Urban Myth Theatre

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:52): I rise today to pay tribute to Urban Myth Theatre. As members would know, Urban Myth Theatre, which started its life as Unley Youth Theatre, has been a mainstay, not only of the arts fabric of the South Australian community but of the youth opportunities of this state, for some 34 years. It has had more than 10,500 active participants and it has produced more than 160 plays. The company, however, has announced that it is looking to liquidate and the next show that is coming up—Warren—may not even be an Urban Myth show; it may have to move to becoming a community production.

This is a sad day. As members would know, Urban Myth is something of a legend, and I am here to say we should not let Urban Myth become something of legend in South Australia. I know that the Hon. Kelly Vincent is a strong supporter, and certainly our state government has been a strong supporter of Urban Myth and provides annual funding of some $97,000 a year, but unfortunately the Arts Council, a few years back, discontinued what is its key organisation funding to that organisation.

Urban Myth Theatre may well be no more, and I think that is something that we cannot afford to lose in South Australia. Its only hope now is some sort of last-minute reprieve, whether that is through government funding or I know it has a possible campaign running on one of the parents' Facebook pages.

The value that Urban Myth has brought to this state is incalculable, but we can look to people, actors like Hugh Sheridan, to see how much value Urban Myth can provide for the talent and investment and the pride of our state. We are a state which prides itself on the arts and support for the arts, and yet this next generation of artists coming through will not have Urban Myth there to help them.

Urban Myth also gives children who do not fit into the mainstream a chance. If they do not play competitive sport, they have an ability to express their creativity and imagination. I have read several letters from young children and I stood on the steps of this parliament one Saturday morning during the winter recess of this place and listened to young people in tears about the loss of this theatre company.

It means far more to them than simply putting on a show. It is their place, where they can be themselves, discover themselves and find other people who are like them when they come from places and schools and communities where they have thought that they were the only one. Whether that is regional communities—and amazing young women like Alysha Herrmann come to mind—or whether it is our local schools in the metropolitan area, Urban Myth gives these kids hope, and I think we should be giving the kids from Urban Myth hope.

We should be standing up for them and making sure that not only does the show go on with Warren but that Urban Myth goes on. We pride ourselves in this state on investing in the arts and the film industry. I ask: where will the film industry be in some years if we do not have that talent? You need look no further than Closer Productions. Many members may be aware of the film that has received enormous international accolades in the past few years, 52 Tuesdays.

Not only is pretty much the majority of that Closer Productions crew Urban Myth graduates, if you like, they say (and through Sophie Hyde who spoke on the steps of parliament that day) that they learnt their way of working from their experience in Urban Myth. They learnt their collaboration skills and they also built their community that way. Many of the people involved in not only 52 Tuesdays but a range of Closer Productions initiatives have actually come through that Urban Myth training.

Another person who has come through the Urban Myth model is Finegan Kruckemeyer. I can say that name because he is a good friend of mine and I am proud to call him a friend. He is a former member of Urban Myth who has had 52 commissioned plays performed on five continents. He credits joining Urban Myth as his biggest and most formative step.

Certainly when I think of Urban Myth, I think of people like Finegan Kruckemeyer, and when I think that we are going to lose Urban Myth, we will not have the Finegan Kruckemeyers, we will not have the Sophie Hydes and we will not have the Hugh Sheridans coming up and making South Australia proud. Let's not let Urban Myth fall into legend; let's make sure Urban Myth continues on. With that, I know my colleague Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is writing to all federal and state South Australian MPs and I urge all members of both this council and the House of Assembly to step up in support of Urban Myth.