| SCRIPT
NEWS - August 2010*
*This
page is now archived
Dear
writer
It
is with great regret and reluctance that the Board
of Script has taken the decision to dissolve the
company as of the end of August 2010.
The
loss of RFO status in March 2008 has had a serious
impact on the company's resources, and the reliance
on ever-decreasing pots of project funding has
made its future existence unsustainable.
The
Board and staff of Script are currently making
every effort possible to ensure the smooth transfer
of resources and intellectual property that the
company has gained during the last eighteen years.
This will enable Script's legacy to continue to
benefit future generations of writers in the region
and beyond.
We
would like to take this opportunity to thank you
for all of your help and support for Script over
the last few years. As a writer-led organisation,
Script thrived on the expert knowledge and experience
of its constituent members. We are very sorry
to see it go, but trust that the company has served
its purpose in promoting the ecology of new writing
in the West Midlands.
Nicholas
McInerny
Chair,
Script
TENacity
The
TENacity Programme is still in operation in August,
with two workshops and one showcase to go. Details
below...
TENacity
is supported by The National Lottery through Arts
Council England, Shropshire County Council and
Warwick District Council.
For
booking, please visit:
http://www.scriptonline.net/TENacityBookingForm.htm
Developing
Ideas for the Stage
Saturday
7th August 2010 (10am-5pm)
Pentabus
Theatre, Ludlow
Led
by Peter Roberts
This
one-day workshop will provide an introduction
to the fundamentals of creating stories for the
theatre. Writer will be able to explore how to
structure scenes, develop character and plot and
how to write effective dialogue. It will also
look at the basic practicalities of putting your
work on the stage. An essential toolkit to master
the art and craft of playwriting.
Peter
Roberts is a Royal Shakespeare Company
award-winning writer with credits for stage, television,
and radio. Stage plays include Education,
Education , and Viking Tales
for Derby Playhouse, Flying
For Arthur , (Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
) and Heart and Stone for New
Theatre Works. His play-with-music, A
Maid With A Lamp , based on the life
of Florence Nightingale, is scheduled for Derby
Theatre in May 2010. His adaptation of Sophocles'
Lysistrata is scheduled for
production at Derby Theatre in 2011.
Cost:
£50 (£40 concessions)
Showcase:
Devising
for Writers
Sunday
15th August, 4pm
The
Drum, Birmingham
An
informal showing of some of the ideas and material
developed over the three day Devising for Writers
workshop with Third Angel.
Script
Reading Service
From
1st August 2010, we will no longer be accepting
submissions to our script reading service. Scripts
which are already in the system will be read and
returned by the end of August.
Forthcoming
Opportunities, Training and Competitions:
STAGE
...
Opportunity
for Playwrights
There
is still time to submit your work for the exciting
collaboration between The REP and The National
Theatre, which takes place on Monday 23rd August
and will lead to a performance on Saturday 2nd
October. This course will give you a unique opportunity
to meet with some of the inspiring and very knowledgeable
artists who work at the National Theatre and The
REP.
The
project is led by the award-winning writer Matt
Charman. His first play A Night at the Dogs
was selected from over 700 entries to win the
2004 Verity Bargate Award. His second and third
plays have both premiered at the London's National
Theatre, where he has also been Writer in Residence.
Matt will work with you to improve your writing
techniqie by giving you ideas and ways into writing
that you may not have thought about previously.
He will be able to give you feedback on your work
so far and also support your writing of a new
piece that will be performed (a rehearsed reading)
in Birmingham to an invited audience. Your work
will be directed by National Theatre directors.
This is a very rare opportunity, so please don't
miss it.
Further
information and submission guidelines: Visit
The REP website
Deadline:
8th August 2010
Bugged:
Creative Eavesdropping
A fantastic
nationwide project that has really grown legs
over the last couple of months. Devised by playwright
David
Calcutt and poet Jo
Bell , the project invites writers
from across the UK to listen in on conversations
and write something based on what you hear. Writers
are invited to submit plays and radio scripts
of up to five minutes in length
Further
information: Visit the blog
Deadline:
15th August 2010
Little
Pieces of Gold
A showcase
for new drama at The Etcetera Theatre, Camden.
The evening will feature four short plays, or
extracts from full-length works. They are looking
for writers to submit their work which, if selected,
will be assigned a director who will work with
the writer and performers to bring their work
up to performance standard for the first evening
on Monday 27th September.
Guidlines
- Your piece must be no longer than 15 mins
- They can only accommodate basic sound/lighting.
There are no sets
- Your piece must not have been performed in
the UK
- Attach your work in a PDF or Word document
- Please include a very short synopsis of the
play and a brief writer's bio.
Deadline:
Monday 16th August 2010
Further
details: Visit the website
Liverpool
Everyman Young Writers' Programme
An introduction
for writers aged 16-25 to playwriting as a unique,
imaginative and invaluable way to express themselves
creatively. We aim to open up theatre to the most
innovative, original and exciting new voices,
to create a new generation of Liverpool writers
who will challenge and engage nationwide audiences.
Each September, 12 young writers are invited to
join the programme, working closely with our Literary
Manager and a professional playwright.
We are
now accepting applications for the September 2010
intake.
How
to apply: For more information or an
application pack, please email
literary@everymanplayhouse.com
with your full contact details and
"Young Writers' Programme Application"
in the subject line.
Deadline:
20th August 2010
Interviews:
6th & 7th September 2010
Further
information: Visit the website
Muslim
Women's Writing Development
Do you
have an urge to write?
Do you
want to develop your skills?
Ulfah
Arts and The REP are running a women's writing
development programme based around the Government's
PVE agenda.
This
is a great opportunity for 30 Muslim women to
be involved in a pioneering writing development
programme. You will work with professional ground-breaking
writers over 6 months culminating in a 3-day writing
festival in 2011.
If you
just write as a hobby, feel an urge to put your
thoughts down on paper; are already a writer but
would like to develop your writing skills; or
have some experience of violent extremism and
want support with voicing it, get in touch! Commitment
required.
To
apply: Contact Ulfah Arts on 0121 446
4460 or email soesen@ulfaharts.co.uk
Peter
Wolff Trust supports The Whiting Award
This
year's Peter Wolff Trust supports The Whiting
Award, presented by Nottingham Playhouse in association
with Theatre Writing Partnership, is now officially
open for submissions. Awarded annually to the
new play which best demonstrates an original and
distinctive development in dramatic writing, The
Award has been instrumental in the development
of the careers of some of our bet known and well-respected
British dramatists in the last forty-five years.
To be eligible for this year's award, plays must
be:
- An original piece of writing. Plays created
through a devising process, must have a named
writer whilst adaptations and verbatim theatre
will not be considered
- Produced by a company within the subsidised
sector. Subsidy being defined as funding of
£1k or more from ACE, a local government
body, a trust or a foundation.
- Produced under a professional contract to
ITC, TWU, WGGB or TMA guidelines
- Performed for the first time in the UK during
the award period of between 1 August 2009 and
31 July 2010 (Performance as full production,
not rehearsed or staged reading).
Scripts
which fulfil these criteria can be sent as three
unbound copies in double-sided A4 paper each with
a completed cover sheet to:
The
Peter Wolff Theatre Trust supports the Whiting
Award
Nottingham
Playhouse
Wellington
Circus
Nottingham,
NG1 5AL
Emailed
scripts will not be accepted. Please ensure that
each play is only submitted once; be that by the
writer, the agent or the producing theatre.
Deadline:
20th August 2010
Organised
Chaos Productions: Call for Scripts
Manchester-based
Organised Chaos is looking for new scripts. In
2009, they selected four scripts from their first
Script Call. Following their debut, the plays
have gone on to other venues and been performed
as part of the Buxton Fringe, Preston Fringe and
Write Now Festivals.
Your
play should be original and written by you, be
previously unproduced, have a cast of between
1-6 and be suitable for a studio space.
Deadline:
1 September 2010
Further
information: Visit the website
Write
Now One-Act Play Festival
The
Liverpool International One-Act Play Festival
is now accepting submissions for their 2011 Festival
on 15-23 April 2011. For full details, and submission
guidelines, visit the website
Deadline:
Friday 24th September 2010
Big
Script Writers' Group
Two
vacancies have arisen for active writers wanting
to hear their work read and gain feedback on it,
as well as responding constructively to other
writers' work. Available to writers of stage,
screen and radio. Not suitable for beginners.
Big
Script meets fortnightly on a Thursday evening
in Moseley.
Further
information: Email npocknell@aol.com
Pentabus
Theatre: We Are Here
The
award winning Pentabus Theatre would like to invite
playwrights from around the UK to submit a play
for our 2012 season: We Are Here
We
want to celebrate who we are and do what we do
best by opening up a slot in our 2012 programme
for an as yet undiscovered play.
Think
you have an unproduced play that we might want
to programme?
Then
we would love to hear from you.
To
find out more about PENTABUS THEATRE visit us
at:
www.pentabus.co.uk
For
full WE ARE HERE submission guidelines visit:
http://www.pentabus.co.uk/index.php/current-programme/we-are-here
Deadline:
29th October 2010
Everyone
Has the Right
A rolling
script submission service from iceandfire
and Amnesty International UK. Everyone Has the
Right provides a natural home for writers exploring
human rights stories to create surprising and
entertaining theatre. But how can human rights
be transformed from formalised, aspirational ideals
to real, breathing situations that form the basis
for excellent theatre?
How
to submit: Download a cover sheet from
the website
and send, together with your script and short
(200 words max) synopsis to: Everyone Has the
Right, iceandfire, Toynbee Hall, 28 Commercial
Street, London, E1 6LS.
Deadline:
Ongoing
SCREEN...
The
Great Animation Challenge
Submissions
for 2010's Great Animation Challenge are now open.
The annual competition, run by Animation Forum
WM and Flip Festival, gives animators everywhere
from now until 31st August 2010 to animate their
favourite comedy clip from the audio provided
below, and upload it to our Vimeo group. The best
entries will then be screened in early September,
with the best short winning a play on a one or
two day Apple or Adobe accredited training course
in Birmingham (tbc upon AFWM funding)
Further
information: Visit the website
Film
Forum WM August Meet-Up
24
August 2010, 7pm-9pm
The
Victoria Pub, 48 John Bright Street
The
idea of these meet ups is to give filmmakers a
networking platform from which they can meet people
involved in different aspects of filmmaking, from
directors to actors to editors in order to source
equipment, make contacts and flourish.
The entire evening is very INFORMAL so therefore
it is really up to you if you approach it as a
casual drink or an opportunity to network and
get projects off the ground.
Further information: Visit the
Facebook
page
Birmingham
Film Producer - call for writers
Media
Art is an independent film and TV production
company based in Birmingham. We are currently
planning for new film productions and are looking
for stories which could be adapted for low budget
films, feature and TV drama. We would like to
hear from professional writers with fresh ideas
and stories, particularly stories with social
themes such as diversity and immigration. This
does not exclude other genres if they could meet
the criteria for a low budget production. We would
like to invite writers to submit their story,
script or idea to: script@mediaart.co.uk
RADIO...
The
Crumble
Rhubarb
Radio based in the Custard Factory are widening
their focus and are looking for people to go on
The Crumble. We are looking for performers and
writers from Birmingham and the West Midlands
to not just perform, but also to talk about their
work. The show goes out live on Fridays from 12-1pm.
It is then streamed and can be accessed at any
time. This makes it a particularly good marketing
tool for artists - want to hear my work? Well,
just go onto Rhubarbradio.com
Anyone who is interested can find out more and
make a date by contacting Jan Watts crumble@rhubarbradio.com
Amplifying
Voices
Amplifying
Voices is a collaboration between The
Rural Media Company, BBC Radio 4/ Radio Drama
and the communities of Ewyas Harold and Kington
to create a highly innovative project that combines
the mediums of radio, film and the web with community
participation. The project will give each community
the opportunity to create two original 45-minute
radio plays and two accompanying films that capture
the sounds and images of contemporary rural life,
together with the voices, lives, stories and histories
of the rural border regions of England and Wales.
Over
the next few months, there will be lots of ways
in which local residents can get involved. There
will be workshops with the writer, practical training
in digital film-making and a chance to learn about
the techniques of radio drama. We want to hear
from anyone from Ewyas Harold and Kington who
wants to get involved, no experience is necessary.
One of our first tasks is to gather as many good
stories about the communities as we can, so please
get in touch. The next meetings will be held on:
Monday
6th September at Ewyas Harold
Memorial Hall (7pm)
Wednesday
8th September at Kington Primary
School (7pm)
The
plays and films will be broadcast next Spring/Summer
Further
information: Contact Adrian Lambert on
01432 344039 or adrian@ruralmedia.co.uk
Radio
Wildfire
Radio
Wildfire is an independent radio station bringing
you an eclectic mix of original spoken word, literature,
discussion and writing from new and up-and-coming
authors and scriptwriters. It is broadcast to
you from the West Midlands live on the first Monday
of each month. Radio Wildfire is brought to you
by a group of practitioners, programmers and technicians
with a personal enthusiasm for broadcast sound.
They hope that the content of the station will
develop as the audience grows.
Visit
their website
for further information
EVENTS...
Festivals,
readings, productions:
Getting
To Where You Want To Be
Tuesday
7th September 2010, 1.30pm-4.30pm
Writing
West Midlands, in Association with The Writers'
Compass
Are
you heading in the direction you want with your
writing career? This half day workshop, led by
Sarah Hymas, will provide a structured opportunity
to explore where you want to get to professionally
and to start planning your next steps. During
the workshop, you'll be able to think about your
current situation and your vision of where you'd
like to be and when; look at your skills and motivations;
explore strategies for overcoming possible hurdles
and consider the different sources of support
you can draw on. Finally, you'll start to map
out a plan of action to achieve your goals.
Cost:
£20 (£15 concession) 20 places
only
Deadline
for booking: 23rd August 2010
How
to book: Email Jonathan Davidson on jonathan@writingwestmidlands.org
A
Writer Networking Meeting
Saturday
11th September
The
Hickes Room, Worcester Cathedral, 8 College Green
Writing
West Midlands is promoting a gathering for emerging
and established writers, targeted at those who
work in and around Worcestershire and Herefordshire,
but open to any writer in the West Midlands' region.
This meeting will be an opportunity for writers
to share their experiences and develop contacts.
There will be short presentations from:
Bohdan
Piasecki (Apples & Snakes) on writing in performance
Jonathan
Davidson (Writing West Midlands/ Birmingham Book
Festival) on working with Literature Festivals.
One other speaker may also be included.
Cost:
Free
Deadline
for booking: 31st August 2010
Email:
jonathan@writingwestmidlands.org
Stephen
Fry Live: The Fry Chronicles
Monday
13th September, 7.15pm
Light
House, Wolverhampton
Although
not strictly Script-based, our friends at Light
House have asked us to circulate details of a
very special event in September. Live from the
Royal Festival Hall, this special event marks
the publication of Stephen Fry's new volume of
autobiography The Fry Chronicles. Stephen
will be beamed, direct via satellite, onto the
big screen at Light House, to give an exclusive
preview of his hilarious, frank and uncompromising
new book
Tickets:
£12.50 (£11 conc)
Box
Office: 01902 716055
Further
information: Visit the website
The
Belgrade Theatre - new plays by Midlands writers
The
Belgrade Theatre in Coventry have launched their
Autumn/Winter 2010 brochure and the new season
plays host to the work of number of regional playwrights
and theatre companies. Here are the highlights:
I'm
a Minger
6-11
September 2010, 8pm
Written
and performed by Alex Jones
After
successful outings in London and the Latitude
Festival, I'm a Minger tours for the
first time - funny and moving, it asks tough questions
about the rise in suicide as a "life"
choice for teenagers today.
Further
information: http://www.imaminger.com
The
Belgrade Theatre and Talking Birds Theatre Company
presents:
We
Love you City
25
September - 16 October, 8pm
Written
by Nick Walker, Directed by Paul Warwick
It's
3pm on 16 May 1987 and the streets of Coventry
are deserted. But not for long...
Against
all odds and expectations on that fateful day,
Coventry City FC achieved the ultimate goal -
they won the FA Cup. The streets were soon awash
with a sea of sky blue as the people of Coventry
united in victory.
We
Live You City provides a snapshot of Coventry
in 1987 and gives you a chance to share your own
memories of this defining moment in the city's
history.
Further
information: Visit the website
One
Night in November
30
October - 13 November 2010, 7.45pm
Written
by Alan Pollock, directed by Hamish Glen
Was
Coventry sacrificed to win the war? Following
two hugely successful sell-out runs in March and
November 2008, One Night in November returns
to the Belgrade Theatre ahead of the 70th Anniversary
of the Coventry Blitz.
Further
information: Visit the website
All
the Moves
4-13
November, 8pm
Written
by Chris O'Connell
This
new play by award-winning playwright Chris O'Connell
has been commissioned to mark the establishment
of the Belgrade Young Company
Further
information: Visit the website
Too
Much Pressure
29
January - 19 February 2011
Written
by Alan Pollock, directed by Hamish Glen
Coventry.
1979. A city of strife in the factories and violence
New
Plays by regional writers at The Old Joint Stock
Fast
becoming a haven for new writing, the Old Joint
Stock is hosting two new plays from local writers
in the coming months:
The
Bridge
29
September 2010, 2.30pm & 8pm
Written
by Alex Jones
Mouthpiece
Productions present a gripping and spine-chilling
supernatural thriller by Alex Jones. Directed
by Larry Rew.
For
some people sorrow can be an eternal nightmare.
How do you escape the past when it will never
let you go?
Further
details: Visit the website
Tickets:
£10 (£8 concession)
Box
Office: 0121 200 0946 or 0845 6801926
The
Dinner Lady Man
30
September - 3 October 2010, 2.30pm & 8pm
Written
by Dan Hagley
From
the creator of PATRICK AND BERNADINE comes a new
comedy. Following sell-out performances of Patrick
and Bernadine, Something and Nothing return
with Dan Hagley's new comedy The Dinner Lady
Man.
The
play tackles the heady subjects of sexism in the
workplace, the recession and chocolate concrete
Further
details: Visit the website
Tickets:
£7, £10 (£9 concession)
Box
Office: 0121 200 0946 or 0845 6801926
or 0121 303 2323
Warwick
Words
1-10
October 2010
The
ninth annual literature festival will be the most
successful yet, with ten days packed with performances
from some of the country's leading writers, poets,
illustrators, journalists and storytellers, with
workshops on diverse literary genres by leading
exponents. The full programme can be downloaded
from the website
Birmingham
Book Festival
5-21
October 2010
The
Festival brochure will be available very shortly.
Check the website
for the latest details
The
Writers' Toolkit
Writers'
Networking Conference
Saturday
20th November 2010, 10.30am-4pm
South
Birmingham College
Writing
West Midlands
This
will be our third annual writer networking conference.
Panel discussions will include understanding publishing,
writing and the health sector, rights for writers,
the business of writing. A full programme will
be released in early September. Please visit the
website
for the latest details.
MISC...
Swan
Playwrights - Forum
Swan
Playwrights, the writers' group based in Kidderminster,
have recently set up a discussion forum on their
website, so emerging or established writers can
chat about the craft. Drop in to sign up and join
the conversation
Further
information: Visit the website
N.B.
This will be the final newsletter in its current
form. Further information will be posted at the
end of the month to signpost writers to other
organisations and useful contacts in the region
and beyond.
Script
asks you to note: These listings are drawn from
varying sources, all current at time of publishing.
Script
endeavours to investigate and validate all information
and opportunities listed here. We advise you to
make contact with companies before submitting
scripts.
ARCHIVE
To view
previous editions of Script News, please click
on the links below
2003-2007
January
2008
February
2008
March
2008
April
2008
May/June
2008
July/August
2008
October/November
2008
December
2008
January/February
2009
March/April
2009
May
2009
June
2009
July
2009
August
2009
September
2009
November
2009
March
2010
April
2010
May
2010
|
