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Sydney Theatre Company has released the judges’ shortlist of eight plays in the running for the prestigious 2007 Patrick White Playwrights’ Award.

The Award is an annual initiative of STC and The Sydney Morning Herald established in 2000 in honour of Patrick White’s contribution to Australian theatre and to foster the development of Australian playwrights.

The $20,000 award is Australia’s richest prize for playwriting for an unproduced play. In addition, the winning playwright is given the opportunity to work with STC directors and actors during a workshop culminating in a rehearsed reading of their play during the Sydney Writers’ Festival. 

To date, 13 writers have shared in the Award from over 1300 entries. Previous winners include Patricia Cornelius for Do Not Go Gentle…, Wesley Enoch for The Story of the Miracle at Cookie’s Table and Stephen Carleton for Constance Drinkwater and the Final Days of Somerset. 

The 2007 Award received 148 entries from around Australia. The shortlist of eight plays being considered by the judges is:

Wretch by Angus Cerini (VIC)
The Man in the Attic by Timothy Daly (NSW)
War Poems by Suzanne Hauser (NSW)
The Ides of March by Duncan Levy (ACT)
Bare Witness by Mari Lourey (VIC)
Concussion by Ross Mueller (VIC)
Precipice by Catherine Ryan (VIC)
The Water Carriers by Ian Wilding (VIC)

Amongst the diverse shortlist of playwrights is Ian Wilding, whose play Even Amongst Dogs was a joint winner of the 2002 Patrick White Playwrights’ Award. Ross Mueller has had several of his plays short-listed for the Patrick White, Griffin Theatre and Wal Cherry Awards. He has also been an affiliated writer with Melbourne Theatre Company and was the Australian representative at the International Residency of the Royal Court in London.

Timothy Daly’s previous plays include Kafka Dances (1993) which originally opened at Griffin Theatre Company before transferring to STC. This year it opened in Paris to excellent reviews.

Mari Lourey is a developing playwright with a background in theatre performance and music. Her last play, Dirty Angels, toured south-west Victoria in 2004 after playing at La Mama, while Angus Cerini is a writer and performer who has created many solo written/performed works including the multi award winning Filch.

The judges are Angela Bennie (The Sydney Morning Herald), Patricia Cornelius (playwright and winner of the 2006 Award), Katrina Douglas (director/dramaturg), Julian Meyrick (director) and Polly Rowe (Literary Manager, Sydney Theatre Company).

The winner will be announced on Friday 23 May at 7pm by STC Co Artistic Directors Andrew Upton and Cate Blanchett, during the 2008 Sydney Writers’ Festival, followed by a rehearsed reading of the play by STC artists.


Limited tickets for the event are available from the STC box office:
(02) 9250 1777 or sydneytheatre.com.au
   
Wharf 2, Sydney Theatre Company, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay at 7pm
Tickets $5