Published Wednesday, 20 February, 2008 at 07:00 PM
Minister for Education and Training and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Rod Welford
Premier's Drama Awards – finalists announced
Three talented local playwrights have been selected as finalists for the 2008-09 Queensland Premier’s Drama Award.
Arts Minister Rod Welford announced the short-listed finalists in a ceremony at the State Library of Queensland tonight, representing Premier Anna Bligh.
“I congratulate the finalists on their unique and inspiring scripts,” Ms Bligh said.
“Richard Jordan has been short-listed for his work 25 Down, Katherine Lyall-Watson for Ned’s Story and Sven Swenson for Dangerfield Park.
“Their scripts explore issues such as child abuse, justice for marginalised sectors of the community and the effects of historical political events.
“The biennial Queensland Premier’s Drama Award searches for honest, original, entertaining and dramatic scripts which are in some way related to Queensland life. This year’s finalists were selected from 68 entries from across the state.
“Over the next six months, the finalists will receive extensive dramaturgical support and attend comprehensive workshops to refine their scripts, before a public play reading in late July when the winning play will be chosen.”
Mr Welford said the award aimed to support local writers and give Queenslanders a bigger taste of home-grown theatre.
“The Queensland Premier’s Drama Award nurtures the writing craft and ensures our local playwrights are recognised, rewarded and celebrated,” Mr Welford said.
“The award offers professional development opportunities and supports the creative process, which are vital elements for developing great plays.
“It’s also the only award in the country which guarantees a production of the winning play by a state theatre company.
“The Queensland Theatre Company, which administers the award, commits to producing a fully staged, professional production of the winning play as part of its 2009 season.”
The Queensland Government has contributed $230,000 to the 2008-09 Queensland Premier’s Drama Award with additional support from sponsors, Griffith University and Multiplex.
This year’s short-listed writers and their works are listed below.
Media Contact: Emma Clarey on 3237 1000 or 0417 791 336
25 Down by Richard Jordan (of MacGregor)
25 Down is a heartfelt comedy about the deep divisions between Brisbane’s gay community – between a generation desperate to be looked at, and one which fought to be heard and have homosexuality legalised in Queensland in 1991.
Richard is a graduate of QUT's Creative Writing program and recently commenced a select course for 10 emerging playwrights at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Richard has had short plays produced in London at The Dogstar Theatre, Brixton, and at the Oval Theatre, Kennington. In July 2005 he was selected to attend the World Interplay festival of young playwrights in Townsville, North Queensland. In October 2003 he served as a judge for the Brisbane Writers Festival WriteSmall short story competition. His short play Into the Nile was shortlisted for the Queensland Theatre Company's George Landen Dann Award in 2002.
Ned’s Story by Katherine Lyall-Watson (of Toowong)
Ned’s Story is a symbolist fairytale about a young, crippled man living in remote, rural Queensland with his mother whose lives are turned upside down when the outside world breaks into his isolated environment.
Katherine is currently Membership Manager at the Queensland Writers Centre and editor of its publication Writing Queensland magazine. Before joining the Writers Centre she ran Brisbane’s Better Bookshops organising events for numerous national and international authors. She was also Assistant Manager at Avid Reader Bookshop. Katherine edited the anthology Mending Matters and Swallow the Sound and is a book and theatre reviewer – most notably doing the book segment for Radio National’s summer program and is the current arts reviewer for Brisbane News. She is also undertaking her Masters in Playwriting at QUT.
Dangerfield Park by Sven Swenson (of Toowong)
Dangerfield Park is a play that debates issues of law-making, equality and the judicial system through the lives of five men.
As a playwright, Sven is probably best known for Vertigo & the Virginia (Queensland Theatre Company, 1999) and his epic work Road to the She-devil’s Salon, the inaugural winner of the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award (Queensland Theatre Company, 2003). Other writing highlights from the Sundial Series include In Lieu of Flowers (Queensland Theatre Company, 2001) Heavenly Bodies & Beautiful Souls (Metro Arts 2006).
His arena musical Bobcat Magic, a collaboration with composer John Rodgers, was a highlight of the 2005 Queensland Music Festival. A developmental presentation of his film noir musical The Siren’s Kiss was staged at The Judith Wright Centre in May 2007.
His plays have been performed in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, as well as in rural venues throughout Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, with the US premiere of Beautiful Souls playing The Beckett Theatre New York in June 2007 and touring to Los Angeles.
Arts Minister Rod Welford announced the short-listed finalists in a ceremony at the State Library of Queensland tonight, representing Premier Anna Bligh.
“I congratulate the finalists on their unique and inspiring scripts,” Ms Bligh said.
“Richard Jordan has been short-listed for his work 25 Down, Katherine Lyall-Watson for Ned’s Story and Sven Swenson for Dangerfield Park.
“Their scripts explore issues such as child abuse, justice for marginalised sectors of the community and the effects of historical political events.
“The biennial Queensland Premier’s Drama Award searches for honest, original, entertaining and dramatic scripts which are in some way related to Queensland life. This year’s finalists were selected from 68 entries from across the state.
“Over the next six months, the finalists will receive extensive dramaturgical support and attend comprehensive workshops to refine their scripts, before a public play reading in late July when the winning play will be chosen.”
Mr Welford said the award aimed to support local writers and give Queenslanders a bigger taste of home-grown theatre.
“The Queensland Premier’s Drama Award nurtures the writing craft and ensures our local playwrights are recognised, rewarded and celebrated,” Mr Welford said.
“The award offers professional development opportunities and supports the creative process, which are vital elements for developing great plays.
“It’s also the only award in the country which guarantees a production of the winning play by a state theatre company.
“The Queensland Theatre Company, which administers the award, commits to producing a fully staged, professional production of the winning play as part of its 2009 season.”
The Queensland Government has contributed $230,000 to the 2008-09 Queensland Premier’s Drama Award with additional support from sponsors, Griffith University and Multiplex.
This year’s short-listed writers and their works are listed below.
Media Contact: Emma Clarey on 3237 1000 or 0417 791 336
25 Down by Richard Jordan (of MacGregor)
25 Down is a heartfelt comedy about the deep divisions between Brisbane’s gay community – between a generation desperate to be looked at, and one which fought to be heard and have homosexuality legalised in Queensland in 1991.
Richard is a graduate of QUT's Creative Writing program and recently commenced a select course for 10 emerging playwrights at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Richard has had short plays produced in London at The Dogstar Theatre, Brixton, and at the Oval Theatre, Kennington. In July 2005 he was selected to attend the World Interplay festival of young playwrights in Townsville, North Queensland. In October 2003 he served as a judge for the Brisbane Writers Festival WriteSmall short story competition. His short play Into the Nile was shortlisted for the Queensland Theatre Company's George Landen Dann Award in 2002.
Ned’s Story by Katherine Lyall-Watson (of Toowong)
Ned’s Story is a symbolist fairytale about a young, crippled man living in remote, rural Queensland with his mother whose lives are turned upside down when the outside world breaks into his isolated environment.
Katherine is currently Membership Manager at the Queensland Writers Centre and editor of its publication Writing Queensland magazine. Before joining the Writers Centre she ran Brisbane’s Better Bookshops organising events for numerous national and international authors. She was also Assistant Manager at Avid Reader Bookshop. Katherine edited the anthology Mending Matters and Swallow the Sound and is a book and theatre reviewer – most notably doing the book segment for Radio National’s summer program and is the current arts reviewer for Brisbane News. She is also undertaking her Masters in Playwriting at QUT.
Dangerfield Park by Sven Swenson (of Toowong)
Dangerfield Park is a play that debates issues of law-making, equality and the judicial system through the lives of five men.
As a playwright, Sven is probably best known for Vertigo & the Virginia (Queensland Theatre Company, 1999) and his epic work Road to the She-devil’s Salon, the inaugural winner of the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award (Queensland Theatre Company, 2003). Other writing highlights from the Sundial Series include In Lieu of Flowers (Queensland Theatre Company, 2001) Heavenly Bodies & Beautiful Souls (Metro Arts 2006).
His arena musical Bobcat Magic, a collaboration with composer John Rodgers, was a highlight of the 2005 Queensland Music Festival. A developmental presentation of his film noir musical The Siren’s Kiss was staged at The Judith Wright Centre in May 2007.
His plays have been performed in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, as well as in rural venues throughout Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, with the US premiere of Beautiful Souls playing The Beckett Theatre New York in June 2007 and touring to Los Angeles.