‘We tell stories like nowhere else’: New Queensland Theatre Artistic Director reveals future plans
Queensland Theatre’s new artistic director has revealed his ambitious plan for the arts in 2025.
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It’s the place that taught Daniel Evans to dream big.
It’s the place that took him from a teenager in Logan writing plays in his bedroom to the world’s stages.
And now it’s the place where he will tell our stories to the world, with Evans named as Queensland Theatre’s (QT) new artistic director.
It’s somewhat of a full-circle moment for Evans who, at 16, won the company’s prestigious Young Playwright’s Award with his original and witty debut, Opening a Fuzzwollop’s Frame of Mind.
A clearly chuffed Evans, 40, says being named QT’s artistic director would have filled his 16-year-old heart with delight.
“Queensland Theatre is just so dear to me, it changed my life because it gave a kid from the southern suburbs a feeling of belonging,” he says.
“It made me realise you can imagine whole new worlds – and that you are allowed to enter them.
“As a young playwright from Logan scribbling away at a play in his bedroom, to winning that award and working with all these incredible talents like Michael Gow and Carita Farrer (both highly regarded theatre luminaries), it meant the world to me – and still does.”
And while Evans has worked for many other companies, both as a director and a playwright, he is well known as the creative force behind many of QT’s most lauded productions including The Almighty Sometimes, Medea, Drizzle Boy and Vietgone.
“I think your state theatre company is a bit like a great sports team you have followed since you were a kid,’’ he says. “You stay with them, you might depart for a while, but you always come back to them because it’s in your heart.”
Evans’ appointment follows the shock resignation of QT’s former artistic director, Lee Lewis, in March this year.
Lewis left the role after four years, saying her decision was made with a “certain sadness, but with the best interests of the company in mind”. Evans has previously worked as QT’s associate artistic director and associate artist, and has big plans for the company he loves.
“The talent in Queensland is phenomenal, and we tell stories like nowhere else,” the award-winning director, playwright and theatre maker says.
“I absolutely love Brisbane and I love Queensland. I have worked in Mount Isa, in Townsville, in Cairns – all over this state – and I see it as my job to bring the richness of the state to the audience.
“And what that will look like will be stories from all corners of this state in new shows to the best actors you are ever going to see in a Tony Award-winning production.”
Evans also hopes to continue to foster new talent, another passion of his that lies behind QT’s acclaimed Door 3 initiative, which he created a year ago. Aimed at giving Queensland-based creatives the physical space, mentorships and resources to bring their projects to life, Door 3 held three public seasons at QT this year.
Evans, who has worked with many of Queensland theatre’s most loved and lauded organisations including La Boite Theatre, Brisbane Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse, the Melt festival, Digi Youth Arts and the Queensland Music Festival, says he knows first hand how important these sorts of initiatives are to emerging artists.
“Looking at performance opportunities and space in Queensland, the question was where do you go if you are an independent artist with a great script? Where are our small basement theatres? Where can I go to collaborate with amazing people, where can I find people to believe in what I’m doing?” he says.
After all, he says, he did.
“After my first experience with QT, I went and worked and trained in theatre, and in 2010 I came back to work under Wesley Enoch, who took me under his wing and taught me how to work in a main stage as a director and allow yourself to dream bigger than the indie scene,’’ he says.
Enoch was QT’s much loved and respected artistic director from 2010-2015, and his mentorship of Evans resulted in a hit show that toured for seven years.
“Wesley took a huge risk on me and my co-producer Amy Ingram’s show, I Want to Know What Love Is, that was birthed here in 2015 and continued to tour around Australia for years afterwards,” he says.
“He took a huge risk to take us on, and I intend to do the same for someone else.”
Evans will direct two of QT’s flagship productions in 2025: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Aaron Sorkin’s A Few Good Men.
“Jane Austen is the absolute queen of the rom-com. We have two amazing writers – Lewis Treston and Wendy Mocke – adapting the book and the world’s biggest Jane Austen fan, Bridget Boyle, co-directing. It’s going to be funny, romantic and very swoony,” he smiles.
“And with A Few Good Men our challenge is to make people forget the movie. Sorkin (also known for The West Wing and The Social Network) has created this fast-talking, conspiracy thriller and the whole thing just crackles along, I’m delighted with it.”
He’s also delighted with the cast, calling the auditions “exceptional”.
“We just found so much talent and it has been very special watching all these emerging actors work with some of Queensland Theatre’s very best old guns.”
And while Evans still has the occasional “pinch me” moment about landing his dream appointment, he is very clear on his aspirations and goals for the company – and how to achieve them.
“I see this role as a big, huge love letter to Queensland and to theatre,” he says.
“I want to move you, change you, make you laugh, make you let something go and make you get on your phone after seeing a QT show to text eight people and say, ‘you have to see it’.”
He smiles again. “That’s what I’m aiming for, every single time.”
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