Three acclaimed Australian writers have been named finalists for the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award 2026. The biennial award marks its 13th iteration this year, establishing itself as one of Australia’s most significant programs supporting the development of new theatre works.

Finalists Melanie Tait, Michelle Law and Alberto Di Troia were selected following a competitive national search for bold, original ideas, with each finalist set to develop a new play through an 18-month creative process with Queensland Theatre Company (QTC).

Tait’s work, Mrs Crocodilia, is a sharp, contemporary comedy set in Far North Queensland at a fictional tourist attraction, Crocodilia Park. A feminist reimagining of King Lear, the play explores legacy, power and succession through the story of park founder Lynnie McGarry and her three daughters. Tait is an established broadcaster and playwright whose previous work includes The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race and The Queen’s Nanny.

Melanie Tait. Photo Supplied.

Brisbane-based writer Michelle Law is developing Cake, a bittersweet family drama set in Sunnybank. The play centres on a young woman reconnecting with her estranged father while planning a family wedding, only to uncover secrets that threaten to fracture fragile bonds. Law’s previous stage...