Call out for playwrights

New writing opportunity with international theatre - Royal Court 

Applications deadline Sunday 14 April 2013.

The British Council is offering South African playwrights the opportunity to work with one of the UK's leading national theatre companies for a week-long intensive, writing workshop in July 2013. 

There are 12 places for emerging playwrights who can show evidence of a track record of writing plays regardless of whether they have been published or performed. The applications will be assessed by a panel consisting of representatives of the British Council, Royal Court and South African theatre professionals. 

Royal Court will travel to South Africa to host the workshop (held in Magaliesburg from 6 July to 14 July) which aims to support each playwright in writing a new contemporary play. The workshop will be designed for the needs of each writer, explore individual interests, and by the end of the week each writer will be asked to propose an outline of a new idea for a contemporary and original play. 

Following the workshop, the participants will be asked to submit their play to the Royal Court who will continue to work with playwrights over the coming two years to develop the plays. 

The London-based Royal Court runs long-term play development projects in many different countries, helping to stimulate new writing across the globe. They have a long connection with South Africa with John Kani, Winston Ntshona and Athol Fugard bringing "Siswe Bansi is Dead" to the Royal Court Theatre in 1973 followed by a landmark season of three plays by Fugard in 1974 including"The Island" and "Statements after an Arrest Under the Immorality Act." 

MAKING AN APPLICATION 

Please send your application, with the below items, to Lois Anguria (lois.anguria@britishcouncil.org.za ): 

a brief statement (motivation letter) of why you would like to attend the workshop 

a single page CV including your date of birth and gender 

one scene from a recent play you have written and a synopsis of that play 

two letters of recommendation 

We ask that the application be in English and the workshop will be conducted in English but samples of your work can be written in any language and we will arrange for appropriate translations to be made. 

DEADLINES 

12 March 2013 - Open call 

14 April 2013 - Application deadline 

7 May 2013 - Announce participants 

6 July - 14 July 2013 - Workshops 

There will also be further activities beyond the workshops, so by applying you are committing yourself to being involved in the project for up to two years. 

FURTHER INFORMATION 

The workshop will be a residential from 6 - 13 July 2013. Accommodation, food and workshop spaces will be provided. The British Council office in Johannesburg can facilitate travel where required. 

CONTACT 

Please contact Lois Anguria, British Council South Africa, on lois.anguria@britishcouncil.org.za or

011 560 9340 if you have any further queries.