Astra Nova
‘New Star’
Let the new stars shine…
Astra Nova works with both writers with significant bodies of work as well as those emerging writers, earlier on in their practice and passion.
With those professional Queensland writers who already have a significant body of work we offer assistance through use of space and our infrastructure allowing them to introduce their latest new work to Brisbane audiences. This program gives audiences the opportunity to see a fledgling new work, grow and develop, and to see it in a moved reading in its very early stages.
Additionally, Astra Nova is where we encourage and develop emerging playwrights by providing them with an industry mentor for twelve months. They work through a structured program through out the year with their mentor and Ad Astra. The four productions all vie for two places in the Astra Nova Showcase which kicks off the season in Pluto each year.
If you are a Queenslander, and you have a play that you would like to submit to Astra Nova for consideration in its next intake - please email astranova@adastracreativity.com
Astra Nova can only exist with the wonderful support of the industry professionals who willingly give their time voluntarily to mentor each years emerging playwrighting cohort.
History and Future
Then…
Astra Nova has, in the past, produced a play most years including Jingle Bells Sucks, Jingle Bells Sucks Baubles and Why Men Run at 2am which have been successful additions to the Ad Astra season. Our touring division, Satellite, produced an interactive theatre experience called Baedeker performed at the bar with the same name, written by an Astra Nova champion Pierce Gordon. This work was commissioned by a film distributor, to kick off a thriller movie screening.
…And Now
In 2024, the Astra Nova program was re-imagined by Executive Producer Gregory J Wilken. It started with a group of four playwrights and four mentors who were working towards being selected in the first ever Astra Nova showcase in 2025. Sadly, our beautiful theatre was closed before this could take place. However, we were excited to announce that they will be opening our 2026 season in Pluto and each year we will be doing the same.
In 2025 we kicked off working with professional playwrights by introducing The First Night (of the One Day of the Year) by Stephen Vagg. This part of the program allows established creatives to bring their new work off the pages and onto stages with the assistance of our existing infrastructure. This allows those theatremakers to focus on all the “creative” stuff.
Ad Astra loves that both creatives on and off stage and audience members are able to help nurture this new work through to its premiere performance.
It is a privilege to be able to facilitate the creation of these new works and know that This program has a very bright future within Brisbane’s artistic ecosystem.