From www.crashtestdrama.com – Featured Artist June 2010
Dona Parise
Dona has been writing for many years. She’s written over 70 scripts and has had 38 of them produced. Her passion for script writing was evident at the age of 12. She’s attended many courses ranging from Alex Broun’s playwriting weekend course, to script writing for TV and Film and Directing Intensive at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). Dona is also a qualified journalist. She now averages one play performance in Sydney each month. She writes, directs, produces and sometimes acts. Her plays have been performed in Griffith NSW, Wagga Wagga, Lithgow, Melbourne, Sydney and Los Angeles. She’s participated in four Short and Sweet festivals in Sydney, two Ten x 10 festivals in Wagga Wagga, Stage Rage, Writers Anonymous and is a regular contributor to Playtime – held monthly at the World Bar in Sydney. She has written, directed and produced short films screened at Newtown Flicks and Caught Short at the Tap Gallery also in Sydney. She enjoys directing when she gets the chance.
Her ideas stem from life and she writes character-driven scripts. She’s disciplined and extremely passionate about theatre and film. She is constantly learning how to entertain audiences and writes comedy as well as drama – monologues and casts of up to 10, short 10 minute, One act and full length plays.
HONEY – Crash Test Drama Sydney June 2010
Alastair Buchanan and Kate Avery
Dona’s second Crash Test Drama stint landed her with HONEY winning the popular audience vote and now will be in the Crash Test Drama Finals on 2nd August 2010. Dona directed HONEY and the cast members were Alaistar Buchanan, Katy Avery, Alana Worsley and Dudy Jap.
When Mia requests John to pour honey all over and…….. well the night looks like it might go very well, until Mia’s friend Megan makes a desperate call to her saying she needs to come over to discuss the issues her and her boyfriend are having. That puts a spanner in the works and John and
Dudy Jap and Alana Worsley
Mia’s night turns out far from sweet.
Will update after the final in August 2010.
There’s going to be some fierce competition, but it’s going to be a great night! Alastair also won ‘best runner up actor’ on the night. i also had a protegee’, Maite Carvell, who will make also be my protegee’ at the finals next month.
Break a leg everyone. Let’s make it as sweet as we can.
ONLINE OFFSIDE – Playtime 4 June 2010
Alastair Buchanan, Heidi Lupprian, Valentino Arico, Celia Kelly and Aaron Nilan
Another Playtime Production, ONLINE OFFSIDE, premiered at the World Bar in Sydney in June 2010. Nic and his ex wife Cynthia compete yet again. Nic wants his ex to think he’s ‘moved on’ with his life and is now seeing the very sexy yet very quite Giorgia. His life couldn’t be better. Cynthia only wants to brag about her new man Alex. In this play, nothing is what it appears to be. Alex and Gioria have more in common than anyone realises. The play was directed by Nir Shelter and featured: Valentino Arico, Celia Kelly, Heidi Lupprian, Aaron Nilan and Alastair Buchanan.
AFTERNOON TEA WITH SEX AND SCONES – Playtime April 2010
AFTERNOON TEA WITH SEX AND SCONES has now had 5 productions! Not sure if it’s the scones that audiences like. Playtime is a monthly event held at the World Bar in Sydney. The play was directed by Nir Shelter, Cast: Fleur Beaupert, Mollie King, Valentino Arico. Synopsis, what happens when a partner from a happy couple wants to try something new?.. what happens when the both people in that couple are female.. and what happens when they invite a hetero male over for some scones?
A DAY AT THE OFFICE – Wagga Wagga’s Ten x 10 Festival May 2010
There's always on person who does all the work and the other gets all the credit.
Yet another play, closer to home this time, in Wagga Wagga. The festival is in it’s second year and a great night was had by all. ‘A day at the office’ was directed by Margaret Bannister and Sandra was played by Jo Darby and Tom was played by Joe Nour.
The 10 plays selected showcased some extraordinary talent and other playwrights who featured were Kate Toon, Alex Broun, Dean Lundquist and Mick Radatti, to name a few.
MELODY – Playtime at World Bar, Sydney March 2010
Director Liane Norman, Actress Kate Buchanan and Me
MELODY was performed in Sydney in March 2010. The story of an elderly woman, who is terminally ill and has not family or friends left. It was very touching and was enjoyed by the audience. PLAYTIME is a monthly event and will have quite a few of my plays on show. Thank you to Kate Buchanan who played Melody and to Liane Norman for directing.
NIDA – March 2010 Gala finals and Artist Recognition Awards
Leo Domingan, Cindi Knapton, Me, Gerry Sont and Maite Carvell
Felicity Nicol and I
Me and Rhys Muldoon
The Artist recognition awards are awards presented to artists who have contributed in 3 or more Short and Sweet Festivals. A Bronze award for 3 or more festivals, Silver for 5 or more and Gold for 10 or more. The host on the night was Alex Broun, Australia’s most performed and prominent 10 minute playwright. The presenter of the awards was Rhys Muldoon. I have participated in 4 festivals and with any luck it’ll be 5 in 2011 and many more by 2014.
CATASTROPHE TOP 100 scores 3rd place with audiences.
After the wonderful Week 5 of Short and Sweet (the biggest 10 minute play festival in the word!) competition was tough! A lot of time and energy goes into rehearsing and each performance night is different. There were dramas, absurd comedies and wonderfully written plays as well.
CATASTROPHE on at Newtown Theatre Top 100 in February.
Starring Tanya Ann Powell and Michael McCrann, directed by Come and support the cast and crew in Short + Sweet 2010!
Performances Wed Feb 3 – Sat Feb 6 @ 8:15pm and Sun Feb 7
5:15pm. Tickets from www.shortandsweet.org or on (02) 8507 3034.
Catastrophe is a comedy about a wife’s struggle with her husband’s obsession with his best friend.
The script won “Best Script” at Crash Test Drama in Sydney in June 2009, with writer Dona Parise winning a number of other awards for her writing.
Short + Sweet is the world’s largest 10minute play festival started in Sydney and now running in Melbourne, Singapore and Auckland
TWO PLAYS IN SYDNEY SHORT AND SWEET TOP 100 IN 2010
photo by Jom - www.jom.com.au
YES, it’s true! I now have two plays in the biggest 10 minute play festival in the world.
AFTERNOON TEA WITH SEX AND SCONES will be performed from 2nd to 6th JANUARY 2010 at Newtown Theatre and will be directed by Stephen Carnell.
CATASTROPHE will be performed from 2nd to 6th FEBRUARY 2010 at Newtown Theatre and will be directed by Con Nats.
Stay tuned and keep coming back for updates!
- Amelia Tranter, Cindi Knapton and Robert Teicher
