The Adam NZ Play Award is an annual award in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

given to new plays. There are a range of categories and submitted plays are read blind by a panel of industry professionals.

History

The award started in 2008 and was initially called the Playmarket New New Zealand Play Award. The Adam Foundation support the awards with a total of $8,000 in prizes. The Adam Foundation was established by Denis and Verna Adam in 1976 initially for art and then for other creative endeavours. Denis Adam died in October 2018. There is also an Adam Foundation Prize in Creative Writing. In 2019,

Mitch Tawhi Thomas Mitch Tawhi Thomas (Ngāti Maniapoto) is a New Zealand playwright, actor and drama teacher. Education Thomas affiliates to Ngāti Maniapoto. Thomas graduated from Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School in 1997 with a Diploma in Acting. Career Tawh ...

became the first playwright to win an Adam NZ Play award twice, the first for ''Hui'' in 2012 and then for ''Pakaru'' (in 2019). The winners are announced at a ceremony each year.

Eligibility and conditions

The panel accepts up to three new plays but only be submitted to the competition once. There are no style or length limits. The plays must not have had a professional production (upcoming productions, readings, workshops or community productions are acceptable). The cut off is the 1 December each year. Categories include: * Best Play * Best Play by a Māori Playwright * Best Play by a Pasifika Playwright * Best Play by a Woman Playwright Plays can win more than one category.

Adam NZ Play Award recipients and runners ups

2008: Ninna Tersman for ''Fucking Parasites.'' This was work-shopped in London, directed by

Lorae Parry Lorae Ann Parry is a New Zealand playwright and actor. Biography and education She was born in 1955 in Sydney, Australia and in 1970 moved to New Zealand. Parry has two qualifications, a Diploma in Acting from Toi Whakaari, the national New ...

with script advisor

Tanika Gupta Tanika Gupta (born 1 December 1963) is a British playwright. Apart from her work for the theatre, she has also written scripts for television, film and radio plays. Early life Tanika Gupta was born in London to immigrant parents from Kolkata, ...

. 2009:

Pip Hall Philippa Hall (born 1971) is a New Zealand stage, screen and radio script writer and actor. Biography Background Pip Hall is the daughter of writer Roger Hall and grew up mostly in Dunedin, New Zealand. She graduated in theatre studies an ...

for ''The 53rd Victim'' won the New Play Award. ''The 53rd Victim'', and ''Sketch'' by Kate Morris were also selected for rehearsed public readings as part of the Aotearoa Playwrights Conference New Writing / New Producing Forum at the Auckland Festival. 2010: Stuart Hoar for ''Pasefika.'' The Best Play by a Māori Playwright:

Whiti Hereaka Whiti Hereaka (born 1978) is a New Zealand playwright, novelist and screenwriter and a barrister and solicitor. She has held a number of writing residencies and appeared at literary festivals in New Zealand and overseas, and several of her books ...

for ''Te Kaupoi''. Special Prize for a Woman Playwright:

Fiona Samuel Fiona Samuel (born 1961) is a New Zealand writer, actor and director who was born in Scotland. Samuel's award-winning career spans theatre, film, radio and television. She graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 1980 with a ...

for ''The Liar's Bible''. Special Prize for an Auckland Playwright:Thomas Sainsbury for ''The Canary''. 2011: Arun Subramaniam for ''Hero''. Runners-up: Courtney Meredith for ''Rushing Dolls'' and Georgina Titheridge for ''Sliderhands''. Best Play by a Pasifika Playwright: Maureen Fepulea'i for ''e ono tama'i pato''. Best Play by a Māori Playwright: Whiti Hereaka for ''Rona and Rabbit on the Moon''. Best Play by a Woman Playwright: Georgina Titheridge for ''Sliderhands'' and Courtney Meredith for ''Rushing Dolls''. The Play Press submission to

Susan Smith Blackburn Prize The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize established in 1978, is the largest and oldest playwriting prize for women+ writing for English-speaking theatre. Named for Susan Smith Blackburn (1935–1977), alumna of Smith College, who died of breast cancer. W ...

: Georgina Titheridge for ''Sliderhands''. Special Mention (Playmarket & Circa sponsored reading): Joe Musaphia for ''Problem''s. PumpHouse Theatre Prize for an Auckland Playwright: Margot McRae for ''Fools' Paradise''. 2012: Mitch Tawhi Thomas for his play ''Hui'', which also won Best Play by a Māori Playwright. Runners-up: Dawn Cheong for ''Remnants of the Silk Maker's Ghost'' and Philip Braithwaite for ''White City.'' Best Play by a Woman playwright and The Play Press choice for the Susan Smith Blackburn prize: Dawn Cheong for ''Remnants of the Silk Maker's Ghost.'' Best play by a Pasifika playwright: Jonathan Riley for ''Makigi''. PumpHouse choice for their 2 week development season: Pip Hall for ''Ache.'' 2013: Phillip Braithwaite for ''The Mercy Clause''. Runner-up: Paul Baker for ''The Night Visitors.'' Best Play by a Pasifika Playwright: David Mamea for ''Goodbye My Feleni.'' Best Play by a Māori Playwright: Renae Maihi for ''Patua''. Best Play by a Woman Playwright and The Play Press choice for submission to the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize: Hannah McKie for ''Mary Scott: Queen of the Backblocks''. 2014:

Elisabeth Easther Elisabeth Easther (born 1970) is a New Zealand actor, broadcaster, journalist and playwright. She played Carla Crozier on New Zealand soap opera ''Shortland Street'' from May 1995 to July 1996, and has since had a varied career in television, ra ...

for ''Seed.'' Runner up: Pip Hall for ''Mule'' and Nancy Brunning for ''Hikoi.'' Best Play by a Māori Playwright: Nancy Brunning for ''Hikoi.'' Best Play by a Woman Writer: Elisabeth Easther for ''Seed.'' Highly Commended: Mei-Lin Te Puea Hansen for ''The Mooncake and the Kumara'' and Sam Brooks for ''Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys.'' 2015: Anders Falstie-Jensen for ''Centrepoint'' and Hone Kouka for ''Bless the Child.'' Runner up:

Dean Parker Dean Leo Parker (20 August 1947 – 14 April 2020) was a New Zealand screenwriter, playwright, journalist and political commentator based in Auckland. Known for the screenplay of iconic film ''Came a Hot Friday'' which he co-wrote with Ian Mune, th ...

for ''Polo.'' Best Play by a Māori Playwright:

Hone Kouka Hone Vivian Kouka is a New Zealand playwright. He has written 13 plays, which have been staged in New Zealand and worldwide including Canada, South Africa, New Caledonia and Britain. Kouka's plays have won multiple awards at the Chapman Tripp T ...

for ''Bless the Child.'' Best Play by a Woman Playwright: Michelanne Forster for ''The Gift of Tongues.'' Best Play by a Pasifika Playwright: David Mamea for ''Kingswood.'' Highly Commended: Tom McCrory for ''Significance.'' 2016: Maraea Rakuraku for ''Tan-knee.'' Runner up: Josephine Stewart-Tewhiu for ''Sean Penn is in His Boat.'' Best Play by a Māori Playwright: Maraea Rakuraku for ''Tan-knee.'' Best Play by a Woman Playwright: Maraea Rakuraku for ''Tan-knee.'' Best Play by a Pasifika Playwright: Suli Moa for ''12th Round.'' Highly Commended: Steven Page for ''Fool to Cry'' and Finnius Teppett for ''My Dad's Boy.'' 2017: D.F. Mamea for ''Still Life with Chickens.'' Runner up: Lori Leigh for ''Uneasy Dreams and Other Things.'' Best Play by a Māori Playwright: Maraea Rakuraku for ''Te Papakāinga.'' Best Play by a Pasifika Playwright: D.F. Mamea for ''Still Life with Chickens.'' Highly Commended: Sam Brooks for ''Burn Her.'' 2018: Shane Bosher for ''Everything After.'' Best Play by a Māori Playwright: Albert Belz for ''Cradle Song'' and Jason Te Mete for ''Little Black Bitch.'' Best Play by a Pasifika Playwright: Suli Moa for ''Tales of A Princess.'' Best Play by a Woman Playwright:

Angie Farrow Angela Rosina Farrow (born 1951) is a New Zealand academic and writer for theatre and radio. Born in the United Kingdom, Farrow was appointed professor emerita at Massey University in November 2022. She was promoted to full professor in 2011 and ...

for ''Before the Birds.'' 2019: Mitch Tawhi Thomas for ''Pakaru.'' Runner Up: Nancy Brunning for ''Taniwha Woman.'' Highly Commended'':'' Peter Croft for ''Penalty.'' Best Play by a Māori Playwright: Mitch Tawhi Thomas for ''Pakaru.'' Best Play by a Pasifika Playwright: Benny Marama for ''thursdays.child.'' Best Play by a Woman Playwright: Nancy Brunning for ''Taniwha Woman'' 2020: Jess Sayer for ''This Particular Room.'' Runner Up: Siobhan Rosenthal for ''Blocked''. Best Play by a Māori Playwright: Sarah Browne for ''Second to God.'' Best Play by a Pasifika Playwright:

Tanya Muagututi'a Tanya Muagututi'a is a New Zealand playwright and arts festival director. Biography Muagututi'a's father, Muagututi'a Pulusila Meafou Sagapolutele, was Samoan and moved to New Zealand in the early 1950s, aged 11, to attend school. She co-f ...

for ''Scholars.'' Best Play by a Woman Playwright: Jess Sayer for ''This Particular Room.'' McNaughton South Island Play Award:

Carl Nixon Carl Nixon (born 1967) is a New Zealand novelist, short story writer and playwright. He has written four novels and a number of original plays which have been performed throughout New Zealand, as well as adapting both Lloyd Jones' novel ''The ...

for ''An Unlikely Season''

Adam NZ Play Award shortlists

2010: Denis Edwards, Ella West,

Greg McGee Greg McGee is a New Zealand writer and playwright, who also writes crime fiction under the pseudonym Alix Bosco. Biography McGee was born in 1950 in the South Island town of Oamaru. In his early 20s McGee played rugby as a Junior All Black and b ...

, Hannah McKie, Justin Eade, Lorae Parry &

Pinky Agnew Pinky Agnew, MNZM (born 1955 in Port Chalmers) is an actor, author, social commentator, and wedding celebrant based in Wellington in New Zealand . She has been a full-time performer and entertainer since 1990. In 2004 she appeared in the New Year ...

, Mike Hudson, and Paul Baker. 2011: Dan Cleary, Jennifer Compton, and Whiti Hereaka. 2012: Jess Sayer, ''Beautiful Coincidences''; Joe Musaphia, ''The Train Set''; ; Ken Duncum, ''Janet & John''; ; Natasha Maharaj, ''Dirty Children''; Patrick Evans, ''Gifted''; Phillip Braithwaite, ''Honest to God''; ; and Whiti Hereaka, ''Raw Men.'' 2013: Sam Brooks, ''And I Was Like'';

Michael Galvin Michael Galvin (born 27 March 1967) is a New Zealand actor, singer and playwright, well known for his role as Chris Warner on the soap opera Shortland Street, a character he has played almost since the show's debut in 1992 until 1996 and again ...

, ''Give Up''; Joseph Harper, ''atlas/mountains/dead butterflies''; Alice Miller, ''Native Affairs''; Olga Nikora, ''Stroika''; and Bruce Clyde Thomson, ''Ayn Rand Has Her Way''. 2014: Philip Braithwaite, ''Lingua Franca''; Rachel Callinan, ''Pakehell''; Justin Eade, Central Otago Man;

Renee Liang Renee Wen-Wei Liang (born 1973) is a New Zealand paediatrician, poet, essayist, short story writer, playwright, librettist, theatre producer and medical researcher. She has been the recipient of several awards for her services to arts, science ...

, ''The Quiet Room;'' Stanley Makuwe, ''Footprints on Ika's Hear''t; Alice Miller, ''Three Sisters''; Andrew Parker, ''Occupy: The Road to Joy''; and Arun Subramaniam, ''A Moment or Two''. 2015: Aroha Awarau, Officer 27; Sam Brooks, Spitting it Out; Kip Chapman, ''Hudson and Halls Live!''; Denis Edwards, ''Service to Love''; Pip Hall, ''Squeak, Squeak – Tales of the White Mouse;'' Nathan Joe, ''Who is Sada Abe? Part One: Bullfight of Love''; Riwia Mackenzie-Brown, ''The Violet and the Huia Feather;'' Gavin McGibbon, ''Congregation''; Ken Mizusawa, ''Why do we do what we do?''; James Nokise, ''The Last Part;'' Robyn Paterson, ''The World's First Fight;'' April Phillips, ''Charlotte Badger: Miscreant, Mother, Mutineer!;'' John Smythe, ''Where There's a Will;'' and Aroha White, ''2080.'' 2016: Carl Bland, ''Te Pō''; Philip Braithwaite, ''The Atom Room''; Kip Chapman, ''Lucky''; Angie Farrow, ''The Politician's Wife'';

Miria George Miria may refer to: *Miria, Mali *Miria, Niger See also * myria- Myria- (symbol my) is a now obsolete decimal metric prefix denoting a factor of 104 (ten thousand). It originates from the Greek μύριοι (''mýrioi'') (myriad). The prefix w ...

, ''The Vultures;'' Ralph McCubbin Howell, ''The Devil's Half Acre''; Emma Kinane, ''Anahera;'' Tom McCrory, ''Smiley''; Joe Musaphia, ''A Love Like Ours''; Olga Nikora, ''Tumanāko;'' Dean Parker, ''Ports of Auckland;'' Lorae Parry, '' Scarlet & Gold;''

Vivienne Plumb Vivienne Christiana Gracia Plumb (born 4 April 1955) is New Zealand poet, playwright, fiction writer, and editor. Biography Plumb is of both New Zealand and Australian heritage. Born in Sydney, Australia, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree i ...

, ''The Property Developer;'' Elspeth Sandys, Rogues and Vagabonds; Cian Elyse White, ''Te Puhi''. 2017: Geoff Allen, ''The Taiaha and the Sabre''; Carl Bland, ''Spirit House''; Nick Brown and the cast, ''Paratiho''; Kathryn Burnett, ''The Caravan''; Noa Campbell, ''Teka or Tika;'' Richard De Luca, ''Death of a Dream''; Adam Goodall, ''The Go-Between;'' Alex Lodge, ''Sing to Me''; Alex Lodge and Cherie Jacobson, ''Modern Girls in Bed'';

Miriama McDowell Miriama McDowell is a New Zealand actor, director and playwright. She is a graduate of Toi Whakaari. McDowell has a long association with Massive Theatre Company in Auckland, and has both acted and directed for the Pop-up Globe, including direc ...

Rob Mokaraka Rob Mokaraka is a New Zealand playwright and actor. He affiliates to Nga Puhi and Ngai Tuhoe. He has been part of the performing group The Māori Sidesteps. In 2006 he played Taneatua in the Taki Rua production of Hone Kouka's '' Nga Tanga ...

and

Jason Te Kare Jason Te Kare is a New Zealand director, playwright and actor. Early life and education Te Kare graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 2001 with a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Acting). Work Te Kare played Ty in the prem ...

, ''Cellfish;''

, ''Flame;'' Joe Musaphia, ''The Gearbox;''

, ''Before the Next Teardrop Falls;'' Julianne Parkinson, ''The Rookie''; Finnius Teppett, ''Cannibal''. 2018: Claire Ahuriri-Dunning, ''Dracula''; Aroha Awarau, ''Provocation''; Sam Brooks, ''Turn Off the Lights'' and ''Twenty Eight Millimetres''; James Cain, ''Movers''; Emily Duncan, ''In Our Shoes''; Chye-Ling Huang, ''Orientation''; Justin Lewis and

Jacob Rajan Jacob Rajan is a Malaysian-born-New Zealand playwright and actor. His highly successful plays include the trilogy ''Krishnan's Dairy'', ''The Candlestick Maker'' and ''The Pickle King''. Another work was ''The Dentist's Chair''. In 2002, he r ...

, ''Welcome to the Murder House''; Vela Manusaute, ''Tropical Lovebirds''; Arthur Meek, ''Land of the Moa''; Joe Musaphia, ''Chutzpah''; Dean Parker, ''Tutankhamun''; Bruce Clyde Thomson, ''Stuck Pigs''; James van Dyk, ''The Lazarus Lottery'' and Roy Ward, ''The Bright Side of my Condition''. 2019: Carl Bland, ''Mr Red Light''; Kieran Craft, ''Four Nights in the Green Barrow Pub''; Emily Duncan, ''Le Sujet Parle;'' Rose Kirkup, ''Unflattering Smock;'' Rene Le Bas, ''Lloyd Dobler is Dead;'' Rachel Lowe, ''You Didn't Die,'' Stanley Makuwe, ''Black Lover''; Olga Nikora, ''In Search of Freedom;'' Jenny Pattrick, ''Hope;'' Frances Steinberg, ''Routine Magic;'' Craig Thaine, ''Martha Mee''. 2020: George Arthur, ''A Relatively Uneventful Evening''; Ralph McCubbin Howell, ''Lysander's Aunty''; Chye-Ling Huang, ''Black Tree Bridge;''

, ''On Springfield Road;'' Olga Nikora, ''a short guide to staying alive;'' Regan Taylor, ''Mate''; Craig Thaine, ''Rupture''.

References

{{reflist New Zealand literary awards Awards established in 2008