INTERNATIONAL PLAYWRITING COMPETITION

Entries now open for biennial competition run by BBC World Service and British Council.

The biennial International Radio Playwriting Competition, run by the BBC World Service and the British Council is now open.

Now in its eleventh year, the competition is for anyone resident outside Britain, to write a 60 minute radio drama for up to six characters. It is open to anyone over the age of 16 at the closing date. However, entrants who are living/working in the UK temporarily for up to 12 months also qualify. All plays must reach London by midnight GMT on March 31, 2009.

There are two categories: one for writers with English as their first language and one for writers with English as their second language.

The winners of each category will each receive £2500 sterling and a trip to London to see their play being recorded for broadcast on BBC World Service in the World Drama slot.

The play must be in English, unpublished, and must not have been previously produced in any medium. Whether you're experienced, new, or somewhere in between, this is your opportunity to be heard. No entrant may submit more than one play.

Entrants should write a radio play of approximately sixty minutes length on any subject of their choice. The finished script must be a minimum of 50 pages of A4 paper (or equivalent) and a maximum of 75 pages (note, a rough guide is a minute per page; read and time your play if you can before you send it!).

The play should have a maximum of six central characters (there may be up to three small "doubling" characters, too, who don't have more than a few lines each). Your play must be accompanied by a short synopsis which outlines the complete story of the play. This must be no more than 400 words.

Professional and previously published writers are eligible to enter, but this is not a requirement of entry. The play must not have been professionally produced in any medium (an informal play-reading is acceptable; a play-reading with a professional director and in front of a non-paying audience is acceptable, but a performance involving payment to actors and/or a paying audience is not)
The names of the short listed entrants and the titles of their plays will be posted on the BBC competition website in August 2009. Following the final judges' meeting, the winners' names and the titles of their plays will be posted on the website by end September 2009.

The two overall winning plays will be recorded in October 2009 and the playwrights invited to attend the production and a prize-giving event in London. A small contribution to their expenses will be made. Subject to a satisfactory recording being made, the winning plays will be broadcast on BBC World Service in November 2009.

To find out more about the competition, how to enter, requirements, tips for writing your radio drama go to: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/indepth/radioplay2008.shtml