Theatre Experience
Playwright for the Yirra Yaakin Playwrighting Festival 2023 – developed play ‘Downstream’ (Subiaco Arts Centre)
Adelaide Fringe Festival 2024 – writer and producer for play ‘Trail’s End’ (Goodwood Theatre & Studios; Domain Theatre, Marion Cultural Centre)
Community theatre – chorus member for shows Hairspray, Les Misérables, Sweeney Todd (Ashfield Musical Society), Pirates of Penzance (Chatswood Musical Society) and portrayed ‘Florinda’ in Into the Woods (Balmain Musical Society).
Publications
Awards
SA Writers First Nations Varuna Fellowship 2024
First Nations Fellowship, JM Coetzee Centre, University of Adelaide 2023
Shortlisted for the 2023 Deep Creek Residency
2022 Varuna Residential Fellowship
First Nations Varuna Fellowship 2021
Shortlisted for the 2020 Daisy Utemorrah Award
Shortlisted for the 2019 Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing
Winner 2015 black&write! Indigenous Writing Fellowship, State Library of Queensland.
Nakata Brophy Award – Runner Up, Trinity College, University of Melbourne, 2015.
Yarramundi Higher Degree Research Scholarship, University of Western Sydney, 2014.
Australian Indigenous Creators Scholarship 2013, Magabala Books.
Katharine Susannah Prichard Speculative Fiction Awards 2012 – High Commendation.
Young Writer-in-Residence 2011, Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers Centre, Perth.
Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement 2011 (Master of Arts in Creative Writing), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney.
Lindsay Croft Postgraduate Memorial Scholarship 2010 (merit-based scholarship for Master of Arts in Creative Writing), Jumbunna IHL, University of Technology, Sydney.
FEAST Festival 2010 Short Writing Competition – High Commendation.
Sydney Eisteddfod 2005 – Original Work: Short Story – High Commendation.
CV
Education
Master of Arts in Creative Writing, University of Technology, Sydney.
Graduate Certificate in Editing and Publishing, University of Technology, Sydney.
Shut Up and Write Indigenous Workshop, AFTRS
AFTRS NSW/ACT Talent Camp 2019
Writing for Television Online Course, AFTRS
Research for Writers course, Swinburne University
Other Experience
Board appointment: Aboriginal Arts & Culture Artform Board, Create NSW 2021-present
Reader for the 2021 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers
CATSINaM Cultural Awareness Training (scriptwriter), 2020
Board appointment: Literary Review Board, Australia Council for the Arts 2019
Staff Profiles, NITV website, 2015-16.
Editor – Spilt Milk Magazine, Issues 1 & 2, Sydney, 2015.
‘Sister’, multimedia artwork, finalist in the NSW Parliament Aboriginal Art Prize 2013
‘Gone Again’, short story included in artwork for In the Night Garden, Sydney Fringe Festival 2013.
Paper: ‘Indigenous Australian Cultural Protocols and Post-Determination Literature’ presented at the American Association of Australasian Literary Studies, Fort Worth, Texas, USA, 2011.
Paper: ‘Finding Home – Identity Bonds through Indigenous Literature’ presented at the Republic of Letters, Sydney, 2011.
What attracted you to apply for the Fellowship?
The opportunity to bring an idea to life. Learn the skills to develop a theatre production, the intricacies of what is involved and the layers of bringing everything together. The importance of being led by First Nation creatives and working alongside Elders and
community is incredibly important. I’ve been so inspired in on a very personal level as a Narungga person working alongside my cousin Jacob Boehme on Wild Dog and recently with Guuranda show for the Adelaide Festival.
What do you hope to achieve over the next 12 months?
To create at least a draft of my proposed production concept. Through the 12 months to meet key people in the
industry and gain skills from. I want to immerse myself in the process of development, and particularly the writing techniques. To
work closely with my Ngarrindjeri family and incorporate Ngarrindjeri language into this project. I hope to work with family and friends and bring all their skills and talents together.
What playwrights inspire you?
I’m inspired by all First Nations storytellers and the commitment to share our stories with our voices leading the narrative and presentation. embodiment of telling stories of culture and language in film and on stage. As a singer/songwriter I had the opportunity to create songs in Narungga language and has been an incredible experience. It’s been so rewarding and gave me the confidence to apply for this fellowship. The work of Ursula Yovich from when I first saw her first solo showing of Magpie Blues at the Dreaming Festival. The telling of her story through song which incorporated originals and cover songs that connected deeply to her life. The presentation was so beautifully delivered and resonated with me emotionally. The power of telling stories through song is what has guided by practice as a singer/songwriter. Ursula’s work inspires me to follow that path and create a theatre production that is grounded in my story and culture. Sonya is a Narungga, Ngarrindjeri, Ngadjuri, & Wirangu woman who is a
multidisciplinary artist. The multi-faceted work of Leah Purcell and the way she beautifully crafts and translates stories into stage and film in all aspects of her work. Truth telling is at the heart of her work. The depth and breadth of her work is truly
inspiring. The honesty that she brings with cultural integrity at the core of presenting stories as a playwright. All these elements are what inspires me to challenge myself and believe in myself.
What excites you most about this opportunity?
So many aspects excite me. First and foremost is that this fellowship will give me the opportunity to create from beginning an idea I’ve been thinking of for some time. I’ve collaborated on many projects but to develop my own production is exciting. It’s a scary and daunting prospect but I’m so eager to embrace the steep journey of learn
What attracted you to apply for the Fellowship?
The description of the fellowship sounded perfect for where I’m currently at with my writing career. While I’ve been a writer for a while now, playwrighting is a completely new skill to me, and the Brink fellowship provides an opportunity to develop a new work with the support of experienced people in the industry. I think that guidance is crucial when you’re starting out.
I’m also keen to network, not only because the process of theatre is so collaborative, but because I would love to see more Aboriginal theatre in South Australia. Beyond the fellowship, I’d love to help contribute to building more of a presence in our state and the networking part of the fellowship will be an invaluable part of working towards that.
It also ticked a lot of boxed for me in terms of being flexible – I have a young daughter who isn’t in school yet so the ability to negotiate my schedule appealed to me.
What do you hope to achieve over the next 12 months?
I’d love to create a work that goes above and beyond what I’ve previously done in terms of quality and impact.
I want to walk away from the fellowship feeling like I have a bit more of a roadmap of what I want to do, and how I can achieve it in the theatre space.
What playwrights inspire you?
Wesley Enoch and Nathan Maynard are definitely at the top for me. I also love the way Tennessee Williams draws his characters.
What excites you most about this opportunity?
Meeting new people, getting to do something that I love – working in theatre.
Other Info
I was selected as part of the 2023 Yirra Yaakin Playwright Festival where I developed a new play ‘Downstream’. I was so lucky to have it directed by Isaac Drandic and Nazaree Dickerson was the Dramaturg. The first act of the play was performed as a staged reading at the Subiaco Arts Centre and broadcast live across the country.
I’ve since written a short play, ‘Trail’s End’ which is currently showing in the Adelaide Fringe Festival, starring Dylan Miller, with Dramaturg Kyron Weetra.
Brink Productions Limited
PO Box 3262 Rundle Mall
South Australia 5000
T +61 8 8211 6565