See what people are saying about the Lysicrates Foundation and its events.

• April, 2023: Over the past seven years of the Lysicrates Competition, audiences have grown as people bring their family and friends to share in the laughs and tears as we passionately argue for our winner. Playwrights too have multiplied, from 14 in the first year to 72 in 2023.

  I am delighted to be presenting the prize this year. This is not my first experience of the Lysicrates Competition, so I am excited for you all to share in this memorable and one-of-a-kind experience today.

  .

  EXTRACT FROM HANSARD: Federal Parliament Chamber - STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS - Lysicrates Foundation, Multicultural and Indigenous Media Awards - Tuesday, 18 October 2016 - Page: 2382

  MR BURKE (Watson—Manager of Opposition Business) (16:14): The Lysicrates Foundation was created to support and inspire original Australian theatre. The Lysicrates monument in the Sydney Botanic Gardens has recently been refurbished. It is next to the lotus pond and pays homage to the tradition of performance going back to ancient Greece. The foundation was started by Patricia and John Azarias. Together, they have endowed the foundation with their passion for performance and visual arts. The foundation hosts the Lysicrates Prize for original Australian plays, and the winning play will be staged next year.

  Organisations and prizes such as these are fantastic way to celebrate Australian culture and encourage original Australian writing. We have a proud heritage for creative works, and I am glad to be celebrating contemporary artists who continue to inspire with their words and performances. Patricia and John Azarias were inspired to start the foundation when they walked past the Lysicrates monument in the Botanic Gardens. It was in need of repair and, with the help of government support, it has been restored to its former glory. Congratulations to John and Patricia and the whole foundation. I look forward to seeing the plays that are produced in the future.

  The Hon Tony Burke,

  Federal Minister for the Arts, 2023

  April, 2023: Over the past seven years of the Lysicrates Competition, audiences have grown as people bring their family and friends to share in the laughs and tears as we passionately argue for our winner. Playwrights too have multiplied, from 14 in the first year to 72 in 2023.

  I am delighted to be presenting the prize this year. This is not my first experience of the Lysicrates Competition, so I am excited for you all to share in this memorable and one-of-a-kind experience today.

  .

  EXTRACT FROM HANSARD: Federal Parliament Chamber - STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS - Lysicrates Foundation, Multicultural and Indigenous Media Awards - Tuesday, 18 October 2016 - Page: 2382

  MR BURKE (Watson—Manager of Opposition Business) (16:14): The Lysicrates Foundation was created to support and inspire original Australian theatre. The Lysicrates monument in the Sydney Botanic Gardens has recently been refurbished. It is next to the lotus pond and pays homage to the tradition of performance going back to ancient Greece. The foundation was started by Patricia and John Azarias. Together, they have endowed the foundation with their passion for performance and visual arts. The foundation hosts the Lysicrates Prize for original Australian plays, and the winning play will be staged next year.

  Organisations and prizes such as these are fantastic way to celebrate Australian culture and encourage original Australian writing. We have a proud heritage for creative works, and I am glad to be celebrating contemporary artists who continue to inspire with their words and performances. Patricia and John Azarias were inspired to start the foundation when they walked past the Lysicrates monument in the Botanic Gardens. It was in need of repair and, with the help of government support, it has been restored to its former glory. Congratulations to John and Patricia and the whole foundation. I look forward to seeing the plays that are produced in the future.

• April, 2023: Anna and I are old hands at the Lysicrates Play Competition. We even attended the very first event, when nobody knew if this unique democratic experiment would work. Well, it has indeed, and very triumphantly too. The whole event is a one-of-a-kind. The Lysicrates project may not be one of the grand, traditional cultural institutions around yet, but it is wonderful to see how audiences, both grown-ups in the Lysicrates, and children in the Martin-Lysicrates, have taken its particular approach to heart, laughing, booing (sometimes), getting involved, and arguing with their friends about their choice of play. It’s great, too, to see people coming who might not have been able to experience the magic of live theatre, many of them, especially kids, coming from Western Sydney, where the Martin-Lysicrates Play Competition for kids is held, and to have that extra encouragement and exposure given to Australian playwrights.

  The Hon Chris Minns MP,

  Premier of NSW, 2023

  April, 2023: Anna and I are old hands at the Lysicrates Play Competition. We even attended the very first event, when nobody knew if this unique democratic experiment would work. Well, it has indeed, and very triumphantly too. The whole event is a one-of-a-kind. The Lysicrates project may not be one of the grand, traditional cultural institutions around yet, but it is wonderful to see how audiences, both grown-ups in the Lysicrates, and children in the Martin-Lysicrates, have taken its particular approach to heart, laughing, booing (sometimes), getting involved, and arguing with their friends about their choice of play. It’s great, too, to see people coming who might not have been able to experience the magic of live theatre, many of them, especially kids, coming from Western Sydney, where the Martin-Lysicrates Play Competition for kids is held, and to have that extra encouragement and exposure given to Australian playwrights.

• February, 2017: ‘As much as we’d like to program every Prize winner at Griffin, it’s much more important that the plays that come out of the Lysicrates Prize become a national resource, with the possibility of being produced anywhere in Australia. We’ve had wonderful success in this area, with a total of six plays from the first three years of competition reaching the stage …’

  Lee Lewis,

  Artistic Director, Griffin Theatre Company, 2017

  February, 2017: ‘As much as we’d like to program every Prize winner at Griffin, it’s much more important that the plays that come out of the Lysicrates Prize become a national resource, with the possibility of being produced anywhere in Australia. We’ve had wonderful success in this area, with a total of six plays from the first three years of competition reaching the stage …’

• EXTRACT FROM HANSARD: Legislative Council Hansard – 10 March 2016 - SYDNEY ARTS

  The Hon. WALT SECORD (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) [4.23 p.m.]: Today I make my first adjournment speech as the newly appointed shadow Minister for the Arts. On 29 January I had the honour of attending the second annual Lysicrates Prize, which was established by John and Patricia Azarias and the Griffin Theatre Company, to encourage Australia's playwriting talent. I had the privilege of seeing 20-minute excerpts from the three finalist plays.

  It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and it was reassuring to cast a vote for the winning play. Hopefully one day we will see it produced as a feature-length work. The leading-edge play readings I enjoyed thanks to the Azarias only add to a rich list of memories and images from other great productions that I have enjoyed in Sydney recently.

  .

  February, 2017: ‘On the weekend, the inaugural Martin Lysicrates Prize was held to celebrate the best new Australian playwriting for children. It builds on the accomplishments of the Lysicrates Prize that has been running for the past three years … It became apparent to me at this year’s event that I was attending an important milestone in the development of Australian theatre, theatre for children and theatre that connects contemporary Australian theatre with its ancient origins … I pay tribute to John and Patricia Azarias for their personal commitment to the development of Australian theatre and their support for the development of Australian playwrights.’

  The Hon. Walt Secord,

  Shadow Minister for the Arts, 2017

  EXTRACT FROM HANSARD: Legislative Council Hansard – 10 March 2016 - SYDNEY ARTS

  The Hon. WALT SECORD (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) [4.23 p.m.]: Today I make my first adjournment speech as the newly appointed shadow Minister for the Arts. On 29 January I had the honour of attending the second annual Lysicrates Prize, which was established by John and Patricia Azarias and the Griffin Theatre Company, to encourage Australia's playwriting talent. I had the privilege of seeing 20-minute excerpts from the three finalist plays.

  It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and it was reassuring to cast a vote for the winning play. Hopefully one day we will see it produced as a feature-length work. The leading-edge play readings I enjoyed thanks to the Azarias only add to a rich list of memories and images from other great productions that I have enjoyed in Sydney recently.

  .

  February, 2017: ‘On the weekend, the inaugural Martin Lysicrates Prize was held to celebrate the best new Australian playwriting for children. It builds on the accomplishments of the Lysicrates Prize that has been running for the past three years … It became apparent to me at this year’s event that I was attending an important milestone in the development of Australian theatre, theatre for children and theatre that connects contemporary Australian theatre with its ancient origins … I pay tribute to John and Patricia Azarias for their personal commitment to the development of Australian theatre and their support for the development of Australian playwrights.’

• EXTRACT FROM HANSARD: Legislative Council Hansard – 15 March 2018 - LYSICRATES PRIZE

  The Hon. BEN FRANKLIN (10:05): I move

  (1) That this House notes that:

  (a) on Sunday 11 March 2018 the Lysicrates Prize was held at the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre;

  (b) the Lysicrates Play Competition is a philanthropic initiative presented by The Lysicrates Foundation and produced by the Griffin Theatre Company;

  (c) the award was presented by His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley, AC, DCS (Ret'd), Governor of New South Wales;

  (d) the unique Lysicrates model is drawn from the Great Dionysia play competition held each year during the glory years of ancient Athens; and

  (e) the winner of the play is democratically chosen by the audience on the night, as it was in ancient Athens.

  (2) That this House congratulates:

  (a) the winner of the 2018 Lysicrates Prize, playwright Travis Cotton, on his new playStarfish, noting that Travis will now receive a full commission to complete his play;

  (b) the two other finalists, Christine Evans (Galilee) and H. Lawrence Sumner (The Hollow Queen);

  (c) Griffin Theatre Company Artistic Director Ms Lee Lewis, Mr Will Harvey and the team from the Griffin Theatre Company on facilitating the prize; and

  (d) founders of the Lysicrates Foundation, Mr John and Patricia Azarias, on their vision in establishing the prize.

  Motion agreed to.

  The Hon. Ben Franklin,

  Member of the NSW Legislative Council

  EXTRACT FROM HANSARD: Legislative Council Hansard – 15 March 2018 - LYSICRATES PRIZE

  The Hon. BEN FRANKLIN (10:05): I move

  (1) That this House notes that:

  (a) on Sunday 11 March 2018 the Lysicrates Prize was held at the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre;

  (b) the Lysicrates Play Competition is a philanthropic initiative presented by The Lysicrates Foundation and produced by the Griffin Theatre Company;

  (c) the award was presented by His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley, AC, DCS (Ret'd), Governor of New South Wales;

  (d) the unique Lysicrates model is drawn from the Great Dionysia play competition held each year during the glory years of ancient Athens; and

  (e) the winner of the play is democratically chosen by the audience on the night, as it was in ancient Athens.

  (2) That this House congratulates:

  (a) the winner of the 2018 Lysicrates Prize, playwright Travis Cotton, on his new playStarfish, noting that Travis will now receive a full commission to complete his play;

  (b) the two other finalists, Christine Evans (Galilee) and H. Lawrence Sumner (The Hollow Queen);

  (c) Griffin Theatre Company Artistic Director Ms Lee Lewis, Mr Will Harvey and the team from the Griffin Theatre Company on facilitating the prize; and

  (d) founders of the Lysicrates Foundation, Mr John and Patricia Azarias, on their vision in establishing the prize.

  Motion agreed to.

• EXTRACT FROM HANSARD: Legislative Council Hansard – 19 October 2016 - CHORAGIC MONUMENT OF LYSICRATES

  The Hon. GREG PEARCE (19:01:0): Last Sunday 16 October 2016 I joined a distinguished group of people in the Royal Botanic Gardens, including the Governor and Mrs Hurley, to witness the unveiling of the restored replica of the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates. It was a fantastic initiative of the Lysicrates Foundation, which was founded and driven by one of Sydney's most erudite couples, Mr John Azarias and Dr Patricia Azarias.

  The Minister for Finance, Services and Property, the Hon. Dominic Perrottet, officiated. It is obvious he has become a very effective and insightful Minister, and it was very good of him to support the actions and activities of the Foundation.

  .

  February, 2017: ‘The [Lysicrates] foundation’s support for playwrights is an amazing opportunity for New South Wales. Connecting the classics and colonial Sydney with modern Australian talent and creativity provided the reason for John Azarias and Dr Patricia Azarias to bring together many supporters to enable the restoration of this fabulous monument in our wonderful botanical gardens. It is an acknowledgement of classical Greece and the production of talent through our playwriting competition with the Griffin Theatre. I congratulate all of them on their great work.’

  The Hon. Greg Pearce,

  MP, NSW Legislative Council, 2017

  EXTRACT FROM HANSARD: Legislative Council Hansard – 19 October 2016 - CHORAGIC MONUMENT OF LYSICRATES

  The Hon. GREG PEARCE (19:01:0): Last Sunday 16 October 2016 I joined a distinguished group of people in the Royal Botanic Gardens, including the Governor and Mrs Hurley, to witness the unveiling of the restored replica of the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates. It was a fantastic initiative of the Lysicrates Foundation, which was founded and driven by one of Sydney's most erudite couples, Mr John Azarias and Dr Patricia Azarias.

  The Minister for Finance, Services and Property, the Hon. Dominic Perrottet, officiated. It is obvious he has become a very effective and insightful Minister, and it was very good of him to support the actions and activities of the Foundation.

  .

  February, 2017: ‘The [Lysicrates] foundation’s support for playwrights is an amazing opportunity for New South Wales. Connecting the classics and colonial Sydney with modern Australian talent and creativity provided the reason for John Azarias and Dr Patricia Azarias to bring together many supporters to enable the restoration of this fabulous monument in our wonderful botanical gardens. It is an acknowledgement of classical Greece and the production of talent through our playwriting competition with the Griffin Theatre. I congratulate all of them on their great work.’