Remember back in the day when everything was totally fine? It’s been a strange year for artists everywhere, and how we at Wit Incorporated miss making theatre with and for you all.

In the midst of it all, we've been keeping busy at Wit Incorporated, and are eager to share our news.

Wit Incorporated was founded in Footscray in 2014 by Jennifer Piper and Belinda Campbell, from a desire to enrich and contribute to the arts in Melbourne’s inner-west with a full-time professional theatre company, and foster a culture of theatre-going within the community.

In 2020, after seven impressive years establishing and building the Company, Belinda and Jennifer are stepping back from Wit Incorporated.

Belinda's stepping down from the role of Artistic Director comes alongside a move to New Zealand, where she will be pursuing creative practice and further study. She remains connected to Wit Incorporated as a Committee Member and Artistic Adviser, and will continue to help lead the Company forward.

Jennifer has departed Wit Incorporated as Company Manager and Committee Member after a period of handover, to focus more on independent artistic practice. JP remains around as a friend and collaborating artist of Wit Incorporated, continuing to make great work in Melbourne's inner-west.

At seven years old, Wit Incorporated has already outlived the average life expectancy of an independent theatre company in Melbourne. It is testament to the amazing and hard work of Jennifer and Belinda that the Company has the sustainability to continue through this shift in leadership.

And so, we’re thrilled to say hello as the new leadership of Wit Incorporated.

Lansy Feng is our new Artistic Director. You may know Lansy from her fantastic show How I Met My Dead Husband; if you want to see more be sure to watch her in Bits of Wit (scroll down...)! Lansy first joined Wit Incorporated in 2018 to perform in Ophelia Thinks Harder, and has been a key company member ever since. A graduate of National Theatre Drama School and Howard Fine Acting Studio, she has a strong background in performance and theatre-making. Lansy holds Wit Incorporated in strong creative hands.

El Boydell has stepped into the role of Company Manager. El is an arts manager and independent producer with a background in live performance and community engaged practice, who brings strong connections to the arts and culture sector of Melbourne’s inner-west. El joined Wit Incorporated in 2019, and worked with JP to slowly take up the role of Company Manager over nine months. El is well equipped to take on the operations of the Company.

We’re excited about this new chapter for Wit Incorporated, building on the strong foundation established by Jennifer and Belinda, and continuing to work with them both in new ways. Wit Incorporated’s key mission of creating high-quality, representative and accessible independent theatre with and for the local community is something we continue to strive for.

We aim to emerge from 2020 as strong as ever.

Wit Kids evolves with us!

Our children's drama outreach program is also welcoming new leadership! We're excited to introduce Madeleine Magee Carr as our new teacher and facilitator.

Maddy is an actor and teacher. She grew up singing and dancing her way through life in northern NSW, dreaming of a career in the arts. Trained in musical theatre at Academy of Film, Theatre and TV in Sydney and The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, Maddy has worked as a dance and drama teacher alongside acting. She adores kids and approaches drama from a place of fun and joy, developing skills along the way.

Wit Incorporated is excited to welcome Maddy to take over the helm of Wit Kids, and contribute to our company vision as a committee member.

Wit Kids is now five years old and thriving, and we once more acknowledge Belinda Campbell's work setting the program up - as well as transitioning it to an online platform for 2020!

More information about Wit Kids can be found here.

Wit Incorporated becomes a City of Maribyrnong Triennial Arts Partner

Wit Incorporated is thrilled to be among the 13 arts and cultural organisations recently named as a City of Maribyrnong Arts Partner for 2020-23.

We are grateful to Arts and Culture Maribyrnong for their ongoing support of Wit Incorporated's work, and look forward to continuing to create accessible and inclusive art with and for the local community.

You can find out more about City of Maribyrnong's inaugural Triennial Arts Partner Funding and the 12 other fantastic local organisations being supported here.

Thank you

Thank you for continuing to support the arts and theatre in general, and Wit Incorporated in particular. We know the coming months and maybe years will hold challenges as we try to find new ways to create live theatre and connect with our audiences. Your enthusiasm for the work keeps us striving.

To those supporters who so generously contributed to our End of Financial Year fundraising campaign, thank you. As we plan for our future seasons, we're staying true to our commitment to increase artistic fees and acknowledge the hard work of our artists.

You can find out more about the impact of private giving here.

We can’t wait to make more theatre with you.