Full Throttle Theatre Company is an organisation based in Townsville, North Queensland, Australia which is primarily focused on promoting theatre and the arts in the region. It is since 2010 successor of the professional Tropic Sun Theatre Company, itself formed from Tropic Line and Hard Sun theatre companies. Full Throttle's earliest predecessor, Tropic Line, was founded by Jean-Pierre Voos in 1986 to replace Michael Lanchberry's Matchbox Co. which had ceased when he left James Cook University (JCU) in 1985. Tropic Line's main purpose was to offer senior students and graduates of Performing Arts at JCU the opportunity to present theatre at a professional standard and to meet a variety of critical audiences through touring. In 2002, Tropic Line merged with its successor at JCU, Hard Sun, to become Tropic Sun. The new company devoted itself, as did Tropic Line, to developing theatre in the NQ region. Voos died in early 2008. Madonna Davies and Karen Gibb took on the role of Co-Artistic Directors. Voos' death strongly affected the organisation, and it was soon realised that a new direction would need to be taken. The company officially became "Full Throttle Theatre Company" in 2010, with the aim of attracting a younger audience and diversifying its services to encompass all the creative industries. It received a grant int 2010 from the state government to tour its production 3 Blokes and Their Barbies to regional and remote Queensland communities. Tropic Sun Theatre Company Tropic Sun showcased the talents of local actors, designers and directors as well as playwrights. Tropic Sun produced an annual season of main house productions and, with its developmental arm "Terrifically Low Cost Theatre", provided other theatre services such as small avant-garde or local plays, tours, workshops and theatrical entertainment for business and institutional events. Tropic Sun focussed on local talent, particularly graduates from James Cook University. The ensemble of actors presented four major shows a year (including a play by Shakespeare) and several short plays mostly at the Old Magistrate's Court building in the city centre but also in other venues. Performances were often preluded by a pre-show dinner (or interval dinners for Shakespeare-in-the-Park). Since October 2006 the company operated from the Old Magistrate's Court building. Along with funding from State and Federal Grants, the company was in 2006 given a funding boost of $40,000 by the Townsville City Council, an increase on the $15,000 the company received annually