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Dear Australia

50 Australian playwrights send a postcard to the nation.

Digital Season | A project of Playwriting Australia

Genre: Theatre

At a time when a pandemic has forced reflection and change, some of Australia’s best playwrights tell stories of where our nation is and where it might go. Over three comforting and confronting nights, with 50 short monologues self-recorded by 50 actors, we celebrate the diversity of voices of this nation.

An impressive and diverse collective of Australian actors will perform the monologues, including Jack Thompson, Miranda Tapsell, Helen Thomson, Danielle Cormack, Peter Carroll, Tasma Walton and many more.

Participating playwrights include Richard Frankland, Nakkiah Lui, Anchuli Felicia King, Suzie Miller and Jada Alberts.

The monologues will be livestreamed on our Facebook page and via Playwriting Australia’s YouTube channel.

“Recent months have exposed and prised open many cracks in our society. These 50 micro works address major questions, allowing us to see into some of those cracks, but also inviting us to see light ahead.”

David Berthold, the interim Executive Chair of Playwriting Australia

Dear Australia: What is happening right now?
Dear Australia: What do we want our society to look like?
Dear Australia: What are we not paying attention to?

Warning
Some stories contain strong language and adult themes, and may be unsuitable for younger audiences.

Notes
The scripts of the Dear Australia monologues will published by Australian Plays and will be available Monday 6 July on their website.

Credits
Presented by Playwriting Australia.

Playwrights and Performers

  1. Nakkiah Lui with Miranda Tapsell
  2. Elena Carapetis with Elena Carapetis
  3. Willoh S Weiland with Kris McQuade (Puppet by Noah Casey)
  4. Ellen van Neerven with Elaine Crombie
  5. Sam Nerida with Helen Thomson
  6. Morgan Rose with Emily Goddard
  7. Claire Christian with Megan Wilding
  8. Dan Giovannoni with James Majoos
  9. Bumpy Favell with Jessica Window
  10. Diane Stubbings with Jennifer Hagan
  11. Mark Rogers with Steve Rodgers
  12. Emele Ugavule with Anthony Taufa
  13. Ross Mueller with Marco Chiappi
  14. Eric Gardiner with Kevin Hofbauer
  15. Finegan Kruckemeyer with Glenn Hazeldine
  16. Anchuli Felicia King with Catherine Văn-Davies
  17. Bjorn Stewart with Bjorn Stewart
  18. Mary Anne Butler with Roxanne McDonald
  19. Glenn Shea with Kelton Pell
  20. Jada Alberts with Tasma Walton
  21. Stephen Carleton with Belinda Giblin
  22. Chris Beckey with Mémé Thorne
  23. Aanisa Vylet with Alaa Sukkarieh
  24. Merlynn Tong with Fiona Choi
  25. Brendan Hogan with Connor David Skillicorn
  26. Tasnim Hossain with Arka Das
  27. Catherine McKinnon with Jane Phegan
  28. James Taylor with Kyle Morrison
  29. Kathryn Marquet with John Batchelor
  30. James Elazzi with Sam Khatib
  31. Kathryn Ash with James Frencheville
  32. Rachael Chisholm with Shaka Cook
  33. Julianne O’Brien with Greg Stone
  34. Peter Cook with Stephen Phillips
  35. Susan Rogers with Peter Carroll
  36. H Lawrence Sumner with Shakira Clanton
  37. Donna Abela with Helana Sawires
  38. Barbara Hostalek with Rayma Morrison
  39. Gretel Vella with Harriet Gordon Anderson
  40. Liv Satchell with Belinda McClory
  41. Lucy Combe with Kate O’Reilly
  42. Janis Balodis with Jacek Koman
  43. Suzie Miller with Emma Jackson
  44. Kylie Coolwell with Angeline Penrith
  45. Nathan Maynard with Richard Green
  46. Matt Hawkins with Pontsho Nthupi
  47. Tariro Mavondo with Carly Sheppard
  48. Kamarra Bell-Wykes with Danielle Cormack
  49. Future D Fidel with Pacharo Mzembe
  50. Richard Frankland with Jack Thompson

Co-Presenter Partners

  • Adelaide Festival Centre
  • Arts Centre Melbourne
  • Canberra Theatre Centre
  • Darwin Entertainment Centre
  • Queensland Performing Arts Centre
  • Sydney Opera House

Partners

  • Australian Theatre for Young People
  • Barking Gecko Theatre Company
  • Contemporary Asian Australian Performance
  • Blue Cow Theatre
  • Brink Productions
  • Brown’s Mart
  • Griffin Theatre Company
  • HotHouse Theatre
  • Ilbijerri Theatre Company
  • Jute Theatre Company
  • La Boite Theatre Company
  • La Mama
  • Merrigong Theatre Company
  • Monkey Baa Theatre Company
  • Moogahlin Performing Arts
  • NORPA
  • Playlab
  • Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre
  • Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta
  • South Australian Playwrights Theatre
  • The Street Theatre
  • Terrapin Puppet Theatre
  • Theatre Works
  • Windmill Theatre Company
  • Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company
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