Vital. I respect the opinions of actors most of all. They have an instinct for what works on stage. The actors I had were very willing to make comments and I found their comments very useful. No play should ever go from page to stage without at least one reading in between.

Clem Gorman (NSW)

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What were the benefits to you as a writer, having your script read at Parnassus’ Den?

The reading at the Den allowed me to see for myself how the play I had penned unfurled on the stage.  The characters came to life and for a couple of hours I could see the world they lived in through their eyes - its strengths and its glaring weaknesses.  The feedback, both from theatre professionals and the layman in the audience, has proved invaluable in finding solutions to problems in the script and shaping the world of the play.

What were the aspects of the Parnassus’ Den process that you liked?

The initial rehearsal allowed for a more thorough road-testing of the play - and even gave me time to question actors and director on particular moments I was unsure about - while the presentation itself stimulated a goldmine of feedback and critique from the audience.

In your opinion, how important is the role that Parnassus’ Den plays in the Australian Performing Arts Industry?

Many theatre companies around Australia despite their professed dedication to finding and aiding new Australian work, are simply unable or unwilling to fulfil this function at a real grass roots level.  Writers courted are usually already produced and thus it can be difficult for the novice writer to have his/her work read and responded to, much less performed in a rehearsed reading.  Parnassus Den is to be congratulated for being the only company I am aware of fulfilling this vital role.

Caleb Lewis (NSW) Griffin Theatre Company's writer in residence 2004/5

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What were the benefits to you as a writer, having your script read at the Den?

It was the first airing of the script so it was a great benefit to be able to hear the play and assess its strengths and weaknesses

What were the aspects of the Parnassus’ Den process that you liked?

Working on the script with excellent actors and director generously giving it life before an audience who all contributed their responses.

What role did the Parnassus’ Den actors have to play in the development of your script?

How important was their input/contribution?

They all contributed generously and asked very important questions. I also benefited from their responses to the characters which were very positive. I was impressed at their ability to lift text off the page while on their feet.

Justin Fleming (NSW)

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What were the benefits to you as a writer, having your script read at Parnassus’ Den?

There many benefits to involvement in PD:

-          public feedback on new writing from an interested but varied audience

-          having a public event to invite potential collaborators and producers to

-          working through an initial rehearsal process with a group of professional theatre artists

-          networking opportunities within the theatre industry from amongst the audience and the producing company

-          a sense of identity and community with a vibrant new writing / fringe theatre scene

-          promotion and information exchange about further development events, other theatre opportunities and theatrical productions

What were the aspects of the Parnassus’ Den process that you liked?

I have now workshopped four scripts at Parnassus and have found all aspects of the process useful. I have also promoted the group to other writers, directors and actors as an excellent vehicle for new writing development and creative involvement.

In your opinion, how important is the role that Parnassus’ Den plays in the Australian Performing Arts Industry?

I am enormously grateful for all the opportunities that PD has provided for me. Not only is PD a rare example of an Australian script development process that actually reaches out to and creatively involves an audience, but it’s become an important mechanism in building a Sydney fringe theatre community. I am continually impressed and inspired by the quality of the actors and directors involved with PD and encouraged and supported by them to develop my writing.

Any other comments about Parnassus’ Den?

I express my gratitude to PD for their incredible support of my writing and for my career. The success of the PD-developed Camarilla on the international stage has exploded interest in my career and led to my establishment as a professional writer in the dog-eat-dog market of the UK. I am just so grateful to have the organisation’s support. Thanks, guys.

Vanessa Badham (NSW & UK)

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What were the benefits to you as a writer, having your script read at Parnassus’ Den?