The Silver Gull Play Award 2021 Shortlist Announced

There was a wonderful response to The Silver Gull Play Award competition this year, with over 50 plays submitted. The judging panel read, assessed and discussed each submission multiple times. The identity of the writers was kept anonymous from the judges, so the shortlist truly reflects a determination made on merit, solely on the quality of writing. After a month of deliberation, a shortlist of six has been finalised.

The shortlisted plays are of a very high standard, responding with imagination, intelligence and insight to the brief for plays that speak to New Theatre's ethos of 'Plays With a Purpose', engaging with contemporary society and the challenges that we face, and demonstrating the strength and diversity of playwriting in this country.

The writers comprise a poet and novelist who has been shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award, two graduates of the NIDA Playwrights' Studio, a true-crime afficionado, an Awgie-nominated writer and director, and an aspiring steam-train driver!

The six plays that have been shortlisted for The Silver Gull Play Award 2021 are:

Off The Record by Chris Aronsten
Sanctuary by Margaret Davis
Cloudsurfing by John AD Fraser
The Scammer by Wendy Lewis
Fitson and Dan by Mark O'Flynn
The Other End of The Afternoon by Bokkie Robertson

The judges also 'Highly Commended' two plays:
Identity Games by Christopher Bryant
Television by James O'Loghlin

The judges are: Annie Bilton (former Literary Manager, Griffin Theatre Co; Play Assessor, New Theatre), Louise Fischer (Artistic Director, New Theatre), Patrick Howard (freelance theatre-maker; Play Assessor, New Theatre), Victor Kalka (freelance director and designer), John Keightley (actor; Play Assessor, New Theatre), Sahn Millington (director; Play Assessor, New Theatre), Shan-Ree Tan (actor), Helen Tonkin (Artistic Associate, New Theatre), andTiffany Wong (actor, director, producer).

Congratulations to the shortlisted writers, who will share in a total prize pool of $7000 courtesy of sponsor The Buzz From Sydney. Rehearsed readings of excerpts of the six plays will be performed at the awards night on Tuesday 7 December, when the winner will be announced.