The Melbourne Writers' Theatre’s core activity is script development, which is furthered by means of panel discussions, readings and workshopping of plays by professional directors and actors.

Our members include both emerging and established playwrights, which encourages a strong community sense of open and honest feedback in a constructive manner. Many of our members have achieved recognition via productions of plays that we have helped to foster.

The MWT meets monthly at the Courthouse Theatre, Drummond St, Carlton. Brief business meetings are followed by rehearsed readings with professional actors/directors, workshops and audience participation in question and answer sessions. From time to time MWT sponsors addresses by established playwrights, directors, theatre company managers and theatre critics.

Noted playwright, Jack Hibberd, founded the Melbourne Writers’ Theatre in 1982 to help writers develop scripts for the stage. After a period of membership decline in the mid 1990s, MWT experienced a revival largely due to the active involvement of lecturers and students of playwriting at several of Melbourne’s tertiary education colleges. Another factor in our revival has been a closer relationship with La Mama, which by formal agreement with MWT manages the Courthouse as a theatre.

MWT Resident writers 2011:

Mark Andrew

Christine Lambrianidis

MWT Resident writers 2010: 

Christine Croyden, Caroline Rowan, Amel B Kenza and Bruce Shearer at the LA MAMA COURTHOUSE