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UMSU Playwriting Prize

Supporting the next generation of playwrights. 

Union House Theatre is launching the very first UMSU Playwriting Prize, which recognises and supports an outstanding new play script by a University of Melbourne student or a graduate within one year of graduation.  

This prize encourages the creation of bold and innovative new plays while offering tangible support for UniMelb students to have professional development and pathways into the theatre industry. 
 

What’s the Prize? 

The UMSU Playwriting Prize is a $5,000 prize total:  

  • $2,500 cash prize  

  • $2,500 prize for development opportunities decided between the winner and Union House Theatre. This may include mentoring for script completion or professional support, industry pathways, production support or another development opportunity the winner devises 

  • 1-week residency in the Guild Theatre in Semester 1, 2027  

Select finalists will receive public acknowledgement as finalists. 

The winner and finalists will be notified in late July or early August, with public announcements to follow. In August we’ll host an award ceremony at the University of Melbourne Student Union at Parkville. 
 

What are the Prize guidelines?  

  • Submitted work must be a completed play script (not excerpts)  

  • The script must be original and not developed or staged previously  

  • The script must not have been used, or will be used, for university assessment   

  • The script must be under 60 pages; judges will stop reading after this point  

  • All submitted scripts will be accompanied by questions for applicants to provide context for their script, their experience and interests, and how they would use any development opportunities the award provides  

  • Scripts can be in any genre or form of theatre

  • Note that the winner retains rights to the script, with Union House Theatre having the first right of refusal for production as mutually agreed

 

How do I apply and what are the deadlines? 

You can apply here by completing this application form. It will ask you to submit a PDF of your script, plus the following questions (with each answer capped at 1200-character limit):

  • What’s your background and experience as a performance writer and/or theatre maker to date? It’s fine if you’re a beginner playwright, all levels of experience are encouraged, we’re just interested.    

  • Give us a brief summary of what your play is about, its themes and form, and why it’s a performance work or play, not a film or prose story. 

  • This award entails $2,500 for development opportunities decided in consultation with UHT, which can include professional mentoring and support for the script or another work, production support, or other development ideas. What development opportunities are you interested in, and how would this prize expand your practice? 

  • Where is your work at in terms of drafting? What does the work need to improve, and how would you most benefit from this opportunity? 

We recommend you preview the form ahead of applying.  

APPLY NOW

Is there support for entering the prize? 

Yes! Glad you asked. Across three workshops, highly respected dramaturg and playwright Mari Lourey guides writers through the fundamentals of play making (dramaturgy) and shaping compelling theatrical worlds. These workshops are designed for both new writers and experienced. 
 

Who will judge the prize? 

The judges will be members of Melbourne’s theatre community, and will be announced soon.  


What’s the judging criteria? 

  • Originality: Demonstrates a distinct script, voice or perspective   

  • Innovation: Inventive approaches to form, structure, or theatrical storytelling  

  • Theatrical potential: Demonstrates strong possibility for development or performance  

  • Social Impact: Engages meaningfully with social themes or cultural conversations  


Tell me about Union House Theatre’s amazing history of supporting playwrights! 

UMSU’s inaugural Playwriting Prize is dedicated to developing and supporting emerging playwrights from the University of Melbourne student community.   

   UMSU (through Union House Theatre) has long been a platform for the development of playwrights and has fostered a rich history of student script writing with alumni including Lally Katz, Angus Cerini, Jean Tong, Declan Green, Kim Ho, Anchuli Felicia King and Chris Summers.    

From the late 1960s, Union House Theatre has played a critical role in the development of emerging voices offering students from a wide range of academic backgrounds opportunities to test ideas and grow practice in a safe and supportive ways.   

UHT’s community of 20+ strong student theatre groups means that a ready-made network of emerging student theatre artists is dedicated to presenting student works. This environment (combined with professional development writing programs and mentorships offered by UHT) means that new writing can be tested in production allowing for the critical (and rare) phase of exploration in front of an audience.