The scripts are printed and I'm getting everything sorted out for the rehearsals for the WriteForTheStage readings next week at Studio Salford Development Week. We've certainly got a bumper crop of great new scripts for you - the harvest has been fruitful.
Tickets are booking very well - some events have sold out, some still have good availability. Tickets are available for free from studiosalford.eventbrite.co.uk
The only events that are pay events (with no booking fee) are Embryo, Studio Salford's eclectic cabaret of all things new and the WriteForTheStage Intro Showcase. Embryo is only £3 in advance (or £5 on the door). Book ahead and you get guaranteed seats at the front as long as you arrive before it starts at 7pm. The WriteForTheStage Intro showcase is also £5 - booking in advance is advisable as space is very limited.
I've also been writing a new piece especially for Development Week, so come along and see the first ever airing of Stay, my new play about a prodigal son who returns back to the family after 15 years of absence. I've had a busy old week trying to get things sorted for Development Week and developing and writing Stay, all in between jumping in and directing the last couple of rehearsals for Rob Ward's great new play, Gypsy Queen, which has been playing at wonderful The Martin Harris Centre. Tonight is the preview showing (although I think it's sold out), but look out for the shows coming up soon during its main run. It's been a real privilege to work with such a talented team and the play is absolutely spot-on - a brilliant tale of two gay boxers struggling to deal with a sticky predicament.
We have at least 25 world premieres of brand new work at Development Week next week at Studio Salford (at The Kings Arms Theatre) and I'm very proud to be pulling it all together. Of course, none of this would be possible without the brilliant support we can from Arts Council England.
So, come and see brand new work in its development stage and give feedback to the writers to help them write their next drafts.
If you are thinking of joining one of the WriteForTheStage courses, then now is a great time to do something about it. We're running two free workshops at DevWk. On Sat 1st Oct, we're running a writer's introduction workshop (1pm) where we'll mine the imagination for characters and themes - you'll leave the session with a great starting point to write a stage play. And at 2.30pm, we're running a Producers workshop which is an introduction to the new WFTS Producing level. For more info about our courses, click here.
