Chosen from a “wildly strong field of finalists”, Griffin Theatre Company has announce that Jules Orcullo has been awarded the 2024 Griffin Award for outstanding new Australian playwriting for her play, My Dad Never Saw The Beatles, a musical, mythic retelling of an untrue event set in the Philippines in 1966.

“Winning the Griffin Award means a whole lot,” said Ocullo. “It means a validation of my writing practice and I’m really excited to hang out with the Griffin team to build this play. I am proud and pleased that I get to tell a story for my family – and the cycles of generosity, gratitude and grief that live inside families like ours.”

Jules Orcullo. Photo supplied

Orcullo was awarded a full play commission worth $17,400 at the Griffin Award Keynote event on Sunday 28 July at the National Art School. In addition to the commission, the prize includes support from Griffin for the playwright to develop their work in-house.

In all, 176 entries were assessed anonymously by a panel of industry peers and shortlisted to three finalists, including Christopher Bryant for Parallel Play and Michele Lee for Shoulder.

Highly Commended entries...