Like all black spots there is no knowable reason as to why the logo of MKA is a black spot.
The Company
101
Writers
39
Major Works
24
Pop-Up Spaces
15
Police Visits
Anti-Establishment Since 2010
Based in Melbourne, MKA was founded in 2010 by Tobias Manderson-Galvin and Glyn Roberts and has been producing new work by established writers, new writers, and introducing overseas artists to Australian audiences ever since. MKA has presented work across Australia; as well as in Germany, the UK and the USA, receiving national and international awards and divided press.
No Fixed Address
Save for offices and storage, MKA is a buildingless theatre; and as well as conventional theatre work and shaking up existing performance centres; MKA has been awarded and acclaimed for performance work in unconventional spaces, sector renewal and site specific performance.
R&D
Research and development are integral to MKA’s raison d’etre. At MKA new work and new ideas have been tested through performance, practice and criticism. This has variously been supported by a Literary Staff, Artistic Directorship, in-house provocateurs, residencies, and mentorships.
The Name
In 2010 MKA built a fifty-seat venue in the old Australian Knitting Mills in Richmond. The venue was not to last long, but while it was there the massive iron AKM sign stood between the theatre and the nearby metropolitan Richmond Railway Station. Walking from the latter to the former, the sign reads ‘M.K.A.’.
Other venues (such as MKA venues in Nth Melbourne, Prahran, Abbotsford, Melbourne City, etc) have followed, but the name has stayed.
Of course, if you ask either of MKA’s founders they’ll tell you it stands for “Freedom, and Duty-Free Scotch,” (Glyn Roberts) and “Mind Kontrol – Alpha, an ongoing CIA-funded program, that started in the 1950s,” (Tobias Manderson-Galvin).
The Black Spot Logo
About those Police visits…
45%
Accused of Running an Illegal Bar / Gambling / Drugs
25%
Noise Complaints
20%
Accused of Running a Brothel / Live Sex Show
7%
Unexplained Reconnaissance Visit
3%
Congratulated on Opening a Theatre
The Team
Artistic Director
TOBIAS MANDERSON-GALVIN
Associate Director
KERITH MANDERSON-GALVIN
Financial Consultant
COREY REYNOLDS
Creative Associate
RUBY DONOHOE
Creative Associate
DR TOM PAYNE
HISTORY
2010
Co-Founded by Tobias Manderson-Galvin and Glyn Roberts
2011
Tobias Manderson-Galvin inaugural Artistic Director
Glyn Roberts inaugural General Manager
2012
Tobias Manderson-Galvin and Glyn Roberts become joint Creative Directors
2014
Tobias Manderson-Galvin holds position.
John Kachoyan new Co-Creative Director.
2015
Tobias Manderson-Galvin becomes Artistic Director / C.O.
2018
Kerith Manderson-Galvin joins as Associate Director