Richard Wherrett
Encyclopedia
Richard Bruce Wherrett AM (10 December 19407 December 2001) was an influential and successful Australia
n theatrical director, whose career spanned 40 years.
Richard Wherrett was born in 1940. He attended the University of Sydney
with Clive James
, Germaine Greer
, Bruce Beresford
(film director), Ken Horler, Mungo McCallum
, Bob Ellis
, John Bell
, John Gaden, Laurie Oakes
(journalist), and Les Murray
(poet).
He was the founding director of the Sydney Theatre Company
. He directed 127 professional theatre productions, including Hag by Sally Morrison
at the 1976 National Playwrights Festival, and was the creative director for the lighting of the torch segment of the Opening Ceremony for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia
in 1984 for his services to the theatre.
Richard was the brother of motoring journalist Peter Wherrett
, with whom he wrote a memoir, "Desirelines".
Richard Wherrett died on 7 December 2001 of liver failure, after 15 years warding off the effects of HIV
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n theatrical director, whose career spanned 40 years.
Richard Wherrett was born in 1940. He attended the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
with Clive James
Clive James
Clive James, AM is an Australian author, critic, broadcaster, poet and memoirist, best known for his autobiographical series Unreliable Memoirs, for his chat shows and documentaries on British television and for his prolific journalism...
, Germaine Greer
Germaine Greer
Germaine Greer is an Australian writer, academic, journalist and scholar of early modern English literature, widely regarded as one of the most significant feminist voices of the later 20th century....
, Bruce Beresford
Bruce Beresford
Bruce Beresford is an Australian film director who has made more than 30 feature films over a 40-year career.-Early life:...
(film director), Ken Horler, Mungo McCallum
Mungo Wentworth MacCallum
Mungo Wentworth MacCallum is an Australian political journalist and commentator.He is the son of Mungo Ballardie MacCallum , and Diana Wentworth a great granddaughter of the Australian explorer and politician William Charles Wentworth...
, Bob Ellis
Bob Ellis
Bob Ellis is an Australian writer, journalist, film-maker and political commentator. He was a student at the University of Sydney at the same time as other notable Australians including Clive James, Germaine Greer, Les Murray, John Bell, Ken Horler, and Mungo McCallum...
, John Bell
John Bell (actor)
John Anthony Bell, AO, OBE is an Australian actor and theatre director.Bell was born 1 November 1940 in the town of Maitland, New South Wales where he was educated at the Marist Brothers....
, John Gaden, Laurie Oakes
Laurie Oakes
Laurie Oakes is an Australian political journalist, commentator, and media personality. Since 1966, he has worked in the Canberra Press Gallery, covering the Parliament of Australia and federal elections....
(journalist), and Les Murray
Les Murray (poet)
Leslie Allan Murray, AO , known as Les Murray, is an Australian poet, anthologist and critic. His career spans over forty years, and he has published nearly 30 volumes of poetry, as well as two verse novels and collections of his prose writings...
(poet).
He was the founding director of the Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
. He directed 127 professional theatre productions, including Hag by Sally Morrison
Sally Morrison
Sally MorrisonSally Morrison is an Australian writer of fiction and biography. She was born in Sydney NSW in 1946 but her family moved to Canberra when her father moved there for a position in the federal public service....
at the 1976 National Playwrights Festival, and was the creative director for the lighting of the torch segment of the Opening Ceremony for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
in 1984 for his services to the theatre.
Richard was the brother of motoring journalist Peter Wherrett
Peter Wherrett
Peter Wherrett was an Australian motoring and motor sport journalist and race car driver.Wherrett learned to drive when his parents got their first motor car when he was twelve...
, with whom he wrote a memoir, "Desirelines".
Richard Wherrett died on 7 December 2001 of liver failure, after 15 years warding off the effects of HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
.