

DEAR AUSTRALIA – POSTCARDS TO THE NATION
Playwriting Australia
50 fearless and inspiring short works from some of Australia’s best playwrights will be simultaneously livestreamed by more than 30 performing arts organisations from across Australia between the 2-5 July.
At a time when a pandemic has forced reflection and change, 50 playwrights have responded to questions that get to the heart of where our nation is and where it might go.
These stories are postcards addressed to Dear Australia.
Playwriting Australia (PWA) invited 25 theatre organisations from across Australia to each nominate two playwrights. PWA then commissioned these 50 playwrights to each write a short monologue, which were then filmed by 50 extraordinary actors, many in their own homes.
Grouped over three nights, these 50 postcards are a unique account of these times and a striking moment of national celebration and reflection.
A Dear Australia panel discussion will be broadcast from the Joan Sutherland Theatre by the Sydney Opera House on Saturday 4 July at 7pm AEST as part of its Digital Season.
The scripts of the Dear Australia monologues will published by Australian Plays and will be available Monday 6 July on their website.
Dear Australia livestreams over three nights on multiple Facebook pages and on Playwriting Australia’s YouTube channel
Sun 5 July
5pm (NSW, Vic, Qld, Tas, ACT)
4.30pm (SA, NT)
3pm (WA)
The playwright-performer line-up:
Sunday 5 July
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
With the participation of Australian Theatre for Young People (atyp), Barking Gecko Theatre, Contemporary Asian Australian Performance, Blue Cow Theatre Inc., Brink Productions, Browns Mart, Griffin Theatre Company, HotHouse Theatre, Ilbijerri Theatre Company, JUTE Theatre Company, La Boite Theatre Company, La Mama Theatre, Merrigong Theatre Co, Monkey Baa, Moogahlin Performing Arts, NORPA, Playlab Theatre, Red Stitch: The Actors’ Theatre, Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta, South Australian Playwrights Theatre, The Street Theatre, Terrapin, Theatre Works, Windmill Theatre Co, and Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company.
Presented in partnership with Adelaide Festival Centre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Canberra Theatre Centre, Darwin Entertainment Centre, QPAC, and Sydney Opera House.
Additional broadcast, captioning and marketing support by Arts Centre Melbourne.
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