PlayWriting Australia – 200 Stories High

Kenneth Moraleda continues work with Playwriting Australia facilitating/teaching an Intro to Playwriting course.

“200 Stories High” is an initiative to introduce the craft of playwriting and the providing the neccesary tools to create plays. The focus is on creating characters, exploring storytelling structures and learning the basics of constructing a play.

One of the main aims of the course is to see on theatre stages more stories that reflect the diversity of the Australian people.

PWA200StoriesBlacktown — Kenneth Moraleda with other facilitators Latai Taumoepeau and Morganics led by Susanna Dowling with the participants of one of the first Intro To Playwriting Workshops at Blacktown Arts Centre

The workshops are structured in two tiers – Introduction and Intermediate. The workshops were formulated by Susanna Dowling, an associate director of PlayWriting Australia and a theatre maker. Other facilitators that deliver the workshops include Latai Taumoepeau- a performance artist/dancer, Hazem Shammas, Katherine Beckett, John Shrimpton, Catherine Davis, Nelio Sam and Candy Bowers.

The program was piloted with the students of the IEC class at Fairfield High School, NSW, then a mixed age group of participants at Blacktown Arts Centre. Since then the course has be facilitated in High Schools in Mount Druitt, Canley Vale, Asquith as well as the SydWest Multicultural Services in Blacktown, NSW.

Scripts created by the participants of these workshops were presented at the National Play Festival that was held in March at Parammatta, NSW this year.

Kenneth Moraleda travelled to Broome, Western Australia to conduct the workshops in 2 local high schools, as well a training session for new facilitators in the Broome community to continue workshops locally.

PWA200StoriesBroome — Kenneth Moraleda playing a theatre game with Broome Senior High School student participants of PlayWriting Australia's Intro To Playwriting Workshops

Recently, in partnership with the Arts NSW Aboriginal Arts and Cultural Strategy and PlayWriting Australia, Kenneth facilitated workshops with the participants comprised of theatre practitioners, Arts Workers, actors and musicians from the Indigenous community both at Butacarbin Centre in Hebersham and Redfern Community Centre. He also facilitated workshops with the Drama students at Eora TAFE in Redfern, NSW.

General Manager of PlayWriting Australia Amanda Macri and her team are planning future workshops at Refern Community Center for the Intermediate Course and Introduction courses in Melbourrne, Victoria.