SiMON ABRAHAMS

Polyglot Theatre

 

From 2007-2012, I served as Executive Producer and co-CEO of Polyglot Theatre with the irrepresible Sue Giles. Under our joint leadership, Polyglot underwent a complete artistic renewal, shifting from its historical origins in puppetry to become an internationally renowned creator of child-centred interactive theatre.

 

We introduced a successful international market development strategy, touring internationally across the USA, UK, Ireland, China, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.  We made seven extraordinary new works: The Big Game, City of Riddles, Tangle, Sticky Maze, Paper Planet, How High The Sky and the Chinese co-production La Ji Da Bian Shen.  We lost our funding, then we increased turnover from $513 000 to $1.4 million, raised individual donations by over 800%, posted the company's largest ever financial surplus... and then we had our funding restored.

 

We produced 17 international tours to the world’s leading arts centres, including the Kennedy Center in Washington, the Royal National Theatre in London, the National Theatres of Korea and Taiwan and the Chinese National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing.

 

Our initiatives were awarded with the Governor of Victoria Export Award (arts and entertainment) 2011 (for excellence and innovation in international market development strategy), the National AbaF Giving Award 2010  (recognising best practice in philanthropic giving) and the Victorian AbaF Award (SME) 2010 (recognising best practice in corporate partnerships). 

 

Together, Sue and I were named amongst Arts Hub's Top Ten Arts Leaders of 2010 and our leadership was developed as an international case study by strategic consultant David Fishel in 2013. 

 

Click to view annual reports 2008-2011: