He was born in Newcastle, New South Wales and educated at Newcastle Boys’ High School. Travelling to Europe at age 18, he studied at the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art and teaching at the University of London.[1]
He was at one time the lover of the English author, journalist, and broadcaster Colin Spencer. They met in Brighton in 1957, when both were 24 years old. Their off-and-on two-year relationship dramatically changed when Spencer married archaeologist Gillian Chapman in October 1959. Returning to Australia, Tasker became a theatre director, and died of cancer in 1988. Tasker had arranged for his letters to be returned to Spencer. Upon re-reading them, Spencer published his book Which of Us Two[2] as a form of atonement.
Patrick White chose Tasker to produce the play The Ham Funeral for the (premiere in Union Hall in 1961). White's life partnerManoly Lascaris acknowledged Tasker as the 'virus' that re-infected White with the excitement of theatre.[3] The Sydney Theatre Critics' Circle named their annual award for best freelance director after him.
Theatre productionsedit
(incomplete list): 1961 - The Break 1961 - The Ham Funeral, by Patrick White (Union Hall) 1962 - The Good Woman of Setzuan, by Bertolt Brecht (Union Hall) 1962 - The Season at Sarsaparilla, by Patrick White (Union Hall) 1963 - Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles (Union Hall) 1964 - Night on Bald Mountain, by Patrick White (Union Hall) 1965 - The Representative, by Rolf Hochhuth (Union Hall) 1965 - Inadmissible Evidence, by 1968 - America Hurrah, by Van Itallie (New Theatre) 1968 - The Boys in the Band, by Mart Crowley (the Playbox) 1969 - Candy Stripe Balloon, revue starring Grahame Bond (Phillip Theatre) 1977 - Don't Piddle against the Wind, Mate, by Kenneth Ross (Jane Street Theater) 1978 - The Cassidy Album. (York Theatre) 1978 - The Good Woman of Setzuan (Port Moresby Theatre Group, PNG) 1979 - Rusty Bugles, by Sumner Locke Elliott (New Theatre) 1981 - The Workroom, by Tom Kempinski (New Theatre) 1982 - The Samseng and The Chettiars’ Daughter (Singapore) 1982 - Duet for One, by Tom Kempinski (Marian Street) 1983 - Caravan, by Donald Macdonald (Marian Street) 1986 - Absurd Person Singular, by Alan Ayckbourn (Northside) 1987 - As Is, by William Hoffman (Seymour Downstairs)
Opera productionsedit
1974 The Excursions of Mr Broucek (Janacek) Adelaide Festival Theatre - New Opera
^ abLeask, Margaret. Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
^Spencer, Colin (1990), Which of Us Two? The Story of a Love Affair, London: Penguin Books, ISBN0-14-012823-9
^Marr, David (1991), Patrick White - A Life, Random House Australia, Sydney, ISBN0-09-182722-1
December 04, 2023
john, tasker, theatre, director, john, tasker, 1933, june, 1988, australian, theatre, director, john, taskerborn25, 1933newcastle, south, wales, australiadied18, june, 1988, aged, occupationtheatre, director, contents, biography, theatre, productions, opera, p. John Tasker 25 May 1933 18 June 1988 1 was an Australian theatre director John TaskerBorn25 May 1933Newcastle New South Wales AustraliaDied18 June 1988 aged 55 Occupationtheatre director Contents 1 Biography 2 Theatre productions 3 Opera productions 4 ReferencesBiography editHe was born in Newcastle New South Wales and educated at Newcastle Boys High School Travelling to Europe at age 18 he studied at the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art and teaching at the University of London 1 He was at one time the lover of the English author journalist and broadcaster Colin Spencer They met in Brighton in 1957 when both were 24 years old Their off and on two year relationship dramatically changed when Spencer married archaeologist Gillian Chapman in October 1959 Returning to Australia Tasker became a theatre director and died of cancer in 1988 Tasker had arranged for his letters to be returned to Spencer Upon re reading them Spencer published his book Which of Us Two 2 as a form of atonement Patrick White chose Tasker to produce the play The Ham Funeral for the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild premiere in Union Hall in 1961 White s life partner Manoly Lascaris acknowledged Tasker as the virus that re infected White with the excitement of theatre 3 The Sydney Theatre Critics Circle named their annual award for best freelance director after him Theatre productions edit incomplete list 1961 The Break 1961 The Ham Funeral by Patrick White Union Hall 1962 The Good Woman of Setzuan by Bertolt Brecht Union Hall 1962 The Season at Sarsaparilla by Patrick White Union Hall 1963 Oedipus Rex by Sophocles Union Hall 1964 Night on Bald Mountain by Patrick White Union Hall 1965 The Representative by Rolf Hochhuth Union Hall 1965 Inadmissible Evidence by 1968 America Hurrah by Van Itallie New Theatre 1968 The Boys in the Band by Mart Crowley the Playbox 1969 Candy Stripe Balloon revue starring Grahame Bond Phillip Theatre 1977 Don t Piddle against the Wind Mate by Kenneth Ross Jane Street Theater 1978 The Cassidy Album York Theatre 1978 The Good Woman of Setzuan Port Moresby Theatre Group PNG 1979 Rusty Bugles by Sumner Locke Elliott New Theatre 1981 The Workroom by Tom Kempinski New Theatre 1982 The Samseng and The Chettiars Daughter Singapore 1982 Duet for One by Tom Kempinski Marian Street 1983 Caravan by Donald Macdonald Marian Street 1986 Absurd Person Singular by Alan Ayckbourn Northside 1987 As Is by William Hoffman Seymour Downstairs Opera productions edit1974 The Excursions of Mr Broucek Janacek Adelaide Festival Theatre New Opera1976 The Consul Canberra Theatre 1979 La Belle Helene Canberra Theatre References edit a b Leask Margaret Australian Dictionary of Biography Canberra National Centre of Biography Australian National University Spencer Colin 1990 Which of Us Two The Story of a Love Affair London Penguin Books ISBN 0 14 012823 9 Marr David 1991 Patrick White A Life Random House Australia Sydney ISBN 0 09 182722 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Tasker theatre director amp oldid 1139904755, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
