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2024 - My Writing, in Reflection

Writer's picture: Kristen DohertyKristen Doherty



One of my most favourite things about being a playwright is seeing the photos and videos of my plays from productions from all around the world, and hearing from the young people and their directors who have lovingly produced them.


I do not underestimate how lucky I am to have my plays performed and be able to connect with so many of the schools and theatre companies. I have had the privilege of engaging in Zooms with casts and crews, gone on virtual backstage tours, seen footage of Thespians win competitions with my plays, and of course watched live performances here in South Australia. As a Drama teacher of 26 years, who absolutely loves working with, and directing teenagers, I can't even express how moving it is for me to see young people shine in their roles. I think it's the mamma bear/proud teacher in me that makes me so emotionally invested in their theatrical journey's. I have spent many an hour sobbing whilst watching videos of performances, looking at pictures and reading beautiful messages sent to me by actors, their families, teachers, directors and audience members.


This year, to be honest, I haven't been as productive as what I had hoped to be. It is a juggling act, working as a teacher with all of its many, many, demands and stresses, whilst trying to still find enough time to actually write when I can hardly keep up with the playwriting admin. That on top of life! Parenting, wife-ing, running a home, friends, family, bills, pets... Life.


I had great plans for my leave in term 3 last year, but admittedly, I got caught up in heady whirlwind of planning and travelling to Thailand with my husband, as well as a girls trip with my daughters, sister and niece to Melbourne, for Olivia Rodrigo. So, my long service leave wasn't as productive as what I had hoped. Although, a writers research trip to Sydney with my collaborator, inspired me. However, I have written and released a gorgeous One-Act, that I absolutely loved researching and writing - The Playhouse - A Time Travelling Romp Around Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. It had its premier in New York late last year, and is in rehearsals for a half a dozen more performances over the next month or two. There have been multiple productions of all of my 14 plays this year, although Queens has dominated my productions, once again. I have been working on converting my heart-piece, 'Push' from a screenplay to a stage play, and have half a dozen other pieces in development. There has also been more than 100 performances of my plays all around the world over the past 12 months and I have now had nine plays published with another one accepted this week. I presented at The NSW Drama Teachers Conference in Sydney on Playwriting with and for Young People and have been interviewed for Playwriting Blogs and have written an academic paper. Still, I feel like I could have/should have done so much more.


I am starting this year feeling nervous about juggling my teaching timetable that isn't going to give me much time to write. I have always said that Theatre is magic for children. (Maybe it should become my catchphrase, ha!) But it really is for me as well. When I get an idea or can see a story in my head I can almost feel it, tingling in my fingertips, itching to be told. I miss that lately. I need to get it back. When I look back at my memories of the shows of this year, and the last few before that, it makes me hope/believe that I have lots more stories to tell and can't wait to see incredible young people tell them.

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