Wonder Fools and the Traverse Theatre are looking for a young writer (18-25 years old) currently based in Scotland to commission a play as part of Positive Stories for Negative Times Season 4.

They are looking for a young person who wants to write for young people. The commission will be a new short play (under 30 minutes) for young people taking part in the project and created in collaboration with Wonder Fools’ Youth Board. The selected writer will be paid a commission fee and receive developmental support by Wonder Fools and the Traverse Theatre.

Plays should be written for young people up to the age of 25 and be between 20 – 30 minutes long, or approximately 3000 – 5000 words. The commissioned play might be targeted at a particular demographic, for example, 11-13-year-olds or 18-25-year-olds, or it could be an idea without an age in mind and we can help with this further down the line.

The project is open to young people from all backgrounds, some might be from youth theatres, and some might be from a school or community group and have never picked up a play before. Groups will vary in size and have a mix of age and genders, so your play should be written with flexibility in mind.

The Wonder Fools and Traverse teams will be on hand to support the writer with this and they will also have access to Wonder Fools’ Youth Board to help test things out. The Youth Board are a group of emerging artists from across Scotland who work with commissioned artists to inform the making of the plays and ensure that they are representative, accessible and engaging for young people.

Find out more about Positive Stories for Negative Times here.

Closing date: Sun 31 March 2024
Interview date: Thu 11 April 2024
Fee: £3735 (Scottish Society of Playwrights’ Rate for a play under 30 minutes)

TO APPLY

Please send the following by email to: contact@wonderfools.org

• A three – five page sample of your writing
• An outline of the play you’d like to write if selected (250 – 500 words)
• A CV or paragraph about your experience of writing so far and why you would like to write for young people (500 words max)
• Complete the Equal Opportunities form here.

They will contact all applicants after submissions close and submissions have been reviewed by the team, including members of the Youth Board. Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to meet with the Wonder Fools and Traverse teams on Tue 11 April 2024 to hear more about your ideas.

If you prefer an alternative method of applying, please send an audio or video file talking about your play idea for up to two minutes.

If you have any questions regarding the application or eligibility, please contact Wonder Fools at: contact@wonderfools.org