Does creativity run right through you like Blackpool rock? Do you want to switch the narrative, transform the power imbalance and see your favourite seaside town light up with exciting progressive change? The Old Electric invites you to enter it’s new playwriting competition.
Part of The Old Electric’s innovative Power Plays Festival, which supports new writing for the stage, a new playwriting competition launches on 17 May, inviting writers to submit original scripts that showcase themes which have resonance to Blackpool, while also exploring positive new perspectives on the region.
A judging panel of notable theatre creatives comprising the Old Electric’s artistic airector Melanie Whitehead; celebrated playwright Nick Wood (Warrior Square, A Girl With A Book); renowned literary manager, critic and dramaturg Dr Frank Peschier; award-winning writer Iskandar Sharazuddin and Power Plays Festival Writer in Residence Martha Pailing, will read the scripts and choose the winning writer and up to four runners up.
The winning writer will then see their work being workshopped and cast before coming to life in a fully rehearsed production which will be performed to public audiences and invited industry professionals on Saturday 27 July. The Old Electric will subsequently work with the writer of the winning play alongside producers, funders and venues to support production touring aspirations for 2025.
The runner up plays will be workshopped to a seated/scratch/script-in-hand read through, which will be open to public audiences and invited industry professionals in July, with dates to be confirmed. Selected scriptwriters will also be offered an opportunity for one-to-one mentoring by industry professionals.
All submitted plays should be original pieces that have not previously been performed and must be thematically linked to Blackpool and actively connect with the current experience of living in, growing up in, or regularly visiting Blackpool.
Each literary work needs to be between 45-75 minutes in length and suitable to be performed by four actors or less, although appropriate cross-casting for more characters will be considered. Submissions will be accepted from 12 noon on Friday 17 May 2024 until 12 noon on Friday 31 May 2024 and all winners will be notified by 12noon on Monday 17 June 2024.
Power Plays as a title for the playwriting competition is intended to act as provocation for thinking about where the power dynamics lie in Blackpool with a view to enacting positive change.
The Old Electric artistic director Melanie Whitehead said: “Power Plays as a title for the playwriting competition is intended to act as provocation for thinking about where the power dynamics lie in Blackpool with a view to enacting positive change.
“It’s also about exploring who holds the power on our stages and taking steps towards redressing the imbalance. All of the judging panel will be excited by new writing that explores this theme and pieces that demonstrate they are beyond pure nostalgia or misery and offer original and thought-provoking perspectives on the region. We want to hear your stories!”
Fellow judge and playwright Nick Wood said: “It’s great that this festival will give new, fresh, vital, regional voices a chance to be heard. At a time when it’s so difficult to make the breakthrough that gets your work off the page and onto the stage, this is an opportunity not to be missed. And as someone who was born on the coast, with the sea on the doorstep, why wouldn’t I grab the chance to revisit Blackpool!”
For further information and full entry requirements for the Power Plays Playwriting Competition click here.
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