Obie-winning veteran Oz legit director Richard Wherrett, founder of the Sydney Theater Co. (STC), died at home Friday Dec. 7 in Sydney of liver failure, unrelated to having lived with HIV almost 13 years. He was 60.
His 40-year career spanned theater, opera, film and television. He ran the STC for 11 years until 1990 and was artistic director of the Melbourne Festival in 1992 and 1993.
Wherrett’s national and international achievements spanned all media, most significantly the “Elocution of Benjamin Franklin” (for which he was awarded an Obie for directing), “The Resistible Rise of Auturo Ui” for the Old Tote and for Nimrod theaters, and for the STC “Cyrano de Bergerac,” “Chicago,” “The Cobra,” “The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby,” “Hedda Gabler,” “Company,” “Away,” “Emerald City,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “The Crucible.”
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His opera productions included “The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny” and “Turandot” for the Victoria State Opera. He directed the world premiere of “Summer of the Seventeenth Doll” for the Victorian State Opera and Opera Australia.
He also directed the feature film “Billy’s Holiday” and telepic “The Girl From Moonooloo.” He co-penned the autobiographical “Desirelines” with brother Peter Wherrett, and “The Floor of Heaven — My Life In Theatre”
His most recent production, the Johnny O’Keefe tuner “SHOUT!,” wrapped in November after a boffo 42-week national season. Wherrett was in discussions with producers Jacobsen’s to adapt the musical for the arena.
He was also working on a revival of “The Resistible Rise of Auturo Ui” for the Sydney Opera House. In June the arena adaptation of “Hair,” which he had cast and commenced directing, was cancelled due to slow ticket sales.
In January he used a public keynote speech to send a fission through the arts community by describing recent Oz productions as “a terrible deception, a monumental con, a giant fraud.” He also sharply attacked the work of a handful of arts impresarios, earning their ire but the applause of many.
In 1984 he was made a member of the Order of Australia for his services to the arts.
He is survived by his brother.
