Miranda Michalowski has been named the recipient of the 2024 Silver Gull Play Award for her work Macaroni and Dead Things. The award, which aims to recognise plays that align with New Theatre's ethos of Plays With a Purpose, saw a record number of entries this year from New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory-based writers.
Michalowski's winning play follows Charlie, a primary school teacher who develops an unusual hobby of attending strangers' funerals. The story explores themes of grief, guilt, and human connection through Charlie's evolving relationships with an elderly man she meets at a funeral and her best friend turned lover. The judges praised the work for its brilliant monologue style, beautiful writing, and deep emotional resonance, describing it as "a superb piece of theatrical writing."
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| Miranda Michalowski |
The award ceremony, held at New Theatre, features staged readings of excerpts from the six shortlisted plays, performed by a cast of actors under the direction of Joseph Tanti. Michalowski receives a prize of $5,000, while the other shortlisted playwrights each receives $500, thanks to the continued sponsorship of Joy Minter.
The shortlist, culled from a diverse array of submissions, included:
6069 and Counting by James Balian and Roger Vicker
Fortress by Erica J. Brennan
Noah's Ark by Campion Decent
Rehearsing Julie by Noel Hodda
Roslyn Gardens by David McLaughlin
Macaroni and Dead Things by Miranda Michalowski
Additionally, three plays received high commendations: The Mountain Remembers by Daley Rangi, The Incorrigibles by Melita Rowston, and She Threaded Dangerously by Simon Thomson and Emma Wright.
Michalowski, a writer and performer based in Sydney, has been gaining recognition in the Australian theatre scene. Her previous works include Young Bodies/Somebody's, which debuted in 2022 and has since been published and produced in multiple locations, and Saturday Girls, which was shortlisted for the Rodney Seaborn Playwright's Award and premiered at Belvoir Downstairs in 2023. Her success with Saturday Girls led to a mentorship with acclaimed playwright Suzie Miller.
The Silver Gull Play Award, established in 2015, continues to play a vital role in nurturing new Australian playwriting talent. By focusing on unpublished and unproduced original plays, the award provides a platform for emerging voices in theatre to gain recognition and potentially see their work brought to the stage.
Competitions like the Silver Gull Play Award serve as important incubators for new talent and fresh perspectives. Michalowski's win not only highlights her individual talent but also reflects the broader trends and themes capturing the attention of contemporary Australian playwrights and audiences.
(Top image: © Michael Tonkin, other supplied)
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