Soho Theatre – The Verity Bargate Award

Date Posted: 2021-12-06

Submissions for the 40th anniversary of Soho Theatre’s playwriting award, the Verity Bargate Award, are now open

Sponsored by Character 7, the Verity Bargate Award is Soho Theatre’s flagship new writing award with the winning play produced in a full production on their stages. It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you’re from or what you do. If you’ve never written before, that’s fine by them. What matters is that great stories are told – human, inspiring and urgent stories which can only exist in this moment.

This year’s award will be judged by a panel of industry experts including past Soho playwrights Theresa Ikoko (Girls, 2015, Soho Theatre), James Graham (Tory Boyz, 2008, and Monster Raving Loony, 2016, Soho Theatre) and Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (Mum, 2021, Soho Theatre), as well as April De Angelis (Jumpy, Royal Court and West End). The award is chaired by film and television producer, Character 7’s Stephen Garrett.

The winner receives £7,500 in respect of an exclusive option for Soho Theatre to produce the play.

Submission Criteria:

  • The submission window will be open on Soho Theatre’s website from 10am on October 20th 2021 until 12noon January 21st 2022. Any entries received after this time will not be accepted.
  • All submissions must be written for the stage. Screenplays, prose or poetry is not eligible.
  • All submissions to the Verity Bargate Award are final and redrafts will not be accepted. Please make sure you are happy with your play before you submit.
  • Submissions are limited to one play per writer.
  • Submissions should be at least one hour of performance time. This usually means a minimum of 40 pages, though monologues may be shorter.
  • Submissions should have one sole author. Co-writers and devised pieces are not eligible.
  • Musicals and plays with songs are accepted, but will be judged on text alone.
  • Adaptations are not accepted.
  • Submissions must be unproduced, with a maximum of three rehearsed readings or equivalent development allowed prior to submission.
  • The Verity Bargate Award is open to any playwright who has had fewer than three professional productions and who lives in the UK or Republic of Ireland.

How to Apply:

Submissions can be made via the Submission Portal on Soho Theatre’s website

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Tickets for a series of Verity Bargate Award 2022 workshops in preparation for the Verity Bargate Award are now available. These in-person, three-hour workshops will provide writers with the tools and inspiration to begin writing their next play and provide some information about how they can submit to the Verity Bargate Award.

Free tickets for Verity Bargate Award 2022 online information sessions are also available for those unable to attend in person.

Deadline: 12 noon January 21st 2022