We are delighted to announce that Bryony Shanahan, our new joint Artistic Director alongside Roy Alexander Weise, will be joining the judging panel for this year’s Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting. She will be stepping into the role following a decision from Sarah Frankcom (outgoing Artistic Director) to make way for the new artistic leadership to take ownership of the Prize, and for them to creatively develop and support the winning plays and writers from the very beginning of this incredible process.

Bryony said “As the new Joint Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange, I am delighted to become a Judge for the 2019 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, which plays such a vital role in the artistic vision of the theatre. Supporting anyone and everyone to write a play and submit it anonymously for the Prize is a fantastic opportunity the Prize has a history of discovering some of our more respected playwrights. Writing for the theatre is a brave and political act and I am looking forward to joining my fellow Judges to discuss the great new plays on this year’s shortlist.”

Bryony is a huge advocate for new writing having recently directed Maxine Peake’s latest play QUEENS OF THE COAL AGE here in Manchester and Stef Smith’s ENOUGH at the Edinburgh Traverse, one of the UKs leading new writing venues. In February Bryony will direct Bruntwood Prize-winning playwright Andrew Sheridan’s new adaptation of WUTHERING HEIGHTS.

Bryony Shanahan is current Associate Artistic Director at the Royal Exchange. In 2016 she won the Genesis Future Directors award and directed her sell out production of trade by debbie tucker green at the Young Vic. Current and forthcoming productions include WUTHERING HEIGHTS (Royal Exchange) and ENOUGH (Traverse Theatre). Directing includes QUEENS OF THE COAL AGE (Royal Exchange/New Vic Theatre), CHICKEN SOUP (Sheffield Crucible); OPERATION CRUCIBLE (Finborough Theatre, Sheffield Crucible/UK tour/59e59 New York); WEALD (Finborough Theatre); NOTHING (Royal Exchange, winner of Manchester Theatre Award); BITCH BOXER (Soho Theatre/national tour/Adelaide Fringe Festival); BOYS WILL BE BOYS (Women Centre Stage, National Theatre); CHAPEL STREET (National Tour) and YOU AND ME (Greenwich Theatre/National Tour).
Bryony trained at East 15 Acting School and on The National Theatre Directors’ course. She has been Staff Director for The National Theatre and was a 2014 BBC Theatre Fellow.