Tamasha Developing Artists (TDA) is soliciting applications for a new playwriting group, Tamasha Playwrights. The group will meet regularly from October 2014 and will run for at least 3 months. It will be led by Tamasha’s new co-Artistic Director (and award-winning playwright) Fin Kennedy who taught playwriting on the MA Writing for Performance at Goldsmiths College for almost ten years. Tamasha Playwrights aims to deliver training and support to a core of 6-10 emerging TDA playwrights from diverse backgrounds.
The aim of the group is to:
- be open and responsive to the participants’ interests / needs.
- invest in the professional skills of a core of writers
- equip writers with the skills to sustain a professional freelance career, including initiating, fundraising and managing their own projects.
- generate seeds of inspiration for developing new ideas as well as group discussion and peer learning.
- build relationships with writers who can collaborate with the company on TDA projects, including regionally and responding to inspiration from young people and community groups.
- provide some showcase opportunities e.g. response work to Tamasha’s core productions, or a dedicated Scratch night.
- offer some careers advice and 1 to 1 time.
About the group:
- This group isn’t aimed at absolute beginners. Applicants will need to have written at least one full length play for the stage (though it need not have been produced). Writers with more experience are welcome to apply – though those with established professional careers will not be given priority.
- This group is not about generating new plays for Tamasha to commission and produce in the immediate future. In the interests of managing applicants’ expectations, we would like to stress that Tamasha is a small company which produces 1-2 plays per year. Following the recent Arts Council funding round, the company has committed to its professional productions up to 2018.
- Group members will be expected to work towards developing wholly new ideas for the stage, not further developing pre-existing plays. Plays submitted during the application process are writing samples only. Taking part in Tamasha Playwrights does not guarantee your work being showcased.
Timeline: Tamasha Playwrights is a pilot project so the precise structure and content will be worked out in collaboration with the group. However there will be an opportunity for the group to contribute to Tamasha’s January Scratch night at Soho Theatre, so it is envisaged meetings will take place weekly at first to aim towards this, dropping to fortnightly to allow for writing time. The group’s future and direction will be reviewed after January 2015 in collaboration with its members.
Sessions will take place on a weekday evening (day tbc) at Tamasha’s offices in Shoreditch, East London. We regret that we cannot pay travel expenses but the sessions are fully subsidised and offered free of charge.
They are looking for writers who:
- have written at least one full length play for the stage (though it need not have been produced)
- are interested in and inspired by the diversity of a globalised world and the multiple narratives of contemporary Britain and beyond
- have a genuine desire to further develop their skills and experience in a collaborative environment.
How to apply: Please submit:
- one full length play for the stage (please note that screenplays and musicals cannot be considered, though work for young people and radio plays can be).
- a full CV (including writing and work experience + full contact details).
- a covering letter, no more than 1 side of A4, outlining your relevant experience, your reasons for applying and what you hope to gain from taking part.
- Equal Opportunities monitoring form.
Please email Felicity on admin@tamasha.org.uk with your application with subject line ‘Tamasha playwrights’ or call the office on 0207 749 0090 if you have any questions.
Deadline: Thursday 25 Sept 2014, 12 noon
Source: @Playwriting_UK