Theatre503 Announces 503Five Writers and Forthcoming 2019 Highlights

Theatre503's Artistic Director Lisa Spirling announces the 503Five - recipients of the company's pioneering writers' residency, supported by the Carne Trust and Orseis Trust, alongside forthcoming highlights at the venue including:

Its Autumn Season, featuring the world premiere of Danusia Samal's Out of Sorts, winner of the Theatre503 International Playwriting Award 2018 A Summer Takeover by the Literary Team, a fortnight of events for writers in August A new Associate Director, Anastasia Osei-Kuffour, a position funded by the Carne Trust

503FIVE

Annie Jenkins, Benedict Lombe, Joel Tan, Jon Berry and Zak Mahinfar are the next 503Five, recipients of Theatre503's pioneering Writers' Residency, supported by the Carne Trust and Orseis Trust. Since 2011, the scheme has launched 20 writers including Evening Standard Award winners Beth Steel and Charlene James, Olivier Award winner Jon Brittain, RTA award winner and BAFTA nominee Vinay Patel, and Kudos/Royal Court Fellowship recipient Ross Willis.

The chosen five writers were selected from 413 applicants. They will be on attachment to the venue for 18 months, receiving a 2,000 seed commission to write a full-length play. They will also benefit from a series of masterclasses, the support of the 503 Literary Team and Artistic Director, and numerous opportunities to have their work developed and staged.

Lisa Spirling, Artistic Director: "We are so thrilled to be adding these five exciting new talents to an incredible list of writers whose careers started as part of our 503Five. Annie, Benedict, Joel, Jon and Zak were the standout applicants - demonstrating strength in their writing, their unique voices and brilliant ideas for the plays they've been burning to write. We couldn't be happier to have them join so soon after two sell-out productions from last year's 503Five writers Ross Willis (Wolfie) and Yasmin Joseph (J'Ouvert). We can't wait to see what the future holds for them."

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AUTUMN 2019 SEASON

The announcement of the 503Five coincides with the launch of Theatre503's Autumn 2019 season. Highlights include the world premiere of Out of Sorts by Danusia Samal, winner of the Theatre503 International Playwriting Award 2018; a thriller exploring evil and redemption from John Webber; and a new take on the 503 Christmas Panto from Louise Beresford and Anna Spearpoint.

Out of Sorts

9 October - 2 November 2019 (press night: Monday 14 October)

By Danusia Samal, Directed by Tanuja Amarasuriya

Produced by Theatre503

I am sick. Sick to be called refugee, immigrant, war-victim. Not mother, not woman, not citizen.

Zara has spent her adult life being two different people. The good Muslim daughter, all set to marry the man her family approve of and a free-spirited British millennial, who parties as hard as she works. Over one dramatic weekend, the lies she's been telling to keep these two worlds apart begin to unravel and she is forced to confront her real identity.

Theatre503 presents the world premiere of the winner of the Theatre503 International Playwriting Award 2018. Danusia's play was chosen out of 2,055 scripts submitted from 49 countries with the final five selected by an industry panel chaired by 503's Chair and Deputy Artistic Director of the RSC, Erica Whyman. The panel included journalist Lyn Gardner, Audible's Commissioning Producer for Theatre Abigail Gonda, and playwrights Stephen Beresford, Alice Birch, Chinonyerem Odimba and Roy Williams.

Spiderfly

6 November - 30 November 2019 (press night: Monday 11 November)

By John Webber, Directed by Kirsty Patrick Ward

Produced by Metal Rabbit Productions in association with Theatre503

In this world there have to be spiders and there have to be flies.

After the death of her sister is left unresolved, Esther is broken and alone. In an attempt to piece her life back together she is increasingly drawn to the disturbing world of Keith. As their relationship progresses, the two spin webs of trickery and deceit - but who is the spider, and who is the fly?

Spiderfly was long-listed for the Bruntwood Prize and has had the support of Old Vic New Voices. It is directed by Kirsty Patrick Ward (The Sweet Science of Bruising, Groan Ups) and presented by Metal Rabbit Productions (Radiant Vermin, Cargo, We're Staying RightHere, Lardo).

503Panto*: A Fairytale Revolution

4 December - 31 Dec (press welcome from Saturday 7 December )

By Louise Beresford and Anna Spearpoint, Directed by Carla Kingham

Produced by Theatre503

We all know how a Panto is meant to go ('oh no we don't!'). The hero wins, the villain loses, someone gets married and they all live happily ever after? until now. The stars of 2018 show Cinderella and the Beanstalk, Louise Beresford and Anna Spearpoint return to 503 to write a brilliant brand new high-spirited hilarious family-friendly show featuring characters you know, characters you think you know and introducing? Stanley: The Fourth Little Pig.

*Title to revealed in September

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Tickets for Theatre503's Autumn Season will go on sale to the public on Tuesday 2 July. As part of the venue's continuing Share the Drama scheme a range of ticket offers are available, including:

For 4 week shows

5 x 5 tickets every evening after opening night 10 preview tickets ( 5 for writers) 10 Parent & Baby Matinees Relaxed evening and captioned performances Pay What You Can Saturday Matinees 2 x 2 tickets for first time SW11 residents ( 10 thereafter)

503STUDIO: SUMMER TAKEOVER

The 503 Literary Team will take over the venue for two weeks in August offering a series of courses, masterclasses and 1 to 1 dramaturgical sessions. There will also be a number of open discussions during evenings on a range of topics from the state of theatre to living as a writer. 503 alumnus Brad Birch will run a week-long advanced playwriting course, and other alumni giving masterclasses include Jon Brittain, Vinay Patel and Alice Birch. Details of all courses and classes are available on the 503 website. A series of audio-dramas by J.Robinson, Sophie Swithinbank, Glenda Cooper and Sonya Hale, directed by Cordelia Galloway has also been released to coincide with the takeover.

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