History of The Henry Lawson Theatre

The Henry Lawson Theatre is a community based theatre located behind the Henry Lawson Club in Werrington County, Sydney NSW 2747. In 1968 the author John Upton (at that time the Editor of the Penrith Press newspaper) approached a small group of local people with a proposal to establish a club to promote cultural activities in the Penrith district. The first meeting of the club was held in the Penrith home of Mr. Ron Mulock, the State Member of Parliament. After establishment the club’s name was changed to The Henry Lawson Club, Kingswood and was reported to have had a camera club, a chess group, a classical record group, choral and folk singing group and the biggest group was the Theatre company.

The Henry Lawson Theatre company consisted of people belonging to the W.E. Cuckson social club drama group. W.C. Cuckson’s was a zipper factory that provided a stage for its workers as well as dance classes. Pauline Beville- Anderson, an actress and her husband Ian Beville-Anderson, a ballet teacher were members who joined the Henry Lawson Club and Pauline was a foundation committee member. The Theatre group had its own committee – ( What will we call it?”  “A Rose by any other name….”, said some wit, and it stuck.) The first play presented by the Henry Lawson Theatre was The Bastard Country by Anthony Coburn. With continued sponsorship by St Mary’s Rotary, Alan Seymour’s The One Day of the Year was the second play. In 1971 the theatre contributed to the Penrith Centenary Celebration with ‘The Cabbage Tree by Edgar Penzig.

With two productions a year, the Theatre performed in local public halls until ‘The Shed’ was built in 1973.