WA Youth Theatre Company bring back 24 Hour Play Generator for its seventh year

WA Youth Theatre Company (WAYTCo) is set to present its signature 24Hour Play Generator for the seventh year running in 2023. The event takes participants to their creative edge across two days, commencing at the King Street Arts Centre on Saturday, June 3 (Writing Day), and culminating in a wild night of performances at Subiaco Arts Centre on Saturday, June 10.

At the break of dawn, under exquisite pressure, a group of emerging writers aged 15 to 26 work for 12 hours straight, assisted by experienced dramaturgs, to create fresh out of the oven, new short plays. That evening a 24Hour Play Generator judging panel selects six winning plays. First thing in the new week, these winning scripts are issued to six directors who – in a new twist in the format of WAYTCo’s 24Hr Play Generator – will have a chance to wrap their heads around the new work before walking through the doors of the Subiaco Arts Centre at break of dawn the following Saturday.

The directors will work intensively with six WAYTCo-member casts for the next 12 hours to bring the works to life. Finally, at the 24th hour, the audience arrives to enjoy six world premieres in one evening: The newest and freshest work in the country.

This year’s directors include an outstanding line-up of WA’s established artist talent: Alex Steffensen, Libby KIysz, Cezera Critti-Schnaars, Andrew Sutherland, Alexa Taylor and Tom Heath. These artists draw on their long and varied experience to realise the emerging playwrights’ and actors’ creative endeavours in a whirlwind 24-hour production process.

“The WAYTCo 24HPG is the best example of creative collaboration for young people under pressure I know of,” said WAYTCo Artistic Director, James Berlyn. “It’s a rollercoaster to be sure but it is also generous, brave and super supportive. In all the years we have hosted this event, I haven’t met anyone who wasn’t glad they did it!”

24 Hour Play Generator hits Subiaco Arts Centre on Saturday, June 10, 2023. For more info and to buy tickets head to waytco.com