Anthony Nocera announced as 2026 winner of the Queer Playwriting Award
Midsumma and Gasworks Creative Precinct are proud to announce Anthony Nocera as the winner of the 2026 Queer Playwriting Award for his new work, My Hair is Thinning.
Now in its eleventh year, the Queer Playwriting Award continues its mission to identify, support and develop emerging queer playwrights, while bringing bold LGBTQIA+ stories to the forefront of Australian theatre. The program celebrates the diversity, creativity and lived experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community, ensuring that stories from our communities are heard, not just within queer spaces, but on stages across the country for mainstream audiences to engage with, reflect on and enjoy.
The 2026 winning play, My Hair is Thinning, is a deeply personal work that blends humour with heartbreak. The play explores themes of loss — of hair, of lovers, and of other things that shape a life.
In 2022, Anthony’s fiancé Jamie passed away following complications related to treatment for leukemia. Despite being twice Anthony’s age and having undergone chemotherapy, Jamie somehow maintained a better head of hair than Anthony. From this deeply personal experience, Anthony has crafted a story that finds comedy and tenderness within grief.
Both judges and audiences were captivated by the play’s distinctive voice and emotional honesty.
Sam Strong praised the work, saying:
“As a home for the next generation of stories and artists, we’re privileged to announce the winner of the next cycle of the Queer Playwriting Award. Anthony Nocera’s My Hair is Thinning spins comedy gold from personal tragedy and we can’t wait to see it realised in a full production.”
As part of the award, Anthony will receive support to develop and produce a full-length theatre production, which will premiere as part of the Gasworks program for Midsumma Festival 2027.
Karen Bryant, Chief Executive & Creative Director of Midsumma, said the award continues to champion important queer stories for Australian stages:
“The Queer Playwriting Award champions the stories our community needs to see onstage. 2026 winner Anthony Nocera’s My Hair is Thinning is a bold, exciting new work — and definitely one for audiences to watch as it develops toward Midsumma 2027.”
Celebrating the 2026 finalists
Midsumma and Gasworks also extend a huge congratulations to all of the incredible finalists in the 2026 Queer Playwriting Award, who each delivered imaginative, moving and thought-provoking works during this year’s program.
Lyall Brooks – SELF/LESS
SELF/LESS is a modular theatrical work composed of four speculative narrative strands, each interrogating a scenario where reproductive ethics, identity, and bio-emotional decision-making intersect.
Sammaneh Pourshafighi – Post Pre-teen Drama Queens
Post Pre-teen Drama Queens is an experimental love letter to grief, friendship, and the lost art of writing letters.
Gabrielle Fallen – Amy is Not Scared
When Amy was a child in Canberra, a man lived in the bush reserve near her house. His hands and feet were covered with dirt, and he got stronger with every story told about him. Now, Amy is a prodigious dance student, guided by her friend and real-life trans sex worker Liana. One day, the man in the bush reaches out to lay claim to Amy’s stories.
Hiroki Kobayashi – OUT!
OUT! is a work of monologue that explores the complexities of queer representation, identity and coming of age through the lens of men’s professional tennis.
Anthony Nocera – My Hair is Thinning
My Hair is Thinning is about loss. Of hair. Of lovers. Of other things. In 2022, Anthony's fiancé Jamie passed away following complications related to treatment of leukemia. Despite being twice Anthony’s age and having undergone chemotherapy, Jamie had a better head of hair than Anthony.
The calibre of this year’s finalists once again highlights the extraordinary talent within Australia’s queer theatre community and the vital role the Queer Playwriting Award plays in supporting new voices.
Following the success of the expanded Queer Playwriting Award program, the ongoing partnership between Midsumma and Gasworks Arts Park continues to create meaningful pathways for LGBTQIA+ writers to develop their work from page to stage.
With its powerful mix of humour, vulnerability and humanity, My Hair is Thinning promises to be a standout addition to the 2027 Midsumma Festival, and an exciting new voice in Australian theatre.
Submissions for the 2027 Queer Playwriting Award will open in June 2026, inviting the next wave of LGBTQIA+ playwrights to share their stories with Australian theatre audiences.
