Zavier Wileman

I vividly remember the feeling I got when I sat in the audience of my show for the first time and was surrounded by laughter. It’s a feeling I’ve been chasing ever since.

Heartlines explores what it means to write—from the heart and soul—and where that writing takes us. Every writer’s journey is different, so we invite you to take a moment to read, pause and reflect on what it means to shape stories for the page.

Zavier Wileman is a queer, trans, and neurodivergent young person with a passion for storytelling. Zavier’s introduction to the theatre world was watching a community theatre production of Mulan Jr. when they were 13 years old and thinking to themself, “that should be me!”. Ever since then, Zavier has been pursuing every opportunity they get to perform and share their love of theatre with others.

Zavier has come a long way from where they started in the ensemble of youth musicals to where they are now, having directed their original one-act, 150 Years of Roman History, at their local community theatre, which went on to win an award at Dramafest. Last year, Zavier took their play to the FRINGE World Festival as director, producer, and last-minute performer. Zavier continues to write whenever they can, and was a finalist this year in Writing WA’s Stories on the Spectrum with their short memoir about snails.

This is Zavier’s second time working with Centre for Stories, having participated in “Storytelling on Stage” earlier this year and performing a monologue at The Blue Room Theatre about their experiences growing up as a trans person.

Centre for Stories: When you’re not writing or working in theatre, what are you doing?

Zavier Wileman: I’m a third-year social work student, currently undertaking my research honours. I also work as a peer worker at Freedom Centre, an LGBTQIA+ drop-in space for young people ages 12-25. I am also a support worker and English tutor. Not that I have much time for hobbies, but in my spare time, I play flugelhorn in a community brass band, crochet, and watch TV with my partner. Currently, we are watching Teen Wolf.

CFS: What are you currently reading and why? What drew your attention to it?

ZW: Currently, I am reading Neuroqueer Heresies by Nick Walker. I discovered neuroqueer theory several years ago, and it really changed how I thought about neurodiversity and my own intersecting identities as a queer, autistic person. I was excited to finally get my hands on a copy of this book and am looking forward to delving into it more once the university semester is over!

CFS: Why do you write?

ZW: To be honest, I think I write for myself more than for anyone else. I feel compelled to write—it’s how I process my emotions. As a socially awkward, anxious teenager, I started writing poetry and music because it helped me to express my feelings in ways I couldn’t by talking. I probably have several albums worth of music from my first high school relationship! When I was 18 and received my autism diagnosis, my peculiar ways of processing the world around me started to make sense.

Writing helped me get through a lot of difficult times in my life. Even now, when I’m angry about the state of the world, the first thing I want to do is write. I never used to think I was a “good” writer—it was something I did just for me—but since I’ve started sharing my work with others, I’ve discovered that there is an audience of people who resonate with my writing. It’s an incredible feeling.

CFS: When did you decide to pursue playwriting and what triggered that decision?

ZW: I wrote my first play when I was 16 years old and studying Year 11 Ancient History. I grew enamoured with the unusual historical characters of Ancient Rome and the scandalous, queer-coded stories behind the Roman emperors. I began to wonder what these stories might look like on a stage, with the historians arguing about whose version of history was right. I spent many of my Ancient History classes working on my play instead of paying attention to my teacher—and several years later, I ended up directing my play at my local community theatre! I vividly remember the feeling I got when I sat in the audience of my show for the first time and was surrounded by laughter. It’s a feeling I’ve been chasing ever since, and I suppose that’s what continues to motivate me to write plays. I like to make people laugh and then think. Comedy with a political punch!

CFS: What inspires you?

ZW: I’m creatively inspired by local writers and performers. I really love going along to Perth Slam, community theatre shows, and open mic nights. Sometimes I find myself tearing up in the audience of the opening number of a musical! On a more personal level, I am very inspired by activists everywhere, and those resisting and fighting injustice.

CFS: Walk us through an ‘aha’ moment while you were on the hot desk.

ZW:  Writing this play was a really fun creative challenge. The central concept of this play is that J. K. Rowling is re-writing the Harry Potter books to retrofit them to fit her current political beliefs— her anti-woke, so-called “feminist” agenda. Early in the writing process, I was sitting with the issue that the original Harry Potter series centres on a boy, and I wondered how I could make this more “feminist”. I remember the exact moment I thought to myself—oh, I could make Harry a girl! Having J. K. Rowling “trans” her own character in an effort to be more feminist felt like the perfect ironic twist, and allowed the queer undertones to be obvious from the very beginning of the play.

CFS: What did you work on while hot desking? Or briefly describe a piece of writing that you worked on during your hot desk that you are particularly excited about?

ZW: During my time hot desking, I developed a short 10-page script I had written earlier this year into a full-length play. The idea for this play was born out of a conversation with my mum about my writing. She asked me a simple question: “What are you angry about right now?” I replied: “J. K. Rowling”. Like most trans people, I have lots of complicated feelings about J. K. Rowling—anger, grief, helplessness, fear. And, like most trans people, I have spent many late nights doom-scrolling her Twitter posts, panic-spiralling about the state of the world. Her political rhetoric is so harmful—not just in how she uses her status, money, and power to push transphobia, but also in how she disguises her harmful rhetoric as feminism and “advocacy for the rights of women and girls”.

I wrote this play for several reasons. To expose J. K. Rowling for who she really is: not a feminist, but a power-hungry bigot. To bring myself a sense of catharsis. And, most importantly, to give trans people space to process their feelings about J. K. Rowling and invite them to reclaim the Harry Potter series. Stay tuned as I find a way to get this fanfiction-fuelled, satirical mess of a play onto a stage near you.

CFS: Now that you’ve completed your hot desk, what will you be working on next?

ZW: Well, I anticipate I will have to put theatre on hold for a while until I complete my university studies. Next year, I will be working on a research project and undertaking fieldwork placement —which, as you can imagine, is not easy to balance alongside writing! I plan to find somewhere to stage my play in 2027, but until then, I will continue writing in big and small ways—university essays, poetry, and politically-fuelled late-night ramblings with friends.

The Performance Maker Hot Desk Fellowship is possible with funding from Performing Lines WA’s Kolyang Program, and Centre for Stories’ All Write program funded by Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and Centre for Stories Founders Circle is a writing program offering opportunities for emerging and mid-career writers who identify as culturally and linguistically diverse and/or First Nations. All Write offers a series of opportunities for writers, including hot desks, events, residencies, publications, networking, and exchanges. It builds on our prior decade of work to represent a levelling-up of artistic excellence and professional opportunity for writers who are emerging and mid-career. It will be open to all those who are interested in applying and who are selected; and is suited to those who seek national and international recognition.

These stories have been licensed to the Centre for Stories by the Storyteller. For reproduction and distribution of these stories, please contact the Centre for Stories.

This interview was published on February 11, 2026.