Bringing

Theatre

That

Learning

Inspires

Blue Whale Theatre was founded with a single mission: to make high-quality, immersive theatre accessible to schools across Australia. Since 2014, we’ve been dedicated to delivering performances that are not only entertaining but also deeply educational, offering students experiences that enhance their learning through drama and storytelling.

What began as a passion project for our founder, Therase Neve Nugent, has grown into a leading Theatre in Education (TIE) company. Over the past decade, we’ve delivered over 750 performances to schools across Australia and New Zealand, captivating students with stories that bring history to life and tackle important social issues.

At Blue Whale Theatre, we believe that live theatre has the power to inspire curiosity, foster empathy, and create lasting educational memories. Whether we’re exploring historical figures like Mary MacKillop or addressing contemporary social challenges, our shows are designed to engage students of all ages and connect meaningfully with the curriculum.

Learning through theatre for students
Therase Neve Nugent - Blue Whale  Theatre Founder

OUR FOUNDER

Therase Neve Nugent

Theatre maker, Producer, writer, Actor

Blue Whale Theatre was founded by Therase Neve Nugent, a professional actor and Theatre in Education specialist, whose extensive experience on stage and screen spans the UK, Europe, and Australia. Therase graduated from University of Leeds UK, with a 1:1 BA (Hons with Distinction) in Theatre Acting. Her passion for blending theatre and education inspired her to create a company dedicated to delivering curriculum-aligned performances that inspire and educate young audiences. Therase is a dedicated, innovative and collaborative theatre professional with extensive experience in the creation of Theatre that supports meaningful social and educational priority. Therase has extensive skills, knowledge and experience to direct creative initiatives in a heartfelt and meaningful way. 

Therase Neve Nugent - Blue Whale  Theatre Founder

Therase has worked for numerous respected Theatre companies, including Brief Candle Theatre 2006- 2010, Quantum Theatre for Science London 2012 - 2013, Enact Solutions UK 2013 and IPA Productions, Barcelona, Spain 2011 - 2012. Her career includes performing for Northern Stage / Company of Angels as Eve in Apples, appearing in BBC television series Inspector George Gently as Amelia Nugent, and winning the prestigious Herald Angels Award at the Edinburgh Festival for the stage play Apples. In 2010 Therase was honoured to work as an actor with award winning women’s Theatre Co. Open Clasp Theatre Company UK  on In Our Shoes. Open Clasp worked with survivors of domestic abuse  where three contrasting scripts reflecting real women’s experiences with domestic violence, were performed with accompanying workshops to 100 professionals at the Domestic Abuse Training and Awareness Event, Newcastle UK. Feedback suggests that the project was successful in its aims to raise awareness through engendering empathy, and bring about positive changes in service provider’s practice.

With Brief Candle Theatre from 2006 - 2010, Therase completed practitioner training delivered by education staff to facilitate workshops and Q&A sessions for young people, creating safe and respectful spaces for open sharing and engagement. Whilst at Brief Candle Theatre Therase performed and facilitated a varied series of high quality programs on age-appropriate topics, including alcohol safety, domestic and family violence and sex education as a workshop facilitator and actor. This program, funded and supported by Derbyshire City Council (UK) now deeply informs the workshop training Therase delivers to actors engaged by Blue Whale Theatre. 

Other performance credits include:

  • Bard On The Beach - Shakespeare Season in Balmoral Sydney

  • Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Ariel in The Tempest - Dir. Trish Rowland 2015.

  • A Midsummer Night's Dream -Interstate Educational Schools Tour. Dir. Trish Rowland 2015.

  • Film Short: By Any Other Name, Dir. Lisa Bluthal 2018.

  • Ariel in The Tempest Customs House Theatre UK, Dir. Peter Lathan 2009 ,

  • The BBC Review show,as ‘Eve’ in 'APPLES' (highlights of the Edinburgh Fringe 2010).

  • Feature films include; In Our Name (BBC films - In our Name -Winner of British Independent Film Award 2010. Dir. Brian Welsh) and as Charlotte in The Stagg Do, dir.James DeMarco (premier UK June 2014).

  • For BBC Radio: Lead role in Take me to Redcar BBC RADIO 4 UK

Therase’s experience with Theatre, the arts and issue based work led her to establish Blue Whale Theatre in Australia 2014. Therase currently writes, produces, and develops  Blue Whale Theatre’s shows, ensuring that each production meets the high standards of quality, creativity and value that the company is known for.

School theatre incursions NSW

OUR CAST

Professional, Experienced and Passionate

At the heart of every Blue Whale Theatre performance is our exceptional cast of qualified actors. Each performer is carefully selected through a rigorous audition and reference check process to ensure they meet our high standards. Every actor has previous experience in children’s theatre and working with young audiences, bringing both skill and sensitivity to each production.

All Blue Whale Theatre actors hold current NSW Working with Children Checks and are fully covered by Public Liability insurance, ensuring a safe and professional environment for every performance. Our actors' commitment to the craft and to education allows us to deliver theatre experiences that truly resonate with students.

For added peace of mind, Working with Children Check and insurance documentation is available upon request. Schools can contact our office at info@bluewhaletheatre.com to obtain these details.

Meet our cast

Our Mission:

Inspiring Learning Through Theatre

At Blue Whale Theatre, we’re committed to creating powerful educational theatre that aligns seamlessly with the Australian school curriculum. Our shows aren’t just about entertainment—they’re designed to spark intellectual curiosity, emotional engagement, and lasting learning. Each production is carefully researched and crafted to meet the educational goals of teachers, providing valuable reinforcement of classroom lessons in a fun and immersive way.


Our Vision:

Leading Theatre in Education

Our vision is to become the leading provider of Theatre in Education across Australia, known for producing high-quality, meaningful performances that make a lasting impact. We aspire to expand into mainstream theatre while staying true to our roots in issue based productions. As we grow, we aim to continue creating culturally diverse and inclusive performances, ensuring that every student feels represented on stage.

Why Choose Blue Whale Theatre?

Looking Ahead:

Expanding into New Territories

As we look to the future, Blue Whale Theatre is excited to continue expanding our offerings to both educational and mainstream theatre audiences.

We remain dedicated to producing theatre that inspires, educates, and entertains—whether we’re performing for a school assembly or a packed theatre house.