Two Playwriting Competitions
Edythe Brook Cooper Playwriting Competition 2020
Edythe Brook Cooper was a member of BATS Theatre Co. Inc from the late 1980’s until her death in 2003. Her first play to be produced by BATS was Kisses In The Sky, set in Milton in Brisbane behind the Castlemaine brewery, and the name referred to the four Xs on the roof. This was followed by many others over the next 20 years.
Writing was Edythe’s passion. Many of her plays have been published by The Australian Script Centre.
Prior to her passing, Edythe made provision in her will for the Edythe Brook Cooper Trust, established to sponsor a local playwriting competition. Considering Edythe’s affiliation with BATS Theatre Co. Inc., they were chosen by the Trustees to act as administrators of this competition under specific guidelines set downby Edythe.
The competition is to be run biennially alternating between one-act plays and full length plays. The 2020 competition is for one act plays. It is the objective of this competition to foster and encourage playwrights, whether amateur or professional.
The top three plays will be produced for a 5 performance season at BATS Theatre Co. Inc in Buderim, Queensland in 2020.
Entry forms and information at
National One Act Playwriting Competition
Noosa Arts Theatre runs the National One Act Playwriting Competition, fostering new playwriting talent and showcasing aspiring and established writers.
With an $8,000.00 cash prize pool, it attracts entries from playwrights from around Australia and many other countries.
Scripts are judged anonymously by a panel of professional industry experts. The three finalists are selected on the quality of writing, not on the subject matter, and the winning play is decided before the plays are presented in the annual Festival, held in July each year.
During this Festival, the audience is asked at each performance to vote for the ‘Nancy Cato Audience Choice Award’, in honour of the first winner of the competition.
Presentation of all awards takes place after the final performance.
Entry forms and information can be downloaded at www.noosaartstheatre.org.au