Another year left behind

It seems like yesterday that column number one for 2009 was being written, but here we are at year’s end – countless shows have come and gone, theatrical stories have reared their heads and then disappeared, and we’ve glided past another Christmas lunch, as a new, fresh year prepares to dawn.

It seems like yesterday that column number one for 2009 was being written, but here we are at year’s end – countless shows have come and gone, theatrical stories have reared their heads and then disappeared, and we’ve glided past another Christmas lunch, as a new, fresh year prepares to dawn.

It has been a big year for us here at AussieTheatre.com, too. This year has seen us break hits records – with both the biggest hits day and biggest hits month in our history recorded during 2009 – and of course we have also undergone a massive refurbishment, changing the complete look of the website.

This year for me both professionally and personally has been a huge one and in so many ways, has been a roller coaster ride. The best way to explain it all is to tell you all that 2010 will be a massive year for AussieTheatre.com – our content will be improved and more regular, and we will return to the values and commitments that the site was born with.

The amount of people who have contributed to AussieTheatre.com in 2009 is enormous and I hope you will grant me a few moments to say thank you.

Firstly, to the Sydney editorial team – Maz Dixon, Caitlin Wright, Benita De Wit, Felicity Burke and Rochelle Fernandez – a huge thank you for the support you have shown the website. Rochelle moves on at the end of this year, and I would particularly like to thank her for her efforts over the past few years. We welcome Suzi Mackay as her replacement.

A big thank you to my Deputy Editor Erin James, who in a year in which she has experienced the highs of a blossoming career and the lows of personal tragedy, has been an enormous support.

To Anne-Marie Peard and the team in Melbourne, thank you for ensuring the site has a strong presence down south and for all your efforts during the big shows, the small shows and the even smaller shows.

To Rohan Shearn, an enormous thank you for ensuring the site made moves into Adelaide. Rohan has moved on, but his commitment to the site cannot be questioned.

A big thank you to our regular columnists – Will Conyers, Grant Jones, Wayne Tunks, Joanna Erskine, Skye Crawford and Kate Walder. Both Joanna and Wayne have wound up their contributions to the website but they have been an enormous help and both remain great friends.

In 2010 our Regular Column line-up will be yours truly on Mondays, Skye Crawford with West End Whispers on Tuesdays, Will Conyers with Straight To The Point on Wednesdays, Grant Jones with community theatre news on Thursdays and a brand new exciting column for Fridays that will be announced soon.

A big thanks to Peter Meredith, Leann Richards and Kellie Scott for their contributions.

Also, a huge thank you to our 2009 major sponsors – RPW, Your Management, APO International, GFO and Showbiz. Of course, a massive thank you to all of the advertisers who supported the site this year. Your immense support has ensured this website continues to survive in the way that it does.

To all the publicists, marketing managers, producers, news sources, actors and administrators who have supported the site in 2009, a big thank you.

A personal thank you to my beautiful girlfriend Stacey for putting up with me and the pressures of a job such as this one.

Most of all, I would like to thank all of you. Your continued commitment to AussieTheatre.com is both exciting and humbling. I assure you that you are in for a big year in 2010. 

AussieTheatre.com is a unique beast. A unique beast for our readers, and for the management. Seven years since we launched this venture, I’m still not quite sure what the future holds. I do know that theatre deserves an outlet such as this, and I am determined to continue to provide it.

Again, thank you for your support in 2009. Enjoy your New Year’s celebrations this week and I’ll see you again next year.