We are thrilled to have theatre veteran Beate Zanner as Production Manager for Bernstein & Busoni. She brings decades of experience in the theatre, where she has often chosen to work on plays "with a purpose and an important story to tell". Beate has been a guiding force in Bernstein & Busoni - keeping the production on track and an acting as an invaluable mentor for volunteers wanting to build their theatre skills.
In her long association with the theatre Beate has worked in many behind-the-scenes roles, including wardrobe, lighting and sound, Assistant Stage Manager, Stage Manager and Production Manager.
Bernstein & Busoni is Beate's first time as a Production Manager for operatic music theatre. She says "it has been a great experience getting back behind the scenes where magic happens".
Beate began in wardrobe for the Ensemble Theatre Festival of Sydney Playwrights' productions of Spokesong by Stewart Parker in 1979 and Indian Summer by Justin Flemming and directed by Doug Anderson in 1982.
Beate moved to Wollongong to work with Theatre South in 1983. Shows with this group included On our Selection by Steele Rudd and The Perfectionist by David Williamson.
Beate's longest theatre association has been with the New Theatre - from 1979 till about 1990 - where she was a mainstay of many productions, including: The Biko Inquest by Jon Blair & Norman Fenton; Ron Raygun in the Antipodes by Stafford Sanders, Tom Bridges & Peter Kemp; Indians by Arthur Kopits; and The Death of Phillip Robertston by John Tomlinson. She also worked on On the Wallaby and First Class Women (a 50th New Theatre Anniversary play), both written by Nicholas Enright.
In 2023, Beate was asked by Leider Theatre to work as a Co-Stage Manager on The Secret River, written by Kate Grenville and adapted for stage by Andrew Bovell.