Australian Actor and Writer Named Recipient of the Inaugural Playwriting Prize - The Cooper Prize

On Monday, September 9th, an enthusiastic audience gathered at 16th Street Actors Studio in Melbourne to hear excerpts from the Cooper Prize finalists’ new work. The four finalists were Australian writers Christopher Stollery and Maeve Hook, British writer Nick Maynard, and U.S. writer Linda Pallotta.

Following the public reading, the panel, comprising: Philanthropist Peter Cooper (Founder of Cooper Investors); Philanthropist Natalie Elliot (Head of CI Private Capital), Theatre Producer, Andrew Henry and Theatre Director Iain Sinclair – deliberated and announced Australian actor and writer Christopher Stollery the recipient of the 2024 Cooper Prize and the $10,000 award.

Christopher’s entry, ‘The Copernican’, reflects the mission of this new writing prize, which is to bring independence of thought and spirit to the theatre. On receiving the new playwriting prize, Christopher expressed, “This prize is a godsend for me. Writing is one thing, but getting someone to read it is another challenge entirely. And to hear it read so well - to such a fulsome audience response - that has provided me the evidence to allay the doubts, push through any writer's block and dedicate the time to ride this unicorn home. And the cash is nice too.”

The readings were brought to life by Director Iain Sinclair and an incredible ensemble of gifted professional actors: Helen Morse, Deidre Rubenstein, Darren Gilshenan, Lawrence Boxhall, Gareth Reeves, Libby Kay, Harry Haynes and Nick Hardcastle. Reflecting on the evening, Director and Head of the Panel Iain Sinclair stated, “The high level of stagecraft and the exploration of contemporary ideas were crackling through the studio. The celebration of diverse viewpoints was a highlight of the year.” 

The Cooper Prize, a new global playwriting award, is dedicated to promoting diverse perspectives in dramatic writing – a commitment clearly exemplified by the impressive new works of the four finalists. Sinclair remarked, “Freedom of speech is the bedrock of any liberal society; it's no accident that democracy and dramatic arts were born at the same time in the same place in Greece.”

Kim Krejus, Founder and Artistic Director of 16th Street, shared, “It is very encouraging to see the range of talent from around the world. We received 160 submissions. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the panellists for their expertise and the time they have given and a special thank you to Peter Cooper and Natalie Elliot, the benefactors of this new 16th Street Foundation initiative.”

16th Street and the 16th Street foundation remain dedicated to supporting actors, writers, and directors. Through initiatives like the Cooper Prize, we celebrate the value artists bring to the world when they fearlessly express diversity of thought and perspective.