Sydney Theatre Company Announces Shortlist for The Patrick White Playwrights' Award And Fellowship

Sydney Theatre Company has released the judges' shortlist of five plays in the running for the 2017 Patrick White Playwrights' Award which will be announced with a rehearsed reading of the winning play on Monday 21 May 2018 at 7pm at the Richard Wherrett Studio, Roslyn Packer Theatre. The winner of the prestigious Patrick White Playwrights' Fellowship will also be announced at the event on 21 May.

The Award and the Fellowship are initiatives of Sydney Theatre Company and exist to foster the development of Australian playwrights while honouring Patrick White's contribution to Australian theatre.

The Patrick White Playwrights' Award is for an original, unproduced play. The winning playwright will receive $7,500 and the opportunity to work with a director and actors during a workshop culminating in a rehearsed reading of their play. Scripts are submitted anonymously, with the aim of acknowledging a playwright whose play is ambitious, demonstrates skilful application of craft and reveals great potential for a stage production. This year 126 entries were received for the Award, from which the following shortlist of five plays has been selected:

- Mirror's Edge Kim Ho

- Break, or Catch Fire Shannon Murdoch

- Mchanga Mararo Wangai

- No One Can Hear You Keziah Warner

- A Little Piece of Ash by Megan Wilding

The Award judges are Michele Lee (playwright), Polly Rowe (Sydney Theatre Company Literary Manager), Imara Savage (Sydney Theatre Company Resident Director) and Howard Sumner (playwright and director).

The recipient of the Patrick White Playwrights' Fellowship will be announced at the same time as the Patrick White Playwrights' Award.

Now in its eighth year, the Fellowship is a position for an established Australian playwright whose work has been produced professionally in Australia within the last four years. The winning playwright receives a total prize package of $25,000 which includes a year-long Fellowship in recognition of their body of work, and a commission from Sydney Theatre Company to write a new play.

Limited tickets for the Patrick White Award event are available from the STC box office: (02) 9250 1700 or sydneytheatre.com.au. Tickets are free but must be booked in advance.