Newcastle’s Live Theatre is one of the venues to host the first Bruntwood Prize Roadshow as part of its UK tour this autumn. Launched in 2005 The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting aims to discover and promote the best writing for theatre and has established itself as the UK’s most significant playwriting prize.
The roadshow has been designed to encourage and inspire both first time and established playwrights in advance of the 2013 competition which opens for entries in January next year. Each workshop will be led by former Bruntwood Prize winning playwrights: Vivienne Franzmann, Duncan Macmillan, Ben Musgrave and Andrew Sheridan, who will encourage participants to bring their ideas and imagination to life on stage.
Andrew Sheridan will be leading the workshop at Live on Saturday 24th November 2012. His debut play, Winterlong, was one of the winners of the 2008 prize. In 2011, the play opened at the Royal Exchange Studio, directed by Sarah Frankcom. The critically acclaimed production subsequently transferred to the Soho Theatre, London. The play has since been produced in Sweden, Holland and Germany.
The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting has become one of the country’s best springboards for emerging playwriting talent. Since 2005, six full productions, nine prize winners and over 3,000 entries have been generated by the prize. In addition, over £120,000 in prize money has been awarded in total. In the last year alone, over 50,000 audience members have seen Bruntwood-winning work.
As Sarah Frankcom, Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange Theatre, explains, “We are delighted to be launching a series of writing workshops in partnership with other theatres across the UK. The Royal Exchange Theatre and Bruntwood recognise the importance of supporting and celebrating the development of playwrights and this roadshow offers a fantastic opportunity for playwrights everywhere to discuss and develop their ideas with past winners of the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting.”
The Bruntwood Prize Roadshow comes to Live Theatre on Saturday 24th November 2012 from 10am to 1pm. Tickets are free but booking is recommended by contacting Live Theatre box office on (0191) 232 1232 or www.live.org.uk.