Writer
Tommy is a playwright and screenwriter.
Tommy created and was the Head Writer and Script Producer of the original television series Significant Others for Fremantle Media Australia and the ABC. He has written a feature film for Anonymous Content in the US which is currently out to cast and is developing two original series, one with Blackfella Films and the other with Silent Firework. He is writing a new play for Belvoir St Theatre and in 2023, his stage adaptation of Nevil Shute’s apocalyptic novel On The Beach premiered at the Sydney Theatre Company. In 2021, Tommy wrote an episode of The Twelve for Foxtel/Warner Bros and Easy Tiger.
In May 2023 Tommy was selected to participate in the AWG’s Creators Scheme which saw Tommy travel to LA to take part in a series of workshops with US Showrunners.
In 2020 Tommy was awarded the prestigious Australia Council Theatre Award. His play Packer & Sons closed in January 2020 after a record-breaking sell-out season at Belvoir Street Theatre. Packer & Sons was also nominated for a NSW Premier’s Award.
Tommy wrote and was associate producer on the feature film Holding The Man (Goalpost Films) directed by Neil Armfield. Tommy’s script won the AWGIE Award for Best Writing in a Feature Film Adaptation and Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay. Tommy's long association with Tim Conigrave's memoir Holding The Man began with his 2006 stage adaptation for Griffin Theatre Company. This very successful production returned in 2007 to Griffin, then onto the Sydney Opera House, Company B Belvoir, Brisbane Powerhouse and MTC presentations. There also have been many separate productions internationally, including the West End. The play won the NSW Premier's Award and an AWGIE Award. Belvoir St Theatre presented a new production of Holding the Man in March 2024. Tommy's other stage works include: Peter Pan (Belvoir St, including Broadway presentation at New Victory Theatre); Gwen in Purgatory (Belvoir St and La Boite); Saturn's Return (STC); Blood Wedding (Royal and Derngate Northampton Theatre, UK); Troy's House (ATYP); Strangers in Between (Griffin, Winner NSW Premier's Award) which opened on the West End in 2018. Tommy’s writing for radio includes Call You Back as part of the ABC’S Untrue Romance series, for which he won the 2022 AWGIE Award for Audio – Fiction.
His numerous screenwriting credits include writing for the award-winning series Devil's Playground (Matchbox/Foxtel) and Fighting Season (Goalpost Pictures/Foxtel Showcase). He is also adapting his 2017 play Mark Colvin's Kidney (Belvoir Street) for screen.
For enquiries regarding Tommy Murphy please contact us via email or on (02) 9319 7199.