For more than two decades, Nathan M. Wright has been shaping the way audiences experience movement. His choreography has ignited stadiums with Olympic ceremonies, dazzled in Commonwealth Games pageantry, and breathed new life into classic musicals from The Rocky Horror Show to Guys and Dolls. He has collaborated with Baz Luhrmann on Elvis and The Great Gatsby, staged mass choreography for world expos and national celebrations, and collected a string of award nominations along the way.
It’s a résumé most creatives would consider a lifetime’s achievement, yet Wright has never been one to stand still. His latest chapter is not about chasing global gigs but about building a home for creativity right here in Sydney. Together with his partner in life and in art, director and music director Andrew Bevis, he has reimagined the Italian Forum in Leichhardt as TEATRO—a new venue with a bold mission: to give artists of all levels the chance to step into the spotlight.
“We’ve always wanted a space that makes great theatre and creates opportunities,” Nathan says. “Not just for performers—sound, lighting, wigs, stage management—the whole machine.”
Returning home with a new perspective
Wright’s decision to root himself in Australia was as unexpected as it was transformative. After years of living and working in London, he returned to Australia for a short six-week contract on Elvis. Then COVID hit. Borders closed, the industry froze, and suddenly the career he had built abroad was inaccessible.
“I had a whole life in the UK,” Nathan recalls, “but we couldn’t get back for nearly two years. By then, perspective had shifted. Family was here. Our parents were getting older. We’d sacrificed so much for our careers, but it was time to change priorities.”
That shift crystallised into a new idea: if they were to stay in Sydney, they would commit fully. “If we’re going to be here,” Nathan says simply, “then we need to be here. And that meant creating something that lasts.”
TEATRO: a space with soul
The Italian Forum theatre provided the perfect canvas. Purpose-built yet underutilised, it offered all the bones of a professional venue—retractable seating, backstage rooms, rehearsal spaces, even a bar and kitchens. For Nathan and Andrew, however, the real opportunity lay not in its facilities but in its potential to rebuild community.
“It’s not about the venue alone—it’s about what we do with it,” Nathan explains. “Every rehearsal, every production, every program must create bridges into the industry.”
The bridge between study and stage
The philosophy behind TEATRO is deeply entwined with THEatreBRIDGE, the intensive training program Nathan and Andrew launched to address a gap they saw in Australia’s arts training pipeline.
“Graduates would come into auditions and I could see they were missing something,” Nathan recalls. “They had talent, but they weren’t industry-ready. THEatreBRIDGE is about giving them the tools, the mindset, the detail—everything from how to walk into a room and say your name with clarity, to how to adapt under pressure.”
Phones are banned. Journals are compulsory. Mentors are world-class veterans whose words are treated as “gold dust.” The feedback is honest, sometimes confronting, but always constructive.
“It’s tough, but transparent,” Nathan says. “We don’t just run a program—we stand behind it. Otherwise, why do it?”
Now, the connection is literal. TEATRO’s first major musical, The Addams Family, has been cast primarily with THEatreBRIDGE alumni, providing them with the kind of fully staged, professional-level production most emerging artists can only dream of.
Balancing life and art
Running a theatre with a life partner could be a recipe for chaos, but for Nathan and Andrew, it works.
“In the room, he’s the director and I’m the choreographer—my role is to support his vision,” Nathan explains. “We’re partners in life, but in rehearsal it’s about communication, respect, and boundaries. We don’t always agree, but that friction can spark the best ideas.”
Their differences are their strength: Andrew’s musical precision paired with Nathan’s choreographic vision. Offstage, they find balance in knowing when to switch off, often retreating to dinner and reruns of The Golden Girls. “We’re very good at separating work and home,” Nathan laughs, “even though right now, we’re living it 24/7.”
The Addams Family: a macabre debut
From 3–26 October, TEATRO opens its doors with a deliciously gothic twist: The Addams Family.
“I always try to create something new,” Nathan says, “but for this show I’ve leaned into a vaudeville feel. It suits the design and allows us to maximise comedy.”
Budget limitations have sparked invention. “We can’t do Broadway-sized spectacle like flying Fester into the sky, but that pushes us to be clever. Constraints force creativity, and that excites me.”
The cast is a mix of emerging stars and TheatreBridge alumni, including Kye Hall (Gomez), Jessica Parris (Morticia), Darcy Martin (Wednesday), Rhys Hankey (Pugsley), and Julian Seguna (Fester). Nathan is particularly eager about a comedic showstopper that opens Act Two. “It’s pure comedy. I just hope the audience finds it as entertaining as I do.”
Cabaret at TEATRO: eclectic voices, intimate nights
Once the Addams clan take their final bow, TEATRO pivots almost overnight into a cabaret venue. From 4–22 November, audiences will be treated to an extraordinary season curated with Gale Edwards and Max Lambert.
The line-up is nothing short of dazzling: iOTA, Ursula Yovich, Genevieve Lemon, Michael Cormick, Rachael Beck, John O’Hara, Debora Krizak, Amy Lehpamer, Bobby Fox, Stellar Perry, Minnie Cooper, Ryan González, Marney McQueen, and Bernadette Robinson.
“We want people to see a family musical one week, then a late-night cabaret the next,” Nathan says. “That mix is what excites us. It shows how eclectic this building can be.”
From stadiums to boutique stages
Wright’s ability to adapt across scale is one of his hallmarks. He has directed choreography for the London 2012 Olympics, the Sochi Winter Olympics, the Birmingham and Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, and ceremonies across Asia and the Middle East. He has also choreographed productions in London’s West End, Paris, and Australia.
“Whether it’s 4,000 volunteers in a stadium or 30 performers on stage, the challenge is the same: make it impactful, make it connect,” he explains. “Scale changes—standards don’t.”
The courage to risk—and to fail
If there’s one lesson Wright wants emerging artists to learn, it’s that failure is essential.
“We never celebrate failure—and we should. I am where I am because of the mistakes I made. I’d rather try and fail brilliantly than sit in the back row judging. Taking risks, even terrifying ones like launching a theatre, is the only way to move forward.”
Advice for the next generation
Asked what separates the “booked and busy” from the “almost there,” Nathan offers three key habits:
- Broaden your map. “There’s a big world out there. If Australia feels stuck, try London for three months. Go where growth lives.”
- Make different choices. “If you’re always coming close but not breaking through, change something—your approach, your location, your strategy.”
- Invest in craft over scroll. “If you put the energy you spend on your phone into refining your art, everything changes.”
Ticketing
The Addams Family at TEATRO
- Season: 3–26 October 2025
- Venue: TEATRO at the Italian Forum, Norton St, Leichhardt
- Performance times: Wed–Thu 7:00pm • Fri–Sat 7:30pm • Sat 2:00pm • Sun 1:00pm
- Prices: From $65 (+$6.95 transaction fee)
- Bookings: teatroitalianforum.com.au
Cabaret at TEATRO
- Season: 4–22 November 2025 (selected dates)
- All tickets: $69 (+$6.95 transaction fee)
- Bookings: teatroitalianforum.com.au
Nathan M. Wright is a builder of bridges—between training and industry, spectacle and intimacy, past and future. With TEATRO, he and Andrew Bevis aren’t just creating productions; they’re reshaping the very ecosystem of Sydney theatre.
