Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced the three finalists for the 2022–23 Queensland Premier’s Drama Award. Queensland writers and creatives Anthony Mullins and Phoebe Grainer, along with New South Wales playwright Ryan Enniss were selected from a pool of 216 entries.

Ryan Enniss, Phoebe Grainer and Anthony Mullins. Images supplied.

“This year marks 20 years of the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award – a successful partnership with Queensland Theatre which has supported storytellers and encouraged the growth and evolution of our unique arts sector,” said Palaszczuk.

The three finalists are now in the final running for the prize, which will enable a professionally-produced staging of the submitted work as part of Queensland Theatre’s 2023 season, a $16,000 commission fee to further develop the work ahead of the premiere, as well as a $30,000 cash prize. Steve Pirie, the 2020-21 winner of the biennial award, saw his prize-winning play Return to Dirt debuted at Queensland Theatre in October last year.

New South Wales playwright Ryan Enniss has been selected for his work on Drizzle Boy