Saplings - National Tour 2026

Presented by Ipswich Civic Centre and Australian Theatre for Young People…

"I wasn't there 'cause I wanted to be, I was there 'cause I had to be, okay? If Josh hadn't eaten my noodles, I wouldn't be here."

Would you risk breaking bail for a packet of Mi Goreng? Would you snitch on a mate to save your own skin? Around here, ordinary days can turn on you so fast you've still got a smile on your face as your hopes die in your hands.

After premiering at The Rebel Theatre for the Sydney Festival in 2024 and winning Sydney Theatre Awards' Best Production for Young People, Yuwaalaray playwright Hannah Belanszky and Kalkadoon director Abbie-lee Lewis bring Saplings to the stage once again. Four talented young actors take on multiple roles in this collection of hilarious and heartbreaking stories born from workshops with young people experiencing the youth justice system, from Marrickville to Moree.

Written by Hannah Belansky.

Content warning – this production references First Nations peoples who are deceased.

Presented as part of SPARK Ipswich 2026.