Emerging Writers Program
Four young writers were selected in February 2009 to participate in our Emerging Writers Program, and were given the opportunity to be mentored by four of Australia’s finest playwrights – Raimondo Cortese, Lally Katz, Ross Mueller and Alana Valentine – culminating in the creation and presentation of four new short plays as part of our Act One showcase.
The four young local writers are Dean Blackford, Sarah Gaul, Brad McDonald and Penelope Kentish.
In February, Sarah and Penelope undertook internships under Playwriting Australia at the National Play Festival in Brisbane. For two weeks they sat in on the rehearsal room of new plays being developed by some of Australa’s most predominant writers, working with directors and actors. They were then assistant stage managerrs duing the showcase season. This experience was very worthwhile for both Sarah and Penelope in their want for professional practice and development.
In February 2010, Sarah left the program to study in Canberra and we wish her all the best.
It will come as no surprise to anyone who knows Dean Blackford that he wrote a play about a soldier. Dean has shown a fascination with the army since his youth. Now he is a Private in the Royal Australian Infantry Corp. He is also a Bachelor of Arts student at the University of Newcastle. Dean has acted in university productions Narrow Road to the Deep North and Oh, What a Lovely War!. He joined Tantrum Theatre in late 2008 and has appeared in Spurt of Blood, Peepshow and something like lost, something like found.
Penelope Kentish grew up in Newcastle, where she trained in dance and performed in youth theatre productions. Her love of the stage took her to Bathurst, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts (Communication – Theatre/Media) at Charles Sturt University. It was here that she studied scriptwriting and wrote and choreographed her first play, We Suck Young Blood. Penelope works as a drama tutor and in 2009 was a participant in two programs for young writers – Tantrum’s Emerging Writers Program and atyp’s Fresh Ink.
Brad McDonald completed a BA in Literary Performance at the University of Newcastle and is now studying Masters of Teaching. He joined Tantrum Theatre’s Senior Ensemble at the beginning of 2009, devising Peepshow. Before being given the opportunity to participate in the Emerging Writers Program, Brad had written short stories, poems, monologues and film scripts, and is privileged to have this opportunity to participate in such a program