Druid has issued an open call for new script ideas, and announced its bursary programme for women in theatre will run again for its eighth consecutive year.
The Galway-based company, which is due to tour North America this winter, says it wants to provide professional opportunities for writers, and women working as theatre artists on the island of Ireland, through its New Writing open call and its Marie Mullen Bursary.
Named in honour of actor and Druid co-founder, the Marie Mullen Bursary is an annual award for women working on the island of Ireland as theatre artists in the fields of design, directing and dramaturgy and is intended to support the professional development of women in Irish theatre. This bursary provides the chosen theatre artist with the time, physical resources and mentoring necessary to support their work. Deadline for application is 5pm, on Thursday, August 27.
The New Writing open call, also announced this week, invites scripts from playwrights for Druid Debuts, a series of rehearsed readings of new plays from which we develop new work for the stage. The submission window is open until 5pm, on Thursday, August 20.
Following critical acclaim for Dion Boucicault’s The Shaughraun at the Galway international Arts Festival, Druid's current season – 'Strange Country: Ireland in America' – continues with A Moon for the Misbegotten by Eugene O’Neill at the Town Hall Theatre, Galway from September 14 to 26, and the Gaiety Theatre from October 1 as part of Dublin Theatre Festival.
Following this Druid will embark on a tour of North America in the winter, where it will stage Endgame by Samuel Beckett, Riders to the Sea by J. M. Synge, and Shakespeare’s Macbeth, directed by Gary Hynes.
“Whenever Druid travels overseas we bring the essence of Galway with us," says Druid chief executive Maureen Kennelly. "We’re very grateful to our tour venue partners and our funders and supporters, in particular the Arts Council and Culture Ireland for making this tour possible.”
