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Expect a lot more activity soon in the Octagon Theatre - and in all the theatre venues on the Crawley campus.

University Theatres is ramping up its role from simply providing venues, to presenting its own shows.

"We're not actually producing our own shows from scratch, but we're going out there and finding plays, concerts, comedy, dance and other programs that suit our venues, rather than sitting back and waiting for the phone to ring," said Madeline Joll, patron services manager for University Theatres.

She expects a big increase from next year in the number of shows presented at the Octagon, the Dolphin, the New Fortune and other UWA venues.

"The Octagon is only used for 50 to 60 nights a year for professional performances," Madeline said. "Our new theatre manager, Rob Lines, is very keen for that to increase."

The Octagon presented the first of its own shows last year: a play called Love Letters and then a stand-up comedian in early 2012. "The Mandurah Performing Arts Centre called us about Love Letters and asked if we could provide a Perth venue, and that was the start of it," Madeline said. "Coming up in the next couple of weeks we have Tom Burlinson at the Octagon and Katie Noonan in Winthrop Hall. "

Next week we're going to Darwin for Long Paddock , where theatre producers pitch their shows to presenters and we choose what we'd like to put on in our theatres.

"We're going to have to hold back a bit though because the Octagon will be closed for about nine weeks for extensive renovations, from December, ready to reopen for PIAF."

The auditorium will be gutted, the seats replaced and configured slightly differently, with another row added at the back. The foyers will be refurbished to match the new auditorium. (The stage was rebuilt last year with an alumni grant.)

"So it's a new era for University Theatres, with a new manager, a refurbished Octagon and our new role as presenters," Madeline said.

As presenters, the University Theatres staff provide technical, audio and lighting set-ups, supply specific stage settings for individual shows, manage the ticketing, the publicity and all marketing for the performances.

"One of the trickiest things has been negotiating the artist contracts," said Madeline, who is close to finishing a Masters in arts management at the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts.

"Presenting a show means that we buy the show and take the risks. If it's popular, we make a lot more money than we make from simply hiring out the venue. If it's a flop, we lose money. But it means we will have a lot more say in what's on and that the venues will be used a lot more. It's very exciting for us."

The new manager, Rob Lines, is a recent arrival from the UK , with an extensive background in theatre. "My instinct is that there is a lot of potential here and an audience, but it is not about what I think is best," he said. "Madeline is the main programmer and she will be listening to what people want and how they react to what we put on.

"But we can't push the agenda until we have a refurbished theatre. The Octagon is a great venue but, like all of us, it's showing its age!"

Now We're Swingin' a musical pastiche of swing music performed by Australian actor and singer Tom Burlinson and an eight piece band, will play at the Octagon on Saturday 1 September.

Katie Noonan and Karin Schaupp will perform Songs of the Southern Skies in Winthrop Hall on Friday 28 September.

Bookings for both shows can be made at the BOCS office in the Octagon (open each day from noon) or on 9484 1133.

Published in UWA News , 20 August 2012