Our Story
A New Chapter for Winterfall
Winterfall Theatre Company was founded in 2010 by actor/ director Trent Baker and actor Michele Williams.
Together, Trent and Michele produced 6 shows in 18 months; after which time Michele continued running Winterfall, with the help of other artists, until 2016.
In 2011, Winterfall was able to secure the rights to the Australian premiere of Tom Stoppard’s translation of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. An unfortunate event, which involved cast member Phil Roberts breaking his neck, meant the show’s rehearsals were stopped and the production postponed.
However, 8 months later Phil Roberts continued with the show, wearing a colourful scarf over his neck brace.
Robin Usher, from the Age Newspaper, (along with other outlets) interviewed Michele Williams and Phil Roberts about obtaining the rights for the play, Phil’s accident and his views and insights about Tom Stoppard’s translation.
To read the above-mentioned Age/ Sydney Morning Herald interview, you can go to the link online here.
From its inception, Winterfall was lucky to have its own home at The Theatre Husk.
Winterfall was The Theatre Husk’s resident professional theatre company, and the venue was also available for external hire.
In 2012, along side La Mama, Forty-Five Downstairs and Red Stitch, Winterfall Theatre at The Husk was voted one of Melbourne’s leading independent theatres by Time Out Magazine.
The Time Out article is available online here
The Theatre Husk was a large, refurbished warehouse in Northcote where the theatre took up the downstairs space.
Michele moved into the caretaker’s residence above the theatre. There, her teenage daughter fell asleep to the mellifluous sounds of actors in rehearsal and performance for plays by Shakespeare, Pinter, Chekhov, Churchill and other acclaimed writers.
Michele would not have been able to produce shows for Winterfall without the extraordinary directors, actors and creatives, many of whom worked on multiple projects. These artists. include some of Melbourne’s most loved theatre practitioners.
In 2016, due to family and other obligations, Michele could notcontinue with Winterfall or The Theatre Husk when the lease ended in 2016.
For Michele Williams, Winterfall always remained one of her greatest passions, and she resolved to set about making it possible again when she could obtain enough funds.
In 2025, Winterfall secured a significant sum in private funding from an anonymous donor.
Michele is planning to start a season of Winterfall shows in the second half of 2026.
If you would like more information about future events, or if you have any ideas you would like to discuss, please feel free to get in touch by emailing Michele here.
We will announce our season and venue soon and look forward to meeting you.
“The acting is as powerless and fearless as the language.”
Chris Boyd, The Herald Sun
What We Stand For
Winterfall Mission Statement
2026 and onward
Winterfall Theatre’s mission is to produce plays whose scripts are of the highest calibre and to serve these playwrights with the best possible productions of their work.
Inherent in this is the love we have for our audiences. We want them to leave the theatre feeling moved, inspired and changed.
Winterfall was praised by the press for bringing a standard of theatre that matched subsidized companies.
We want to create a platform for theatre practitioners however and wherever possible.
Contact
Michele Williams
Past Shows
Past Show Posters
