Shortlist for STC’s Patrick White Playwrights’ Award announced

A climbing number of entries are received each year for the Sydney Theatre Company’s annual Patrick White Playwrights’ Award, with a staggering 158 submissions taken for the coveted 2012 prize.

The Patrick White Playwrights’ Award is an initiative of the Sydney Theatre Company, existing to foster the development of Australian playwrights while honouring Patrick White’s contribution to Australian theatre.

Original, unproduced plays are eligible for submission to the competition and the winning playwright will receive $7,500 and the opportunity to work with one of STC’s Resident Directors (Sarah Giles, Sarah Goodes and Kip Williams) and actors, to present a rehearsed reading of their play.

Each of the 158 scripts were submitted to readers and judges anonymously and the panel’s task is to choose a playwright whose play is ambitious, demonstrates skilful application of craft and reveals great potential for a stage production. Judging the award this year will be Patricia Cornelius (playwright and Patrick White Playwrights’ Fellow 2011), Sarah Giles (STC Resident Director), John Sheedy (Artistic Director of Barking Gecko Theatre Company) and Andrew Upton (Artistic Director of Sydney Theatre Company).

A shortlist of six plays from the submissions pool have been selected this year (only five were selected from the 2011 pool) and the winner will be announced (complete with a rehearsed reading of their winning play) at The Wharf on Friday 24 May 2013 at 8pm as part of the Sydney Writer’s Festival.

Shortlisted Plays and Playwrights:

Dream Home by Emilie Collyer

Love Boy by Casey Nicholls

Minusonesister by Anna Barnes

Motherland by Katherine Lyall-Watson

Oranges and Lemons by Rick Viede

The Rasputin Affair by Kate Mulvany

The winner of the prestigious Patrick White Playwrights’ Fellowship will also be announced at the event. The fellowship is a position for an established Australian playwright whose work has been produced professionally in Australia within the last four years and the winner receives $25,000. This year, for the very first time, the Fellow will also be commissioned to develop a piece by the STC during their year long fellowship (24 May 2013 through to 24 May 2014).

Limited tickets for the event, part of the Sydney Writers’ Festival, are available from the STC box office: Tickets $5 (02) 9250 1777 or sydneytheatre.com.au