Plays, plays and more plays! 📝

I love my job. As Resident Dramaturg at ATYP, I get to spend most of my time working with playwrights, who happen to be among my favourite kind of people – interesting, creative, thoughtful, generous and fun too. 

And there’s plenty for playwrights to be getting stuck into at ATYP in March. There’s so much going on I’m not even sure I can fit it all in… but here goes…

We’re so excited that Fresh Ink will run in Darwin again this year, joining the Sydney and Perth programs. We’re partnering with the great team at Brown’s Mart Theatre to support four emerging writers through eight months of mentoring by the stellar Ciella Williams. You don’t want to miss this opportunity if you’re an emerging writer in Darwin – or ever thought you might like to be. Applications for Darwin close 23 March. Full details and applications in the link below.

Can it already be that time again? We’ll be heading to the southern highlands of NSW from 6-11 July for our amazing National Studio – a week of masterclasses, group tutorials and one-on-one mentoring with three of the best professional playwrights around. Last year’s participants called it “by far the most rewarding creative experience I’ve ever had” and “an experience I will cherish always”. If you want to be a part of this transformative creative experience – and trust me, you do – check out the National Studio page from 23 March for applications. 

But wait – there’s more! We love our Foundation Commissions – two plays that are at the heart of our production season each year. If you’ve got a brilliant idea to pitch us for 10-13 year olds or 14-17 year olds, this is one you should definitely be submitting for. Our winners will each receive a commission to write a play, supported with dramaturgical development, that will be performed as part of our mainstage season and published by our partner Playlab. What’s not to love?! Applications open 9 March.

I couldn’t be more excited about seeing CUSP on the SBW Stables Theatre stage in Sydney from 11 March. I was lucky enough to work as Dramaturg for Mary Anne Butler on her stunning play about the lives of three young people on the cusp of adulthood – but I couldn’t make it to Darwin last November to see its Top-End season. I’ve been itching to see it ever since. Join me at Griffin to get caught up in this urgent, gripping, funny and beautiful play. 

And meanwhile, rehearsals have just started for our production of Intersection 2020: Beat, co-presented for the first time this year with the NSW Department of Education Arts Unit. Ten short plays by ten fabulous emerging writers and starring a scarily talented cast of senior high school students. This one will be on in May so put it in your calendars…

That’s just some of the stuff happening in our Writing world this month. And I haven’t even mentioned our weekly and holiday Workshops, new work experience plans, a new lineup of Sparkly Sh*t  and heaps more… Check it all out – I’m sure you’ll find something to love at ATYP this month.

Jane FitzGerald

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