Nick Hern News

After a sell-out performance, 'The Hardest One' is back for one more night.

The Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB), in association with Derby Theatre and In Good Company hosts its first regional Meet the Playwrights event, on Tuesday 20 February 2018 at Derby Theatre.

Tonic Theatre today announce the 2nd annual Tonic Awards, celebrating the achievements of game-changing women in theatre and the performing arts. The ceremony, which launched last year returns to the May Fair Theatre, at the May Fair Hotel on Monday 19 March 2018 hosted once again by Dame Jenni Murray. Attendees will include senior figures from across the theatre industry.

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize has announced 10 Finalists for its prestigious playwriting award, the oldest and largest prize awarded to women playwrights writing in the English language. Chosen from over 150 nominated plays, the Finalists are:

An advocate for social advancement in the arts, VAULT Festival will hold a round table on gender equality leading to the launch of its progression scheme for talented emerging female writers, Writers Gap. A New Writers Award, partnership with the Integrated Fringe Platform and massive HeForShe arts week celebration featuring Jamz Supernova and Etta Bond will all contribute to VAULT's continued commitment to championing the best and most relevant contemporary theatre. With support from WeAreWaterloo, the programme scales immersive and site specific theatre, comedy, dance, cabaret, film and much more. VAULT Festival returns from 24th January to 18th March 2018 with over 300 shows exploring a myriad of topical themes with over 53% of shows written or directed by women. Full programme and tickets available now via vaultfestival.com.

A Red Orchid Theatre announces the extension of Traitor, an adaptation of Heinrich Ibsen's An Enemy of the People, written by Ensemble Member Brett Neveu and directed by Ensemble Member Michael Shannon, due to overwhelming demand. The production features Ensemble Members Dado, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Larry Grimm, Guy Van Swearingen and Natalie West, with Jacob Alexander, Mary Jo Bolduc, Missi Davis, Kristin Ellis, Nation Henrickson, Frank Nall and Steve Walker, featuring lighting design by Ensemble Member Mike Durst. Traitor will add Wednesday evening performances in February and now runs through March 4, 2018. 2018 at A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells. Tickets for the extension are on sale now.

After winning Best Theatre at the 2016 Adelaide Fringe Awards with Echoes, and the Adelaide Critics' Circle Award in 2017 with Angel, three-time Fringe First Winner Henry Naylor returns to Holden Street Theatres, 34 Holden Street Hindmarsh, for the 2018 Adelaide Fringe for the Australian premiere of his multi-award-winning hit, Borders from 13 February to 18 March in The Studio. NOTE: both venue and performance times have changed since the 2018 Fringe Guide was published.

The Old Vic today announces new performances in its Voices Off and One Voice series as well as Christmas Storytelling as part of its programme for families.

Wilton's Music Hall will host the European premi re of Songs For Nobodies (running 21 March 7 April), a brand new play with songs featuring music from five iconic divas; Judy Garland, Pasty Cline, Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf and Maria Callas. Accompanied by live musicians, this funny and moving performance was written especially for Bernadette Robinson by Joanna Murray-Smith (Honour, Bombshells, The Female of the Species) and directed by Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, the Musical).

Heretic Productions today announces an extension of the inaugural Heretic Voices - a new competition which aims to find the best new writing in monologue form, at the Arcola Theatre now running from Tuesday 9 January until Saturday 20 January. The recently announced winners, chosen by Michael Billington, Lolita Chakrabarti, Monica Dolan and Mel Kenyon, will have their monologues produced by acclaimed directors and actors at the Arcola Theatre.

2Cents Theatre is thrilled to present the U.S. Premiere of LEMONS LEMONS LEMONS LEMONS LEMONS, written by Sam Steiner and directed by Jen Bloom. LEMONS LEMONS LEMONS LEMONS LEMONS will preview on Saturday, January 6 at 8pm & Sunday, January 7 at 7pm and will open on Friday, January 12 at 8pm and run through Sunday, February 11 at the Hudson Guild Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

Heretic Productions today announces the directors and cast for the inaugural Heretic Voices a new competition which aims to find the best new writing in monologue form. The recently announced winners, chosen by Michael Billington, Lolita Chakrabarti, Monica Dolan and Mel Kenyon, will have their monologues produced by acclaimed directors and actors at the Arcola Theatre.

West End Producer is one of the most popular but mysterious social influencers in the West End. He has been involved in the entertainment business his whole life and now both celebrates and pokes fun at theatre on his popular Twitter account and in his books. His second book, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Going to the Theatre, is out now.

Papatango today announce the full tour dates for the world premi re of Sam Potter's Hanna which she wrote as part of her residency with the company the play is also published by Nick Hern Books. Directed by the company's Artistic Director George Turvey and starring Sophie Khan Levy, Hanna opens at the Arcola Theatre on 5 January 2018, with previews from 3 January, and runs until 20 January ahead of a 10-venue national tour to Cheltenham, Oxford, Canterbury, Bedford, Luton, Exeter, Mold, Liverpool, Greenwich and Cardiff.

Now in its sixth year, VAULT Festival returns from 24th January to 18th March 2018 with 300 individual shows, championing new writing, immersive experiences, comedy, film and late night entertainment. Returning to its native venue beneath Waterloo Station, expanding further into satellite venues including Waterloo East Theatre and Network Theatre and with support from We Are Waterloo, the programme is broader and more diverse than ever before. Tickets are available from Dec 5th via vaultfestival.com.

The Papatango New Writing Prize, now in its tenth year, opens for submissions today, 1 December 2017, until midnight on 28 February 2018. An unprecedented commitment to new talent, the Papatango New Writing Prize is the UK's only annual opportunity guaranteeing a new writer a full production, publication by Nick Hern Books, a royalty of 10% of the gross box office, and a 6000 commission and full developmental support for a follow-up play. In addition, every entrant receives feedback on their script.

The enigma that is West End Producer - or WEP to his friends - has released a second book, Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Theatre (But Were Too Sloshed To Ask, Dear).

Heretic Productions today announces that the winners of the inaugural Heretic Voices competition, a competition searching for the best new writing in monologue form, are Annie Fox, Sonya Hale and Tatty Hennessy.

The Old Vic today announces new performances in its Voices Off and One Voice series as well as Christmas Storytelling as part of its programme for families.

Papatango announces the full tour dates for the world premi re of Sam Potter's Hanna which she wrote as part of her residency with the company the play is also published by Nick Hern Books. Directed by the company's Artistic Director George Turvey and starring Sophie Khan Levy, Hanna opens at the Arcola Theatre on 5 January 2018, with previews from 3 January, and runs until 20 January ahead of a 10-venue national tour to Cheltenham, Oxford, Canterbury, Bedford, Luton, Exeter, Mold, Liverpool, Greenwich and Cardiff.