Echoes in Draft 2026
Creative Development Showcase
Presented as part of the Makuru Festival 2026.
Saturday, 27th June 2026 // 2PM // Hamilton Hill Memorial Hall
Audience Post-Show Survey
blue joy theatre company was created and continues to operate on stolen land. We acknowledge the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation, the traditional custodians of the land on which we live, create, and perform. We pay our deepest respects to Elders past and present, and to the ongoing strength, resistance, and creativity of First Nations communities.
We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded. This always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land. As a company committed to diverse storytelling, we understand that meaningful representation and cultural respect begin with truth-telling and accountability.
Echoes in Draft is a table-read-driven creative development program designed to amplify emerging voices and in-progress works across performance and theatre. Built on the belief that storytelling begins long before the spotlight, this program offers writers, performers, and creatives a space to breathe life into scripts by hearing them aloud—raw, evolving, and full of potential.
This is where dialogue finds its rhythm, characters start to pulse, and narratives echo with the truth of collaboration.
Salem Slander
by Zachary Borthwick
Learning to Love
by Adam Snyman
Trans Person Falling Out of the Sky
by Sam Rumpel
Krishna’s Kaleidoscope
by Maya-Rose Chuahan
Director
Oliver Hughes
Performers
Kate Naunton Morgan
Maya Bassi Curtis
Suraj Raja
Zachary Borthwick
Stella Finn
Creative Producer & Curator
Mohammed ‘Ayo Busari’
Producer
Anja Starkiss
Writing Mentor
Afeif Ismail
The running time for this production is approximately 90 minutes (including a short Q&A)
Salem Slander by Zachary Borthwick
In 17th century Salem, Massachusetts, a young man befriends a woman who is suspected of being a witch
Learning to Love by Adam Snyman
An unlikely couple kidnap their friends to learn how to be in a perfect relationship.
Trans Person Falling Out of the Sky by Sam Rumpel
Reporters, bloggers, influencers, and anyone else with an opinion and an internet connection argue about what to do when a mysterious person - transgender in nature - inexplicably begins falling out of the sky.
Krishna's Kaleidoscopic Storytime by Maya-Rose Chauhan
A boy of 11 with an expansive imagination finds ways to cope with multiple intercontinental migrations through unusual storytelling techniques.
Director’s Note
It's great to be back for Echoes in Draft this year as the director of the read-throughs. Last year, I had the chance to be a writer on the program, and it was such a great opportunity to present a new script alongside other talented writers. This year’s collection of scripts is a testament to the diversity of Perth's independent art scene, and it's all so fresh, fun, unique, and real in its own way. Echoes in Draft is such an amazing platform to champion new voices that so often have to compete for limited opportunities. Hope you enjoy!
-Oliver Hughes
Creative Team & Collaborators
Mohammed ‘Ayo Busari’
Creative Producer & CuratorMohammed ‘Ayo Busari’ is a Nigerian-born, award-winning Creative Producer, Director, Curator, Visual Artist, Writer, Performer, and Disability Support Worker based in Boorloo (Perth). He holds a BA (Hons) in Journalism & Media from the University of Hertfordshire (UK) and a Master of Arts in Screen Arts from Curtin University. Ayo is known for creating immersive, poetic, and emotionally resonant theatre works that fuse spoken word, live music, and movement. He co-founded The Outsiders, producing acclaimed shows such as An Evening of African Poetry & Storytelling (nominated for Outstanding Overall Design at The Blue Room 2024 Awards) and Our Stories, Our Motherland. He also founded Blue Joy Theatre Co., which supports early-career and underrepresented artists through development programs and new work productions. Ayo also serves as Communications & Marketing Coordinator at The Blue Room Theatre and sits on the boards of the Western Australian Youth Theatre Company (WAYTCo) and Regional Arts WA.
Anja Starkiss
ProducerAn independent producer, performer and creative originally from Narrm (Melbourne) and currently based in Boorloo (Perth). Since graduating from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (2023) with a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Performance Making), Anja has taken her time to explore many facets of Perth’s arts industry, always following compelling storytelling and collaborative processes. As Program and Production Coordinator for Blue Joy Theatre Company, Anja is fueled by a passion for supporting artists to tell their stories, prioritising people-first, inclusive and collaborative approaches to programming and process. In doing so, she hopes to support Blue Joy Theatre Company’s mission of amplifying underrepresented voices, showcasing bold ideas and supporting emerging artists to find their place in the industry. Anja’s recent credits include performing inHow to: Break a ChairandAll the Words I Cannot Find (The Blue Room Theatre, 2025) and producing the upcoming seasons of New Beginnings and better late, than never as part of FRINGE WORLD Festival 2026.
DirectorOliver Hughes
Oliver Hughes (he/him) is a proud, award-winning, Noongar actor and writer from Perth. He began training at John Curtin College of the Arts and continued onto WAAPA in the Aboriginal Performance course (graduating 2021), followed by the Bachelor in Performance Making (graduating 2024). His credits include work with Yirra Yaakin in Ngalaka Daa (2018-2021) and Panawathi Girl (2022). Spare Parts Puppet Theatre in Wundabaa Gaay-Guwaali (2022), Hare Brain (2024), The Murmuration of Lost Birds (2024) and Reach For The Sky (2025). Other credits include Out For The Count (2025), ASK (2024), Salted Pretzels (2023)(PAWAA Nomination), BESIDE (2021).
Zachary Borthwick
Playwright & PerformerZachary is a actor and writer originally from Mumbai. He has worked in several productions across Australia. Treasure Island (2019), Salome (2020) and You Still Here? (2021) in Tasmania, Escaping The Burning Sun (2022) in Adelaide and Final Line (2023) and Final Two (2025) in Western Australia. Zachary is making his foray as writer with his first play set to be produced in late 2026.
Adam Snyman is an emerging theatre maker with a deep passion for storytelling, particularly stories that bring laughter and joy to audiences. With a strong foundation in performance and screen production, Adam is committed to creating work that is both entertaining and heartfelt. He began his formal training at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), where he completed a Bachelor of Performing Arts, honing his skills in acting, collaboration, and stagecraft.
PlaywrightAdam Snyman
Sam Rumpel
PlaywrightSam Rumpel is a queer and neurodivergent multidisciplinary artist from Florida, USA. Sam graduated WAAPA's Bachelor of Performing Arts course in 2024, performing and collaborating in works such as "Big Love" (2024); and "A Murmuration of Lost Birds" (2024). Sam has since worked on "Out For the Count" (2025); “Stop The Heart” (2025), FRINGE WORLD Tour Ready Award winner; "The Pass" (2025); "Anatomy of a Rom-Com" (2026); and “The Irreducible” (2026). Sam’s current projects are ATYP's Fresh Ink, TBRT’s 600 Seconds, WAYTCo's Senior Ensemble, and Nalaka Daa.
PlaywrightMaya-Rose Chauhan
Maya-Rose Chauhan is a UK-born writer based on Noongar Boodja, born to Indian and Irish parents and brought up on Wardandi Boodja. After presenting Saga Sisterhood, produced by Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa, at Mapping Melbourne, the Centre for Stories and The Blue Room Theatre's Winter Nights Season (2018-19), she wrote and developed a show under the mentorship of Laura Maitland for 600 Seconds in 2020 with 'Its All Relative - a Family Saga'. Maya-Rose has received mentoring from Finn O'Branagain, Barb Hostalek (To the Front 2020) and, in memoir writing, with Rosemary Sayer though a Centre for Stories Fellowship.
Kate Naunton Morgan
PerformerKate Naunton Morgan (she/her) is an actress, model, and marketing professional with over a decade of stage and screen experience. A graduate in Theatre, History, and Marketing, her recent stage credits include the titular roles in Emma (dir. Simon James) and Antigone (dir. Ellis Kinnear), as well as Not Another Murder Mystery (FRINGE WORLD 2025) and UFO (FRINGE WORLD 2024). Her screen work includes The Engagement Party (dir. Dacre Montgomery) and The Palm Print (dir. Allison James). As a model, Kate has worked across runway, editorial, beauty, lifestyle, and commercial for brands including L’Oréal, Goldwell, and RAC. Alongside performing, she works in arts marketing with CinefestOZ, Reprise Theatre Company, Blue Joy Theatre Company, Mobus Entertainment, and All Bite No Bark Curation.
Maya Bassi Curtis
PerformerMaya Bassi Curtis is a British-Indian and Australian actor, singer, and creative trained at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). Based between London and Australia, she recently appeared in Make It Happen with the National Theatre of Scotland alongside Brian Cox, and starred as Young Harini in Māyā: The Musical at @sohoplace. Her work spans theatre, musical theatre, film, and devised performance, with credits including work at Leeds Playhouse, Theatre Peckham, National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, The Phoenix Arts Club, and Theatre Royal Stratford East. Also a skilled singer, spoken word artist, and writer, Maya brings dynamic storytelling to her performances .
Suraj Raja
PerformerSuraj’s early connection to theatre began at the age of eight when he appeared in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at WAAPA. He currently works as a casual stage mechanist at His Majesty’s Theatre and the State Theatre Centre, supporting live productions behind the scenes. A multidisciplinary creative from Perth, Suraj works across DJing, production, live performance, and rap. As an open-format hire DJ, he performs at birthday parties, community events, and music venues throughout the city. He is also a member of *Shadow Planet, an electronic neo-soul band where he plays keys, synth, and guitar, and recently presented his first poetry night, Head in the Sky, and a fundraiser for Palestinian musicians Hazem and Mohand.
Stella is a young performing artist, model and writer, interested in telling stories and creating art that speaks to people. Drawing on their own experiences as a queer and disabled person to achieve this, and their passion for active listening to people in diverse communities drives their desire to provide and support authentic voices. Stella has had numerous opportunities in acting, playwriting, teaching and assistant directing in the theatre scene in Boorloo, specifically working on site specific, found space, physical and experimental theatre. Stella has worked with the WA Youth Theatre Company since 2019. Most notably, they have performed and co-wrote for the 2020 Fringe Festival show Body Rights: Boxed In, the 2021 Perth Festival piece Beside ,the 2023 Perth Festival piece Seven Sisters. and performed in the collaborative work Ngalaka Daa with Waytco and Yirra Yarrkin Theatre Company in 2021. Stella performed in the developing pieces Better Late Than Never and Until We Meet Again, as a part of Blue Joy Theatre Company’s debut development bill New Beginnings. Stella has made their debut as an Assistant Director for WAYTCo’s 2024 performance of The Comprehensive A-Z of Missing Persons Australia.
PerformerStella Finn
Afeif Ismail was born in Elhasahisa, Sudan. A published poet and playwright, he arrived in Australia in 2003. Afeif’s plays in Arabic have been produced in cities, towns and villages across Sudan from 1985 to 2000. His play for children, The African Magician, was commissioned and produced by Barking Gecko Theatre Company in Western Australia in July 2010. In 2009 he was a recipient of an inaugural Western Australian Theatre Development Initiative for his play The Shrouds or the Dead. The African Magician was nominated for the 44th Annual AWGIE Award best script for Children Theatre in 2011and another play, Son of the Nile, was produced by Murdoch University Theatre in Education in Western Australia in 2012.
MentorAfeif Ismail
