JUTE Theatre Company founder Suellen Maunder retires after 32 years at the helm
After 32 years at the helm of Cairns’ largest theatre company, founder and director Suellen Maunder has called curtains on her career.
Cairns
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cairns. Followed categories will be added to My News.
JUTE Theatre chief executive and artistic director Suellen Maunder has called time on her extensive career after 32 years at the helm of the Cairns-based theatre company.
As a creative child growing up in Cairns, Ms Maunder said she had always dreamt of a career in the arts.
“I did speech and drama from the age of seven and then eventually I sought other professional workshops and things like that,” Ms Maunder said.
“Then I went away and came back and met actors Susan (Prince) and Catherine (Ash).”
Ms Maunder said the three became close friends and eventually founded JUTE Theatre company.
“The three of us just couldn’t stop talking and we were always at each other’s places going ‘hey this’d be a great idea’ – it was a bit like a movie really,” she said.
“It was just like this incredibly creative explosion.”
Together, the trio quit their jobs to start JUTE Theatre Company.
“One day we just kind of all gave up our real jobs and decided to commit 100 per cent to the theatre company and create that, on no money,” she recalled.
Three decades later, JUTE Theatre Company employs local creatives and spearheads creative workshops across Cairns and the Far North, giving budding actors, theatre crew and script writers a space to showcase their talents.
Over the years, Ms Maunder has acted and directed in a myriad of plays, each sealing a special place in her heart.
“All of my characters that I’ve played on stage, they all still live inside of me – I can feel them very much as soon as I kind of think about that show,” she said.
“I’ve played everything from a frail old woman to a vengeful woman in period costume … I’ve just loved all of those characters that are inside of me.”
Among Ms Maunder’s proudest achievements has been creating performance pathways for Indigenous Australian and migrant communities including the Dare to Dream program, DARTS program and Ubuntu, African migrant refugee program.
“We’re developing strategies around how to engage the multicultural community, how to build projects with young people from migrant, refugee communities,” she said.
Looking to the future, Ms Maunder, who will officially step down in June 2025, said she was looking forward to travelling and enjoying theatre as a spectator.
“I love to travel so I really want to travel. I’ve travelled a lot through Europe … There’s still a lot of places I haven’t been to, Norway, my roots go back to Italy, so I’m keen to get there again,” she said.
“And just being able to go to theatre and festivals and see what other people are making, so that’s going to be a joy.”
More Coverage
Originally published as JUTE Theatre Company founder Suellen Maunder retires after 32 years at the helm
Four dead in four years: Inside notorious Qld jail
Following the latest death in custody at a Queensland jail, we look back at others who have died there in just a few years and the 20-year history of the grey cellblocks known for housing some of the state’s most high-profile prisoners.
‘Not clear’ why deadly disease on the rise in Far North
Health officials are searching for answers as to why there’s been a sharp increase of a deadly disease in the Far North, urging residents with symptoms to seek immediate care.