ABOUT Us
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We are Legit Theatre Co., a Gadigal-based independent theatre company that aims to support emerging artists having their voice heard on Sydney stages. In 2019, we re-invigorated KXTeethcutting, a monthly program for creatives to work with professional and emerging directors to stage free moved readings at bAKEHOUSE. In this time, we staged 19 readings with approximately 114 actors, directors and playwrights represented, telling diverse stories from Australia and around the world.
Legit’s founders Annie Stafford and Mathew Lee met working with The Little Eggs Collective: a collaborative company making brave devised works. Here they shaped their artistic practice, combining new plays, precise ensemble work, magical storytelling, cohesive, robust movement, vocal harmony and bold creative designs. Their debut production - Dumb Kids by Jacob Parker - was produced at KXT on Broadway in 2023, representing everything we strive to create as an indie theatre company: a collaborative ensemble of up-and-coming creatives finding their voice in the room, excelling at their craft and developing a multi-disciplinary work that represents their experiences.
We hope the work we produce appeals to those who feel unseen or unheard, seeing themselves shining on stage in a dynamic and unorthodox new work.
Annie is a National Institute of Dramatic Arts graduate, where she had the honour for working with Roger Hodgeman, Priscilla Jackman, Craig Ilott, Anthea Williams and more. Since graduating, Annie’s credits in theatre include Stupid Fucking Bird (The New Theatre) of which she won a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in an Independent Production, Pinocchio, The Rime of The Ancient Mariner & Symphonie Fantastique (Little Eggs Collective), Betty Breaks Out (Life After Production), Coram Boy (KXTBakehouse) and La Traviata (HOSH Opera Australian) among many more.
Her screen credits include The Let Down, The Last King Of The Cross and My First Panic (AFTRS) which screened at FlickerFest 2020. Annie has been working with The Australian Shakespeare Company on their Wind and The Willows Production and their School Incursions. She has also toured Australia extensively with CDP in shows such as Are We There Yet? and The 78-Storey Treehouse which will also be touring to Singapore.
Mathew Lee (he/him) is a Sydney-based, Newcastle-born actor and director, graduating from Actors Centre Australia in 2016. He co-devised and directed Symphonie Fantastique (Little Eggs Collective; KXT), nominated for seven 2021 Sydney Theatre Awards, including Best Independent Director and winning four, including Best Independent Production. Mathew was a long-time member of Newcastle-based independent company Stooged Theatre, serving as the company's Artistic Director and lead producer from 2018-2019. His directing credits with the company include Cock (The Royal Exchange and Nimbin Bush Theatre), and Equus, The Weir, Ruben Guthrie, The Pillowman and The Return, all at Newcastle's Civic Playhouse. He assisted the direction of Tongue Tied (dir. Sarah Hadley, Akimbo & Co; KXT), The Night Alive (dir. Maeliosa Stafford, O'Punksky's Theatre; Old Fitz) and The Government Inspector (dir. George Ogilvie, ACA).
His theatre acting credits includes The 78-Storey Treehouse (CDP; national tour), Darwin's Reptilia (JackRabbit; Belvoir 25A), Edward the Emu (Monkey Baa; national tour), The 13-Storey Treehouse (CDP; tour), The Midnight Gang (CDP; national tour), The Campaign (White Box Theatre; Seymour Centre), Table (White Box; Seymour Centre), The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Little Eggs/JackRabbit; KXT), Pinocchio (Little Eggs, Sydney Fringe), Are We Awake? (Sotto; KXT) and A Period Piece (Glitterbomb, Old 505).
He co-produced the critically-acclaimed Dumb Kids in 2023, nominated for Best Independent Production at the 2023 Sydney Theatre Awards.
