Initiative puts playwriting festival centre stage in Brisbane

A national playwriting festival featuring eight new Australian plays, will be staged for the first time in Queensland, with funding support from the Bligh Government.

Arts Minister Rod Welford said the inaugural National Play Festival 2008, launched today, had received $100,000 as part of Arts Queensland’s new funding arrangements.

“Our Government has allocated Industry Development Initiative funding to help bring this festival to Brisbane in 2008,” Mr Welford said.

“The two-week National Play Festival, from 10-23 February, will give eight playwrights the rare opportunity to develop and fine tune their scripts with some of Australia’s top theatre practitioners, culminating in a series of showcase performances.

“The festival is an ideal example of what Industry Development Initiatives aim to achieve – opening up the arts sector to new directions and opportunities.“

Mr Welford said the eight new plays were from some of the country’s most promising playwrights including Queenslander Sven Swenson, Sue Smith, Ross Mueller, Steve Rodgers, Mary Rachel Brown, John Fraser, Rosalba Clemente and Kylie Trounson.

“These plays were selected from over 160 entries for their theatricality and engagement with ideas and for their potential to be successful both nationally and internationally,” Mr Welford said.

“One of the aims of the festival is to secure future productions and ensure that audiences have the opportunity to see these productions in theatres around the country.

“Queensland Theatre Company, La Boite, Metro Arts and Playlab from Queensland are working with their counterparts from the Melbourne Theatre Company, Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company and the Malthouse to make this festival a truly national event.”

Mr Welford said the festival promised to be a hothouse of theatre activity and a platform for public debate of the industry’s achievements and practices.

The National Play Festival is coordinated by PlayWriting Australia, the national peak body for playwriting. The Festival is funded by Arts Queensland and the Australia Council and delivered in partnership with national and local performing arts organisations.