Proudly Asian Theatre’s Fresh Off the Page initiative is BACK for 2026!
A series of playreadings where the freshest new scripts by Asian playwrights from Aotearoa are developed, directed and performed by Asian talent.
We’re so excited to present three brand new scripts in development across three nights of readings (including post-reading Q+A and kai in the foyer to celebrate!).
New Zealand is a Garden by Nam Woon Kim | Saturday 30 May, 7.30pm
A land surveyor encounters a friendly ghost but fails to heed his warning, dooming a couple who will settle there years later, to a deep hunger beyond their understanding.
About Nam Woon Kim:
Nam is a writer and photographer interested in modern horror and the unexpected places you can find it - from the soft zapping of powerlines to vacant subdivisions. With a newfound appetite for theatre, this is his first time writing for the stage. Nam’s creative experience includes being an interpreter for a K-pop music video, running a university student magazine, and interning at an independent music label. He also loves zine-making and has tabled at Overload NZ and Auckland Zinefest.
Creative Team:
Nam is supported by dramaturg / director Jane Yonge (a mixtape for maladies, Our Own Little Mess, Scenes from a Yellow Peril) along with a stellar cast including returning whānau from PAT’s most recent production of Genuine and Stable, Junghwi Jo and Uhyoung Choi, joined by new whānau Hae Yeon Seol and Ben Son.
Kitty Party / Mt. Roskill Murder Club by Sananda Chatterjee | Saturday 13 June, 7.30pm
A quiet Mt Roskill street is rocked by a suspicious death, turning a regular weekly gathering of women into a night of spiralling paranoia and spilled tea.
About Sananda Chatterjee:
Born in Kolkata and raised between Delhi and Tāmaki Makaurau, Sananda brings a deeply layered creative practice shaped by theatre, identity, movement and community. A multi-disciplinary artist and producer, her work spans large ensemble pieces with Prayas Theatre to independent projects exploring gender, relationships and belonging.
Beyond the stage, Sananda is a sought-after producer, mentor, researcher and Cultural Insights specialist (currently at The Big Idea) - someone who cares about how stories land, who they speak to and how they shift us. This will mark their journey towards finishing her first feature length play.
Creative Team:
Sananda is supported by dramaturg / director Sameena Zehra (Tea with Terrorists) along with a gorgeous cast including Pamela Sidhu (Spartacus: House of Ashur), Sudeepta Vyas (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Arti Kansara (Much Ado About Nothing), Ayesha Heble (Shortland Street) and Karishma Grebneff (Basmati B*tch).
Seeing Double by Louise Jiang | Saturday 20 June, 7.30pm
The world’s youngest self-made billionaire secretly clones herself to avoid burning out at work.
About Louise Jiang:
A graduate from Toi Whakaari; NZ Drama School, Louise Jiang is an actor and maker across stage and screen. With a vested interest in devised theatre, her recent theatre work includes Wrest (Red Leap Theatre) as well as Scenes from a Yellow Peril (Nathan Joe) and Ciggy Butts in The Sand (Tupua Tigafua). On screen, Louise features in Sweet Tooth (Netflix), Camp Be Better and Warren’s Vortex (TVNZ).
Outside of performing, Louise is expanding her craft this year as an emerging writer and director. After debuting her devised solo show actor / android at Tahi Festival and then Basement Theatre in 2023, Seeing Double will be the first play Louise has written sitting down(!) with the support of this initiative.
Creative Team:
Louise is supported by dramaturg Nathan Joe (Scenes from a Yellow Peril) and director Batanai Mashingaidze (Dakota of the White Flats), with an incredible cast including Celine Dam (Basmati B*tch), Chye-Ling Huang (Homebound 3.0) and more to be announced soon!
Proudly Asian Theatre aims to connect and empower Asian talent to produce original and contemporary theatre works, to represent, entertain and break down barriers of acceptance and visibility in Aotearoa.
Brought to you by Proudly Asian Theatre with support from Creative New Zealand, Auckland Council and Factory Theatre. Produced by Nomuna Amarbat.