Hull Truck Theatre introduce exciting new playwriting opportunities

Hull Truck Theatre is committed to supporting local artists and developing local talent through its Grow Artist Development programme, which includes workshops, performance opportunities, networking and project partnerships.

37 Plays is a new national playwriting project led by the Royal Shakespeare Company and Associate Regional Theatres, including Hull Truck Theatre, and is open to anyone. 2023 will mark the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s First Folio, the first time his plays were brought together in one book. The project marks this anniversary by selecting and celebrating a new series of 37 brand new plays that reflect the world we live in today.

Erica Whyman, Acting Artistic Director of the RSC said:

“After these last two years, we all have a story to tell, and what better way to have those stories come to life than write them for performance. Working very closely with our resilient partner theatres up and down the country we will set out to encourage everyone to find their voice. Shakespeare offers us such an amazing array of plots and characters and with this 37 Plays I have no doubt we will unearth an equally rich kaleidoscope of stories; comedies, tragedies, untold histories, from the fantastical to the startlingly familiar, we will celebrate new voices for different dramatic platforms whether that’s on our stages, on our streets, in schools, online or in new locations and spaces we haven’t explored yet.”

For anyone wanting to submit their play, it must be a complete original story, not a sample of a story or an adaptation of a story. It must not have had a professional production or be under commission at the time of submission. Submissions for 37 Plays will open on 1 January 2023 and close on 31 January 2023.

To build confidence in the people of Hull to take part in 37 Plays, Hull Truck is introducing two free writing courses between October and December,

The Young Writers Group (ages 18-30) lasts ten weeks, with each session being dedicated to a different topic or theme linked to dramatic writing, which will include Dialogue, Dramatic Action, Character, Theme and Story. At the end of the course, each writer will create a short play and have the opportunity to hear it read by professional actors.

Encouraging young teenagers to develop their creativity, Hull Truck is also introducing a Young Writers Group (ages 14 – 18) for young people in school years 10, 11, 12 and 13 (aged 14 to 18), running at the theatre throughout October, November and December. This free scheme will see participants learning all about the fundamental principles of dramatic writing, develop their own individual writing style and work together to create an original play.

Mark Babych, Artistic Director of Hull Truck Theatre, said:

“We are proud to have new writing at the heart of our theatre.  With our Grow Artist Development programme, we have been able to support local artists from Hull, placing their work centre stage.  Including working with Josh Overton through the New Play Commission Scheme by The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and producing Mumsy written by Lydia Marchant as a key part of our 50th celebration.

“We are proud to announce two new programmes to develop this work further. In partnership with the RSC and regional theatres we will be a key part of the 37 Plays project where first-time writers and emerging or professional playwrights can be discovered and encouraged to write the stories of our nation. Alongside also presenting the opportunity for local participants to take part in our young writers group courses. We are especially interested in local people who may be able to offer a unique perspective on living in our city.”