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Claire goes from studying to selling out shows
When Claire Yorston took her original play Blue to Brisbane’s PIP Theatre, she wasn’t prepared for what came next.
Not knowing what to expect, the Bachelor of Creative Industries (Drama and Performance) (ARB404) graduate sold out multiple shows, witnessed emotional audience reactions, and felt an overwhelming wave of support for her bold, heartfelt storytelling.
“Selling out shows is an incredible feeling, but what felt even better was people coming up to us afterwards crying,” Claire said.
“Hearing how much my writing meant to them and that this story needed to go bigger is the goal as a writer or theatre maker - to help people see themselves in what you’ve created.”
Blue is a romantic drama with a dark twist - a story of love, trust, power, and betrayal between a council worker and a carefree café employee.
Beneath its tender surface lies a powerful commentary on domestic violence, challenging perceptions by exploring what happens when the victim is male.
“I first came up with the idea during a solo performance class at TAFE Queensland, where I was inspired by the song Nature Boy from Moulin Rouge and could picture the scene playing out,” she said.
“A few months later, my classmates and I wanted more performance opportunities, so we each wrote a short play - mine became Blue. I wrote the 40-minute version in about two weeks.”
Writing about domestic violence was never something Claire took lightly.
“It’s such a sensitive topic, and the hardest part was making sure I was caring for it - telling the story truthfully without overdoing or underdoing it,” she continued.
“I did a lot of research and brought in an intimacy and fight choreographer to ensure everyone felt safe and supported.”
Claire’s time at TAFE Queensland helped lay the foundation for her multi-faceted creative approach.
“I’ve always been a jack-of-all-trades, and my degree validated that I didn’t have to pick one thing - I could write, direct, perform, and design.”
“The flexibility in the course gave me space to learn, create, and even fail, which is so important as a creative.”
She credits her TAFE Queensland teachers, Patrick Mitchell and Brian Lucas, for their expert guidance and connecting her with the industry, enhancing her learning further.
“Brian’s solo performance class was where I wrote When Flowers Bloom, a 10-minute monologue about perfectionism, and Patrick gave me the freedom to tailor assignments to my creative writing. That support and freedom were huge for me,” she explained.
Claire also gained valuable real-world experience through an internship at Metro Arts, which later helped her secure a job as a lighting technician at Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).
“Having that technical knowledge makes you employable across the creative industries, and if I ever needed to, I could run an entire show myself because I understand a bit of every department - and that’s saved me more than once.”
Since graduating, Claire’s career has taken off, working with leading arts organisations including QPAC, Metro Arts, and La Boite Theatre, and she co-founded her own company, Sun and Wine Arts, through which she produced Blue and her earlier work Something Said.
“I feel so grateful to be doing what I love every day. Seeing audiences leave one of my shows laughing, crying, angry, or just feeling something, is the most rewarding part. You never know what someone’s going through, but art gives them a place to feel seen.”
Claire's advice is simple for current TAFE Queensland students dreaming of writing or directing their own work.
“My advice is don’t question the 'why', create the 'why'. Don’t wait for the perfect reason - do it. Blue and Something Said started as university projects because I loved writing. Now here they are. Make art because you love it - the ‘why’ will reveal itself later.”
And when it comes to supporting the next generation of creatives, Claire says audiences play a vital role too.
“Go out and see new works - student shows, indie theatre, anything you’ve never heard of. Every big show starts somewhere, often in the mind of a 20-something-year-old at a campus or a small local stage. You never know what you’ll discover,” concluded Claire.