"Let the rollercoaster take its course"
Jo Randerson

 

Kate Morris, on of 2009's winners with her play Sketch. Every two years Playmarket as a partner organisation of Interplay sends a young New Zealand playwright to the world's largest young playwriting festival, World Interplay in Queensland. Kate was chosen to attend in 2009. Check www.worldinterplay.org for information.

Harry Meech, 2009 winner with his play Plains.

Martha Hardy-Ward, 2009 winner with her play Silent Night.

 

Young Playwrights Competition

THE NEW ZEALAND YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS COMPETITION

Change the world - write a play! 

This could be the defining moment of your life!

NB:  THE NEXT DEADLINE IS 6 DECEMBER 2010 - this is a biennial competition. (NB - please note that the Plays for the Young Competition deadline is 31st July 2010, if you would like an earlier opportunity for your play. Check it out under Opportunitiess on the menu)

The competition is open to New Zealand citizens aged between 18 and 24. Winners receive the opportunity to develop and present their plays with professional theatre practitioners, at a professional venue.

You can enter as many plays as you like, as long as they are at least thirty minutes long (one page of script = approx a minute, usually), and as long as they have not been professionally produced.

WHAT TO DO:-

• Please EMAIL your script, with NUMBERED PAGES!, a short synopsis, and cast list with brief descriptions of characters, to scripts@playmarket.org.nz by 6th December 2010.
• In your covering letter include your postal address, and a brief introduction to yourself (a CV if you like), and explain how you came to write your play(s).
• Check some published playscripts if you need an idea of how to format your play - formatting style is entirely up to you - as long as it is easily readable!
• And also - don't worry too much if you feel your play isn't 'production-ready'. A near-final draft with excellent potential has just as much chance of winning.

Apart from this, there are no rules!  Write about ANYTHING you like that matters to you in ANY way you like, for any kind of audience you like; don't feel you have to copy any other writer or follow any 'expert' advice.  We are interested in writers who take risks and throw care to the wind, as well as those who write strong, conventional plays!

If you have any queries or anxieties, and if you would like to be included on our mailing list, please email Jean on scripts@playmarket.org.nz.

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The winners for the Tenth New Zealand Young Playwrights' Competition 2009 were:-

Kate Morris (for her play Sketch); Martha Hardy-Ward (for Silent Night); and Harry Meech (for Plains).

These plays were presented at The Edge in Auckland.

Commended certificates were given to; Sophie Henderson,Kate Morris, Thalia Henry, Branwen Miller, Ashley Milne, Hannah McKie, Georgia Heard, Renee Maurice, Susan Jennifer Williams, Joseph E.Harper, Francesca Emms, Jonathan Riley, Hollie Sutton, James Wenly, Uther Dean, and Natalie Medlock.

Past winners:

2008  Kate Morris, Harry Meech, Martha Hardy-Ward

2007 Ashley Milne, Thomas Sainsbury, Branwen Millar, Georgina Titheridge, Kate Morris, Thalia Henry

2005 Zoe Deverick, Paul Rothwell, Thomas Sainsbury, Owen Winter, Robbie Ellis, Kate Morris

2003 Benjamin Cleaver, Rochelle Bright, Thomas Sainsbury, Daniel Musgrove, Claire Van Beek, Miria George. Lisa Norriss, Sarah Robertson

2002 Thomas Sainsbury, Tui Matelau, Kathryn van Beek, Dean Hewison, Sarah Anne Robertson, Robbie Ellis

1999 Natalie Cannon & Aziza Simons, Ruby Brunton, Elsbeth Wood, Kerry Sheehan, Philip Braithwaithe, Anna Reveley – Christchurch