The walrus has a right to… a nourishing creative career
It’s the first week of rehearsals for Billie Collins’ playful, sweeping new play The Walrus Has a Right to Adventure, so forgive a slightly shorter Newsletter today – we’re busy trying to conjure various animals in our rehearsal room – but I wanted to make sure you were all up-to-date with a few opportunities open at the moment.
So read on for more, including four workshops we’re hosting over the next month, and our new Supported Studio programme – which is open for proposals to stage a new, original production in the Playhouse Studio (closes Mon 9 June).
(It’s also – whisper it – nearly time for our annual Open Script Submissions window…)
As usual, there’s info on all our upcoming Meeting Points (Creative Co-working, Open House, Freelancers’ Mixer and Production Process workshops) – which I’ll hope to see you at! – plus a few local jobs/opportunities with the Unity, Culture Liverpool, BlackFest and ThickSkin.
Enjoy the Bank Holiday, and good luck to those of you going to Big Weekend – hope the rain stays away…
Tommo
New Works Associate
We’re opening up our Playhouse Studio for three original new productions!
So, if you’re a company or creative team with a show you want to make, we want to hear from you.
We’ll give you free space, technical staffing and 100% net box office income – plus dramaturgy, support with fundraising, and more besides!
All the information is on our website, and we’re accepting proposals until 9am on Mon 9 June.
If you have further questions, we’re hosting online Q&As on 29 May – so feel free to book one of those if it’d be useful.
Writers, mark your calendars – it’s nearly time for our annual script submissions window, and we want to read your work!
Full details about what we’re looking for, and how the process works, are on our website.
Importantly, the submission window is open from Monday 2 to Monday 30 June – and, as part of our commitment to local playwrights, we’ll offer written feedback on all submitted scripts.
Workshops
We’ve two free Production Process workshops available for booking!
Plus a directing workshop with Nathan Crossan-Smith (The Walrus Has a Right to Adventure), and one with me via Box of Tricks.
All taking place at the Everyman Theatre over the next month or so.
Attention Grabbing: Building a vibrant marketing campaign
with members of the Everyman & Playhouse Marketing Team
Thursday 29 May, 2-3pm
FREE
From designing assets to writing copy, utilising social media and working with PRs, our marketing team will explore how to communicate the brilliance of your show with confidence and creativity.
Small/Scale: Ambitious writing for small casts
with Box of Tricks / Tommo Fowler (New Works Associate)
Friday 13 June, 5-7pm
Pay what you can
As part of Box of Tricks’ PlayMakers’ Masterclasses season, I’m running a session on writing richly theatrical, expansive plays that can redefine what we might think of as ‘studio scale’.
The eagle-eyed amongst you will notice that this is also the night of the Freelancers’ Mixer for The Walrus Has a Right to Adventure, so you could also do the workshop and then see the show for a tenner!
Staging the Impossible
with Nathan Crossan-Smith
Saturday 21 June, 11.30am-1pm
£7
The Walrus Has a Right to Adventure revolves around three animal encounters – and Nathan will give you a peek behind the curtain of the creative process behind bringing them to life. Focussing in on foley and soundscaping, you’ll explore how directors can meet the creative challenges set by a script.
Getting Booked: Approaching programmers and building tours
with Ashlie Nelson (Head of Producing and Programming)
Thursday 24 June, 2-3pm
FREE
When’s the right moment to email a programmer? What makes a great tour pack? How do you get the best deal? Ashlie will draw on her experience across multiple organisations to help you sell your show to venues in the best possible light.
There are regular ways you can meet us, and other local artists, across the year.
We’re running:
- Creative co-working
- Open houses
- Freelancers’ mixers
Creative Co-working
The next co-working day is for producers:
Thursday 5 June, 11.30am onwards
Writers’ Room, Everyman Theatre
I’ll be there initially with some prompts for discussion, but then will leave you to it! So grab a pal and come down to meet, chat, rant, plot and dream together.
The final date before we go dark over summer is 3 July, from 11.30am. This one’s for all artists, and will hopefully be a good opportunity to meet a few people you haven’t come across before!
These monthly drop-ins are a nice, informal way to meet different members of the Everyman staff in the Everyman Street Café, introduce yourself and ask any questions you may have.
Next up – ahead of Edinburgh – members of the Marketing team will be available to chat from 1-3pm on Tuesday 10 June.
The topics of conversation are totally up to you, but this team specifically would be well-placed to discuss:
- building a social media campaign
- feedback on copy / images for your show
- working with PRs and contacting critics.
July’s Open House will be with me, so we can chat about all things New Works.
Sign up for our next Mixer, which will be Friday 13 June, during previews for The Walrus Has a Right to Adventure.
This’ll be a good one for anyone with an interest in new writing and experimental staging – plus all the usual joy of meeting new artists in Liverpool, having free wine, etc.
As usual, we’ll try to wrangle a member of the creative team to come and chat – and remember: you can book a £10 ticket for the show on this night by using the code MIXER10.
More info and sign up
Jobs & opportunities
Queer Scratch Unity – Call for Artists
Roots Touring
Deadline: 6pm, Fri 30 May
Are you a Merseyside-based LGBTQIA writer, creator or content maker looking for collaboration and a stage? In Queer Scratch, rootstouring are inviting 8 theatremakers to create and perform their own short work at Unity Theatre, that imagines a better world through an LGBTQIA lens.
You’ll be working with Roots, Yorkshire’s award-winning queer theatre company – and, alongside, will also attend workshops with leading theatre makers in Liverpool, including writer Luke Barnes (Cinderella) and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse's Nathan Powell.
Liverpool Black History Month Creative Grants 2025
Deadline: midnight, Weds 11 June
Culture Liverpool is looking for high-quality, creative and innovative proposals that acknowledge Black History, especially in Liverpool, while also celebrating the achievements of Black creatives and community heritage today.
There’re 4-5 grants of £2,000-3,000 available for Liverpool based artists / arts organisations, or those that can demonstrate working with a Black community in the Liverpool City Council area.
ThickSkin
Multiple roles / deadlines
The very brilliant ThickSkin are hiring various roles at the moment:
- Technical and Facilities Manager of their Wigan studio
- Project Manager for their Place Partnership
- Head of Marketing and Audiences
- Trustee (Treasurer and Chair of Finance Committee)
(And good luck to anyone who applied for their Jerwood Associate Artist role!)
BlackFest 2025 Callout
Deadline: 6 June
This multidisciplinary festival is back, and seeking proposals from musicians, market traders, comedians, poets and theatremakers. Of special interest for this newsletter might be the scratch takeover at Shakespeare North!
Ongoing offers at the Everyman
Writers’ Room
For those who haven’t spent time in it, the Writers’ Room is available for your use. With a library of fantastic scripts, it’s a great place to come and be inspired, do some co-working, or get round a table to read a new play.
You can either email me to book in advance, or just come to the Everyman and chance your luck! During open hours, the Writers’ Room is there for you to work in peace and quiet.
Street Café discounts
Did you know we have discounts for theatre professionals in the Everyman Street Café? Well, we do!
You can get 10% off food and non-alcoholic drinks if you’re:
- a paid-up union member of BECTU, Equity, Independent Theatres Council, Musicians Union, Stage Directors UK or the Writers Guild,
- having an Arts Emergency mentoring session, or
- participating in New Works activity (e.g. Production Process workshop, Creative Co-working, etc).
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