About Us

Nurturing, Developing, and Touring
Amazing Independent Theatre.

Since 2005, we have partnered with presenters and artists around Australia to deliver outstanding independent productions engaging audiences from Bundaberg to Bunbury and beyond.

Critical Stages Touring’s goal is to make outstanding live theatre accessible to audiences throughout Australia. Our vision is to enable regional communities to have the same access to high quality theatre as metropolitan audiences, and to foster a sustainable and diverse national independent theatre sector. We support outstanding theatre makers to achieve their touring ambitions and regional presenters to achieve their audience development and cultural goals.

We broker relationships, connecting artists with presenters – whether they be festivals, small or large performing arts venues, or a much-loved community hall. We bring people together to create unforgettable experiences. We support our artists’ ambitions to breathe new life into their work and build sustainable practices, and we help our presenters foster a love and passion for the performing arts in their local audiences.

Through forums, mentorship and residencies, we also work closely with industry to provide opportunities to exchange ideas, start and continue vital conversations, build skills and resilience, and establish networks across the performing arts spectrum.

What we Do

Since 2019 Critical Stages Touring has:

Presented at 150+ regional, remote and metropolitan locations across Australia, NZ, and internationally.
Performed to tens of thousands of audience members annually.
Employed over 200 performers, technicians, and creative artists.
Engaged young, emerging and regionally-based artists in skills development workshops, masterclasses, forums, and Q and A’s.
Supported venues, presenters, and communities around the country to engage new and existing audiences.
Mentored NSW-based independent artists through sector development initiatives.

Why?

We do this in order to support audiences and artists by:

Increasing access for regional audiences to diverse and innovative new productions.
Developing opportunities for regional artists to engage in meaningful exchange with touring artists.
Engaging new audiences in unique theatrical experiences.
Providing professional employment opportunities for outstanding independent artists.
Building a strong, inter-connected, diverse, and vibrant national theatre sector.

The Critical Stages Touring Team

Robbi James

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Robbi has over15 years' experience bringing audiences together with the products and productions they love. Before joining CST in this role he was the Executive Creative Producer at the multi-award-winning Rogue Projects where he helped establish the company as one of the leading independent theatre makers in Sydney and Melbourne. He completed his Masters in Arts Management at the Sydney Opera House in 2018 with the Australian Institute of Music. His final thesis critically investigated the measurement, systems of support for, and impact of, diversity strategies in Sydney theatre companies, and he is a passionate advocate for supporting artists in the development of local voices, stories, and experiences.

Eloise Snape

Creative Producer

Eloise completed a Bachelor of Media in Writing at Macquarie University and received a scholarship to study in London. She also attended Actors Centre Australia and holds an Advanced Diploma of Performing Arts majoring in Acting.

She has worked extensively as an actor in both independent and professional theatre with the likes of Bell Shakespeare, Griffin, Sport for Jove, Redline Productions, Critical Stages and Outhouse Theatre. She was nominated for a Sydney Theatre Award for her performance in 4000 Miles, works consistently on screen, most recently in Voice Activated, which screened at this years SFF and the upcoming Colin from Accounts. She is also a voiceover artist for major advertising campaigns and networks.

As a producer, Eloise established MopHead Productions whose first show 4000 Miles by Amy Herzog was directed by Anthony Skuse and nominated for numerous Sydney Theatre Awards. It went on to have a season at La Boite and a national tour with Critical Stages. In 2018, MopHead staged the Australian premiere of Tony award-winning play, Stephen Karam’s The Humans, directed by Anthea Williams and performed at The Old Fitz. It was a critical and commercial success. Eloise also produces in a solo capacity, having just worked with Ensemble Theatre Company on Celebrating 50 Years with David Williamson and Griffin Theatre Company on Golden Blood.

As a writer, Pony is Eloise’s debut play and it was shortlisted for the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award 2022-23, the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award 2021, the Patrick White Playwright’s Award 2022 and the Griffin Award 2022.

Scarlet McGlynn

Programming Producer

Scarlet is an award-winning director, dramaturg and producer who has worked professionally both in Australia and the UK. She has committed the past 20 years of her life to creating new theatre works for the stage and is passionate about all aspects of theatre-making. Her theatre credits include: as Director: for Griffin: A is for Apple (Griffin Lookout 2022); The Smallest Hour, Glimpse with Jonathan Hindmarsh (Batch Festival); The Lysicrates Prize (staged readings); for Critical Stages: Hooting & Howling; for La Boite Indie: Show Me Yours, I’ll Show You Mine, for which the show won a Green Room Award at the Melbourne Fringe; for Sydney Theatre Company: Hooting and Howling (Rough Draft Program); for Tin Shed Theatre Company: You and Whose Army?, Boxing Day; as Writer/Director: for Rock Surfers Theatre Company: Future Senior/Former Youth; as Assistant Director: for Griffin: The Almighty Sometimes; for Sydney Theatre Company: Disgraced, Storm Boy, Switzerland; as National Tour Director: for Sydney Theatre Company: Disgraced. As Associate Producer: for Belvoir: Ruby's Wish, for TRS: Co-Producer: Boxing Day. Scarlet was on the Women in Theatre Program at MTC in 2018. Scarlet was CST's Senior Producer in 2023 and 2024, and recently served as the company's interim CEO and Director.

Judy Reardon

Production and Operations Manager

Judy is a twenty-year veteran of venue, production, and stage management. Judy has helped bring some of the nation's best productions, and companies, to stage, most recently Erth Visual and Physical Theatre, Sydney Festival's Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, and My Fair Lady at the Sydney Opera House.

Melanie Carolan

Senior Producer

Mel joined Critical Stages in 2017. She was previously Associate Producer at Griffin Theatre Company, where projects included Angus Cerini’s "The Bleeding Tree", directed by Lee Lewis (Winner of the 2016 Helpmann Award for Best Play); Alana Valentine’s "Ladies Day"; and Justin Fleming’s "The Literati", a co-production with Bell Shakespeare. Prior to that, Mel was Griffin’s Administration & Program Coordinator where she oversaw the delivery of Griffin Independent and delivered the Griffin Ambassadors education program. Mel has also worked for Merrigong and has produced at the Old Fitz and PACT.

Kylie Richards

Finance Manager

Kylie is a finance manager with 10 years experience working with arts and culture organisations.

How We Can Help You