A new theatre company has been launched to put Alderley Edge on the cultural map and showcase emerging writers alongside established writers from the north west.
Edgewise Theatre will stage a week long event in October featuring four pieces, three from established writers and one from the winner of a writing competition they are launching.
Playwrights and writing enthusiasts are invited to send the organisers an extract from an original piece of work that explores the theme of Resistance. The competition entry must not have been performed before and should consist of no more than three characters.
Entries will then be read by leading directors including Chris Honer, previously artistic director of the Library Theatre and Home, and Chris Lawson, artistic director of Salford Coliseum.
Edgewise Theatre has been set up by local actors Sadie Pickering and Emily Fleeshman.
Sadie told alderleyedge.com "I felt passionately that the key thing missing in terms of culture at The Yard (and Alderley Edge) was theatre, with it being a huge part of my past having had a career as an actor for many years I wanted to make it happen. That's where Emily and I came together and shared a vision for new, edgy, exciting writing."
Emily added "Sadie and I have known each other professionally since we were 11 years old and both being so passionate about new writing and performance we thought it was about time that we collaborated.
"We are delighted to be able to bring some of the top writers and actors from across the North West to the very heart of Cheshire. My experience with The Actors' Lab over the last five years and Sadie with The Yard feels like a perfect synergy to create something really unique and exciting."
Those who are shortlisted will be required to attend an interview and the successful candidates from the interview stage will then be required to produce a 20 minute play which will be put forward for consideration in the final stage.
The winner's piece will be performed by professional actors and directed by some of the leading directors from the north west as part of Edgewise Theatre, a week long event which is due to take place at The Yard in October.
Sadie added "We're in the process of looking at a number of exciting established writers so it's really amazing for the competition to be alongside great names. The names will be released soon. Both Emily and I have a number of actors keen to be involved."
Amongst those actors is former Coronation Street and Waterloo Road star Denise Welch who said "I'm very excited by this project and hope I can be involved subject to my availability."
The deadline for initial extracts is Tuesday May 3rd with interviews being held later that month in Media City.
All entries need to be sent to [email protected].
Successful applicants at the interview stage will need to submit their final piece for consideration by 1st June and the winner will need to be available for rehearsal period early October.
