RITA KALNEJAIS is a Victorian College of Arts graduate who has worked extensively as an actor at Belvoir, Griffin, Malthouse and Sydney Theatre Companies. Her first play B.C. was directed by Simon Stone and was nominated for Best New Australian Play in the 2009 Green Room Awards. Her short plays Whistling in Bed and How To Get Very Clean were performed at Sydney Theatre Company in 2011. Whistling was later presented by Caryl Churchill at Theatre 503, London. In 2012 Kalnejais’ play Babyteeth premiered at Belvoir St Theatre and was subsequently produced by the State Theatre Company of South Australia in 2013. She was resident playwright at Sydney Theatre Company in 2011 and at Soho Theatre, London, in 2014/2015. First Love is the Revolution enjoyed a popular season at Soho Theatre in 2015. This Beautiful Future had two sellout seasons at the Yard Theatre in 2017. It was recently listed in the top ten critics’ choices for 2017 in The Guardian UK. She is currently under commission by Bell Shakespeare, Belvoir and the National and Yard Theatres, London. In film, Kalnejais is adapting young adult novel Under Rose Tainted Skies for Stephen Garrett’s company Character7. She is also working with director Cate Shortland on Young Romantics with See-Saw Films and Porchlight Films and writing Surge for director Aneil Karia, produced by Rooks Nest and BBC Film. She is adapting her play Babyteeth as a feature film with producer Alex White (Whitefalk Films) and Jan Chapman as EP.