From Brisbane to Singapore: Director Courtney Stewart on Directing a Wickedly Funny Ghost Story

This October, the wickedly funny ghost story Congratulations, Get Rich! makes its Singapore premiere, fresh from its world premiere in Brisbane. We caught up with the show’s director, Courtney Stewart – Artistic Director of La Boite Theatre – to talk about her journey in theatre, the joy of bringing Merlynn Tong’s work to life, and what audiences in Singapore can expect from this one-of-a-kind international co-production.

Courtney, this is your first time directing a show that will be presented in Singapore. For our Singapore audiences who may not know you yet, could you share a little about yourself and your journey in theatre?

Courtney: I grew up as a dancer and really wanted to pursue that as a career, but fell into Drama in high school. After graduating my drama degree at University, I was working mainly in Children’s Theatre. I toured all around Australia as part of this work, and performed in almost every major city. I also had the opportunity to meet and perform for audiences in regional towns, too – it was an amazing experience. I then moved to Seoul, where I performed for a Children’s Theatre company for a year. I moved to Sydney in 2014, and was working consistently as an Actor, but I decided to apply for a week-long Directing intensive at Sydney Theatre Company in collaboration with Contemporary Asian Australian Performance (CAAP). I fell in love with the directing process and decided that this is where I wanted to focus my energy. I was then mentored by Sydney Theatre Company, along with several key creative individuals who I have to thank for making this career possible for me. I was lucky to work across several amazing productions during my time at the company.

You’re currently Artistic Director of La Boite, Australia’s oldest and boldest theatre company. What does this role mean to you, and how does it influence the kind of stories you want to tell?                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Courtney: La Boite is such a beloved company here in Australia – its been around for 100 years this year! I feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to make MORE opportunities for artists to find their audiences. La Boite is a small company; however, the company is incredibly nimble. And what I know from my directing practice is that parameters force you to be creative. I have to deploy my creative problem-solving skills every day in this job. I’ve learnt so much over my time here and have stretched and grown as an artist and cultural leader – I’m very grateful for that.

Congratulations, Get Rich! is not your typical ghost story. What drew you to this play, and what excites you most about bringing it to life on stage?

Courtney: I love how strange and weird this play is. It is inherently theatrical on the page. That’s the most exciting thing as a director who works on new work – sometimes you have material in front of you that is yet to realise its full theatrical potential. But Merlynn is a performer, so her writing naturally encapsulates a clearly articulated theatrical language. It’s been so much fun trying to figure out how to make this show feel larger than life, but also adhere to the fact that the action plays out in one single location across the course of an evening. There are no traditional scenes – it reads as continuous action on the page. The team behind this work is world-class and creating each moment you see on stage with this team has been one of the most creatively fulfilling experiences of my career.

This production is a co-production between La Boite, SRT and Sydney Theatre Company. What do you think is powerful about these three companies coming together for this project?

Courtney: Collaboration is a key element of my practice. So being able to work with the amazing teams at SRT and STC has helped this production reach heights I could only dream of. It’s a rare gift to have a tour built into the premiere season of a new work – so the trust, energy and love from SRT and STC has meant so much.

Image credit: La Boite Theatre / Stephen Henry

For audiences in Singapore, what do you hope they’ll take away from this production?

Courtney: Live theatre is such a special experience, both for the artists and the audiences. I hope that audiences feel the permission to really look at their own lives and question the self-narratives they tell themselves. That they get to imagine new futures for themselves and for the world. That they carve out the time to celebrate all that they are as individuals. My mission is to change the world, one story at a time – and my hope is that this production energises people to do just that in their own way.

Don’t miss the Singapore premiere of Congratulations, Get Rich! running 29 Oct – 9 Nov 2025 at Drama Centre Theatre. Family secrets, karaoke, and a wickedly funny haunting await. Grab your tickets here.