Playwrights' Cove

Part of the TNS Devising Platform 2024

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In 2001, TNS launched Playwrights’ Cove, a development and mentorship programme aimed at nurturing, processing and platforming contemporary playwriting for Singapore theatre. Many of its participants are well-known practitioners and educators today, including Jean Tay, Ng Yi-sheng, Natalie Hennedige, Kenneth Kwok and Matthew Lyon.

We re-launched Playwrights' Cove in 2020 and 10 selected participants underwent training and mentorship by Resident Playwright Haresh Sharma. To find out more about Playwrights' Cove 2020, click here.

Playwrights' Cove 2022 saw the following artists undergo training to develop brand new works:

  • Adeeb Fazah
  • Amanda Chong
  • Amitha Pagolu
  • Andy Pang
  • Christopher Chee
  • Deonn Yang
  • Eleanor Tan
  • Lim Shien Hian
  • Mitchell Poon
  • Raimi Safari

Playwrights’ Cove 2022 culminated with the participants presenting their newly developed works from 2 to 6 November 2022 at Practice Space, The Theatre Practice. More information about the line-up and the new works created can be found here.


OPEN CALL FOR PLAYWRIGHTS' COVE 2024

Playwrights’ Cove 2024 will be a six-month playwriting training and mentorship programme led by Resident Playwright Haresh Sharma for 11 selected emerging playwrights. By the end of the programme, each playwright will have their play read before a public audience. Sessions will be conducted in English. Applicants can write in any language but must provide complete translation in English.

Candidates should be:    

- Emerging Singapore playwrights who have written and staged at least one play;
- Interested in social issues and open to exploratory theatre;
- Able to commit to the training period from Saturday 8 June to Saturday 30 November 2024, weekly at 2 – 5PM, culminating in play-reading sessions from 20 to 24 November 2024. Please note that this schedule may be subject to change.

The fee for Playwrights' Cove is $500 for the entire period.  

To apply, please click here for the application form, and include the following in your submission:

- A statement of intent or interest;  
- An updated CV of your playwriting experience;
- A short bio of yourself
- A sample of your writing of either scenes or a short play of at least 10 pages.  

Upon completion of the workshop, participants will be provided with a letter detailing their attendance of the sessions.  

If you have specific needs or require financial assistance, please indicate this on the application form as well, and we will do our best to support you.

production photos
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