The Lancaster Playwriting Prize is an annual Playwriting prize for playwrights in the North and this year is looking for submissions from Deaf, disabled, and neurodiverse writers.

Anyone from the North of England who identifies as disabled can apply for the competition. There is no age limit.

The winner will receive a cash prize of £1,500, a staged public reading or their play and mentoring. The Lancaster Playwriting Prize is run by the Dukes and in partnership with Lancaster University.

The final judging panel this year will comprise actor Lucy Briers, who is a prize funder, Dr Tajinder Singh Hayer, actor/theatre maker Alice Christina-Corrigan and Director of the Dukes Karen O’Neill.

The genre of play can be anything – the only requirement is that it explores themes relevant to the disabled, deaf or neurodiverse communities with an original flair.

Submission guidelines

• The competition is open to any writers who identify as Deaf, disabled, and neurodiverse who are originally from, resident or work in the North of England.
• The play must be an original, unpublished and unproduced piece of work. It cannot have had a professional production anywhere in the world. For the purposes of this prize, development performances (such as rehearsed readings and workshops) do not constitute full productions; amateur productions also do not count as full productions under these criteria.
• Adaptations of existing works of musical theatre, radio, television or other media are not eligible; translations of said works are also excluded.
• Musical theatre scripts are not eligible.
• Scripts must be a minimum of 30 minutes long and all pages must be numbered.
• For reading, all access requirements are met, including sign language interpreters, and the programme structure and content can be adapted for access purposes if required.

DEADLINE: Wednesday 30th November 2022

https://dukeslancaster.org/get-involved/lancaster-playwriting-prize