JANE BODIE

Jane Bodie is a playwright, screenwriter and theatre director. She currently lives in the UK and spends significant time each year in Australia. Her play RIDE received outstanding reviews during the 2002 International Edinburgh Festival after a sell-out season at Belvoir Theatre in Sydney the same year. Tony-award winning Fox Theatricals has optioned the film rights to RIDE. Jane was short-listed for the Ewa Czajor Memorial Award in 2000 for her work as an emerging director. In 2003 she was nominated for the Patrick White Playwright's Award. She has been one of the writers on the Sydney Theatre Company's Blue Prints Literary Program. She has recently worked at the Royal Court Theatre with the Young Writers Programme and is now an attachment to the National. Her play A Single Act premiered at the Hampstead Theatre and had its Australian premiere at the MTC in 2006. It won the 2007 Victoria Premier's Award for Best Play.
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ELIZABETH COLEMAN

Elizabeth Coleman first came to attention with her wonderfully dark comedy It's My Party (And I'll Die If I Want To) which premiered at the 1993 Melbourne Comedy Festival. Its success was eclipsed with the arrival of Secret Bridesmaids' Business in 1999 which broke box office records in Melbourne before embarking on a triumphant national tour in 2000. It was later adapted into a telemovie produced by Lynda House for ABC Television. Her comedy about love gone wrong, This Way Up premiered in 2001 at Playbox Theatre in Melbourne.
Elizabeth has written several screenplays for television, including The Flying Doctors, G.P., SeaChange, Police Rescue, Heartbreak High, Something in the Air, The Secret Life of Us, Blue Heelers, All Saints and McLeod's Daughters.
She has co-created and co-written a drama series entitled Bed of Roses, for Southern Star and ABC Television and is currently writing a romantic comedy feature film.
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BARRY CREYTON

One of Australia's best known theatre personalities. As a writer of TV drama, comedy, sketch and plays, Barry's credits include The Mavis Bramston Show, Carson's Law, The Mike Walsh Show, the hit play Double Act (produced in more than twenty languages and toured nationally in 2006), Valentine's Day and Later than Spring. Directing includes Australian tour of Nunsense (along with his revising dialogue) and acting, Mavis Bramston and Don's Party, Roger's Last Stand, Ten Years Hard (West End productions), The Naked Vicar Show, Corpse and Double Act (with Noelene Brown). Barry recently starred in the Ensemble's Glorious.
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ARIEL DORFMAN

(ANZ representation)
Internationally renowned playwright, screenwriter, novelist and human rights activist. Plays include Death And The Maiden, Widows, Reader, Mascara and Speak Truth To Power: Voices from Beyond the Dark. In 2005 The Other Side premiered at the Manhattan Theater Club and Purgatorio opened at the Seattle Repertory Theatre. Picasso's Closet will open in Washington DC this year. Film: Death And The Maiden (Dir. Roman Polanski), My House in On Fire and Balmaceda. Novels include: Widows, Mascara, Konfidenz and his latest, Blake's Therapy.
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BEN ELLIS

Ben Ellis's plays include Poet No. 7, which recently premiered at London's Theatre 503 and travelled to the Dublin Fringe Festival; his adaptation of Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis for Malthouse and Sydney Theatre Company Blueprints; The Wall Project (co-writer); Faith, Hope and Surveillance; Eclipses, 360 Positions in a One Night Stand (co-writer) and Outpatients. Falling Petals premiered at Playbox in 2003, and has gone on to productions in Sydney, Christchurch and New York. These People, shortlisted for both the NSW and Queensland Premier's Literary Awards in 2004, premiered at STC Blueprints in 2003. Awards include the Malcolm Robertson Prize (for Post Felicity), the Patrick White Playwrights Award and the ANPC/New Dramatists Award. Other work includes Between the Air and the Sea, a translation of French playwright Lionel Spycher's La Suspension du Plongeur. He recently enjoyed the six month Australia Council Keesing Studio Residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, to write several new works, and is now living in London. His new play, The Final Shot was produced by Theatre 503 in October 2007.
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NICHOLAS FLANAGAN

His plays include Shadow Me, Shadow You (also composer), Dolphin Boy (2002 Playbox reading), Wicked (teen horror musical), Burning Time and his latest play Sex Comedy. Feature films in development include The Shrinking Ledge (rights optioned), and Burning Time (Mushroom Pictures).
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ADAM GROSSETTI

Recipient of Phillip Parsons Award 1998 for Lost Lagoon. Plays include Dogs and Pitchfork (Old Fitzroy Hotel), Lost Lagoon (B Sharp, and director), The Burnt Ground (B Sharp in assoc. with The Blue Room, Perth). In development: Cavallo A Horse Cavallo (shortlisted Patrick White Award 2002), Written on Bark (B Sharp Rough Cuts event), The Ringer (shortlisted Mick Young Playwriting Award). Mano Nera winner of 2004 Qld Premier's Drama Award and was produced by QTC in June 2005. In 2006 Adam's play 3606/202 premiered at STC's Wharf2Loud. QTC is producing his play, written with Jean-Marc Russ, The August Moon in 2008.
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NOËLLE JANACZEWSKA

Prolific and much produced playwright. Plays include The History of Water (Germany, Ottawa, The Gate Theatre, STC New Stages), Historia (STC Australian People's Theatre), Madagascar Lily (PACT Youth Theatre, St Martins Youth Arts Centre), Slowanska Street (plus radio adaptation Awgie Award winner), Cold Harvest, The Butcher's Wife, Jennifer In Security (Vital Statistix), Connie and Kevin and the Secret Life of Groceries and Songket (co-winner Griffin Award and Asia Link Prize). Radio scripts include Hinx Minx, Glissando 24 (2001 AWGIE Winner), My Secret Iceland, The Rush Hour Carillon (2004 AWGIE winner) and Let's go Brazil (2006 AWGIE winner). Her play Mrs Petrov's Shoe premiered at Melbourne's Theatre @ Risk in 2006 and won the Queenland Premier's Award for Stage Play, and her play Redheads premiered at Old Fitzroy Hotel in 2007. She is currently writing This Territory for ATYP.
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CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON

A graduate of Brown University (BA) and NIDA's Directing Program, Christopher's plays include; The Dog Logs (productions include La Mama, Darlinghurst Theatre twice, Melbourne Fringe, Bakehouse Theatre Adelaide), Barnesy, The Harbour and You (Darlinghurst Theatre twice), Backpacker! (shortlisted for the Phillip Parsons Young Playwright of the Year Award 2004) and most recently The Young Tycoons, which had its return hit season early this year at Darlinghurst Theatre. Christopher is also a stage director and actor and his screenplay adaptation of Backpacker!, entitled The Guests, was shortlisted for the 2006 Tropfest Feature Program.
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VERITY LAUGHTON

Sydney based playwright. Works include The Mourning After (starring Nancye Hayes, Playbox Theatre and Riverina Theatre Company), Koala Lou (a musical based on Mem Fox's picture book) Carrying Light (State Theatre Co of South Australia, nominated for New Dramatists Award), Burning (Griffin Theatre Company, winner New Play Writing Award), The Gizmo (Adaptation of Paul Jennings novel (for Riverina Theatre Company) and The Snow Queen for Windmill Performing Arts and Sydney Theatre. Verity won 2 AWGIES in 2004 for best original radio drama adaptation for Fox and best community and youth theatre category for The Lightkeeper (touring nationally 2005). Also experienced dramaturg and prose writer with many stories and articles published. Novel, feature screenplay and two new plays in development.
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NICK MARCHAND

Nick is the Artistic Director of Griffin Theatre Company. Previously Artistic Development Manager at Sydney Theatre Company where he produced the Wharf2 Blueprints productions, as well as creating and developing the Blueprints Literary Program. Plays include Mogadishu performed by Naked Theatre Company, 360 Positions in a One Night Stand (co-writer) for 2002 Sydney Festival, Adventures in the Apiary rehearsed reading at Royal Court, Triple X and Travelling Without Moving.
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JOHN MISTO

Sydney based playwright and screenwriter, John's play Sky was produced by the Ensemble Theatre and subsequently at Glen Street, Q Theatre and it went on to tour nationally. The Shoe-Horn Sonata, published by Currency Press, premiered at the Ensemble Theatre and other productions include La Boite Brisbane and King's Head London (with Susannah York). It won the 1996 NSW Premier's Award for Best Play and the 'Australia Remembers' National Play Competition and is bound for a 2007 tour. Gossamer premiered at the Ensemble and later played at the Fortune Theatre in NZ and John's most recent play, Harp On The Willow, starring Marina Prior, enjoyed a sold-out season at the Ensemble Theatre in 2003 and was awarded the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights' Award. Harp was produced at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre starring Marina Prior, Joan Carden and Mary O'Hara. His awards for screenwriting include a remarkable 3 AWGIES, 3 AFIs, a Penguin Award and a Logie for such works as Palace of Dreams, Natural Causes, Peter and Pompey, The Damnation of Harvey McHugh, and The Day of the Roses.
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ROSS MUELLER

Ross Mueller is an Australian playwright. He is the winner of the Wal Cherry Play of the year 2007 for his play The Glory and in 2008 he was nominated twice for Green Room Awards for Best New Play. In March 2007 The Ghost Writer was premiered by Melbourne Theatre Company at the Fairfax Studio at the Victorian Arts Centre. In May 2007 his play No Man’s Island had its US premiere with a production at Here in New York City. In 2006 he was short listed for the New York New Dramatists Award for Construction of the Human Heart and it was shortlisted for the 2007 AWGIE Award for Best New Play. In 2002 he was the Australian playwright at the International Residency of the Royal Court Theatre in London. He has been commissioned by Playbox, Melbourne Theatre Company, Hothouse and ABC Radio National. He has been an affiliate of the Melbourne Theatre Company and a founding member of Melbourne Dramatists. Two of his plays have been published by Currency Press. His other works include; A Party in Fitzroy, Little Brother, Great Ocean Road, Colosseum, Pinters Explanation and (A pilot version of...) Something To Die For. His newest play Concussion was presented as part of the Inaugural PlayWriting Australia Festival in Brisbane in 2008 and was shortlisted for the Patrick White Award.
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KATE MULVANY

A BA graduate from Curtin University and an actress who has played leads with major Australian theatre companies in addition to TV and film work, Kate's had a number of plays produced: Father O Friendly, Derek Drives A Datsun, Vaseline Lollies, Blood and Bone (Winner of Naked Theatre Co's "Write Now"! Award), Naked Ambition and Storytime. She is writing the book and lyrics for Naked Theatre Company Embalmer! The Musical. Her recent play The Danger Age won the 2004 Phillip Parsons Award and is being produced at La Boite Theatre in 2008. A Company B commission, The Seed, in which Kate starred, played B Sharp this year and the production is transferring to upstairs Belvoir in 2008. Kate is writing two commissions for Bell Shakespeare and Hothouse/Black Swan.
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TOMMY MURPHY (Also Director)

Tommy Murphy graduated from the NIDA directing course. His writing credits include the adaptation of Timothy Conigrave's Holding The Man for Griffin Theatre Company in 2006 (2006 NSW Premier's Award, 2007 AWGIE) which has gone on to repeat seasons at the Playhouse and Belvoir St. Strangers in Between also for the Griffin Theatre Company in 2005 (2005 NSW Premier's Award, nominated for a Sydney Theatre Award 2005 and an AWGIE in 2006), Troy's House (La Mama 2005, SUDS, ATYP, The Old Fitzroy and The Cultural Centre of Queanbeyan), Bendy (ATYP, Wollongong Uni and NHSPA), Try Hard (NIDA), For God, Queen and Country (Canberra Youth Theatre, Winner STC Young Playwright's Award) and an adaptation of Marlowe's The Massacre at Paris (ATYP). He was a contributing writer for Re: Macbeth (ATYP), Kinderspiel (ATYP/ Carrousel Theater an der Parkaue, Berlin co-production for the 2002 Sydney Festival) and 360 Positions in a One Night Stand (Kicking & Screaming Theatre for the 2002 Sydney Festival). Holding The Man has recently been produced in San Francisco and will be produced in Auckland next year.
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ANTHONY NEILSON

Anthony Neilson's first stage play Welfare My Lovely was performed at the Traverse Theatre. His second, Normal, played at The Edinburgh Festival and transferred to the Finborough Arms. Other works include Penetrator, The Year of the Family (Finborough 1994), Heredity (Royal Court) and White Trash (National Theatre Studio). His film debut The Debt Collector was released in '99. In 2002 he wrote and directed Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness and Stitching a play for The Bush/Red Room which played at the Traverse during the Edinburgh Festival. His third new play in 2002, The Lying Kind played in the main house, Royal Court. His most recent play, The Wonderful World of Dissocia, played the Royal Lyceum in 2005's Edinburgh Festival.
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SCOTT RANKIN

Writer of plays, comedy, musicals and artistic director of Big hART (community cultural development company). Works include Kissing Frogs (co-writer musical with Glynn Nicholas, Sydney Festival) Box The Pony (co-writer, multi award-winner and toured internationally), Living Photograph (Riverina Theatre Co), Certified Male (Melbourne International Festival and international tour), Leaves Falling at Midnight (ACHE/Black Swan, and Glen Street) and What the World Needs Now (co-writer, Newco Entertainment), Beasty Grrrl (Marguerite Pepper Productions - Perth Festival) and Riverland (Windmill Performing Arts).
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SUE SMITH

One of Australia's best known television and film writers (Brides of Christ, Leaving at Liverpool, Road From Coorain, RAN, Peaches). Sue's first play Thrall premiered at the Old Fitzroy, Sydney, in August 2006.
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EMMA VULETIC

Imago for B Sharp (winner Phillip Parsons Award), 360 Degrees in a One Night Stand (as one of five writers) for Kicking and Screaming and Sydney Festival, Every Single Terror (part of triple bill Close to Home Griffin/Stablemates season) and Five Thirty at Kings Head Theatre, London.
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DAVID WILLIAMSON

Australia's best-known and most prolific playwright. Multiple national and international tours for many of his plays. Over 30 plays include: The Removalists, Don's Party, The Club, Emerald City, Money and Friends, Dead White Males, Up For Grabs (UK production starring Madonna), Soulmates and the Jack Manning trilogy Face to Face, A Conversation and Charitable Intent. Majority of plays published by Currency Press. His new play Lotte's Gift opened at Ensemble Theatre in February 2007. His new play Scarlett O'Hara at the Crimson Parrot will open at the Melbourne Theatre Company next year starring Caroline O'Connor. Films include Gallipoli, The Year of Living Dangerously, Pharlap, Travelling North and Brilliant Lies. Television includes On The Beach.
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