Call For Playwrights

Take your idea for a play from page to stage

WACtheatre, Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland and Aberdeen Performing Arts invite you to submit your work for an exciting development opportunity.

As a writer developing a play, often the most challenging part is the journey from your initial idea through a number of drafts to the first reading by actors. We are looking for a writer who would like to go on this journey with us.

We are offering a supported script development process, with feedback from Julie Ellen, Creative Director of Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland, and Davey Anderson, playwright and director. You will experience the casting and rehearsal processes and hear your work in front of an audience at a public reading.

We are looking for a fresh new play so you may either submit a first draft of an existing play, or the synopsis of a new idea with a completed extract of no less than ten pages. Please note however that if you are selected your first draft must be written by 2 May 2011.

Playwrights must be from the North-East of Scotland. The programme will run from April to July 2011. You must be available on 16 and 17 July in Aberdeen for rehearsals and reading.

Further information and application forms are available from www.playwrightsstudio.co.uk or by calling 0141 3324403. Please return your completed form with a copy of the play you would like to work on by post to Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland, CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD to arrive no later than 16 March 2011.

Playwright Development: WACtheatre, Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland and Aberdeen Performing Arts working in partnership.

We are delighted to announce details of the 20th Meyer-Whitworth Award, awarded and funded by the Royal National Theatre Foundation and managed by the Playwrights' Studio, Scotland in association with the UK Playwrights Network.

With a prize fund of £10,000, the Meyer-Whitworth Award is one of the largest annual monetary prizes for playwriting in the UK. It is intended to help further the careers of UK playwrights who are not yet established.

The award is made to the writer whose play, in the Judges’ opinion, most satisfies the following description:

• a play which embodies Geoffrey Whitworth’s dictum that “drama is important in so far as it reveals the truth about the relationships of human beings with each other and the world at large”
• a play which shows promise of a developing new talent
• a play in which the writing is of individual quality

The Judges reserve the right to advise that no script meets the required standards of the award and that therefore the award should not be made.

Nominations must be made by directors of professional theatre companies. Multiple nominations by one professional theatre company are accepted.

Application criteria:

• Plays nominated must be in the English language and have been produced professionally in the UK for the first time between 1st November 2009 and 30th November 2010.
• Candidates will have had no more than two of their plays professionally produced, including the play submitted.
• Nominations are accepted for stage plays only.

How to nominate a Play
Contact Playwrights' Studio, Scotland on info@playwrightsstudio.co.uk or +44 141 3324403 to request an application form.

The deadline for entries is Friday 15th April 2011.

Our Play Library is one of Playwrights’ Studio’s most important assets so it’s crucial that we keep it well stocked and up to date for everyone to access.

Thank You.

• To write in a working environment
• Meetings with other writers, press and producers
• Round the table script development
• Reading Room with access to our well stocked Plays Library

Use of the space is subject to availability. To book a time to use the space, please contact Emma on 0141 332 4403 or emma@playwrightsstudio.co.uk

If you would like to stay in touch via Facebook and remain updated on all our news and upcoming events, please visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Playwrights-Studio-Scotland/31578930993

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Scenes @ Beanscene
More Theatre
Location: Beanscene, Shawlands, Glasgow
Dates: Every Saturday evening starting 5 March 2011

Scenes @ Beanscene is an hour long show consisting of 4 -5 different stand - alone comedy duet scenes (not sketches). 

Each original scene lasts 10 -15 minutes each and follows a certain theme.  

There will be a new theme each month. To help stick to the theme (and for fun) each author must quote the theme at least once within the dialogue. 

March is LIGHTEN UP: Deadline extended to 18 February 2011

April is YOUR MOMMA: Deadline of 4 March 2011

May is LOVE IS IN THE AIR?: Deadline of 1 April 2011

June is THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE: Deadline of 6 May 2011

July is RELIGION, POLITICS...RUBBISH: Deadline of 3 June 2011

Send themed scene(s) (limit 2 scenes per author/per month) as pdf. or doc. to seemore@moretheatre.com by the deadline. 

Find out more by visiting www.moretheatre.com

For Darren, a boy from Oxgangs, at one end of the social scale, Sean Connery represents the only way he can think of to escape the life he sees stretching out before him, whilst for Eppie, whose life is an equally tedious one, consisting of an an unending round of lunches, bridge, dinner parties and the wee flask she always has with her, has the memory of the fact that, as a teenager, Connery chatted her up, and the possibilty of meeting him again.

For Jerry, a doorman at the Caledonian Hotel, the dream is singing, and passing on his demo tape to Sean Connery is his dream of escape. Lauren, an English woman who works in a sauna selling lots of little "extras", simply wants out of her life, and Stuart, a Member of the European Parliament, has grandiose plans to bring the Olympic Games to Edinburgh, and is willing to sink to any level to get what he wants.

Originally produced by 7:84 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1999, this play is a moving, funny and fantastical look at politics and society at a turning point in Scottish history. This will be its first outing since it was first performed over a decade ago.

This event is free but arrive early to guarantee a place.

Scottish Book Trust is delighted to be working with BBC Scotland Radio Drama on the 2011 Radio Drama Masterclass and Radio Lab.

The Masterclass and Lab are aimed at emerging and established professional writers who are already working in other media. It is open to poets, prose writers and dramatists.

Applications for the Radio Masterclass must be received by 12pm on Wednesday 23rd February 2011 for consideration. 

At the end of the Masterclass, participants who are interested in applying to be on the Radio Lab will be asked to develop their submitted idea further.  Participants for the Radio Lab will be selected based on the strength of this further submission which must be emailed to Scottish Book Trust by 12pm on Monday 14th March 2011.

Further details of how to apply can be found at http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/writers-and-publishers/training-and-awards/labs

Join renowned Scottish playwright Sue Glover and Professor of Film and Television Studies Christine Geraghty in a pre-show conversation about the real stories behind two of the world’s greatest film stars – Marilyn Monroe and Simone Signoret. Debate the perils of not being a natural blonde, how to make a marriage work under the glare of the public spotlight and explore the political context surrounding the Hollywood Studio system.

Sue Glover was commissioned by the Citizens Theatre to write 'Marilyn', a brand new play that speculates on the relationship between Marilyn Monroe and French actress Simone Signoret during the summer of 1960. It will receive its World Premiere on Tuesday 22 February.

This event is free with a ticket to the show. However, spaces are limited so please call 0141 429 0022 or visit http://bit.ly/ehTN7O to find out more.

Having worked as a director/producer in London for 10 years, Alex Scrivenor is now based in Callander and is looking for writers to submit one-act comedies for a production in September 2011 in a small 50-seat theatre in the heart of Callander, Perthshire.  This is the first time anything like this has been attempted in Callander and therefore the budget will be tight. However, it is a professional production and all parties will be paid.

The plays should:

• run no more than 40-50 minutes
• have a maximum of 2 actors
• have strong Scottish themes
• require a stage area no larger than a postage stamp

Alex is also potentially considering a second option which would involve commissioning a writer to adapt two Chekhov vaudevilles and set them in a Scottish context. Any thoughts or examples of previously adapted works would be appreciated.

The outcome of the submission process should be announced by mid-March.

To find out more, contact Alex on 07949 249877 or alexscriv@mac.com

Informal and sociable afternoon play-reading sessions at the Citizens Theatre, for the young at heart and mature in years.

These sessions are all about giving voice to the characters from the comfort of your seat, talking about the story and sharing your opinion of it.

This season the reading will be from John Osborne’s The Entertainer. 

Over four sessions, meeting weekly on Wednesdays from 2-4pm, the group will explore scenes from the play. Cost: £20 for all 4 sessions.

To book, visit http://citz.co.uk/whatson/info/off_the_page/

The Tom McGrath Trust is set up to honour the life and legacy of Tom McGrath, poet, playwright and creative maverick, who died in 2009. Inspired by Tom's boundless generosity of spirit and his passion for supporting Scottish playwrights, the Trust aims to be a source of inspiration, stimulation and support for artists seeking to develop their craft.

The Tom McGrath Trust will be launched on 29 March 2011 in the Traverse Bar Café in a celebratory evening of writing, poetry and music prior to the opening of Tom's 70s classic The Hard Man at the Kings Theatre.

Writers, composers, musicians and artists are invited to submit proposals to become involved in the launch event. Submission date for all pieces (maximum length 10 minutes) is Tuesday 1 March. For further information and to send submissions please email Ella Wildridge at tommcgrathtrust@gmail.com

To mark the Tercentenary of David Hume, the Institute and the University of Edinburgh are arranging a programme of events throughout the year. 

Gathering Uncertainties will be a conversation between Linda McLean and Susan Manning. Playwright Linda McLean is IASH/Traverse Creative Fellow in 2010-11 and has been commissioned to write a play related to Hume during her residency at the Institute.

Space is limited. Please email iash@ed.ac.uk to reserve a place.

The Writer’s Compass presents an action-packed day of workshops and panel sessions for graduates of Scotland’s Creative Writing Masters and PhD programmes and early career professional writers on Saturday 16 April 2011 at the CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow.

Hear from fellow writers about the different kinds of writing lives they lead, and get inspiration and guidance for your own career.

The deadline for bookings is 4 April 2011.

Booking details can be found at http://www.nawe.co.uk/DB/events/turning-the-next-page.html along with further programme and speaker information.

To tie in with the Traverse's premiere of her new play Pandas, Rona Munro leads a writers' workshop on locations and the blurring between the real and the imaginary.

Rona Munro is an award-winning Scottish playwright who had written extensively for stage, film, radio and television. Her plays for the Traverse include The Last Witch, Iron (winner of the John Whiting Award) and a version of Evelyne de la Chenelière's Québécois play Strawberries In January.

In 2005 she was the Traverse's first Senior Playwriting Fellow.

Places are limited so to book, visit http://www.traverse.co.uk/workshops.htm

Applications are invited from suitable host organisations to employ writers or storytellers to develop their own work within specific communities. Fellows will work on their own projects and may also interact with specified groups within the host environment.

Level of Grants:
Grants are available to cover 50% of the writer’s fee, which would typically be a minimum of £18,000 per annum or pro rata.

Deadline: 
Applications accepted at any time but must be submitted at least 4 weeks before the project start date.

For further information and to apply, visit http://www.creativescotland.com/investment/investing-in-arts/literature

Why you should join your union:

- It can offer support, advice and advocacy in the case of any industry dispute
- It can help you to keep in touch with the writing community and abreast of industry developments
- Having a strong union betters conditions and pay for all Scottish playwrights
- In the current climate it is important that arts workers stand up and be counted

Membership of the Scottish Society of Playwrights also entitles you to concessionary tickets at numerous theatres including: The Traverse, The Tron, The Arches, The Citizens' Theatre, Dundee Rep, Eden Court, The Lyceum and Pitlochry Theatre.

Membership costs £10 annually.

Membership subscriptions may now be paid via direct bank transfer. Simply fill in a membership form which is available on the website http://www.scottishsocietyofplaywrights.co.uk/becoming-a-member.html and email it to the SSP treasurer alanmckendrick@hotmail.com

New Merchant City hotspot Art Bar Glasgow are currently seeking plays for inclusion in their arts programme.

Plays will be part of regular evenings of entertainment, featuring up to 2 hours of stage time. Art Bar are looking for one act plays ranging from 10 to 30 minutes. The subject matter could be anything, however an emphasis on comedy is desired.

Director and cast can be supplied by the writer or by the bar themselves.

For further details, please email Alex Rettie at alex@artbarglasgow.co.uk or call 0141 552 1810

Writing for Screen

Opportunities and events for screenwriters can now be found through a direct link to The Writers’ Factory monthly e-bulletin.

The Writers Factory is invested in by Creative Scotland and is coordinated by the Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland. For more information about The Writers' Factory, please visit the website www.writersfactory.co.uk

The monthly bulletins contain information about future Writers' Factory courses as well as information relevant to screen writers across the UK and internationally. The Writers' Factory E-Bulletin is divided into three sections:

Factory News: For upcoming Writers' Factory events

Opportunities: Screen writing competitions and other opportunities

Events: Screen writing events and classes

To view the full e-bulletin, please click here

Smalltown by DC Jackson, Johnny McKnight and Douglas Maxwell
Random Accomplice @ Tron Theatre, Glasgow and touring
Tues 15th - Sat 19th Feb 2011
Click here

A Play, A Pie and A Pint
National Theatre of Scotland/Oran Mor @ Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
Tues 15th Feb - Sat 19th March 2011
Click here

NTS Reveal Season
National Theatre of Scotland
March - April 2011
Click here

Like This by Julie Tsang
Glasgow Actors @ Tron Theatre, Glasgow
Wed 16th - Sat 19th Feb 2011
Click here

Marilyn by Sue Glover
Citizens Company @ Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
Thurs 17th Feb - Sat 12th March 2011
Click here

A Scheme by Mark MacNicol and Lynsey Murdoch
Tiny Door @ Tron Theatre, Glasgow
Thurs 24th - Sat 26th Feb 2011
Click here

One Night in Iran by Oliver Emanuel
Radio 3, The Wire
Sat 26th Feb 2011
Click here

Wildlife by Pamela Carter
Magnetic North @ Tron Theatre, Glasgow and touring
Fri 11th - Sat 12th March 2011
Click here

Gagarin Way by Gregory Burke
Rapture Theatre @ Tron Theatre, Glasgow and touring
Tues 22nd - Sat 26th March 2011
Click here

The Playwrights Network

The Playwrights Network links regional organisations which work to develop playwrights (and sometimes writers working in other media too) across the UK.
Click here to find an organisation in your area.

The Scottish Society of Playwrights (SSP)

A professional members' organisation that represents, develops and promotes the interests and craft of professional Scottish playwrights working within the theatre sector. To become a member or for more information about the Society, please see their website www.scottishsocietyofplaywrights.co.uk
or email scottishsocietyofplaywrights@gmail.com

Note: Could any member who has recently changed address or contact details please send in their most up to date information?  Thank you.