Sam Strong (director): Difference between revisions

'''Sam Strong''' is an Australian theatre director and arts leader; he was the artistic director of [[Queensland Theatre Company]] (2015–2019) and of [[Griffin Theatre Company]] (2010–2013). He has also been Chair of [[Circa (contemporary circus)|Circa]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://circa.org.au/circa-welcomes-new-chairman-sam-strong/|title=Circa welcomes new chairman Sam Strong|year=2015|website=circa|url-status=live}}</ref> and the Associate Artistic Director of [[Melbourne Theatre Company]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.stagewhispers.com.au/news/strong-leaves-griffin-one-three-new-mtc-roles|title=Strong Leaves Griffin for One of Three New MTC Roles|date=21 July 2012|work=Stage Whispers|access-date=8 October 2019}}</ref>

Strong was born in [[Nowra, New South Wales]] and is the son of late Australian businessman [[James Strong (Australian businessman)|James Strong]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/theatre/sam-i-am-20120329-1vzay.html|title=Sam, I am|newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|last1=Blake|first1=Elissa|accessdate=26 October 2015}}</ref> Strong was Dux of [[Geelong Grammar School]] and graduated from the [[University of Melbourne]] with a BA(Hons) LLB(Hons) and the [[Victorian College of the Arts]] with a Graduate Diploma of Dramatic Art (Directing).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://alumni.news.unimelb.edu.au/sam-strong-memories-directors-time-vca|title=Sam Strong – Memories of director's time at VCA|website=University of Melbourne Alumni eNews|accessdate=26 October 2015}}</ref> He was admitted to practice as a barrister and solicitor in the Supreme Court of Victoria and practised as a solicitor at Freehills. Strong is married to producer Katherine Slattery.

From 2006 to 2008, Strong was the dramaturg in residence at [[Red Stitch Actors Theatre]], where he co-founded the Red Stitch Writers residency and directed the [[Green Room Awards|Green Room Award]]-winning ''Red Sky Morning''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stagewhispers.com.au/news/sam-strong-and-australian-plays-making|title=Sam Strong and Australian Plays in the Making|website=Stage Whispers|last1=Litchfield|first1=Neil|accessdate=26 October 2015}}</ref> From 2008 to 2010, he was Literary Associate at [[Belvoir (theatre company)|Belvoir]], where he dramarturged the hit [[Brendan Cowell]] play ''Ruben Guthrie''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/arts/cut-and-polish/2009/07/31/1248977185927.html|title=Cut and polish|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|last1=Dunn|first1=Emily|date=August 2009 |accessdate=26 October 2015}}</ref> From 2010 to 2013, Strong was artistic director of [[Griffin Theatre Company]], where he directed successful revivals of contemporary Australian classics, tripled subscribers, and directed the highest selling show in the company's history (''The Boys'').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://performing.artshub.com.au/news-article/news/performing-arts/richard-watts/sam-strong-announced-as-qtcs-new-ad-249346|title=Sam Strong announced as QTC's new AD|website=ArtsHub|last1=Watts|first1=Richard|date=22 September 2015 |accessdate=26 October 2015}}</ref>

Strong launched his first season as artistic director on 12 September 2016 with a rebranding of the company to Queensland Theatre (QT).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dailyreview.com.au/queensland-theatre-company-reveals-2017-season-name-change/48903/|title=Queensland Theatre Company reveals 2017 season and name change {{!}} Daily Review: Film, stage and music reviews, interviews and more.|website=dailyreview.com.au|date=12 September 2016 |access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref> Strong also announced nine commitments for his 2017 season that will deliver on the company's vision to lead the nation from Queensland, including opening a world premiere production in Cairns, performing in 15 interstate venues, gender parity of writers and directors and one third diverse casting.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.queenslandtheatre.com.au/Whats-on/2017|title=2017 {{!}} Queensland Theatre|website=www.queenslandtheatre.com.au|access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref>

Strong's first season at Queensland Theatre (2017) achieved the largest box office in the company's history.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/news/queensland-theatres-ad-in-strong-position-at-the-helpmanns/|title=Queensland Theatre's AD in Strong position at the Helpmanns|work=[[Limelight (magazine)|Limelight]]|access-date=6 June 2018}}</ref> In the same year, Strong became only the second director in the history of the awards to have two productions nominated for Best Play in the one year at the Helpmann Awards.<ref name=":0" /> Strong announced his departure from QT in March 2019, stating that he was relocating to Melbourne to support his wife's career<ref name=CM>[https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-theatre-boss-sam-strong-announces-his-notso-imminent-departure/news-story/01b1ac2fc342a733cc7322addbfd19bb "Queensland Theatre Boss Sam Strong Announces His Not-So Imminent Departure"] by Phil Brown, ''[[The Courier-Mail]]'', 28 March 2019</ref>

Highlights of Strong's four years at Queensland Theatre include the renovation of the Bille Brown Theatre, achieving subscriber growth that made the company the fastest growing in Australia, directing the highest selling new Australian play in the company's history, and securing [[Royal Automobile Club of Queensland|RACQ]] as an inaugural principal partner.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/news/sam-strong-to-depart-queensland-theatre/|title=Sam Strong to depart Queensland Theatre|last=NGUYEN|first=Justine|date=29/3/19 March 2019|work=Limelight Magazine}}</ref>

Strong's time at Queensland Theatre was also marked by a focus on new plays (leading the company to be described as the "National home of new stories",<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://dailyreview.com.au/sam-strong-leave-queensland-theatre/82249/|title=Sam Strong leaves Queensland Theatre|date=01/04/191 April 2019|work=Daily Review}}</ref> and creating the next generation of [[Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander]] stories such as My Name is Jimi and City of Gold.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/aug/02/city-of-gold-review-ambitious-raw-and-provocative-play-launches-a-bold-new-voice|title=City of Gold review – ambitious, raw and provocative play launches a bold new voice|last=Behrendt|first=Larissa|date=2 August 2019}}</ref>

Strong's fourth season 2020 will include him directing the stage premiere of [[Trent Dalton]]’s novel Boy Swallows Universe.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/ain-t-it-glorious-queensland-theatre-to-premiere-boy-swallows-universe-20190525-p51r2j.html|title='Ain't it glorious?': Queensland Theatre to premiere Boy Swallows Universe|last=Garcia|first=Jocelyn|date=25/03/19 March 2019|work=Brisbane Times}}</ref>

In September 2019 it was announced that [[Lee Lewis]] (who succeeded Strong at [[Griffin Theatre Company|Griffin]]) would be the next Artistic Director of Queensland Theatre.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/queensland-theatre-s-sam-strong-praises-incoming-artistic-director-20190921-p52tjh.html|title=Queensland Theatre welcomes new artistic director|last=Garcia|first=Jocelyn|date=21/09/19 September 2019|work=Brisbane Times}}</ref>

* ''Hydra'' by [[Sue Smith (writer)|Sue Smith]] (Queensland Theatre/[[State Theatre Company of South Australia|State Theatre Company South Australia]])