At our Legacy Circle launch Jannie Brown spoke of her departed sister Christine’s passion for MTC and motivations for leaving an extraordinary and generous bequest to the Company. Read the transcript below:
“Well we all love MTC it’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was a Russell Street girl originally. I wasn’t going as far back as St Martins but Russell Street and just going there..it was fantastic.
My sister Christine sadly passed away recently and her gift to me every Christmas was season tickets to join her at the theatre each month. Just to lose ourselves in the joy of theatre sit back and be mere passengers in the dialogue and afterwards revel in digesting that particular performance.
She was a retired nurse, not wealthy, a quiet, modest reserved person, who loved her brick cottage in Clifton Hill which she bought over 40 years ago and the sale of it has made up the majority of her estate. As so many she was not able to donate much money in her lifetime. However, when making her will and appointing me as executor she expressed a wish to leave 25% of the value of her house to MTC – to assist, foster and develop new Australian playwrights. That was her wish.
This was her way of giving back and helping to ensure that our gifted writers are given a platform to be encouraged and nurtured. Christine’s bequest will ensure that our MTC will continue to give audiences unbound pleasure for generations to come.
Of course this all takes money. So much goes into the development of a production. If you haven’t already done so – just to go to that backbone of MTC at Sturt Street – it’s fascinating and that way you really appreciate the many different skills, hard work and a lot of expense that goes to come together to finally deliver the superb performances we get to enjoy when we finally take our seats in from of the stage.
As lovers of theatre as many of you are of course being here today, Christine did make plans to leave a bequest to MTC. I am extremely proud of her generosity and forethought and know that her bequest will enormously assist this amazing company and I sincerely encourage everybody to follow.”
Melbourne Theatre Company extends our sincere appreciation and gratitude to Christine Brown’s family and loved ones for Christine’s visionary support that will make a genuine, lasting difference to the creative future of the Company.
To find out more about leaving a bequest to MTC or to request a copy of our Legacy Circle brochure, contact Chris Walters on 8688 0938 or c.walters@mtc.com.au.
Published on 1 December 2016
