The plays that we study in high school often make a lasting impression, shaping how we make, view, and respond to theatre for many years. New course prescriptions for Drama (Stage 6, 2025-2027) in NSW were recently announced – plays by Yve Blake, Jane Harrison, Michelle Law, and Lally Katz are featured as texts for ‘Contemporary Australian Theatre Practice’ in the core study of Australian Drama and Theatre.
Yve, Jane, Michelle, and Lally have generously sat down with APT to answer our questions about the plays. This ‘Hear it from the Playwright’ series places these incredible playwrights at the centre, including reflections on how they have used dramatic forms and performance styles to convey their ideas, and how various cultural, social, and political issues and concerns are reflected in their work.
These interviews are intended to provide a thought-provoking introduction for students as they begin engaging with these texts. Enjoy!
Zoe Hogan
APT’s Education Consultant
We’ve included a sneak peak of each interview below.
Click on a portrait to go directly to that playwright’s interview, or click on the button beneath to see the full collection (including suggested additional resources).
Michelle Law
“So off the bat, I wanted to create a world and characters that were familiar to me– something I wish I’d been able to see when I was studying drama in high school myself.” – Michelle Law on her play Single Asian Female
Jane Harrison
“The irony was not lost on the cast and crew, and myself, that this play was demonstrating agency and ‘voice’ in action– all the characters have their opportunity to voice their opinions, concerns, fears and optimism…” Jane Harrison on her play The Visitors
Lally Katz
“To me as a writer and as a person, fantasy is a part of the everyday. I guess the style of the play just felt like reality to me.” – Lally Katz on her play Neighbourhood Watch
Yve Blake
“There’s a theme in the show that feels like it only gets more relevant – and that’s the theme of how young people (and specifically young women) are socialised into viewing ‘hotness’ as a source of credibility and power.” – Yve Blake on her musical Fangirls
Our team is always working to curate more collections and resources for use and reference in the classroom. A couple of our recent and upcoming collections are:
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