JOHN O’DONOGHUE was born in Newcastle in 1929, the eldest of seven children. He taught at Newcastle Boys’ High School for twelve years before being appointed a Lecturer in English at Newcastle College of Advanced Education. In 1985 he won the Sydney Critics’ Circle Award for most significant contribution to theatre. He has written a number of plays including Essington Lewis: I am Work, A Happy and Holy Occasion and Abbie and Lou, Norman and Rose.