Timothy Wynn: For the Indie Underdog
Our emails always start with a sense of urgency, always noting the weird situations of artistic desperation we’ve ended up in. “I’m currently directing a 24 hour musical, we have 24 hours to make a musical. I can feel my eyes twitching,” Tim Wynn replies to my email at three am, “but I’m in, let’s chat. I’ll tell all.”
Timothy Wynn is a champion of regional arts, the current Artistic Director of That Production Company, an award winning theatre company built out of Ipswich, where Wynn grew up. His works take him back and forth from Meanjin to The Switch, from the university stages of QUT and Griffith Conservatorium, to the familiar home of Ipswich Civic Centre. He's not bound by place either, with Wynn’s artistic pursuits taking him north up to Gimuy (Cairns) to engage with regional artists, and inland to Tawampa (Toowoomba), to direct with the historic Empire Theatre. His works have garnered him a loyal following, his Bundjalung season of Cosi won seven Gold Coast Theatre Awards, and recently he was the recipient of the Tony Gould Award for an Independent Arts Company/Collective at the Matilda Awards in December (Goodall). When he’s not travelling the country attracting awards and accolades, he’s bunkering down applying for grants and emailing theatre companies looking for work because "that’s where we all kind of end up, just another meeting on the block to attend. You’ve gotta keep yourself busy."
Timothy Wynn accepts the Tony Gould Award at the Matilda Awards 2024. Image by Luke Monsour
When we meet for coffee, Tim is about to premiere Jekyll and Hyde The Musical at Ipswich Civic Centre, which has only now found its feet after a season cancellation after Alfred. He's straight off the back of the 24 Hour Musical Project, an invigorating experience working with young people to direct, rehearse and choreograph a full production in just 24 hours. A few days later, he’s announced to be directing one of three mainstage seasons at Metro Arts in West End entitled Dance Nation. He never stops, so it's great to catch him amidst it all. But he tells me he loves it, loves the constant juggle:"the works I stage are new and fresh, always. I try to bring new life to what I want to see on stage. Whether it’s a musical or a show about dance competitions, there’s new life to be brought into theatre in Brisbane." Tim’s shows usually go up in a rotation of venues, those who are known for supporting small artists. But each new production is a gamble, and a risk that Wynn knows he has to take.
“I try to bring new life to what I want to see on stage. ”
It’s hard to believe, but even with Wynn’s extensive educational training, he’s struggling as much as the rest of us. Finishing Grade 12, Wynn left for New York to study at the Lee Strasberg Institute in acting before returning to Australia in 2008. 2009 was Tim’s first attempt at a big directing gig, working on the infamous Spring Awakening which only served to light the fire. From here, Wynn would direct monologues and plays, musicals and readings outside of Brisbane City off the back of his now established production company: “I get a lot of questions about why I decided to base myself outside Brisbane. You have to understand that you’re always ultimately competing with the majors (Queensland Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre). I didn’t want to compete, I wanted to give theatre back to my local community.” Now, in 2025, Wynn’s mark on Ipswich is still evident and well regarded. They keep inviting him back for more. For 2026 and beyond, Timothy Wynn now has an uncontested spot as a part of Ipswich’s Spark Festival, with funding and support for Ipswich local council. Unheard of for those in more metro areas, Wynn’s dedication to regional stories have paid off. But it isn’t always just a clean run, “the industry never stops moving and sometimes you need a break for your own sake. It’s hard, you feel like you’re falling behind when you aren’t chasing the next thing.”
Timothy Wynn and cast and creatives of Every Brilliant Thing, Metro Arts 2024. Image by Pif Productions
Independent artists like Tim in Meanjin are struggling with the current climate of the arts. Metro Arts who just put up Wynn’s Dance Nation just lost their major funding which has cut their season from upwards of eight mainstages to three, and grants are becoming more competitive as companies scrabble to stay afloat. "Most of us Queensland artists go south, it’s like a mass migration," we laugh, because that’s exactly my own plan, "regional artists have to flee. The government, and rural councils don’t see the relevance of theatre at the moment. It’s hard, a lot of us have to find safety in other work." Reviewing the annual Theatre Network Australia Indie Report only exemplifies this fact, noting that 79% of Indie artists have full-time or part-time work to support their artistic practice, with up to 59% of current Australian Indie artists considering a career change to find more financial stability. This isn’t just an independent artist problem, Darling (“This Is How We Do It”).hurst Theatre Company in Gadigal was recently placed into liquidation with no funders left to save it, and La Mama Theatre Company in Naarm has halted all public outcomes for 2025 as the lost major organisational funding until 2028 (Rajimohan ; Dullard). All facets of the theatre world are feeling the pressure to survive, and are having to make large sacrifices to do so. Nowadays, it's not odd to see a new fundraiser pop up daily for a new independent show trying to find enough money to pay their cast and crew. Tim wonders what the future of the independent artists scene will look like if we continue travelling this way: "what will we do when the artists stop making? Who will make the art then? Where will the art go?"
That Production Company’s 2024 Australian Cultural Fundraiser Video. Video by Pif Productions
“Who will make the art then? Where will the art go?”
Luckily for Wynn, he’s found some stability in the higher education setting, currently directing the graduating showcases for the QUT Bachelor of Fine Arts Acting students, and the mid-year showcase for Griffith’s Bachelor of Acting students. Once that finishes in the coming weeks, he’s off to start rehearsals for Dance Nation and then Tim and I will enter planning for our national tour of my work GOODBYE, ELI ANDERSON. He notes that “it’s a weird progression, going from fearing the majors to having the majors sign off on your letters of support.” Recently, both Queensland Theatre’s Artistic Director, Dan Evans, and Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s Head of First Nations Programming, Aidan Rowlingson, signed off in support of That Production Company’s grant application for said tour. “It just shows how much the industry has kind of shifted, the divide is becoming smaller. We’re all kind of in this together now. We’re all doing this thing.’” It’s a strange time to be an artist, we both agree, with the struggles of the gig economy hanging over those wishing to create. But Wynn isn’t backing down, he’s only raring to go. 2026 will mark his first venture into the Gadigal (Sydney) scene for a co-production of a new touring show, and it’s clear to see that he’s ready for the challenge, “you haven’t seen the end of indie theatre makers. We’re here, always here. I’m for the indie underdogs.”
The future of the arts in Australia hangs in limbo, strung up by a federal budget which cuts and slashes at what it deems unnecessary. But the unwavering bravery and courage of artists such as Timothy Wynn demonstrate the heart and soul of this industry, and how Australia will stay in good hands no matter how hard the hill is to climb.
Works Cited
Dullard, Caitlin. “AN IMPORTANT UPDATE about LA MAMA’S FUTURE.” *La Mama Theatre*, lamama.com.au/an-important-update-2024/.
Goodall, Kitty. “Matilda Awards 2024: A Theatrical Triumph of Diversity and Creativity | Stage Whispers.” Stagewhispers.com.au, 2024, www.stagewhispers.com.au/news/matilda-awards-2024-theatrical-triumph-diversity-and-creativity.
Rajimohan, Vijay. “URGENT UPDATE: DARLINGHURST THEATRE COMPANY PLACED INTO LIQUIDATION.” Darlinghurst Theatre Company, 18 June 2024, www.darlinghursttheatre.com/news/urgent-update-darlinghurst-theatre-company-placed-into-voluntary-administration.
Sato, Kenji. “Fears Brisbane Art Scene Will Be “Cut off at the Knees” after Federal Funding Slashed.” ABC News, 15 Dec. 2023, www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-15/metro-arts-funding-slashed-brisbane-artists-work-concerns/103233952.
“This Is How We Do It 2024: Indie Survey Report.” Theatre Network Australia, 24 Oct. 2024, tna.org.au/this-is-how-we-do-it-2024-indie-survey-report/.