Scriptwriting competition comes to Birmingham Hippodrome
Enter Stage Write, an annual West Midlands scriptwriting competition, will return to Birmingham in 2020 for its third edition where budding writers have the opportunity to see their work brought to life.
Competitors are invited to submit a ten-minute long script, with the potential to see their work adapted onto the small screen.
The winning script is judged both by words on the page and performance on the stage during a marquee grand final, which takes place in the Patrick Studio at Birmingham Hippodrome on March 11.
Confirmed judges include Chris Sudworth, director of artistic programme at Birmingham Hippodrome; Sean Foley, the multi-Olivier Award-winning actor, writer and director and newly-appointed artistic director of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre; Darcia Martin, director of Hollyoaks and BBC’s Call the Midwife; Lisa Walters, producer of Backlight TV’s 4Stories series for Channel 4 and David Ralf of Bunker Theatre London.
The competition’s prize will see the top three scripts being made into short films as well as performed as a stage play, along with a cash prize of £1000.
Writers have until February 11 to submit their entries to the competition, which is open to anyone living in the UK.
Enter Stage Write was founded in 2017 by actor, producer and solo entrepreneur Natalie Edwards of the Transition Stage Company in Birmingham to promote regional inclusion and better representation in the creative arts industries in the United Kingdom.
Natalie Edwards said: “This is an opportunity to bring creative leaders with the power to give visibility and opportunity for emerging writing talent nationwide and celebrate them here in the West Midlands.”
Chris Sudworth, director of artistic programme, Birmingham Hippodrome, said: “We are delighted to partner with Enter Stage Write to showcase wonderful new work in the West Midlands.
"The programme chimes perfectly with the artist development and producing journey we have begun at the Hippodrome, supporting the creation of work that represents and reflects our great city.”
Enter Stage Write will expand beyond the West Midlands for the first time in 2020 when a franchise event is held in Belfast.
Previous Enter Stage Write champions include Abraham Adeyemi whose script won the competition. Adeyemi was awarded funding to direct the film and make his directorial debut, which had a private screening at Soho House Dean Street.
The film will make its world premiere at a to-be-announced BAFTA/Oscar-qualifying festival in 2020.
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