May 29, 2026 — 11:00amA new school day dawns for the supernatural teens of Monsteen. These students may thirst for blood or shape-shift under full moons, but their daily goings-on are the same as any high schooler: They gossip before class, dread dinner with their parents, get caught in dramatic friendship spats.Monsteen, a theatrical work performed as part of this year’s Rising Festival, may sound familiar. It pulls on similar teen tropes as Twilight, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, even Heathers. But where this production differs is that most of the people reading this will never be able to see it.Monsteen’s core cast members Zara Nawaz, Saskia Ellis-Gardam and Lucas Dwyer.Joe ArmaoWhile people of all ages obsess over Edward Cullen or Buffy Summers, Monsteen was created exclusively for an audience aged between 12 and 17. Even critics reviewing the show must be school-age. It was also created in close collaboration with teenagers from Melbourne’s contemporary performance company Infinity, bringing a genuine teenage perspective to otherwise well-trodden scenarios.“A lot of the media surrounding young people is made by adults, which means it’s never quite right, and it never feels authentic,” says 15-year-old Saskia Ellis-Gardam, one of the core members of Monsteen’s cast.“Monsteen is a really powerful tool to reclaim the idea of what a teenager is; to challenge all the stereotypes in the media that come with teenagers, instead harnessing them and changing them.”What may initially appear stereotypical – popular jocks, outcast bullies – becomes far more nuanced in Monsteen. This is achieved by calling on its teen audience, encouraging them to actively take part and guide the action. While it’s structured around a core cast of four, the story can ultimately go in all kinds of directions, similar to cosplay and other role-playing games currently popular among younger crowds.Productions made by and exclusively for young people are rare, Ellis-Gardam says, making shows like Monsteen even more valuable. Melbourne’s St Martins Youth Arts Centre and The Rabble have also experimented with youth theatre, as well as live art/performance outfit The Guerrilla Museum. However, many of their performances aren’t strictly for teen audiences.“We specifically wanted to create a space without parents or adults where you can playfully re-wild yourself,” says Jackson Castiglione, Monsteen’s writer and director. “How we choose to present ourselves is part of the inspiration for this work … How do we make friends with our shadow or monstrous side, rather than trying to cover it up with the perfect Instagram pic?”The young audience can explore these deeply personal questions within a safe, fictional space, away from the eyes of potentially judgemental adult guardians. “We’ve created this play-space where, in a sense, the work is centred through their perspective,” Castiglione says.They can also connect with other teens, something Ellis-Gardam says is even more vital since social media was banned for Australians under 16.Monsteen isn’t just a theatre production. It’s an experimental space where teens can safely “re-wild” themselves.Joe Armao“The great thing about social media is that it can connect you to people who are similar but not in your circle. It can help you expand socially,” says Ellis-Gardam, who plays high school jock Jesse. “Monsteen is just another way to connect with people with different opinions, views and interests.”The play wasn’t always going to be exclusively for teen audiences. Zara Nawaz, who plays teen bully Firosa, says the cast performed early iterations to various test audiences, including some with adults.However, the more mature audiences were slightly too good at acting, she says. It was ultimately the teens who stood out.“Even though sometimes people would come in and be really shy … There’s a beauty to teenagers being awkward and sitting back and watching because it’s the exact thing that happens in this show,” Nawaz says. “You can be whoever you want to be, and not many teens get that experience.”For 15-year-old Nawaz, her character allows her to lean into a “meaner” side – to exorcise her anger at the end of a long week.However, she notes the characters go beyond their facades. Playing Firosa has helped her understand that everyone, even those who put up a tough front, contains some level of vulnerability.“Monsteen really highlights teenage rage. At this moment of puberty and growing up, you have all these heightened emotions – you want a boyfriend, a girlfriend, you get mad at your parents, all this stuff. [Through Monsteen], I’ve learned a lot about why we do that.”It’s the deeply human elements of Monsteen – and all theatre – that will distinguish it from the overload of screen and AI-generated content today, Castiglione says, hopefully contributing to a general resurgence in theatre.“It’s going to be an experience they remember,” Nawaz says. “That’s for sure.”Monsteen is at Signal from June 4-14 as part of Rising festival.The Booklist is a weekly newsletter for book lovers from Jason Steger. Get it delivered every Friday.Nell Geraets is a Culture reporter at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.From our partners