Please note: theatre companies or agents must put plays forward for this opportunity and all plays must have received a professional production between 1 Jan and 31 Dec 2014!
The University of Edinburgh in association with Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland and the Traverse Theatre are proud to present the JAMES TAIT BLACK PRIZE FOR DRAMA.
About the Award… The James Tait Black Prize is Britain’s oldest literary award and was extended to include drama for the first time in 2012. The prize for the best original new play written in English, Scots or Gaelic is organised by the University in association with Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland and the Traverse Theatre. The winner of the third £10,000 annual award will be announced in August 2015.
Judges will award the accolade to a play which displays an original voice in theatre and one that they feel has made a significant and unique contribution to the art form.
The prize is open to any new work by playwrights from any country, and at any stage in their career. The judges will include students and staff of the University’s School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, representatives from Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland and the Traverse Theatre.
As part of the award ceremony, extracts of the shortlisted plays will be performed as rehearsed readings at the Traverse Theatre during the August festivals in Edinburgh, supported by the National Theatre of Scotland.
Last year’s winner was Cannibals by Rory Mullarkey – a play dealing with the consequences of war and the nature of love. The award gained national and international media coverage and the prize-giving and reading at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre was attended by numerous industry leaders and journalists.
Submissions: Eligible plays are those over sixty minutes in playing time, originally written in English (including all standard and non-standard varieties) Scots or Gaelic, first produced between 1 January and 31 December 2014, and performed by a professional company for more than 6 performances.
Submission details: Theatre companies and agents are invited to submit scripts to the Department of English Literature by 9 March 2015. The James Tait Black Prizes, Dept. English Literature, The University of Edinburgh David Hume Tower, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JX. (There is no application form to complete)
A digital copy of the script must also be emailed to natalie.carthy@ed.ac.uk. This must be accompanied by a cover sheet available from the JTB web page or it will be ineligible.
A typed copy of the script must be sent with details of the first production, which should include venue, company and date. Where possible, proof of production should be sent such as a flyer, review etc. The submissions must come from the producing company or the agent of the playwright.
The playwright must have been commissioned formally by a professional organisation using a contract recognised by an industry regulator within the country of production (e.g. in the UK, the TMA, Equity, ITC or Federation of Scottish Theatre).
The production must have had a full production by a professional company using professionally contracted personnel.
For further information: http://www.ed.ac.uk/news/events/tait-black/about/drama
Deadline: 9 March 2015
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