Vitals was founded in 1984 by Margie Fischer, Ollie Black and Roxxy Bent – a radical and ambitious act by three women determined to make a difference to the opportunities for and workplace experiences of women artists in Australia. This determination to make change still lies at the heart of the organisation.
Vitals began as a company producing new work by women theatre workers for a popular audience, touring extensively in regional South Australia and nationally. The company developed into a national centre for women playwrights and directors in the 1990s.
Vitals has always been deeply engaged with our local context and has been based in Port Adelaide (Yartapuulti) for our entire history, firstly in the old Holden factory adjacent to Jenkins Street and then moving to the heritage-listed Waterside Workers Hall in Nile Street in 1992.