AustLit logo
image of person or book cover 8009194099512971779.jpg
Photo courtesy Reading Australia
Nick Enright Nick Enright i(A20517 works by) (a.k.a. Nicholas Paul Enright)
Also writes as: A Gentleman of Newtown
Born: Established: 22 Dec 1950 Maitland, Maitland area, Hunter Valley, Newcastle - Hunter Valley area, New South Wales, ; Died: Ceased: 30 Mar 2003 Sydney, New South Wales,
Gender: Male
The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access. To explore options for subscribing to this unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling, please contact us or find out more.

BiographyHistory

Nicholas (Nick) Enright was educated at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview in Sydney, and received a BA from the University of Sydney (1972), and an MFA from New York University School of Arts (1977). He began his professional career in the theatre for J. C. Williamson at the age of sixteen, and while still a student at NYU School of the Arts Enright began to teach acting to students in the dance program (1976-1977).

On returning to Australia, Enright took up a teaching role at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) (1978-1999) and was the Head of the Acting Course there between 1982 and 1984. From 1993-2000, Enright taught at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Edith Cowan University and was also the Adjunct Professor in the School of Dramatic Arts (1998-2000). From 2000-2003 he again taught acting at NIDA. Additionally, Enright was an occasional teacher at the Actors Centre, Sydney and a freelance dialogue coach on feature films. He was also engaged for various roles in the theatre world including Associate Director, State Theatre Company of South Australia.

Enright was a playwright, actor, director, screenwriter, lyricist, translator, adaptor, dramaturg, performer, compere, teacher and dialogue coach, and was one of Australia's most prolific writers. He came to playwriting through his work as an actor and director in regional theatres, devising, editing, adapting and translating works for children, community groups and regional theatres. Following his first professional production in 1978, his musicals, stage plays, radio plays, screenplays, translations, adaptations and collaborations were performed and broadcast constantly throughout Australia and internationally.

Enright reached an increasingly widening audience with his screenplay (written with George Miller) for the 1992 film Lorenzo's Oil for which he received an Academy Award nomination, and with his 1998 musical biography of singer Peter Allen, The Boy from Oz. His colloaboration with Justin Monjo on the theatrical adaptation of Tim Winton's novel Cloudstreet also received wide critical acclaim in Australia and overseas.

Enright's playscripts and screenplays were nominated for and received numerous awards ranging from Australian Writers' Guild (AWGIE) and Australian Film Institute (AFI) awards to NSW Premier's Literary Awards.

Following a re-diagnosis in 2002 with a malignant melanoma Enright attempted various treatments, but died in Sydney on the afternoon of 30 March 2003.

(Source: Biography prepared in conjunction with Wilgha Edwards, Australian Special Research Collection, UNSW@ADFA Academy Library. The 'Papers of Nicholas Enright' collection is held at the ADFA Library (MS 51) and a guide to the collection can be viewed at http://www.lib.adfa.edu.au/speccoll/finding_aids/enright_nick.html.)

Most Referenced Works

Personal Awards

2004 Order of Australia Member of the Order of Australia (AM) For service to the performing arts, particularly as a playwright, teacher, actor and director, and as a mentor of emerging talent.
2003 winner New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Special Award
1998 winner Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards Individual Award

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon A Man With Five Children 2002 2002 Strawberry Hills : Currency Press , 2003 Z934272 2002 single work drama

'Gerry is a documentary maker who sets out to capture the lives of five children on film. One day a year, every year, until they turn 21. As the children's hopes and heartaches are played out on national TV, questions are raised. Is Gerry an observer or is the camera distorting their lives? As long as it makes for good television, he just keeps on filming.'

Source: Darlinghurst Theatre Company.

2003 shortlisted New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting
The Boy from Oz 1998 single work musical theatre
2004 nominated Tony Awards Best Book of a Musical
y separately published work icon Cloudstreet 1998 Sydney Perth : Currency Press Company B Belvoir Black Swan Theatre Company , 1999 Z396116 1998 single work drama (taught in 2 units) Tim Winton's quintessential Australian yarn of the spirited child Fish, his family and unlikely neighbours - sharing determination, faith, pain, and laughter is a story of love and the bonds that tie us to our sense of place. Hailed as one of the most acclaimed theatrical events of the decade, it is a five hour epic. (Source: Libraries Australia)
1999 winner Dublin Theatre Festival Best International Production Award
1999 winner Victorian Green Room Awards Best New Australian Play
1999 joint winner AWGIE Awards Major Award
2002 winner Helpmann Awards for Performing Arts in Australia Best Play Awarded for the 2001 season.
1999 winner AWGIE Awards Stage Award Adaptation
Last amended 14 Oct 2013 13:30:40
Other mentions of "" in AustLit:
    X