Sidharta Books & Print

D. Bruno Starrs was born in Adelaide, Australia and has lived all over the country. He is unmarried and quite unattractive although he has managed to win a few bodybuilding titles. He is also quite unintelligent although he has managed to graduate from several universities.
Oblivious to any taunts of vanity, he has self-published in the past - a national bodybuilding magazine (The Pump) and a self-help manual (Help! My Child is on Drugs!). Short plays, academic articles, movie reviews and occasionally vitriolic letters to newspaper editors have all borne his name but this is the author's first novel. Inspired by several years spent teaching English in South-East Asia, I Woke Up Feeling Thailand reflects the author's fascination with this most exotic and wonderful part of the world.
ONLINE PUBLICATIONS -CREATIVE WORKS.
- "The Sorrows and Sufferings of Young Werther: a Stageplay", Ygdrasil Journal of the Poetic Arts, Canada, April 2004.
- "Games for Married Couples" (stageplay), Ygdrasil Journal of the Poetic Arts, Canada, February, 2003.
- "Hamlet + Ophelia = ?" (stageplay), which has been featured in the following publications; Rhapsoidia Literary Magazine, Issue 2, US, October 2002; Ygdrasil Journal of the Poetic Arts, Canada, October 2002 and Swallow, UK, Issue 15, January 2003.
ONLINE PUBLICATIONS -RESEARCH.
- "Faithfully yours: staging Werther" (article), Nasty, Issue 14, September 2003, Toronto, Canada.
- "Faithfully yours: Die Leiden des jungen Werthers for the English-language stage" (article), Post-Scriptum.ORG, ('Translation' issue, Autumn 2003), Montreal, Canada.
CURRICULUM VITAE - DAVID BRUNO STARRS.
Education;
- Ph. D. in progress (Research Dissertation and Creative Work: “Faithfulness to the Faith in Computer Game Adaptations of Dracula [1897]”) under the supervision of Associate Professor Dr. Angela O’Brien and Dr. Alison Richards, in the School of Creative Arts, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Master of Creative Arts (Research Dissertation and Creative Work: “Yours Faithfully: Die Leiden des jungen Werthers for the English-language Stage”), under the supervision of Associate Professor Dr. Angela O’Brien, the School of Creative Arts, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2003.
- Master of Film and TV (Coursework; subjects included Video production, Editing, Style and genre, Cinematography and Screen adaptation), Bond University, Queensland, Australia, 1999.
- Bachelor of Theatre with Honours (Coursework and the Research thesis: “Stanislavski’s ‘Method of Physical Actions’ and Non-naturalistic Theatre”), James Cook University, Queensland, Australia, 1998.
- Postgraduate Diploma of Health Sciences (Coursework: subjects included Addiction studies, Health promotion, Human sexuality and Research methodology), Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia, 1990.
- Bachelor of Science (Coursework; subjects included Psychology, Human biology, Microbiology and Botany), Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 1986.
Professional Experience;
- English teacher (conversation), Srinagarindra Princess Mother School Summer Camp, Srisaket, Thailand, March 2003.
- English teacher (conversation), Rajabaht Institute Rajanagarindra, Chachoengsao, Thailand, August 2002 to December 2002.
- English teacher (conversation), Happy English School, Busan, Korea, Sept. 2001 to April 2002.
- English lecturer (conversation and drama), Hebei University of Technology, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China, from August 2000 to August 2001.
- Videomaker (writing and directing three local history documentaries), Mt. Isa Centenary of Federation Museum, Queensland, Australia, from November 1999 to August 2000.
- Videomaker (co-scriptwriting with local aboriginal youth, directing and co-editing an alcohol awareness video; Please Don't Be Next), Mt. Isa Police, Queensland, from November 1999 to August 2000.
- Actor for various stage, television and film productions in Melbourne, North Queensland and Sydney, from 1990 to present.
- Youthworker (counselling, residential supervision and programme development and implementation) for Sharehouse Youth Accommodation Service, Townsville, Queensland, Australia, October 1997 to October 1998.
- Drug and alcohol counsellor for various Australian government agencies (N.S.W. Health Dept. and N.S.W. Dept. of Juvenile Justice, Sydney; Cooma Hospital and Community Health Service, Cooma) and non-government agencies (A.C.T. Detox Centre, Canberra; Palmerston House Drug Rehabilitation Residential Service, Perth), 1989 to 1996.
- Youth health worker (researching and implementing a youth health issues radio show with local youth), A.C.T. Health Authority, Canberra, 1985.
- Rugby League coach, Bruce Hall, Australian National University, Canberra, 1983 and 1984.
- Clerical assistant (data entry, filing, general office duties), Department of Social Security, Canberra, 1981 to 1985.
Volunteer Experience;
- Councillor, University of Melbourne Postgraduate Association, from April 2002 to Dec. 2003.
- Founding president, SCAtharsis (University of Melbourne School of Creative Arts postgraduate student’s group), Melbourne, from July 2002 to June 2003.
Refereed Publications;
- “Envisioning an Indulgence: Dracula (1897) and Van Helsing (2004)” (article), Traffic (confirmed for forthcoming November 2004 issue), Melbourne, Australia.
- “Sara-Marie as feminist fairytale: from Big Brother to big sister” (article), Feminist Media Studies (confirmed for forthcoming November 2004 issue), London, UK.
- “Faithfully yours: staging Werther” (article), Nasty, Issue 14, September 2003, Toronto, Canada.
- “Faithfully yours: Die Leiden des jungen Werthers for the English-language stage” (article), Post-Scriptum.ORG, (‘Translation’ issue, Autumn 2003), Montreal, Canada.
Non-refereed Publications;
- “Needles and Opium” and “The Seven Streams of the River Ota” (articles), The Encyclopaedia of Modern Drama (contracted for 2006 publication), Grolier, New York.
- “Schlesinger, John” (biography), The Encyclopaedia of Documentary Film (confirmed for forthcoming July 2005 edition), Routledge, New York.
- I Woke Up Feeling Thailand (novel), Sid Harta Publishing (anticipated date of publication is September 2004), Melbourne, Australia.
- “His or her suicide” (stageplay), Antithesis, April 2004 issue, University of Melbourne, Australia.
- “The sorrows and sufferings of young Werther: a stageplay” Ygdrasil Journal of the Poetic Arts, Toronto, Canada, April 2004.
- “Games for married couples” (stageplay), Ygdrasil Journal of the Poetic Arts, Toronto, Canada, Feb. 2003, (also directed in performance by the author for ‘Selected Toppings Theatre Company’ at the Gryphon Gallery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, August 2002 and as part of the 3Dfest, University of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia, August 2002).
- “Hamlet + Ophelia = ?” (stageplay), which has been featured in the following four publications; Swallow, Issue 15, London, UK, January 2003; Toss International, Issue 1, Melbourne, Australia, November 2002; Ygdrasil Journal of the Poetic Arts, Toronto, Canada, October 2002 and Rhapsoidia, Issue 2, Los Angeles, US, October 2002.
- “The Werther effect and you” (article), Postgraduate Review, University of Melbourne Postgraduate Association, Melbourne, Australia, Vol. 8, No. 4, Spring, 2002.
- Camelmen of North West Queensland (video), Mt. Isa Centenary of Federation Museum, Mt. Isa, Queensland, Australia, 2000.
- Have Akubra, Will Mardi Gras (video), Mt. Isa Centenary of Federation Museum, Mt. Isa, Queensland, Australia, 2000.
- The Mighty Kalkadoons (video), Mt. Isa Centenary of Federation Museum, Mt. Isa, Queensland, Australia, 2000.
- The FASTest Week of the Year (video), Bond University Theatrical Society, Queensland, Australia, 1999.
- Love, Period (video), Starrs Above Productions, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, 1999.
- Help! My Child is on Drugs! A Self-help Manual for Australian Parents (non-fiction monograph), Self-published, (with a foreword by West Australian premier Dr. Carmen Lawrence), Perth, Western Australia, 1991.
- The Pump (bi-monthly national bodybuilding magazine), Co-published with David Renouf, Perth, Western Australia, 1987.
Recent Presentations;
- “Adapting Werther”, Research Seminar series, the School of Creative Arts, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, October 2003.
- “Translating Werther”, Postgraduate School of Languages Conference, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, October 2002.
Recent Awards;
- University of Melbourne Australian Postgraduate Award 2004.
- University of Melbourne Faculty of Arts Completion Award 2003.
- Runner-up, University of Melbourne Postgraduate Association’s Creative Writing Prize 2002.
Interests;
- Drugfree bodybuilding (former Mr. Canberra, Mr. NSW, Mr. Nth. Queensland, Mr. Hebei province [China] and three times finalist Mr. Australia).