Sky Studios partners with Birmingham Repertory Theatre for new writing scheme SKY COMEDY REP
It has been announced that Sky Studios and Birmingham Repertory Theatre have teamed up to launch ‘Sky Comedy REP’, a new writing scheme featuring Meera Syal, Simon Blackwell, Danny Brocklehurst and Guz Khan among its mentors, with Dame Julie Walters as its patron.
This new partnership aims to discover and develop new regional comedy writing talent across the UK, particularly from communities that have traditionally been underrepresented in the arts. The scheme will see nine writers selected to develop a one-act stage play, which will then be performed at a three-day comedy festival at The REP early next year. Throughout the scheme, writers will be paid for their work and receive one-to-one mentoring from huge names in British comedy.
The programme will be overseen by the REP’s Artistic Director, Sean Foley, who said: “Sky Comedy REP is a unique and ambitious talent development programme for Comedy writing in the UK. Developing and nurturing new talent from wherever it springs is a cornerstone of everything the REP does, and we are thrilled that this new partnership with Sky Studios will enable new diverse voices to take first steps in our industry. Comedy is a genre very close to my heart – I’m delighted to be creating this new initiative alongside some of the UK’s leading names in comedy, including our patron, the great Dame Julie Walters.”
Creative director of comedy at Sky Studios, Anil Gupta, added: “At Sky Studios, our ambition is to work with the funniest, most talented writers wherever they may be. When new and underrepresented voices are nurtured and encouraged, it creates better comedy, that speaks to more of our audience, a belief we share with The REP".”
To be eligible to take part, writers must not have had their work broadcast on television or performed in any theatre above 200 seats in size. The deadline for submission is 28 June 2021. To find out more, please click here.
