A new award has been launched recognising an outstanding, original piece of work for the stage.
Spearheaded by Theatre503, the judging panel will include Dennis Kelly, Marianne Elliot and Erica Whyman. Submissions for the inaugural award may be made during February by writers aged 16 and over.
The winning play will receive a production at Theatre503 and the playwright will be awarded a financial prize of £6,000. All UK submissions will be automatically put forward for the next 503 Five Residencies.
Theatre503’s Artistic Director Paul Robinson said, "The next generation of writing talent is letting us know that 503 is not only their best first chance but, given that we’re now attracting a vast number of mid-career writers, also somewhere where promise becomes profile.
"We believe that the most rewarding experience for a writer is to have their show on, not being trapped in development for years or being palmed off with a rehearsed reading.
"We’re doing what many other venues and writing awards shy away from—we’re promising to produce the winning play and we’re also opening the doors of 503 even wider by using the process to find our next crop of resident writers."
The Award is supported by The Richard Carne Trust and Royce Bell. Full information on submissions and eligibility has yet to be announced but submissions must take the form of one unproduced, full-length play.