AFRICAN PLAYWRIGHTS’ PROJECT
Arterial Network, in association with TeatrNowy in Poland, the National Theatre Studio in London and South Africa’s National Arts Festival and ARTSCAPE Theatre, hereby calls for the submission of scripts by African playwrights living in Africa as part of a project to promote African theatre on the African continent, in Europe and indeed globally.
Aims
The primary aims of the project are:
1.to introduce African theatre-makers (writers, directors and actors) to regional and international theatre markets in a manner that builds and sustains the presence of African theatre in these markets on a medium- to long-term basis;
2.to establish formal partnerships and collaborative projects between theatres, festivals and theatre institutions in Europe and Africa in order to learn from each other, influence the content and form of each other’s work and increase global market access for African theatre in particular ;
3.to contribute to the emergence and upskillingof new African playwrights, and to provide platforms to project excellent theatre work from Africa to Europe and beyond;
4.to engage in debates, research and intellectual and aesthetic rigour through seminars, residencies and exposure to each other’s work as a means of contributing to global and continental debates about the practice and future of theatre-making in an ever-changing, globalised world.
Outcomes
The projected outcomes of this project for 2011 are:
1.the selection of 4-8 African playwrights to participate in dramaturgical workshops at the National Theatre Studio (see http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/11771/studio/introduction.html );
2.the selection of at least 5 plays for inclusion in an African Play Series publication, a version of which will be produced annually;
3.staged readings of some of the selected work at theatres in Africa and Europe;
4.the selection of at least one play for production in Europe and/or Africa in 2012.
Submissions
Plays may be submitted on any theme, and in any genre, style and language. If the play is not in English, it will be read in its original language.
As 2011 marks the initiation of this project, we are not looking for entirely new, un-staged or unpublished work. The aim of the project in 2011 is to identify African playwrights who have the best potential to stage their work in regional and international arenas.
All scripts should be typed (no handwritten submissions will be accepted).
Submissions are to include the writer’s full name, email address, postal address, country of residence and telephone number (country code, city code and number). Each writer may submit only one script.
Submissions may be sent by email to Rebecca Radford (Subject line: African Playwrights’ Project)rradford@nationaltheatre.org.uk. Submissions may also be sent by post to African Playwrights’ Project, Arterial Network, Union House, 25 Commercial Street, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa.
The deadline is 31 May 2011.
Queries: info@arterialnetwork.org
For more information about the partners, see:
Arterial Network: www.arterialnetwork.org
TeatrNowy: www.teatrnowy.pl
National Theatre Studio: www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
National Arts Festvial: www.nationalartsfestival.co.za
Artscape: www.artscape.co.za
Discussion
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