| Canberra playwright on his way to the top
Former Canberra man and award winning playwright Tommy Murphy (pictured) is one of six Australian recipients of the 2008 Realise Your Dream Award. Along with a prize of $10,000, the award will allow Murphy to work with some of the top creative industry professionals in the UK. The Realise Your Dream award is open to Australians working in industrial and object design, design, fashion, moving image, visual arts, drama, advertising, words, production, direction, architecture and music. Murphy was thrilled to win as it presents him with more opportunities to further his work as a playwright. “The prize is a great opportunity to broaden my horizons and experiences, and that's what I plan to do,” he said. “I'll be in the UK for about three months, approaching theatres to get my work on stage. I guess I'll go from there.” He said his schedule between now and when he leaves for the UK early next year is going to be busy. “Right now I'm trying to set up my program for the first half of next year,” he said. “Between that I've had Saturn's Return running in Sydney and I've also started working on a new project.” Murphy won first place in the 2006 NSW Premier's Literary Award for Best Play for his play Stranger. This award is arguably Australia's most prestigious award for a dramatist. Before that, Murphy's first ever play For God, Queen and Country was awarded The Sydney Theatre Company Young Playwright's Award. Murphy follows the legacy of last year's winner Omar Musa, who is from Queanbeyan. Musa spent his time overseas writing music and making connections.
|
By ELLIOT WOODS