Overview
Stories from the law and justice system
Winner of Best Production for Young People at the 2024 Sydney Theatre Awards
Saplings is a powerful, funny and deeply human work drawn from real stories of young people who have experienced the youth justice system, brought to QPAC with honesty, heart and hope.
Yani wants to go to the Easter Show. Kai is searching for a sense of home. Shanika wants her mum back. Lachlan just wants a bowl of noodles. But when the justice system stands in the way, a bigger question emerges: what happens when the very system meant to support young people keeps holding them back?
Written by Yuwaalaray playwright Hannah Belanszky and directed by Kalkadoon artist Abbie-lee Lewis, Saplings is drawn from workshops and interviews with incarcerated youth from Marrickville to Moree, set to a soundtrack of original rap and hip-hop created by young people inside the system. Four dynamic performers bring multiple characters to life in a work that is as sharp and entertaining as it is moving.
A raw, poetic celebration of First Nations creativity and young people finding their voice against the odds.
About Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP)
Since 1963, the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) has been the flagship home for young people to create, perform, and tell their stories. They create theatre by and for young people, championing their stories, perspectives, and potential. Based in Sydney, they deliver an annual program of performances, learning workshops, and artist development programs to empower and build the next generation of storytellers and audiences. They ignite the creative spirit of young Australians, providing them with the tools to enrich Australia’s cultural life with their stories.
Gallery
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SaplingsPhotography by Clare Hawley 
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SaplingsPhotography by Clare Hawley 
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SaplingsPhotography by Clare Hawley 
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SaplingsPhotography by Clare Hawley 
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SaplingsPhotography by Clare Hawley 
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SaplingsPhotography by Clare Hawley 
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SaplingsPhotography by Clare Hawley 
Cast
- Talijah Blackman-Corowa
- Maliyan Blair
- Sam Harmon
- Danny Howard
Creatives
- Writer Hannah Belanszky
- Director Abbie-lee Lewis
- Associate Director Ryan Whitworth-Jones
- Dramaturg Jane FitzGerald
- Co Set & Costume Designer Angela Doherty
- Co Set & Lighting Designer Morgan Moroney
- Composer & Sound Designer Michael Weir
- Fight Choreographer Tim Dashwood
- Production Manager Abbey Pace
- Stage Manager Anastasia Mowen
- Producer Hayden Tonazzi
- Associate Producer Ryan Whitworth-Jones
- Workshop Facilitator George Kemp
- Voice Coach Angela Sullen
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