for the 2018 competition
The Toowoomba Region’s fifth annual One Act Play writing competition
is set to have its exciting conclusion during the Carnival of Flowers.
Playwrights from all over Australia have submitted unpublished play scripts for the competition – 27 entries were received. The submitted scripts have been read by a judging panel and a short list selected. The short listed scripts were then evaluated by three industry professionals and the best two chosen. All of the short listed authors have received written feedback from the professional judges.
The two winning plays will be the subject of a 6 month long professional dramaturgy process in order to develop and fully realise the potential of the scripts. This process will be led by Ian Lawson, CEO and manager of Playlab Brisbane, and will have the involvement and commitment of the playwrights and the production team.
The 2018 two play writing finalists (in no particular order) are:
Inconceivable – a drama by Queensland playwright Hugh O’Brien
Synopsis:
Investigative Journalist for the online newspaper QNEWS, Caitlin Cole, discovers that the birth rate in a low socio-economic community in south-east Queensland has mysteriously plummeted over the last three years.
Teenage pregnancies at the local high school have gone from 14 to zero while there have been precious few planned pregnancies. At first the cause is thought to be a fungicide used by nearby grape growers.
But as Caitlin overcomes the scepticism of her editor and digs deeper, she uncovers a far more sinister reason for the low birth rate.
Seamless – a drama/comedy by Queensland playwright Bruce Clark
Synopsis:
John “Johnno” McCormick lives alone on his family property “Silver Springs” on the Darling Downs in Queensland. He has been a career farmer, and while the farm is now in decline, he keeps making an effort for his own sake. His wife has passed away some years previously. He has had to shoot the last property dog. His only child, a son, has been away studying at university since just before his mother’s death and keeps the place at arm’s length due to dealing with that tragedy.
The GasUp Power Company has been anxious to sign up locals for coal seam gas rights. Johnno is philosophically opposed, but sees a possibility to keep his land, and has signed up. When his son James, now a newly graduated lawyer, returns to visit with his girlfriend Ingrid, he is appalled that his father has done this, but can’t put up too much of a protest, as he has only returned to say goodbye, needing to announce plans for his and Ingrid’s future, plans that don’t include the farm.
