CityLife

24:7 Theatre Festival - chance to enter 2009 event

David Slack, left, with 24:7 chairman John Henshaw

AT this year’s Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards the annual 24:7 Theatre Festival received five nominations for participating actors or shows.

In the end, Matthew Landers took the Best New Play gong for A Dog Called Redemption, while Ruth Evans picked up the award for Best Fringe Performance for her role in Ways To Look At Fish.

In fact, 24:7 has been nominated every single year (with four winners) since the festival began! 

“I think the biggest difference between this festival and others is that these people actually care about you and your work,” Matthew subsequently observed of 24:7.

New talent

Now it’s your chance to take part in the hit theatre festival. 24:7 has opened its call for scripts for their 2009 season, which will take place from July 20-26, 2009, at non-theatre locations in Manchester city centre. Scripts will be taken until January 31. 

“We’re all about new talent on the theatre scene,” says festival director David Slack. “Anyone can enter but your script must be original, unpublished and no longer than 60 minutes.

“In 2008 the 24:7 festival’s plays have won awards and critical acclaim and have gone on tour. We want to be bigger and better in 2009 and continue to highlight even more new talent.”

Entries must not have formed part of a theatre season or have been on an advertised tour. If it has already been performed at a festival it can participate but may not qualify for a 24:7 Award.

The 24:7 Theatre Festival aims to showcase talent: if you are not an established writer or have not submitted work before, this will not affect your chances.

Entry decisions are made by purely on the quality of each play and many new writers plays make it into the festival. 

For full information on the festival and to download the 24:7 Entry Form and Notes, visit featured link.