Interview: FROM PAGE TO STAGE at National Theatre Of Parramatta

Seeing the arts community band together to oppose the horrific cuts to federal and state funding was nothing short of inspiring and galvanising. The results have shown that it will take quite a lot to keep the industry down as while they fight for support, companies will continue to join forces so new work can continue to be developed. Joanne Kee, from National Theatre of Parramatta, one half of the crew behind the From Page to Stage program offering experience playwrights a chance at mentorship, skills development and potentially production in Western Sydney's cornerstone theatre is one such champion.

First of all, the opportunity sounds fantastic! How long did it take to put together?

Actually before I even started! We launched in November, and I actually came on board just a little bit before that but it's been something that has been percolating away from the very beginning, that we're really committed to capacity building and providing opportunities that we see have a concrete outcome. I caught up with Playwriting Australia and we had a chat about what might be possible and where there were gaps. There's really great young writing programs, and we just wanted to be able to provide something that may have built on what's happening in Western Sydney at the moment and maybe take it another step further for people.

So talk me through what the plan for the fifteen-month program for the successful applicants

They'll get a chance, initially meet every fortnight, to get information and feedback on what they're writing, on their writing craft. We're not looking at this as being a beginner's thing so there'll be the expectation that there's a certain level of skill, it would be more of an advanced level. As well as that they'll have mentors, actual writers, so they'll be able to bounce their ideas off them. Along the way for those who are ready, they'll be able to have opportunities for play readings and for a couple of them, we'll be able to work towards developing a script for being presented in the National Theatre of Parramatta program!

Excellent. Any word on who some of the mentors might be?

We're actually look at matching them to people and what they're writing so we won't actually go down that path until we're familiar with the group, but because we're working with Playwriting Australia they have access to pretty much, actually do work with just about everyone! There's a lot of wonderful people around there and it's a fairly solitary occupation so there seems to be a lot of generosity amongst playwrights, they seem to often do dramaturgical work and share their skill which is a really wonderful environment.

It's definitely worthwhile to broaden those communities, what other outcomes do you wish to see from this program?

We're interested in having people from Western Sydney having the opportunity to tell stories and to develop their craft. We're keen that this will help develop their networks and opportunities for them into the future.

Pull a bit more of the theatregoing community out to Riverside!

I hope so! We have pretty good stats though, it looks as though we've had about 190,00 come out to Riverside in the last year, I think that's a hidden secret. There is an audience in Western Sydney and we're thrilled about it, we just want to be more engaged and we want to provide opportunities for artists and creatives who live and work here so that they have the ability to work closer to home.

How exciting is it for someone of your experience to be able to solicit, curate and create work almost from that first spark to opening night?

I work with a directorate of four people, so they have influence over the creative direction. For me I'm really excited because I have opportunities within that capacity building area which I've always been really passionate about. For artists and creatives, it's really helpful for them in their careers to have support, because working professionally in the theatre it is, it does become a business and you do need to be able to know how to pitch your work and so I'm thrilled when I can actually encourage or assist someone in a creative position to go that one step further, think about their dreams and what they actually want to do. For me to be able to help them realise that, is a really wonderful opportunity.

Do you think with funding models changing so dramatically that we'll start seeing more partnerships like this to foster talent?

Absolutely, but it's also, we don't want to recreate the wheel and it's probably not a good use of resources anyway when people are doing good works. For example, we have set up a youth playwriting workshop with West Words as well. It's soon to be announced, we're looking at doing a partnership with Griffin Theatre and that's something we're looking at developing playwriting. We're really keen to be working with other organisations in Western Sydney and beyond to just create a really holistic and supportive atmosphere.

To close, what's your favourite new work this year? Aside from anything at NTP?

Gosh, that's so hard, I see such a lot and so many wonderful things! I'm having a mind freeze on that one! There's so much great stuff!

National Theatre of Parramatta are presenting two new stories from Western Sydney in partnership with Performance Foray and Third Space in October. Get your tickets to The Cartographer's Curse and Who Speaks for Me. Applications for the From Page to Stage are open now until 28 August.

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