The Laboratory is a collaboration between bAKEHOUSE and Montague Basement that aims to foster emerging writers on the cusp of presenting their work on independent stages.
After a break in 2022 and 2023, bAKEHOUSE & Montague Basement are teaming up to relaunch the Laboratory for 2024, a writer’s circle program for developing work, peer networking and dramaturgical support.
THE LABORATORY 2024
Sarah Durickovic, Jordyn Fulcher, Gemma Hudson, Lisa Kelly, Lachlan Perry, Sheanna Russon, Robbie Wardhaugh
ABOUT
Sarah Durickovic is a Sydney based actor and writer, trained at AFTT and graduating with a BA in Acting (2024). With a diverse range of industry experience, her writing credentials include ‘Red Thread’ & ‘Aktion T4' for The Phoenix Theatre's monologue & duologue anthology collection; 'Campfire'. As well as the upcoming short film ‘Iskra’. Her training credentials include AFTT productions such as 'Spring Awakening', (2022), 'Cymbeline' (2023), ‘Sergeant Snow White’ (2024) at Belvoir St Theatre - extending to her own written and produced theatre piece 'Red Thread' (2023). She made her first professional acting debut in 2022 as 'Bianca' in 'Othello' for ‘Such Stuff Productions’ and in 2023 expanded into FX/SX operation for New Theatre’s ‘Loot’.
Jordyn Fulcher is a writer based in south-west Sydney, Australia. Jordyn completed an Advanced Diploma in Acting from the Academy of Film, Theatre, and Television in 2017, and graduated with an MFA in Writing from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2022. From 2019 to 2021, he was part of Sydney Theatre Company’s Emerging Writers Group. Their artistic endeavours are complemented by their work as a facilitator and consultant. He served as an artist facilitator with NIDA's resident theatre company, Midnight Feast, from 2022 to 2023, completed the Front and Centre program through Albany Lane and Accessible Arts, and currently sit as Vice Chair on the board of Theatre Network NSW. Their recent creative works include DRRRM Play (NIDA), Ex Utero (STC), Cat Piss (DTC), Eat Me (STC/NIDA), and GROSS METAL BODY SHIT (NIDA/ANU).
Over the coming year, they will collaborate with Transcendent Acts, in association with Flaming Carnations, to showcase a new work at the Backbone Festival in Brisbane. Additionally, he will be devising a new work as part of the Laboratory with Montague Basement and KxT for 2024-2025.
Their creative journey is marked by a commitment to exploring diverse narratives and pushing creative boundaries. His unique perspective as a queer, trans, deaf and disabled person adds a rich depth to their approach and practice as an artist. They are eager to continue amplifying underrepresented voices and making artistic contributions to the evolving landscape of storytelling across the continent.
Gemma Hudson is an emerging playwright, actor, and director born in Canberra (Nugunnawal Land), based in Sydney (Gadigal Land). She is passionate about examining her experiences as a queer, disabled woman, in her work. She primarily works in the horror and comedy genres, and takes any opportunity to blend the two together. She is currently undertaking a mentorship with Belvoir St through Accessible Arts NSW, and has just finished the Canberra Theatre Centre New Ideas Lab.
Lisa Kelly is a writer and actor working on Gadigal Land. Lisa graduated from the Actors Centre in May of 2022 and during this time found her niche in character building and comedy. After creating and performing in an independent short form comedy film Close Personal Friends (dir. Mollie McGregor, co-written by Cade Collins), Lisa moved toward playwriting. Her debut full length work, a relationship drama titled Paper Cut, is set to be read at the Old Fitz New Works festival in October 2024.
As an actor, reviewers have named Lisa as a "consummate comedy gem" (Sydney Arts Guide) in her performance as a fraudulent Eastern European psychic in the 2024 New Theatre production of Atlantis by Lally Katz (dir. Tiffany Wong). You also may recognise her as a hot tradie riding a bike really super hard for Anytime Fitness's latest ad campaign, which apparently everyone and their Hinge matches have been jump-scared by prior to their midnight Youtube binges. Other theatre work includes: Hamlet, A Dolls House, Our Country’s Good, Arcadia, A Mouthful of Birds, The Female of the Species (all ACA).
Sheanna Parker Russon is a trans writer, director and theatre maker working on Gadigal land. She has worked with Sport for Jove, Ninefold Theatre Ensemble and Tooth and Sinew. Sheanna is also a founding member of Trans Theatre Collective, a group of trans theatre makers focussed on creating new trans written and led works. Sheanna recently completed her first piece as a playwright, No Love Songs for Lady Basses, with its premiere season at the Old Fitz.
Sheanna can’t wait to create new work as a part of The Laboratory.
Lachlan Parry is an emerging writer who is interested in authentic and inclusive queer storytelling. He has an MFA in Writing for Performance from the National Institute of Dramatic Art. Lachlan also studied scripted television at Regent’s University in London. While in London he wrote a new work titled Three Sisters, which played at the Marylebone Theatre. He has also written on a number of sketch comedy shows, most notably A Queer is Born. Lachlan’s second play, How to Win a Plebiscite (and Tennis) featured at the end of 2022 in NIDA’s Festival of Emerging Artists.
Lachlan has written two short films, notably Tonight’s the Night and Coffee, which have both featured in local and international film festivals. Lachlan was shortlisted for the Born Writers Award for his short film script This House is Mine Now which wrapped production in 2023. He was a featured writer for the 2019 anthology Infinite Threads. He was a member of ATYP’s 2022 National Studio, had work featured in ATYP’s Intersection Festival in 2023 with his piece, Violet, and in 2023, Lachlan continued his relationship with ATYP as one of their Fresh Ink Participants.
Lachlan pays his respects to the Gadigal people as the traditional owners and storytellers of the land on which he lives and works.
Robbie Wardaugh is an actor and writer who is passionate about euphoria, queer friendship and bed rotting. Their theatre credits include appearing as Kris in French Letters and Leather Cleaner for FruitBox Theatre, cast member of University of Sydney’s Queer Revue – Queerer Things (2018) and Dead Bi Morning (2019); and Sydney Fringe Comedy Festival show Gays Can’t Drive (2018). Co-director and cast member of Sydney Fringe Comedy Festival show Hi Gay, I’m Dad (2019) and Orlando in SUDS x Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras rendition of Orlando (2020).
Previous participating artists have included: Cassie Hamilton; Jasper Lee-Lindsay; Eric Jiang; Rebecca Blake; Margaret Thanos and more. Now setting up in the KXT Vault on Broadway we’re once again opening the doors to the next generation of New Australian Writers.
The Laboratory will take the form of a fortnightly meeting between participants as well as extra dramaturgical support from the program’s leader Saro Lusty-Cavallari. These meetings will be an opportunity to share work, develop, ask for help and support each other as we attempt to develop our practice.
The program will culminate in The Lab Report, a weekend of full-length readings of each participants projects throughout the year.
In 2024 this program is supported by the S,B&W Foundation
THE LAB REPORT a showcase
Conceived before 2020 did what 2020 did, the writers of The Laboratory have spent their lockdown with Montague Basement co-director Saro Lusty-Cavallari developing new plays. The Lab Report will be the first public showing of these exciting new works, developed over a weeklong intensive with an amazing team of volunteer actors. As we emerge from a dark year into a hopefully brighter future we can’t wait to share the work we’ve created that we have no doubt will be making its way to local stages very soon…
Dir Saro Lusty-Cavallari featuring the work of The Laboratory Writers
THE LABORATORY 2021
Alex Tutton, Bryce Bofinger, Cassie Hamilton, Lara Balkan, Meg Goodfellow, Shahrin Shahmim
The Laboratory 2020
Margaret Thanos, Amber Spooner, Declan Coyle, Sime Knezevic, Rebecca Blake, Alex Travers, Jasper Lee-Lindsay, Eric Jiang
Report Directors: Tasnim Hossain, Saro Lusty-Cavallari, Rachel Chant
Actors: Arkia Ashraf, Margarita Gershkovich, Rachel Seeto, Laneikka Denne, Jeremy Lowrencev, Will Bartolo, Kevin Batliwala, Pip Edwards, Lulu Howes, Jane Angharad, Nicola Bowman, Jeremi Campese, Angus Evans, Emma Kew, Julia Billington, Shane Russon, Zoe Crawford, Cameron Hutt, Susan Jordan, Madeleine Stedman, Sean Foster, Idam Sondhi, Tiffany Wong
pres by Montague Basement and bAKEHOUSE Theatre Co at KXT - Kings X Theatre