- ESB and Fishamble: The New Play Company announce ‘Tiny Plays for A Brighter Future’ shortlist
- Ten playwrights shortlisted from over 350 submissions
- Three winning plays will be selected from the shortlist to be produced, staged and filmed in June 2021
Dublin, 23rd May
Ten ‘Tiny Plays’, consisting of just 600 words, have been shortlisted as part of the ‘Tiny Plays for A Brighter Future’ challenge, a partnership between ESB and Fishamble: The New Play Company, which was launched in February 2021.
The challenge invited writers to imagine what a brighter energy future means to them and to capture that in a 600-word play. Over 350 submissions were received, with the shortlisted plays selected by an independent panel of judges.
Three plays will be selected from the shortlist to be produced, staged and filmed by Fishamble in June 2021.
Jim Culleton, Artistic Director of Fishamble, said: “We were hugely impressed by the standard of submissions for this Tiny Plays challenge. We believe that the arts have a huge role to play in driving the change that is needed to create a more sustainable world for us all. We were delighted to partner with ESB on this initiative, and to give a platform to playwrights to address one of the biggest challenges we all face and are very excited now to bring some of these plays to life on the stage.”
‘Tiny Plays for A Brighter Future’ was conceived as an opportunity to give creative expression to all points of view in the transition to a low carbon energy future, to look at the choices we all must make to meet our future climate goals, examine how those choices will impact communities across Ireland, and imagine what we want the Ireland of our future to be.
Pat O’Doherty, Chief Executive of ESB, said: “ESB has a long heritage in supporting the arts, and believe that the arts play a significant role in both documenting, and harnessing social change. This unique partnership with Fishamble recognises the important role that theatre and the written or spoken word can play in communicating the opportunities and complexities of Ireland’s transition to a low carbon energy future. We would like to congratulate the shortlisted playwrights, and indeed everyone who took the time to capture their vision for a brighter future in just 600 words”.
ENDS
For media queries contact: graham.king@esb.ie/085-1515886
Image Caption: O’Reilly Theatre, Dublin, 23rd May: Playwright Eva-Jane Gaffney at the announcement of the shortlist for the Tiny Plays for A Brighter Future challenge. A partnership between ESB and Fishamble: The New Play Company, the Tiny Plays challenge invited writers to imagine what a brighter energy future means to them, and to capture that in a 600-word play. Over 350 submissions were received, and the ten shortlisted plays were selected by an independent panel of judges, including Eva-Janes submission “Journey”.
Please use with credit: 'Photo: Ste Murray'
NOTES TO EDITOR:
Shortlisted Plays:
The New Friday by Grace Collender
Bedtime by Aoife Delany Reade
A Journey by Eva-Jane Gaffney
Salvage by Joanne Hayden
Cáithnín by James Ireland
Selfish by Signe Lury
Come on you Boys in Green by Barry McStay
Our Turn by Niall Murphy
Turf Smoke by Conall Ó Beoláin
Big Little Changes by Sarah-Jane Scott
This call-out was open to all residents on the island of Ireland, and Irish abroad (with the exception of Fishamble & ESB staff). In all of its work, Fishamble seeks to tell the story of Ireland and to engage with a wide range of communities, through discovering, developing and producing plays by Irish writers, and writers living on the island of Ireland.
Writers of shortlisted entries received €200, and writers of the three plays that will be produced and filmed by Fishamble into multimedia pieces that will be shared online, will be paid a further commissioning fee of €800.
Selection Panel:
Jim Culleton, Fishamble
Bevin Cody, ESB
Manchán Magan
Annabelle Comyn
Gavin Kostick
Hanora Burke
Jeda de Brí
About Fishamble: The New Play Company
Fishamble: The New Play Company. Fishamble is an Irish theatre company that is passionate about discovering, developing and producing new plays of national importance with a global reach while championing the role of the playwright. It typically supports over 50% of the writers of all new plays produced on the island of Ireland each year. Fishamble tours its productions to audiences throughout Ireland, and to 19 other countries, and has received many awards in Ireland and internationally, including an Olivier Award.