Page To Stage 2024/25
Expressions of interest are now closed to apply for our 2024/25 Page to Stage playwriting program.
Presented by National Theatre of Parramatta (NTofP) and the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).
The Page to Stage program is aimed at nurturing and developing committed writers who live and/or work in Western Sydney to embed their work into the Australian theatre culture.
Twelve playwrights will be selected to undertake an intensive playwriting course that includes mentorship and script development opportunities over a twelve-month period (all first Saturdays, except in November) with award winning playwright Donna Abela.
The program will include:
– Foundation playwriting skills development (developing and sustaining a creative practice);
– Play reading, script analysis and critique to develop dramaturgical literacy;
– Script writing and story development;
– One-on-one mentorship;
– End of program industry reading / showing of new works in development
Applications now closed.
Schedule 5 October 2024 – 2 August 2025
Saturday 5 October 2024
Saturday 9 November 2024
Saturday 7 December 2024
BREAK
Saturday 1 February 2025
Saturday 1 March 2025
Saturday 5 April 2025
Saturday 3 May ( industry day)
Saturday 7June 2025
Saturday 5 July 2025
Saturday 2 August 2025
Timing: 10am – 4pm
Dates and times may change.
Venue: Riverside Theatres
Cost: $500 per participant
Need support to overcome the financial barriers? Then please get in touch and discuss our scholarships / financial support.
We are committed to ensuring that the future of storytelling is open to everyone, and we strongly encourage applications from First Nations and underrepresented communities.
Please contact Vanessa Hyde vhyde@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au if you have any questions.
Page to Stage 2024/2025 tutor – Donna Abela
Donna Abela has written award-winning plays for audiences of all ages. Her works have won four AWGIE awards (Jump for Jordan, Spirit, Aurora’s Lament, Mrs Macquarie’s Cello), the Griffin Playwriting Prize (Jump for Jordan), the Human Rights Award for Drama (Highest Mountain Fastest River), and been nominated for numerous prizes including two NSW Premiers Literary Awards (Tales From the Arabian Night, Jump For Jordan). Her plays for children and young people include two touring shows for Kim Carpenter’s Theatre of Image (Monkey: Journey to the West, and Tales from the Arabian Nights). Her recent work includes the play Prevail (2023 Storyteller’s Festival), the essay Golden Joinery (Sydney Review of Books) and the radio documentary Missing Magdalens (ABC Radio National). Donna has extensive experience in dramaturgy, and the development of new work and emerging writers from culturally diverse backgrounds. She teaches at Excelsia College and NIDA, and in 2017 and 2021 delivered the bespoke year-long Page to Stage course for the National Theatre of Parramatta. Donna is also a founding member and chairperson of PYT Fairfield (aka Powerhouse Youth Theatre), and a founding member of the playwrights’ alliance 7-ON which has published two play anthologies – No Nudity, Weapons and Naked Flames and Sharp Darts.
National Theatre of Parramatta’s inaugural playwriting mentorship program, Page to Stage, took place in 2016-2017 and in 2021.
Previous Page to Stage participants included:
James Elazzi (Lady Tabouli, Karim), Nick Atkins (BOOM), Monikka Eliah (Garage Sale)
