The Collective is an opportunity for a group of writers and a dramaturg to share skills, techniques and obsessions, and to fire up conversations and collaborations. It is run by the Orange Tree’s Literary Associate. In the past the programme has included masterclasses from practitioners including Paulette Randall, Martin Crimp and Ned Bennett.

Writers will be paid a fee to develop an idea for a new play, with the support of the Orange Tree’s creative team. The dramaturg will be paid a fee to support these artists in working on their ideas, and shadow other development work at the Orange Tree where possible.

Collective sessions will be on Monday evenings, every 2 weeks from March 2021. They will take place on Zoom

Writers: this project is aimed at writers who have written at least one play that has been heard by an audience. They don’t mind where that play was heard: it might have had a rehearsed reading, gone on the radio, or been produced on the fringe. The programme aims to equip the participants with the confidence and skills to make their next steps in the industry, to start to write a new play, and to support them to overcome the barriers that they face. It is not an ‘introduction to playwriting’ programme, and aims to put together a group of writers at a similar stage in their career so that the programme may also function as a network of peer support.

Dramaturgs: They e are looking to hear from aspiring dramaturgs for this year’s Writers Collective to work with the writers on the programme, and to grow their skills as a developer of new work for the theatre. The dramaturg will support the writers in the group to develop their ideas, and work with the Literary Associate on other projects at the theatre as appropriate.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate an interest in supporting artists, but do not need any experience in ‘dramaturgy’. They may have been an assistant director on a play, or helped to put on a spoken word night above a pub. To us, dramaturgy is the craft of supporting artists to make their work with safety, authenticity, clarity and excellence.

They are particularly interested to hear from practitioners who are underrepresented in our work at the moment. This includes d/Deaf and disabled writers, writers who experience racism, and working class writers.

The writers will be paid £1000 to take the first steps in developing a new play.

The dramaturg will be paid £1000 for their work on the project.

Applications will be open from 5 January – 22 January 2021 via an online form.

Sign up to the OT Artists mailing list to be the first to receive the online form

https://www.orangetreetheatre.co.uk/writers-collective