Great development opportunity for Northern playwrights

Published: 12 October 2017
Reporter: Peter Lathan

New Writing North

New Writing North, London’s Royal Court Theatre and Newcastle’s Northern Stage are joining together to offer a development opportunity for playwrights based in the North.

Selected via an open call for submissions, the group will be made up of eight writers who have lived in the North West, Yorkshire or the North East for at least two years and who feel they would benefit from being pushed in their craft and the ambition of their writing for the stage. They should be writers who have had some experience of seeing their work brought to life on stage.

There will be six sessions in which the writers will have the chance to hear from playwrights and other theatre makers on what makes a great play. They will also work on a new idea for the stage with their support. At the end of the six sessions there will be a chance to work with actors and a director to explore some of their new work.

These sessions will be held at Northern Stage and New Writing North in Newcastle from 4PM to 7PM on the following dates:

  • Tuesday 5 December 2017
  • Tuesday 12 December 2017
  • Tuesday 19 December 2017
  • Tuesday 16 January 2018
  • Tuesday 23 January 2018
  • Tuesday 30 January 2018

Some assistance is available for travel for those who live outside Newcastle. The organisers are particularly interested in hearing from writers who are currently under-represented in UK theatre including BAME, LGBT+, working class and disabled writers.

A second phase of the project in 2018 is being planned in which New Writing North hopes to bring together a smaller group to work towards public performances at the Royal Court and Northern Stage.

The deadline is 6 November at midday and applications must be made online by going to the New Writing North / Royal Court Writers’ Group (North) submissions page and following the steps outlined there.

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