity specialist and change-maker for some of the country’s most prolific companies and organisations including Sydney Theatre Company (STC) as Directing Associate, Belvoir and Contemporary Asian Australian Performance (CAAP) as Artistic Associate.
Starting her career, as a Chinese Australian actor, Courtney said she struggled to find where she fit in the industry.
“I wasn’t always seeing diversity reflected and could see the need for key creatives and leaders from diverse backgrounds,” she says.
In 2016, a confluence of opportunities unfolded which set the stage for Courtney to refine her skills and step up in a profoundly meaningful way to address this gap and find her place in the industry as a leader and creative.
She says involvement on the first development of ‘Single Asian Female’ opened her eyes to what it meant to usher new work to the stage. She met Annette Shun Wah, then Executive Producer of CAAP, who became an incredible mentor and support for the burgeoning Courtney.
That same year her love for directing was ignited during a workshop where she would meet another key mentor, Paige Rattray.
Courtney undertook the role of Chair of the Equity Diversity Committee, was a delegate to the National Performers Committee, and became a board member for CAAP.
Image © David Kelly
As STC’s Richard Wherrett Fellow in 2021, Courtney worked as dramaturg on Kate Mulvany’s adaptation of Ruth Park’s ‘Playing Beatie Bow’ and Kip Williams’ ‘Julius Caesar’ and was Assistant Director and dramaturg on Anchuli Felicia King’s ‘White Pearl’. She also directed ‘Rough Draft #52 – Omar Musa’s The Pretty Game’.
After the success of Michelle Law’s new play ‘Top Coat’, which Courtney directed at STC in June 2022, she relocated home to Brisbane and commenced as La Boite’s Artistic Director and CEO.
Her inaugural season will open this May with the stage debut of ‘The Poison Of Polygamy’ by Anchuli Felicia King, a co-production between La Boite and STC.
‘The Poison Of Polygamy’ is the page-to-stage adaptation of Wong Shee Ping’s trailblazing novella, translated by Ely Finch, and regarded as Australia’s earliest Chinese language novel, serialised in 1909-10. ‘The Poison Of Polygamy’ is a timeless tale of morality, murder, blackmail, and betrayal.
Inspired by true accounts and events of that time, the pioneering tale sheds an illuminating insight into the Chinese-Australian experience that resonates with contemporary audiences.
“This feels like the perfect first play for me,” Courtney says.
“I’m able to provide a pathway to Sydney stages for Brisbane artists, spotlight great local Australian talent and help set a new standard for Australian writing.”
“‘The Poison Of Polygamy’ puts a human face on the migrant experience, examining the beginnings of the Chinese diaspora, and presents this in a modern-day context.
“This take throws up more questions than definitive answers. It explores the idea that we are the sum of our decisions – we can make great or terrible choices, but we live through the consequences of our choices.”
“I really believe in the healing power of storytelling and making the world a better place, one story at a time.”
'The Poison Of Polygamy' plays La Boite Theatre (Brisbane) 8-27 May.
