Youth Interplay 2006 Southbank Quality Hotel and Convention Centre, Portside Venue Good evening ladies and gentlemen, Thank you for joining us for this evening of information and celebration as we mark Day 1 of Youth Interplay 2006. My name is Nadine Kelly, and I am the Administrator for the organisation and Festival Producer for Youth Interplay. Beside me is the wonderful Maxine Mellor, who is our Associate Resident Artist, and Interplay’s Online Festival Producer, and we spend a LOT of time in the office together, so if we go slightly crazy at any stage during this speech please bear with us, it happens all the time. Also in the room we have the remarkable Lachlan Philpott, our tutor for Youth Interplay who got off the plane late last night from Sydney into the Tropics and has been coping remarkably well in the heat today…probably better than me. Finally, we have the wonderful Suellen Maunder, Artistic Director of Just Us Theatre Ensemble in Cairns, and one of Interplay’s amazing Board members. Suellen was also one of our special guests at the forum this afternoon. Our Resident Artist, Michael Futcher is unfortunately unable to be here for the event but wishes all of the participants well and will be in contact with many of them after the event in preparation for our upcoming projects. This is a particularly special time for Max and I as we have the opportunity to connect with our past, present and future supporters in our new position as Festival Producer and Associate Resident Artist. We both bring extensive skills in event management and playwriting, and we’ve been pleased that we’ve been able to work together on something that we’re really passionate about, in the place where I grew up. Before we continue further I’d just like to say thank you to Karen and Bob Jones for being our surrogate parents this evening, and for Michael Buck for being our stand-in brother. Now, Interplay. Some of you may be wondering what are you doing here this evening? What have we roped you into? What exactly are you supposed to be celebrating? Is it too late to back out? Let me answer the last question for you – YES, it is too late, Maxine has just locked all of the exits. Things are just getting started, not only for tonight but for 2007. So seen as you can’t get out, let us tell you about our program and I’m sure you’ll discover that there’s something for everybody…if you’re young and want to be a playwright…or if you’re young at heart and want to support young artists in North Queensland. Interplay is a not-for-profit arts organisation committed to the development of young playwrights through process-driven initiatives that connect, nurture and inspire the global playwrights’ community. Interplay’s international festival, World Interplay, has been hosted by Townsville since 1991. Our office recently moved to Brisbane, but all of our festivals still take place in Townsville because we believe it is such a beautiful place to inspire and welcome our visiting artists , to grow the existing talent in the region and really encourage a connection with such a quintessentially Australian landscape and the stories and voices that come out of it. Our office’s distance from Townsville has not impinged on our ability to deliver quality events – indeed, what Interplay basically is, is two lap-tops with internet connection and a database full of regional, national and international contacts of playwrights, directors, dramaturgs, teachers, actors – you name it – the people who ultimately uphold Interplay’s passion of theatre-making and dedicate their skills and time to making the Interplay projects happen. Interplay is a gateway, a process, a step, and its profound effect is evident in all the emails, testimonials and successes of the alumni who have had an association with us throughout our twenty year history. All over the world there are people who experienced something incredibly valuable at an Interplay festival – and it is this knowledge that keeps us going with such vigour. Countless volunteer hours contributed by staff and board members over the years obviously means that people believe this is a worthwhile organisation, otherwise we wouldn’t be here, and the organisation wouldn’t be here. The characteristic that makes Interplay so unique is that it values process over product. This means that the outcomes are difficult to see. But if you have the time, come and visit one of our programs, and you’ll see the outcomes in the hearts, minds and faces of Interplay’s participants. Take today for example. Everyone was very nervous and unsure as they walked tentatively through the door of Dancenorth this morning. But over the course of eight hours we literally witnessed them come to life. It was truly inspiring for us to see their creativity and acceptance – and we hope that they wish to continue with a future in the theatre long after we’ve packed away the markers and butcher’s paper. For those of you who weren’t lucky enough to be in the workshops today, let’s answer the question that’s on everybody’s minds … what is Youth Interplay? It is three days of intensive playwriting workshops for young people who may have never written a play before. Our tutor, Lachlan, has devised a great series of workshops to get participants thinking, writing, ‘chucking up’ ideas while up on their feet and having fun. There’s also heaps opportunities to meet professional theatre artists within North Queensland, and to connect with artists nationally and internationally through the Online Festival of which Youth Interplay delegates will become a part of. The Youth Interplay delegates also have the extra opportunity to work with La Luna Youth Arts, through the Online Festival, the culmination of which will be a production of their work at World Interplay 2007. Youth Interplay is designed to give young people interested in theatre the chance to be at the core of the theatre making process. Whether you aspire to be a famous actor, director, or stage manager, being familiar with the art of playwriting and all the other facets of theatre will undoubtedly enrich your life as an artist. We thank you for allowing us to be part of your journey through Youth Interplay. We also opened Youth Interplay up to a select few older participants who have the potential to be involved the Regional Young Playwright’s Development Program, a partnership project with Tropic Sun Theatre Company which could see one of the writers’ scripts into professional production. Youth Interplay is an important opportunity for these guys to get the ideas flowing and learn about the world of playwriting. And of course, if you want any more information about Youth Interplay, just come talk to us, introduce yourself to Lachlan, or grill one of our amazing participants. Now to a couple of our other exciting initiatives. Interplay’s new and innovative Online Festival was first launched in November in hopes to provide Interplay’s trusted method of script development in a supportive, easy-to-use online environment that truly knows no bounds. So far, so good. We had an incredible response to our call-outs and currently have thirty young playwrights and twelve tutors chatting away from all parts of the globe. Interplay’s Online Festival breaks down geographic boundaries and creates an online community of playwrights and theatre-makers accessed with a click of a mouse. Using this technology will be the Regional Young Playwrights’ Development Program – a partnership between Tropic Sun and Interplay. This is a four-stage project that takes eight writers aged 18-26 through the entire process of creating a play and bringing it to life. Comprising readings, workshops, professional dramaturgy, assessment, and coveted attendance at World Interplay 2007, this project is an absolutely amazing chance for a young writer to make their professional playwriting debut. And last, but by no means least, World Interplay 2007 – the largest and most prestigious festival in the world for playwrights aged 18 – 26. Two weeks of the finest dramaturgy, script development, workshops, forums and artistic and cultural exchange between fifty of the best young playwrights and acclaimed tutors from all around the world. Former World Interplay delegates include Sarah Kane, Tommy Murphy, Emma Vuletic, Hillary Bell and Ben Ellis, to name but a few. James Cook University will again host the festival in 2007, and we are looking forward to inviting the community along to meet the fantastic people who will be spending two weeks here, madly writing and revising. We want World Interplay 2007 to offer even more chances for the community to get involved with the event, so stay tuned for the release of the official program in early 2007. Again, we would like to thank all of you for attending here tonight and investing such a keen interest in the artistic growth of this community and these young writers. And to the participants of Youth Interplay 2006, we thank you for allowing us to go on this exciting adventure with you and look forward to the next two days at the festival, and beyond. Thanks.