Water is a frequent topic of discussion in rural regions, but it will soon be brought up in a way not many would expect.

Irrigation will have its theatrical debut as a leading figure in an upcoming performance.

A young playwright from New South Wales has been awarded a grant to develop a theatrical piece about life in the country, and he says drought, rains and tough times will feature heavily.

Twenty-five year old Julian Larnach will be mentored by Sydney playwright Jessica Bellamy, after winning the $10,000 Riverina Playwright Commission from the Outback Theatre for Young People.

They will spend the next 12 months developing the 50-minute work, which Ms Bellamy says will probe the issues young regional people face.

“The play that he's written is called 'MIA' and in degree it's about a missing person, missing in action but it's also about the irrigation issues,” Ms Bellamy told the ABC.

“Everyone has an opinion on it, you can't afford not to.”

But she says the rural condition runs deeper than that.

“The ways in which generations talk to each other from a town where history is still so clear,

“And what sort of identity you might have when you come from somewhere really small, but in the context of a really human story and has the potential to be a really powerful work at the end of it,” Ms Bellamy said.

“It could create some really interesting conversation.”