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Drama

Holding over 200 years of South Australian theatre history, the Drama Collection is the most extensive and comprehensive archive in the Performing Arts Collection.

Costume worn by Helen Cassidy as Hyacinth, Scapin, 2003, donated by State Theatre Company of South Australia, Performing Arts Collection, Adelaide Festival Centre DSC 7881

From the earliest program to costumes from recent productions, the Collection strives to represent both amateur and professional artists and creatives from productions around the State.

The most extensive and comprehensive collection in the Performing Arts Collection holds over 200 years of South Australian theatre history. From the earliest program to costumes from recent productions, the Collection strives to represent both amateur and professional artists and creatives from productions around the State. It is a large, diverse and interconnected collection made up of programs, posters, production photographs, costumes and set models.

 Highlights include Dame Judith Anderson couture costumes, Colin Ballantyne photographs, and the archives of John Tasker, Keith Michell, State Theatre Company of South Australia, and Adelaide Festival of Arts. The Collection also includes biography files for individual artists and creatives.

Featured Creators

Dame Judith Anderson
1897 – 1992

Dame Judith Anderson was born in Adelaide and started her career at the Tivoli Theatre in 1915. Her career spanned eight decades, principally in the USA, where she starred on Broadway and in Hollywood. She was known for outstanding stage interpretations of Medea and Lady Macbeth and was an Academy Award nominee for Alfred Hitchcock’s film Rebecca in 1940.

In 1984 Paramount Pictures Studio with a cultural coup had the legendary actress appear as Vulcan High Priestess T’Lar in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

Signed program cover of Dame Judith Anderson as Medea, The Playgoer, 1951, Performing Art Collection, Adelaide Festival Centre
Performer

Colin Ballantyne
1908 – 1988

Adelaide-born Colin Ballantyne was a photographer and theatre director. He directed a celebrated series of large-scale Shakespeare productions for the council starring Labour Premier Donald Dunstan. He established the Arts Council of South Australia and was founding chairman (1980-88) of the Performing Arts Collection, Adelaide Festival Centre.

Colin Ballantyne portrait, reproduced courtesy of Ballantyne family, Performing Arts Collection, Adelaide Festival Centre
Photographer Theatre Director
Featured Work

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