A First Step onto the Stage: The Green Room Project

Since early May, I’ve been attending workshops, diving into playwriting, and meeting some truly wonderful new creative companions. The past four weeks have been a joy—it’s been fascinating to explore such a wide range of topics, genres, and styles across the ten short plays we’re all preparing to share.

Melbourne Writers’ Theatre recently updated its website with participant bios, and I’m now officially introduced as an emerging writer. It’s a small shift in language, but it means a lot. The thought that my words will soon be performed on stage is quietly thrilling. This will be my first tangible achievement as a writer, and that’s what excites me most.

I’ve now completed the first draft of my short play. Here’s the logline:

Zoe Grieve wants to stage the perfect funeral—for himself—but one unimpressed funeral director reminds him that no one mourns a man they never really knew.

Working on this play alongside my novel has shown me how much my writing gravitates toward questions of authenticity—the pull between who we are and who we want to be, the tension between performance and sincerity, the quiet bravery it takes to show up as yourself. A ten-minute play only allows space for a single, concentrated moment, but I’m already thinking about how this story could grow into something longer.

Every step of this process has felt alive. Last week, we met our directors to talk through character development, and soon I’ll get to meet the actors who will bring the script to life. Watching their interpretation unfold will be one of the most exciting parts of this journey.

I can’t wait to see what comes next.