• What's On
• iambic bar
• Book Tickets
• Podcasts
• Press
• Book Rehearsal Space
• Productions, Events & Private Hire
• Kings Cross Award
• Photo Gallery
• Artistic Profile
• Virtual Tour
• Location & Access
• Theatre History
• Jobs
• Get Involved
• News
• Court Theatre Training Company
• Links
• Contact

Kings Cross Award

The Kings Cross New Writing Award 2013

The award submission deadline is now closed, as of 30th April 2013. If you have any queries about the award please email using the address below. 

The Award, which is open to writers of all levels of experience resident in the UK or Republic of Ireland, seeks imaginative, original work, which explores the unique possibilities of writing for the stage. Scripts must be unpublished and currently unperformed.

Entries may be sent, marked "King's Cross Award 2013" and accompanied by a £10 entry fee (made payable to CTTC LTD) and a large SAE for return of script, to:

THE COURTYARD THEATRE, BOWLING GREEN WALK, 40 PITFIELD STREET, LONDON, N1 6EU

Please note that telephone calls or enquiries regarding The Kings Cross New Writing Award 2013 will not be accepted.

Enquiries: kingscrossaward@thecourtyard.org.uk

Guidelines for Entry (please see below for full details):

• Up to two full-length plays may be entered per writer
(no e-mail entries, no radio-plays or TV scripts)
• Unpublished and unperformed scripts only
• The Entry Fee is £10 per play (payable to CTTC LTD)
• Plays must be typed or word-processed and clearly laid out with pages
Numbered
• Title page must include writer's name and full contact details (including
e-mail address). PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE ANY INFORMATION WHICH
COULD IDENTIFY THE WRITER ON ANY OTHER PAGE OF SCRIPT
• Include two SAEs: one for acknowledgment of entry and one for return of
script (with correct postage)
• Plays must be received by 30th April 2013

"For a stage writer working in independent theatre, winning a national theatre writing award is a huge achievement as it seriously raises your profile. Winning The Kings Cross Award was without doubt a significant step in the life of Einstein's Daughter and I would encourage any writer to enter the 2013 award." (Rob Johnson, winner of The Kings Cross Writing award 2011)
 
Kings Cross Award History

Thanks largely to the commitment of the Courtyard's Artistic director, June Abbott, to promoting new writing, the Award has grown since its inception in 2003 from a modest local contest with only 27 entries to one of Britain's key national new writing competitions.
The Award is biennial and the winning playwright will be awarded with a £5,000 cash price. The winning play will be presented as a stage rehearsal reading at The Courtyard Theatre.
 
Our Award panel in previous years has included such prestigious individuals as noted playwrights Debbie Isitt, Robin Soans and Mark Ravenhill, the National Theatre's literary manager Jack Bradley, leading theatre critic Aleks Sierz, and Nick Quinn from top literary agents The Agency.
 
"We want to bring the work of the top-class writers whom we are now attracting to the attention of more directors, writers and literary managers and offer a prize which will help them with their long-term career development." - Previous Panel member
 
 2009 winner Evan Placey’s Mother of Him was produced here at the Courtyard directed by Guy Retallack and was subsequently shortlisted for the Meyer-Whitworth Award at the National Theatre.

2011 winner Rob Johnson’s play Einsteins Daughter went into full production with Freerange Theatre and is currently on UK tour. It has received excellent 4 and 5 star reviews and was nominated for Best Play and Best Actress.

Rules and conditions of Entry

1. The Award committee reserve the right to interpret the following rules and conditions as they see fit. Decisions in all matters pertaining to the rules, execution and written and active administration of the award are final, and no correspondence will be entered into.

2. All applicants and the author of the winning script are expected to adhere to the rules and conditions of entry and the acceptance of the Award as described below.

3. Entry is open to authors of all ages and levels of experience resident in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Entry is limited to two scripts per applicant.

4. Entries will consist of:

1. an original full-length script
2. two SAE’s for receipt of entry and return of script (NB with correct postage for weight and size of script)
3. the entry fee of £10 per play (cheques made payable to CTTC LTD)

5. Play must:

1. be unpublished and unperformed
2. be clearly typed and laid out with pages numbered
3. have a title page (separate to script) containing authors full name and contact details, but NOT on any other page
4. not be sent by email
5. be written for the stage. Please note that film, TV and radio scripts are NOT admissible

6. The closing date for entries is Tuesday 30^th April. Submissions received beyond this date will not be considered for the award.

7. Each entry will be considered and a shortlist compiled by the internal reading panel. Scripts on the shortlist will then be read by an external panel. The winning script will be decided upon by both judging panels.

8. The Award committee will notify the winning author by the end of September 2013

9. The organisers of the Award will not accept responsibility for loss or damage of scripts in transit or during the judging period. Applicants are strongly advised not to send the only hard copy of their work.

• Kings Cross Award 2013 Press Release
• Kings Cross Award 2013 Flyer

BA (Hons) in Acting
Post-Grad Diploma
MA Programs
read more