The Royal Theatrical Support Trust (RTST) and ETT (English Touring Theatre) are delighted to announce that the 2021 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award Scheme is now open for entries.

Now in its fifth year, the award – which honours the memory of RTST co-founder, Sir Peter Hall – offers the winner their first-time opportunity to direct a full-scale, fully funded, mid-scale regional touring production of a classic or modern play, which may be an existing play or a new adaptation of a novel or film. The production will open in 2022 at Leeds Playhouse, as a co-production between ETT and Leeds Playhouse, then tour across the UK. The RTST will make a grant of £50,000 to be applied towards the costs of the winner’s production.

The scheme promotes the RTST’s charitable objectives by supporting up-and-coming theatre practitioners and British regional theatres. It is also intended to appeal to a wide range of candidates and to play a part in promoting diversity in the theatre, onstage, offstage and among audiences.

The winning director will demonstrate exceptional directing skills and a passion for regional theatre, and will be chosen by a panel comprising of Chair Richard Twyman, Artistic Director of ETT; James Brining, Artistic Director of Leeds Playhouse; Dominic Cooke, Director; Paapa Essiedu, Actor; Haydn Gwynne, Actor; Shelley Maxwell, Movement Director; and Davina Shah, Literary and Creative Agent; and Nickie Miles-Wildin, Co-Artistic Director and CEO of DaDa and Associate Director of Graeae.

The 2019 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award winner Anthony Almeida opened his production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Curve, Leicester on 8 September, and will be touring to Liverpool, Canterbury, Ipswich, Theatr Clwyd, and concludes in Southampton on 30 October. Other previous award winners and official runners-up of the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award include Nancy Medina and Josh Seymour (2018); Chelsea Walker and Tinuke Craig (2017); and Kate Hewitt and Rebecca Frecknall (2016).

Deadline

6pm on Monday 4 October 2021.

http://rtst.org.uk/rtst-sir-peter-hall-director-award-2021/