Terese Casu has always felt a special connection with the Murray River.
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Growing up on a property 10 kilometres west of Corowa, Ms Casu enjoyed long hours on the majestic Murray, which snaked its way along the farm boundary.
The former Corowa High School student said it was a magical place for a child.
"I spent so much time sitting on the banks of the Murray River," she said.
"We had a family of platypuses that lived there!"
Now after almost four decades of living and working away from the Riverina, Ms Casu has come full circle to take the helm at HotHouse Theatre, which serendipitously backs onto the Murray River.
Having left home at 17, she was surprised how her bond with the river had endured.
"The connection with the river has been so emotional and a bit overwhelming," Ms Casu said.
"I get a bit teary just thinking about it."
Credited with the transformation of Mardi Gras on the world stage and fronting myriad cultural organisations in Sydney and Melbourne over decades, Ms Casu got her first taste of the arts in Albury.
Raised by her grandparents, she said her grandmother enrolled her in the Leslie Jenkins Ballet School.
"Twice a week she'd drive me to ballet in Albury in the old blue Falcon," Ms Casu recalled.
"I loved dance but once I got on to pointe I wasn't sure it was for me.
"That's when I started training with the Fruit Flies at 16."
With a diverse background as a performing artist, dancer and musician, Ms Casu joined Circus Oz as a company member, representing Australia at the 1984 LA Olympic Arts Festival.
The self-confessed "black sheep of the family who didn't marry the boy next door" worked as an artist with leading performance companies such as Sydney's Legs on the Wall, DAH Theatre, Tandarcia Puppet Theatre, Stalker, Sidetrack Theatre and created numerous independent multidisciplinary performance works to support positive social change.
In her early 20s, Ms Casu lived and furthered her training in the arts in Ghana.
"The world has changed dramatically since then," she said.
"Everything felt very accessible then."
Having been chief executive of Mardi Gras and executive director of Performance Space, Ms Casu was thrilled to become chief executive at HotHouse Theatre during March.
She said the timing was right for a homecoming of sorts.
"HotHouse is a national treasure," Ms Casu said.
"It's timely that we get behind it for its new trajectory.
"The arts have a big role to play on the Border.
"I want to connect with the community.
"Our biggest challenge is the under-35 audience ... if they have any discretionary spending we want them to spend it on the arts."
HotHouse Theatre recently launched a fundraising campaign, Stage Your Support - Your Donation Doubled; where every dollar donated before May 31, 2024, was matched by Creative Australia through their Plus1 Program.
HotHouse Theatre opens its second show for the season with Symphonie of the Bicycle on Tuesday, June 25.
Directed by Adelaide legend Chris Drummond, it is a funny, heartfelt show about cycling and obsession, envy, ambition, winning and losing and finding the inner grit to dominate the mountain stages of life.
Having recently discovered the bike tracks and First Nations sculpture trails in Albury-Wodonga, Ms Casu said HotHouse hoped to collaborate with the cycling community on the new show.
"We hope to have a ride back to HotHouse Theatre," she said.
"We're lycra-friendly and family-friendly!"
Ms Casu looked forward to working closely with artistic director Karla Conway and the HotHouse team.
"This organisation has been instrumental in shaping my journey in the arts, and I am deeply committed to continuing its legacy of excellence and innovation," Ms Casu said.
"Albury-Wodonga is in one of the fastest growing regional areas of Australia, and HotHouse Theatre plays an important role in providing unforgettable theatre experiences for our audiences, developing bold new Australian stories and investing in our local artists and civic life."
HotHouse will gain new performance spaces and better facilities for artists and patrons under a revamp in April and May.
Ms Casu's appointment coincides with the announcement of Blair French to the role of chief executive at MAMA in Albury.
