Nick Hern News

The 2025 Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland will be presented on the afternoon of Sunday June 8 at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.

Queer Theatre, a London-based LGBTQIA+ theatre and production company dedicated to telling queer stories and nurturing queer talent, has announced a new monthly event, Queer Play Reading Club, an opportunity to celebrate the richness and diversity of LGBTQIA+ playwriting.

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is April 24, 2025 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.

Theatre publisher Nick Hern Books will posthumously publish Here We Are, the final work by legendary American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, on 22 May 2025 alongside the musical's European premiere at the National Theatre, London.

Drama Games for Clowning and Physical Comedy, written by Joe Dieffenbacher, is one of a series, Drama Games, which, as one might guess from the title, has a range of different games for one to try in workshops, classes and/or rehearsals rooms, with topics like Shakespeare, young children and even “Those Who Like to Say No.” The goal of this particular book is to “Develop the playful mind (and body) of each Player” through quick-fire resources, teaching the art of the clown to anyone who wants to partake in the activities listed in the different parts.

Papatango and Park Theatre have announced the world première of 2024 Papatango New Writing Prize winner Hannah Doran's The Meat Kings! (Inc.) of Brooklyn Heights.

The Royal Court Theatre will present six productions running from May to December, to complete Artistic Director David Byrne’s 2025 programme. See full programming and learn how to purchase tickets.

Casting has been announced for Birmingham Rep’s new production of A Thousand Splendid Suns, Ursula Rani Sarma’s play based on Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling spiritual sequel to The Kite Runner. 

As Long As We Are Breathing combines physical theatre and music with audio and video to depict the extraordinary journey of Miriam Freedman who, after surviving the Holocaust, managed to find her way to forgiveness.

Christmas is nearly here and there is no better time of year to dive into a new book. You're in luck, because theatre's best have put pen to paper to turn out theatre page-turners of every kind. From theatre biographies to theatre history; check out BroadwayWorld's recommendations for books that every theatre lover will adore!

The Royal Court has announced the brand-new Young Playwrights Award, a call-out for all 13 - 18 year olds living or studying in London, culminating in a festival of professional performances of the winning plays at the Royal Court in July 2025.

Outside Edge Theatre Company and Nick Hern Books will present Script Club: a new playreading and events initiative to support the development of writers from underrepresented backgrounds.

This is a toolkit to help creatives in a business which is often hard to navigate, and I feel it is an excellent addition to the material currently available on the subject. It is written in a chatty and approachable style, and the bitesize structure is perfect for reading on the go.

Papatango has announced that Hannah Doran has won the 16th annual Papatango New Writing Prize for her play The Meat Kings! (Inc.) of Brooklyn Heights, from 1,589 entries – a record number for the Prize, meaning it continues to be the biggest annual playwriting scheme in the UK.

Papatango has announced the shortlisted writers for their 2024 New Writing Prize. Learn more about the shortlist here!

Papatango has announced the full cast of Chris Foxon’s adaptation of The Watch House, based on the novel by Robert Westall. George Turvey directs Donald McBride (Arthur/Geordie), Catherine Dryden (Fiona/Prudie/Da Souza/Timmo) and Aoife Kennan (Anne).

A new multi-disciplinary arts centre, SCRUM Studios, will open in Hammersmith offering training programmes and subsidised creative spaces for theatre makers. Artist collective SCRUM Theatre, is a charity formed by a collective of theatre-makers who transform disused buildings and turn them into pop-up arts hubs, seeking to create a more sustainable culture for UK artists at a time of crisis in the industry.

Award-winning actor Idris Elba, broadcaster and entrepreneur Maya Jama and Brit Award and Mercury Prize-winning musician and actor Little Simz have been announced as producers for the West End Transfer of Bush Theatre’s production of Shifters.

Winners were announced today at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow.

HFH Productions has announced a play set for a London run ahead of Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer. Surrender by Sophie Swithinbank in creative partnership with Phoebe Ladenburg will be on at the Arcola Theatre between 19 June and 13 July.