Harry Kolotas is an Australian playwright who has been awarded mutilple times. He is a returning author at Manly Theatre Group and that's where we met a couple of years ago. His plays area a witty and profound look into Australian society.

THE FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR MAN was a finalist in a British one-act competition.

LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN: won a first prize at the Noosa One-Act Festival in 2020 and was picked up by a Queensland publisher Maverick Musicals and Plays.

PISSOIRS OF PROVINCIAL FRANCE: Short-listed at Noosa and also on the lists of the publisher.

GRAVE CONCERNS: first prize and performed in a competition run by Playhouse Players INC in Melbourne.

Ariane de Souza is a multifaceted Brazilian artist, expressing her unique point of view through acting, singing, dancing and songwriting.

Before her time at Sydney Actor's Studio, Ariane completed a Journalism degree and gained a Black Belt in Kung-Fu. Since moving to Sydney, Ariane has performed as a professional singer and dancer and has participated in TVCs for St. George Bank and Bulk Nutrients. While at Sydney Actor's Studio Ariane performed in Animal Farm (director Kevin Jackson), The Irresistible (director Kim Hardwick) and A Kind of Alaska (director Shane Anthony). During her training, Ariane became a confident producer, production designer and cinematographer, and she is passionate about utilising these skills in future projects. She can be found online at:

https://www.arianedesouza.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/arianemdsouza/

Zewlan Moor (pronounced SHOO-len) is an author, GP and bibliotherapist who writes playful books for today’s savvy kids. Nothing Alike (illustrated by Peter Cheong, Bright Light imprint of Hardie Grant, 16 August) and The Bill Dup (illustrated by Simon O'Carrigan, Windy Hollow, 1 September) are both releasing in 2023. Now living on the land of the Yugambeh people at the Gold Coast with her husband and two children, Zewlan loves to read, practise medicine and combine the two through her private practice, Byron Bibliotherapy. Her books are sometimes multi-layered, with a quirky sense of humour and light touch that belies their serious intent. Other times they're just fun. In her reading and writing, Zewlan is preoccupied with themes of identity, language, power and social justice. Which sounds very dry, but isn't. Especially when wrapped in a picture book/cozy mystery/dark academia/romcom package. She is very grateful to the teachers and mentors who have helped her along the way, and for her boring childhood which made her into a reader!

You can find more about her work on her website www.zewlanmoor.com

00:00 Introduction and Context

02:21 Understanding Bibliotherapy

08:34 The Healing Power of Stories

11:18 Inspiration Behind 'Philippines' and 'Nothing Alike'

22:18 Cultural Identity and Experiences in Australia

31:29 Cultural Bridges in Multicultural Societies

34:10 Reflections on Childhood and Personal Experiences

37:15 Balancing Medicine and Writing

42:23 Writing During the Pandemic: A Doctor's Perspective

47:00 Disillusionment with the Role of Literature

55:17 Finding Purpose in Writing and Documenting History

59:38 The Importance of Writing for Children

01:01:33 Exploring Dramaturgy and Storytelling Techniques

01:07:53 The Essence of Identity and Personal Reflections