Creative playwriting competition

Caroline Kennedy, Councillor Janet Emsley, Lisa O'Neill-Rogan, Bryan Beresford, Punam Ramchurn

Aspiring young writers can show off their creative talents in a playwriting competition asking them to pen a ‘different story of Rochdale’.

14 to 25-year-olds are being challenged to offer a unique and positive perspective of everyday life through a fast-paced and gripping plot.

The judges are looking for inspiring entries that portray Rochdale as a vibrant place to live in and work in, through its rich literary history, cultural diversity and artistic excellence.

The script could be framed around any new ideas, from overheard conversations, to community events, to local characters or a moment from local history.

The winner will be mentored by award-winning playwright Nicola Schofield, with their script turned into a play to be performed by professional actors. It will be showcased at local schools, theatres and at the Rochdale Literature and Ideas Festival in October.

Playwright Nicola Schofield said: “This is an amazing opportunity for a young writer and it’s the first creative writing opportunity in Rochdale that leads to a first commission.

"This is how I started, and it led to further commissions in radio and television.

"I am really excited about seeing the entries and working with a talented young writer to bring their wonderful words alive on local stages.”

Councillor Janet Emsley, cabinet member for culture, said: “We are looking for vibrant and expressive narratives that showcase the many positive stories there are to tell. It is a unique opportunity for an aspiring writer to showcase their literary talents.”

The closing date for entries is Friday 6 July with the winner announced on Thursday 12 July.

Submissions by email with the subject heading: A Different Story of Rochdale Competition

rochdale.litfest@rochdale.gov.uk

Terms and Conditions

• The competition is open to anyone aged 14 – 25 at the competition closing date. Writers may be asked to submit a copy of their photographic ID at the short listing stage.
• Entrants must be resident in one of the 4 Rochdale Townships. (Heywood, Middleton, Rochdale and Pennines). Writers may be asked to produce proof of address such as a bank statement or utility bill.
•  Only one entry per person.
• The deadline for entries is 5pm Friday 6 July 2018. Any entries received after that time will not be read.
• Scripts must be submitted with only the writer’s name on the first sheet, nowhere else on the script as they will be judged anonymously.
• Entries by email only. No paper entries will be considered. Please do not submit any supporting materials including CDs, photographs, reviews or any audiovisual materials.
• Scripts must be submitted by the writer themselves, not by an agent or any other third party.
• The script must be an original, unperformed and unproduced piece of work.
• The script must be the first 10 pages which can be developed in to a piece which is 30 minutes long in playing time.
• The winning entrant will receive two sessions with a professional playwright to redraft their entry.
• The winning entrant agrees to participate in reasonable publicity relating to this competition.
• On completion of the tour, all rights to future productions of the winning entry will remain with the writer.