The National Play Summit: National Conversations, Local Activations
Australian Plays Transform (APT), Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta (NTofP) and La Mama are thrilled to announce their partnership for the The National Play Summit 2025, a landmark industry gathering dedicated to advancing Australian play development.
Designed to ignite thought-provoking discussions and foster meaningful dialogue around theatre and play development across Australia and beyond, The Summit will bring together theatre practitioners, industry leaders, and emerging voices for a dynamic week of conversation, collaboration, and innovation .
Featuring curated panel discussions, and live-streamed sessions the Summit aims to amplify diverse voices, showcase innovative work, and foster national and international connections in the theatre sector.
“The National Play Summit is an exciting initiative that will shape the future of Australian theatre. This partnership ensures that conversations about new work and industry innovation remain inclusive, accessible, and forward-thinking.” – Erin Taylor, CEO/Executive Producer, Australian Plays Transform
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Program
Young Arts (Run Free!)
Panel
Overview
Where are youth arts at right now? What opportunities are out there for young people looking to join the industry?
This free online panel brings together Australia’s leading youth arts organisations to share their approach to creating work with young people across Australia, the stories that the next generation of theatre makers are bursting to tell and how you can get involved.
Panellists: Hayden Tonazzi (ATYP), Natalie Rose (Shopfront Arts Co-op), Amelia Burke (WAYTCo) and Sarah Parsons (Outback Theatre for Young People).
Host: Pratha Nagpal.
Dates & Times
Event: Panel
Date: Thursday, 26 June
Time: 7:15pm – 8:15pm AEST
Location: Online
Art and AI: where do we start?
Panel
Overview
Art and AI — where do we start? This panel brings together artists and researchers to discuss how AI is intersecting with their creative work. We ask how they’re exploring AI in ethics, creative tools, and dramaturgy.
Panellists: Nick Atkins (Playwrights & Researcher), Roshelle Yee Pui Fong and Matthew Ngamurarri Heffernan (Co-writers of Robot Dog), Dr. Richard Jordan (Senior Lecturer in Theatre & Performance, UNE)
Host: Joe Hepworth (Head of Writing, NIDA)
Dates & Times
Event: Panel
Date: Tuesday, 24 June
Time: 5:30pm – 6:30pm AEST
Location: Online
Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta
Local Activation
Overview
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Dates & Times
Event: Local Activation
Date: Saturday, 28 June
Time: All day
Location: In person
Writing For and With Young People
Panel
Overview
Thinking about writing for young people? This panel explores how to write compelling stories for young people across different cast sizes, ages and spaces.
Hosted by Donna Hughes (playwright, APT Education Consultant) join panellists Brendan Hogan (Playwright, Teacher) and Bina Bhattacharya (Playwright, Director, Producer) and Danny Ball (Playwright, Actor).
Join them for a discussion about their experiences and expertise writing for and with young people.
Dates & Times
Event: Panel
Date: Thursday, 26 June
Time: 6pm – 7pm AEST
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Access: Live captioning will be provided.
CLIMATE
Panel
Overview
Is the climate crisis influencing your practice? Join us for CLIMATE, a free online panel with artists who are sharing their own approaches to the climate crisis in their creative practices, ranging from dramaturgy to touring.
Panellists: Dr. Alexa Taylor, Maddie Nixon and Antonia Seymour (Arts on Tour).
Host: Gemma Pepper
Dates & Times
Event: Panel
Date: Wednesday, 25 June
Time: 6pm – 7pm AEST
Location: Online
Building an Inclusive Practice
Workshop
Overview
Join artist, educator, advocate and founder of Stage A Change Cessalee Stovall for a three hour workshop full of targeted and actionable steps towards a more inclusive practice.
No matter what stage you are in your career, whether you’re an artist or arts leader, this workshop is for you.
Dates & Times
Event: Professional Learning
Date: Tuesday, 24 June
Time: 2pm-5pm AEST
Location: Online
Cost: $25-$37.50 + BF
Access: Live captioning will be provided.
Play Dates with Michele Lee
Masterclass Series
Overview
Across three evenings, join us for generative masterclass sessions designed to get you back into the room with your play—whether it’s brand new, or waiting patiently in a drawer.
Led by Michele Lee (recipient of the 2025 Griffin Award) each masterclass session is a chance to make a date with yourself and your play. A time to play around, try things, and trust what’s already inside you.
Sessions:
Character – Wednesday, 25 June
World & Form – Thursday, 26 June
Scenes – Friday, 27 June
Each session is strictly limited to 10 participants – so get in quick!
Dates & Times
Event: Masterclass
Date: 25-27 June
Time: 7pm-9pm AEST
Location: Online
Cost: $25/session or $60 for all 3 + BF
Access: Live captioning will be provided for all sessions.
PhD PECHA KUCHA
Presentation/Connection
Overview
How can research, playwrights and arts organisations work together? Connect with fellow practitioners and learn more about the PhD research happening across theatre, new work and arts education in Australia.
Hosted by Dr. Liza-Mare Syron, a selection of artists will share their research in a (kind of) Pecha Kucha format. Fast-paced, 3 slides, 3 minutes, what new thinking are you bringing to the field?
Aiming to spark new conversations between creative practice and academic research, arts organisations seeking to partner with a PhD candidate, and arts practitioners or honours students considering a PhD are invited to hang out and nerd out.
Dates & Times
Event: Presentation / Connection
Date: Tuesday, 24 June
Time: 6:30pm – 7:30pm AEST
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Access: Live captioning will be provided.
Getting it Made
Workshop/Panel
Overview
Perfect, Imperfect, Pragmatism & Power
The process of “getting it made” — your play landing on stage — can be both rewarding and rough. This hybrid panel/workshop explores the playwright’s agency and resilience within imperfect systems. How do we empower playwrights in the process of creating new work? We ask this, and other knotty questions, of ourselves and each other.
The session breaks into local discussions at Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta, La Mama and online nationally, with artists sharing insights, practical tips, and blue-sky dreaming.
Dates & Times
Type: Workshop/Panel
Date: Saturday, 28 June
Time: 4pm – 5:30pm AEST
Location: Online/Local Hub
Cost: Free
Write Together, Rise Together
Activity
Overview
A Digital Body Doubling Writing Session.
Sometimes you just need to show up and write — but not alone. Inspired by Suzan Lori Parks’ “Watch Me Work“, this is a chance to sit alongside another playwright (virtually), get some bloody writing done, and have a chat at the end. No pitches, no pressure — just you, your words, and a little accountability.
Got a deadline? Been procrastinating? Need to kick something back into gear? Bring whatever you’re working on. We’ll write for 30 minutes, then open for a casual Q&A on writing practice, process and all the things that come with trying to get words on the page.
Show up. Write. Talk.
Dates & Times
Event: Activity
Date: Mon-Thursday
Time: various times afternoon-evening (see ‘featured playwrights’ tab for each session time!)
Location: Online
Featured Playwrights + Sessions
Augusta Supple – Monday 23 June, 4:30-5:30pm AEST
Andrea Gibbs – Tuesday 24 June, 6-7pm AEST
Jules Orcullo – Wednesday 25 June, 1-2pm AEST
Anchuli Felicia King – Wednesday 25 June, 5-6pm AEST
Michele Lee – Thursday 26 June, 12-1pm AEST
Local Activations
Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta – NSW
Australian Plays Transform (APT) and Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta (NTofP) are thrilled to announce their partnership for The National Play Summit 2025 and Heartland Festival, a landmark industry gathering dedicated to advancing new Australian play development.
Operating from the geographic heart of Sydney, National Theatre of Parramatta (NTofP) is the creating, commissioning, producing, touring and capacity building arm of Riverside Theatres. Known for producing bold, popular, contemporary works that draw their inspiration from the rich diversity of the region and beyond.
In 2025 National Theatre of Parramatta (NTofP) presents their inaugural Heartland Festival, a celebration of the artists and communities that make the heartland of Sydney such a special place to make, create and share live theatre. Full of playful events and ground-breaking writing, this dynamic fortnight of programming is full of big stories and big heart.
On June 28 the National Theatre of Parramatta (NTofP) will be the local hub for The National Play Summit which will bring together theatre practitioners, industry leaders, and emerging voices for a dynamic day of conversation, collaboration, and innovation.
La Mama – VIC
La Mama is Australia’s most vital, responsive, inclusive and diverse home of independent theatre-making. A vibrant space and prolific production house, La Mama has given initial exposure and support to thousands of playwrights, directors, actors, and technicians as well as poets, musicians, performance artists and experimental film-makers.
On June 28 La Mama will be the local Victorian hub for The National Play Summit which will bring together theatre practitioners, industry leaders, and emerging voices for a dynamic day of conversation, collaboration, and innovation.
Please note that due to venue capacity, in person attendance is limited however we encourage local watch parties.
Watch Parties (National)
Hosting a watch party at work? Gathering some friends together to tune into to a Write Together, Rise Together? Organising a group chat to discuss a panel with someone across the country (or across town)? If you’re sharing your Summit experience in any way we’d love to know!
Please flick us an email at hello@apt.org.au and tell us a bit about the who/when/where of your party!
