The Scene Project
Suitable for Years 7-12, The Scene Project is Queensland Theatre’s largest educational offering. It builds connection, wellbeing and collaboration by empowering participants to engage in the creative process of theatre making in a way that resonates with them and their community. Now in its 12th year, the program has a long history of bringing valuable insight into the development of new work, and for igniting ownership and passion within participants across the state.
The Process
Each year Queensland Theatre commissions a new play specifically for The Scene Project and its participants. At the end of term 1, Teachers engage in a Professional Development opportunity designed to build and strengthen the teacher toolkit to deliver and create for the project. Over Term 2, the secondary school participants are tasked with creating their own unique version of the work of up to 15 minutes. Outcome Days are held in Performing Arts Centres across Queensland in Term 3, where participants then share their work with each other, before watching a team of professional actors from Queensland Theatre perform a full version of the play under the same parameters.
What’s Included
- A newly commissioned script to use as a starting point to create a new piece of theatre with your young people.
- Education Resources and Cultural Safety Plan to support exploration of the work in the rehearsal room.
- A Tailored Teacher Professional Development Day spent with the Queensland Theatre team designed to build and strengthen the toolkit allowing teachers to create and enhance their Scene Project experience
- Attendance at an Outcome Day in a performing arts centre or stage in your region where you can share your work with other schools and Queensland Theatre.
Cost
Metro Schools (Greater Brisbane region including Ipswich): $1100+GST per participating group.
Regional Schools: $650+GST per participating group.
*If costs are prohibitive, please contact us.
Registrations have now closed for the 2026 Program, however we do have space in the following regions – Cairns, Maryborough, Capella, Proserpine and Mackay. Please get in touch with us at education@queenslandtheatre.com.au if you would like to register for these regions.
For further details regarding the program please see our resources below:
Meet The Writers
David Burton
Co-Writer & Editor
David Burton is an award-winning playwright, director, and educator based in Queensland. His plays — including April’s Fool, Wisdom, and The Good Dad — have been performed across Australia and are studied in schools nationwide. With a doctorate in community-engaged theatre and youth arts, David has collaborated with companies such as Queensland Theatre, Playlab, QPAC and The Empire Theatres. David also works as a counsellor and coach, and is the celebrated novelist of books The Man In The Water and the award-winning How to be Happy.
Maxine Mellor
Co-Writer
Maxine Mellor is an award-winning playwright and teaching artist. She won the 2023 Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award for O’Mighty Make-Believe, the David Williamson Award for Playwriting [2022] and the AWGIE Award for Best Original Play [Horizon, 2022], the Lord Mayor’s Young and Emerging Artist Fellowship [2017], the Max Afford Award [The Silver Alps, 2014], the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award [Trollop, 2012], the Edward Albee New York City Residency [2012], a Matilda Award for Best New Work for Performance [Magda’s Fascination with Wax Cats, 2005], and QTC’s Young Playwright’s Award [2001, 2002, 2003, 2005]. Productions include Breaking [Counterpilot, 2023], Horizon [Playlab, 2021 and 2023], The Wind in the Willows [La Boite, 2015], and Trollop [Queensland Theatre, 2013]. Recently she adapted her play Anna Robi & The House of Dogs into a feature film with support from Screen Australia.
Maddie Nixon
Co-Writer
Maddie is a playwright and journalist. Her plays WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE! and GOING, GOING, GONE are published with Playlab. She was the Youth and Education Producer at La Boite Theatre Company from 2019-2021, where she directed David Burton’s The Final Days of Bedlam. She was a finalist in the Queensland Premier's Drama Award in 2020-21, and was awarded the UNSW Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture Dean's List Postgraduate award in both 2022 and 2023. She currently works as a journalist for the ABC, reporting on life in outback Queensland.
Merlynn Tong
Co-Writer
Merlynn Tong is a Writer and Actor. Playwriting credits include Legends (of the Golden Arches) (co-writer), Congratulations, Get Rich! (La Boite Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company, Singapore Repertory Theatre), Antigone (adaptation, Queensland Theatre, Mercury Theatre UK); and Blue Bones (Playlab Productions). Her one-woman-show Blue Bones by Playlab Productions, won 6 Matilda Awards including The Lord Mayor’s Award for Best New Australian Work, Best Mainstage Production and Best Female Actor in a Leading Role. Her work Golden Blood was short-listed for a Victorian Premier Literary Award, NSW Premier's Literary Award, and Sydney Theatre Award (Best New Australian Work). She was the 2020 resident writer of Melbourne Theatre Company.
About the Play
ICARUS - Reworked
The 2026 commission is from an all-star line-up of Queensland writers, we are thrilled to collaborate with David Burton (Wisdom, 2020), Merlynn Tong (Good Grief, 2018) Maxine Mellor (The Fledglings, 2015) and introducing to The Scene Project writers’ room, creator of La Boite Theatre’s 2025 hit ‘WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!’ - Maddie Nixon.
These four powerhouse playwrights are reimagining the myth of ICARUS. Guided by QTC Artistic trio Daniel Evans - Artistic Director, Fiona MacDonald - Head of Education & Young People, and Saffron Benner - Head of New Work, to fill the script with post-dramatic scenes that push the content to new heights and pull the narrative into new perspectives ripe for young minds to grab and run with.
We’ve seen the styles students love to perform, we’ve heard the forms Educators want to work with and connect to syllabus, so we’re leaning in hard and look forward to soaring towards the sun with you all.
2026 Key Dates
Term 4 - 2025
Placement Confirmation | After 5 December
Term 1 - 2026
Week 4: Script Delivery
Weeks 6-8: Teacher Professional Development
2026 Teacher Professional Development
Please note: the above dates and locations are subject to change
2026 Outcome Days
Please note: Outcome Days will host a new maximum of four school groups per day.
Venue Partners
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