Search on for emerging playwrights

The Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) has opened applications for emerging playwrights to take part in the ‘Fresh Ink’ National Studio at Riversdale, NSW, for a week from Monday, December 5.

Eleven of this country’s promising young writers and theatre-makers will join the Fresh Ink writers for a week-long feast of ideas, master classes, collaborative experimentation and sharing of stories. Three of Australia’s top writing tutors will inspire all the fun and mayhem.

ATYP’s Artistic Director Fraser Corfield said the week-long experience away is a perfect way to share and develop new ideas.

“Live-in residencies bring writers together for intense focus and rigorous exploration of their craft,” he said.

“While building skills, participants exchange ideas, develop networks and find inspiration away from the distractions of their lives.”

The Studio is held at Riversdale, a stunning property bequeathed to Australian artists by Arthur and Yvonne Boyd and a Mecca for inspiring creativity.  
Jessica Bellamy, a 2010 Studio participant and playwright in residence at the Griffin Theatre said her experience last year was an incredible learning experience.

“The playwrights at ATYP’s 2010 Fresh Ink National Studio filled that prolific pre-dawn haze with a variety of interesting activities, including tobogganing down green hills on yoga mats, stalking uninterested wombats, and, oh yes, creating a brand new collaborative writing project.”

Amongst all the fun in 2011, the focus of the Studio will be the monologue, and across the week participants will be working towards producing one, fully-realised piece which will be an integral part of ATYP’s main stage season in 2012.

Applicants need to be aged between 18 and 26 and the workshop is free to attend for the full week of Monday, December 5 to Saturday, December 10.

Information on how to apply can be found at the Fresh Ink blog www.freshinkaustralia.com