Melanie Tait

Inspired by Melanie’s real-life experiences, her play The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race is a punchy comedy about standing up for your beliefs. It serves as an uplifting story, demonstrating that not all ‘troublemakers’ are created equal.

Melanie is a writer for both stage and screen, boasting a proven track record in Australia and the United Kingdom. She grew up in Robertson, a small town in New South Wales, Australia. This town shares remarkable similarities with the fictional town of Appleton, including being renowned for its potatoes and hosting an annual show.

The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race premiered at the Ensemble Theatre in Sydney in March 2019 and toured nationally in 2021. Melanie also successfully adapted the play into a feature film, which is currently streaming on Paramount+ in Australia.

Melanie’s play, A Broadcast Coup, opened in January 2023 at Ensemble Theatre as part of Sydney Festival. She has four plays under commission at Melbourne Theatre Company, Ensemble Theatre, Sydney Festival and Blue Cow Theatre, Tasmania and is developing an original TV series with Screen Tasmania, 3rd Gen Productions and Congaline. She is also at various stages of development on a couple of screen projects.

Her first play The Vegemite Tales won critical and popular acclaim, playing eight years in London, including two years on the West End. Melanie then trained as a journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, where she worked for twelve years across radio, podcasting and television.