Exeunt
This section lists members of the theatre profession and allied fields who have recently passed away. Please share your knowledge of these people with us by writing a short biography and sending it to
Written by Simon Plant
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Simon Plant AustraliaSIMON PLANT BA (Hons) and Masters (University of Melbourne) is a Melbourne writer and historian. His 35 year career in journalism includes three decades at the Herald and Weekly Times as a reporter and editor specialising in arts and entertainment. His new book, Entertaining Mr Coppin: An Australian Showman in Civil War America will be published by THA in August 2025.
Written by Kevin Trask
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Kevin Trask AustraliaOver the years Kevin has worked in non-professional theatre as an actor and director in Melbourne and has won several Victorian Drama League awards. He hosts a weekly radio show at noon each Sunday on 96.5 Inner FM. Kevin has interviewed many famous overseas and Australian actors from stage, film and television.
Kevin can be heard on 3AW on Sunday nights in his regular segment, The Trask Time Tunnel, while his experience working professionally as a broadcaster includes stints on 3AK, 3AW, and 4BC. He has also produced shows featuring prominent artists such as Ted Hamilton, Reg Gorman, Dorothy Baker, Paul Jennings, Robert Grubb and his cousin, Diana Trask.
Written by Vicki Fairfax
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Vicki Fairfax AustraliaVicki Fairfax is a writer, dance writer and historian who was married to George Fairfax, theatre director and first CEO of The Victorian Arts Centre (now Arts Centre Melbourne).
She spent five years researching and writing the history of the Arts Centre, The Place Across the River, which was published by Macmillan in 2002. In 2003 it won the Royal Historical Society of Victoria Community History Award.
In recent years Vicki has been privileged to work with a number of organisations on projects to commemorate George’s life and work. The George Fairfax Memorial Award in the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music at the University of Melbourne sets out to reward alumni in theatre and production, some of whom, like Simon Stone and Andrew Strano, have gone on to forge stellar international careers.At Deakin University the George Fairfax Scholarship in Arts and Entertainment Management supports postgraduate students in arts management and, in Swan Hill (George was born in the Mallee), the Fairfax Festival, now Fairfax Youth Initiative has, in 2022, its twenty-fourth year, been the recipient of a $230,000 grant from the Victorian Government, a pleasing acknowledgement of the importance of this festival to young people in remote and regional areas.
Vicki maintains an abiding interest in the history of theatre, in particular the dancers, artists and composers of the Diaghilev Ballet.
Written by Matthew Peckham
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Matthew Peckham AustraliaMatthew Peckham is a freelance consultant providing expert advice on everything related to building, maintaining, renovating or operating theatres and other places of entertainment. Over the past forty years, he has worked on countless productions in theatres too numerous to name, gaining experience he is always willing to share.
Written by Vicki Fairfax
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Vicki Fairfax Australia
Vicki Fairfax is a writer, dance writer and historian who was married to George Fairfax, theatre director and first CEO of The Victorian Arts Centre (now Arts Centre Melbourne).
She spent five years researching and writing the history of the Arts Centre, The Place Across the River, which was published by Macmillan in 2002. In 2003 it won the Royal Historical Society of Victoria Community History Award.
In recent years Vicki has been privileged to work with a number of organisations on projects to commemorate George’s life and work. The George Fairfax Memorial Award in the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music at the University of Melbourne sets out to reward alumni in theatre and production, some of whom, like Simon Stone and Andrew Strano, have gone on to forge stellar international careers.At Deakin University the George Fairfax Scholarship in Arts and Entertainment Management supports postgraduate students in arts management and, in Swan Hill (George was born in the Mallee), the Fairfax Festival, now Fairfax Youth Initiative has, in 2022, its twenty-fourth year, been the recipient of a $230,000 grant from the Victorian Government, a pleasing acknowledgement of the importance of this festival to young people in remote and regional areas.
Vicki maintains an abiding interest in the history of theatre, in particular the dancers, artists and composers of the Diaghilev Ballet.
Written by Frank Van Straten
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Frank Van Straten AustraliaOver the years Frank has amassed a vast collection of Australian theatre memorabilia. He was director of the Victorian Arts Centre Performing Arts Museum from 1984 until 1993. For 15 years Frank researched and presented ABC Radio's popular Nostalgia feature over Melbourne's 774. He contributes historical articles to many theatre programs and journals. His books include National Treasure: The Story of Gertrude Johnson and the National Theatre (1994), The Regent Theatre: Melbourne's Palace of Dreams (1996), Tivoli (2003), Huge Deal: The Fortunes and Follies of Hugh D. McIntosh (2004), Florence Young and the Golden Years of Australian Musical Theatre (2009), Her Majesty's Pleasure (Her Majesty's, Adelaide. 2013), Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne: The Shows, The Stars, The Stories (Australian Scholarly Publishing, Kew, 2018), and Hanky-Panky: The Theatrical Escapades of Ernest C. Rolls (2020).
Written by Mimi Colligan
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Mimi Colligan AustraliaMimi writes on 19th century popular culture and biography. Part of her Ph.D thesis was published by MUP as Canvas Documentaries in 2002. Mimi is a Fellow of the RHSV, an Honorary Research Associate with the National Centre for Australian Studies at Monash University and a member of the Victorian Working Party of the Australian Dictionary of Biography. She has curated exhibitions including Richmond's Cremorne Gardens and recently curated a RHSV exhibition on Melbourne Theatres in transition 1840-1940 . Her book Circus and Stage, on the lives of Mr and Mrs G.B.W. Lewis, was published last year by Monash University Publishing.
Written by Mimi Colligan
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Mimi Colligan Australia
Mimi writes on 19th century popular culture and biography. Part of her Ph.D thesis was published by MUP as Canvas Documentaries in 2002. Mimi is a Fellow of the RHSV, an Honorary Research Associate with the National Centre for Australian Studies at Monash University and a member of the Victorian Working Party of the Australian Dictionary of Biography. She has curated exhibitions including Richmond's Cremorne Gardens and recently curated a RHSV exhibition on Melbourne Theatres in transition 1840-1940 . Her book Circus and Stage, on the lives of Mr and Mrs G.B.W. Lewis, was published last year by Monash University Publishing.
