Perthshire Plays is a new joint Programme between Horsecross Arts, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Birnam Arts, local playwright Lesley Wilson and Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland which aims to provide platforms for new and existing playwrights, giving them opportunities to develop their craft and share their work with audiences across the region.

The first stage of this intensive 2-year Programme launches with the creation of a Playwriting Group for writers based in Perth and Kinross. The Group will meet from January 2020. You don’t need previous playwriting experience, but you do need a passion to write for the stage and a willingness to work with others. Guided by playwright Lesley Wilson, and involving other professional playwrights from across Scotland, the Playwriting Group will give you the tools to write a play, improve your writing skills, and increase your confidence, all in a supportive environment.

They can offer 

• You will have a number of opportunities to present your work-in-progress plays across the region. Writing to themes such as climate change, the river Tay, and Macbeth, your response can be as short or as long as you wish.
• You will receive script-in-progress feedback from Lu Kemp (Artistic Director, Perth Theatre) and Elizabeth Newman (Artistic Director, Pitlochry Festival Theatre).
• Writers’ desks are available for use free of charge at Perth Theatre, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Birnam Arts and Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland.
• Running alongside the Playwriting Group is a series of public Masterclasses across the region. Full details of these will be published in January 2020.

Applications are welcome from

• Writers with little or no playwriting experience
• People with experience in other areas of creative writing but who would like to give playwriting a try
• Playwrights with some experience but who would appreciate a refresher
• All you need is a passion to write for the stage, enthusiasm to learn and a willingness to work with others
• They believe diversity is essential to a thriving cultural sector and aim to work actively with writers from a range of different backgrounds.
• As they are currently underrepresented, they strive to increase applications from and representation within our programmes from playwrights:
  • Writing in Scots
  • From Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds
  • With Additional Support Needs (including people with a physical disability, learning disability or mental health condition.)

All applications will be read by Hayley Sinclair (Communications and Projects Coordinator, Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland), Fiona Sturgeon Shea (Creative Director, Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland), Lesley Wilson, (Associate Playwright, Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland).

There are a limited number of places available for the group so, in making our selection, they will consider:

• How the programme will contribute to the development of your writing
• Your commitment to developing your playwriting skills and experience
• Your passion, enthusiasm and willingness to work with others

All meetings will take place between 7pm and 9pm.

https://www.playwrightsstudio.co.uk/programmes/national-programme/perth-and-kinross