Playwright, Donna Abela, provided rare opportunities to young regional playwrights and acting students during her residency at Booranga in March. Along with her writing workshop at Booranga, Donna was able to give a mentoring session to a Year 12 student from Temora who is writing a play as part of her HSC. Donna's workshop also
provided writing exercises which produced many interesting possibilities for future story-lines
Working closely with 1st year CSU Acting students and staff Donna was able to make significant progress in the writing of her current play, Flame Tree Street, as well as allowing the students to gain first-hand experience in working with a writer to fine-tune the direction of the play before the first draft was locked in.
Donna's residency culminated in a performance of selected scenes from her current work-in-progress which was held at the CSU Television Production Studio. This was a wonderful opportunity for acting students in a regional university to gain invaluable experience and insight into the finer points of their chosen career path. And all in the first few weeks of their tertiary studies. Booranga President, David Gilbey, said "It was a great experience for drama students, writers, audience - full of energy and invention!"The event was filmed and edited by CSU TV production students and is now an ongoing resource for future students. The Youtube is available to view https://youtu.be/eitPVNRLD2I
Donna summed up the importance of her residency "I am incredibly grateful to the Booranga Writers’ Centre for inviting me to be part of your funded residency programme, and for the opportunity I had to partner with CSU staff and students as I explored the first draft of Flame Tree Street. As I said in my presentation, a play needs to undergo some sort of alchemical process. At Booranga, my play did this. It shifted ground, becoming not simply a bundle of concepts, but a blueprint for dramatic action and
theatrical expressions and solutions.
As I work towards completing the first draft for a workshop with professional actors in late April, I can proceed with greater confidence in the themes and ideas and aesthetic I am exploring, and with renewed enthusiasm for the world I am seeking to create."
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