The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting has launched its sixth search for original plays and announced a judging panel from stage, screen and journalism.
The biennial Prize is a partnership between the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester and property company Bruntwood, and highlights the importance of new writing for theatre and the value of nurturing playwrights and their craft. The prize is an opportunity for writers of any background and experience to enter unperformed plays into Europe's largest playwriting competition.
British broadcaster and journalist Kirsty Lang will chair the 2017 judging panel. She will be joined by the award-winning screenwriter Russell T Davies, previous Bruntwood Prize winner Phil Porter, stage and screen writer Lucy Prebble, director Lyndsey Turner, award-winning actor Don Warrington and Royal Exchange Theatre associate artistic director Matthew Xia. Chairman of Bruntwood Michael Oglesby CBE completes the panel.
The competition is open to anyone over the age of 16 in the British Isles. All scripts are judged anonymously by a team of skilled readers and the final ten will be judged by this panel.
Each of the winners will enter into a development process with the Royal Exchange Theatre. Winning scripts will be announced at an awards ceremony in Manchester in November. The total prize fund is £40,000 and full details on how to enter can be found at writeaplay.co.uk