17 July 2020

Meet the young artists of Toolkits: Regional Playwriting 2020

We are incredibly excited alongside Country Arts SA and Carclew to be kicking off our first ever Toolkits: Regional Playwriting program with 8 talented young playwrights from across Australia. This year, 8 young regional writers will join us for a comprehensive journey into the world of playwriting. Together we will explore the building blocks of creating a new work: the initial spark, the individual writer’s voice, specific playwriting techniques, and redrafting tools. 

Toolkits: Regional Playwriting will be facilitated by Jessica Bellamy, a playwright and teaching artist. Jessica will lead the program’s fortnightly online sessions and workshops, providing one-on-one mentorship during the alternating weeks, and support these artists with individualised feedback.

For more information on our Toolkits and Toolkits: Live program (which you can participate in right now!) visit our website.

But for now, say hello to the class of 2020!


Jamila Main

Jamila Main is an actor and playwright based on unceded Peramangk land and working on Kaurna Yerta in South Australia. Jamila makes theatre that operates within queer and feminist dramaturgies, centring stories of queer people and people with disabilities, and often exploring autonomy, joy, and trust.

Before Covid-19, Jamila performed in ‘Aleppo. A Portrait of Absence’ in the 2020 Adelaide Festival, in ‘Zero Feet Away’ with ActNow Theatre, and in the creative development of ‘Set Piece’ by Anna Breckon and Nat Randall at Vitalstatistix. 

As a playwright Jamila most recently worked on ‘Decameron 2.0’ presented by State Theatre Company of South Australia and ActNow. In 2019 Jamila was a member of the ATYP National Studio and selected for a masterclass with Patricia Cornelius presented by Playwriting Australia. Jamila’s debut play ‘Butterfly Kicks’ is published by Australian Plays and slated for production at RUMPUS in 2021. Jamila is currently developing their next play ‘How To Eat Rabbit’ while in residence at The Mill with Audrey Mason-Hyde and Teddy Dunn.

As a curator Jamila has worked with Vitalstatistix and RUMPUS.

Jamila is a graduate of the Adelaide College of the Arts Acting program and an inaugural graduate of Flinders University’s Bachelor of Arts in the Enhanced Program for High Achievers.

Jamila is currently a Carclew Fellow, a Midsumma Pathways Participant, a Youth Advisor to ATYP, RUMPUS Member, and serves on the MEAA South Australian Performer’s Committee, the Equity Diversity Committee, and the Equity Pride Caucus. 

Jamila is an advocate for Endometriosis and runs Quendo, a Facebook group for gender diverse and queer people with Endometriosis.

Jai Cameron

Jai Cameron is a celebrant, MC, radio and television presenter, publicist comedian, singer, actor, dancer and writer. Jai has appeared on stage for Broadford Youth Theatre Entertainment (BYTE) and Seymour Performers Workshop (SPW). 

Jai has written two stand-up comedy shows including ‘Would You Like Fries With That? (Butterfly Club) and ‘Is It Just Me?’ (MICF, 2019)

Jai has appeared on 1700 (SYN MEDIA) in 2018 and 2019 winning Screen Volunteer of the Year in 2018. Jai has also appeared on Offbeat (RMITV) in 2019. 

Jai has also Presented, Produced, Interviewed and Reviewed on OKR FM 98.3/WALLAN 97.1, SEYMOUR FM 103.9, SYN 90.7 and 3MBS 103.5 interviewing the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Robin Williams and George Miller.

Jai is a Qualified Marriage Celebrant and currently works at Melbourne Recital Centre and Malthouse Theatre. 

Cate Robbins

Cate stumbled into the world of writing as a way to understand her body and soul, and the big place where they meet in between.
A published playwright (‘I Found You,’ in This Was Urgent Yesterday), emerging musician, singer/songwriter, copywriter and editor, she is passionate about the meaning behind words and the unique effect that sound has on the human spirit. 

Her blog, ‘Snailspace’, on Medium, explores the relationship between chronic illness, spirituality, energy and emotion. She is driven by real, honest human connection and heart to heart conversations.

Her favourite question to ask is, ‘Why?’, followed closely by, ‘Why not?’

When she isn’t writing, you can find Cate in the garden, behind her guitar, eating good toast or having a chilly ocean swim.

Michal Hughes

Michal Hughes is a regional youth artist, whose practice is embedded deeply in community arts and theatre making. Michal is a published playwright, director, performer, crafter and curator and believes strongly in the transformative power of the arts. Most recently Michal wrote “Meltdown” a play born from conversations with young people during the COVID-19 pandemic, facilitated a community lantern festival, and wrote a piece for the State Theatre Company of South Australia and Act Now Theatre’s Decameron 2:0 project.

Danielle Aqulina

Originally from Cairns QLD, Danielle Aquilina is a professional performer with a flair for youth theatre.  With a Bachelor of Creative Industries, she has lived in QLD and the NT creating and performing works nationally. 

In 2017 she wrote her first public children’s theatre work The 5ft Giant which debuted at The Cairns Children’s Festival where it was seen by over 750 children and their families. 

In conjunction with her career as an actor and comedian, youth theatre coordinator and facilitator, in 2019 she was accepted into Carclew and Country Arts SA scriptwriting program, Writing Place where she worked closely with Mentors such as Emily Steel, Caleb Lewis and Maryanne Butler.  She is also a playwright as a part of ATYP’s Fresh Ink Program 2020.  Due to Covid-19, her solo comedy show “Please Date Me” will be performed in Fringe 2021.

She currently lives in Darwin, NT creating new content exploring the versatility of the arts in regional Australia.

Remy Catchlove

Remy Catchlove, 21, is a visual artist, performer and writer from regional South Australia. She was a participant of the Riverland Youth Theatre for five years where she was assistant tutor for film and drama workshops. During her time with RYT, she wrote and performed in a few end of year performances for the theatre. Remy has since graduated from Open Access College, having most connected with English and visual art, and now plans to seek further education in the creative arts and is excited to see where this will take her. Remy’s writing inspirations are Phoebe Waller-Bridge, David Mamet, Stephen King and Tony Kushner. Her favourite books are Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” and “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson.

Kirsten Lovett

I am a 26-year-old drama teacher living in Cairns, regional Queensland, enjoying an interesting first year in the profession. 

Professional milestones within the arts have included completing a performance internship at Fine Edge Theatre in Perth, traveling to Orlando Florida to take part in the Disney International Program, working as a teaching artist for The Young Company and performing professionally with Cairns Dinner Theatre (now Paramour Cabaret Theatre). I’ve had many misadventures outside of the arts including joining the Green Army, governessing on a cattle station south of Normanton and becoming a children’s yoga instructor. These experiences have helped to shape and inform my writing. 

As a playwright, I attended ATYP’s National Studio, have had my play “Original Sinners” performed by Budding Theatre as part of the Unwrap Me Christmas showcase and have had my work “Zousk” shortlisted for the Sydney Short and Sweet festival, although it was not picked up by a director. In the past I have written reviews for Weekend Notes, Travelicious, and for clients on freelance websites such as Upwork. I am currently a member of the Cairns Tropical Writers Club and pursue writing in my spare time.

Rebecca Duke

Rebecca Duke is a 20 year old writer and student raised in Tasmania. In 2019 she was involved in both ATYP’s National Studio and CARCLEW’s Writing Place where she discovered a passion for writing for young people. Both residencies have resulted in Currency Press published anthologies featuring her plays. Her work with ATYP was selected to be performed as part of Intersection 2020: Beat in their 2020 season.