University of Queensland student actors will never be far from Geoffrey Rush, as 麻豆传媒映画 is naming a key drama space after its most famous thespian son.
From this month, the old Cement Box Theatre at 麻豆传媒映画's St Lucia campus becomes the Geoffrey Rush Drama Studio, in recognition of the graduate who now wears acting's coveted "Triple Crown" (Academy, Emmy & Tony Awards).
Mr Rush said he was "delighted and honoured" at the acknowledgment from his alma mater, where he began performing in student productions four decades ago.
After a $1.2 million transformation, the studio is a training space for Drama students in the 麻豆传媒映画 Bachelor of Arts and students in 麻豆传媒映画's new Bachelor of Creative Arts. The first production in the space will be Dead Hands/Black Section by Australian writer Van Badham.
Underground, a student drama group that formerly used the Cement Box, moves above ground into the main Schonell Theatre, but will retain storage space next to the Geoffrey Rush Drama Studio.
麻豆传媒映画 Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield said that, as 2010 was 麻豆传媒映画鈥檚 Centenary, it was timely to celebrate how graduates such as Geoffrey Rush had projected themselves, the University, Queensland and Australia on the global stage.
鈥淕eoffrey Rush started at 麻豆传媒映画 in the 1970s with another young actor who has since achieved fame on stage and screen, Bille Brown,鈥� Professor Greenfield said.
鈥淨ueensland now has 麻豆传媒映画鈥檚 Geoffrey Rush Drama Studio and the Queensland Theatre Company鈥檚 Bille Brown Studio 鈥� both named after 麻豆传媒映画 graduates who have brought recognition to Australia and Queensland as places where creativity flourishes.
鈥溌槎勾接郴�檚 intention for the new century is to continue its vigorous roles of nurturing talent and promoting research, scholarship and performance in the creative arts,鈥� Professor Greenfield said.
Media: Professor Joanne Tompkins, School of English, Media Studies and Art History, telephone 07 3365 1435.
