Shire Stories - A New Writing Project
What is Shire Stories?
Shire Stories is a two-year Arts Council funded project led by Worcester Theatres and Crave Arts, with the aim of finding great scripts and to get some of these performed on stage!
We want to revolutionise new writing in Worcestershire! By opening doors for emerging, established, and diverse voices, this initiative will create vibrant opportunities for writers to craft and showcase their work. We’re on a mission to uncover unique perspectives from underrepresented communities and those passionate about writing, fuelling talent through dynamic workshops and personalised feedback. Selected pieces will be brought to life on stage, captivating audiences and igniting a thriving literary community. Our vision is to elevate the profile of regional writing, forge a strong community of writers who collaborate and grow together, and establish a prestigious Literary Department at Worcester Theatres. Driven by the inspiring goal of amplifying diverse voices from Worcestershire and beyond — an area often seen as traditional Middle England — we aim to challenge stereotypes, tell new stories, and produce extraordinary work that resonates widely. Join us on this exciting journey to transform the regional theatre landscape and celebrate the power of storytelling!
Performance
Upcoming Performances
Tiny Plays, Big Ideas
Sun 24 May - 7.45pm
£8
Come and see five new plays being performed as part of our two year Arts Council funded project, Shire Stories.
This project aims to find the best new plays in Worcestershire and the surrounding areas. The plays have been written by writers from Worcestershire or surrounding areas.
Each play has gone through detailed feedback by the Shire Stories team and will be performed 'Script In Hand' by local actors. See these plays in their rawest state.
Searching by Sarah Cole
Socially Distant by Dan Able
Geoffrey with a G by Helen Sanders
Me is a God by Craig Norman
Waiting Time by Jonathan Campbell
Content warning: 14+ due to swearing and descriptions of violence
90 mins including an interval.
Workshops
Throughout the two years we are offering a mixture of both online and in person workshops on a variety of topics. We have some fantastic guest speakers booked for Shire Stories!
Subject that will be covered include:
- Pitching Your Work
- Writing For Television
- Writing and literature in the West Midlands
- Setting your play in a specific location
- Writing with young people in mind
- Writing for diverse audiences
Upcoming Workshops
David Lane: Setting your play in a specific location
Tue 12 May - 7pm
£15
Explore location as a dynamic force in playwriting, revealing the environments around your characters as essential tools in your approach to crafting dramatic storytelling. David Lane is a freelance dramaturg and playwright, Head of Writing at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and author of Contemporary British Drama.
This workshop will take place on Zoom and an invitation to join the workshop will be sent out 24hrs before the session.
Ant Stones: Writing for non-traditional spaces
Wed 10 June - 7pm
£15
Join Ant Stones as we explore the thrills and challenges of performing without a curtain. Drawing on his experiences of working off the stage - within churches, woods and the city streets - you'll explore scripts that have worked well within these settings, before writing your own...
Hendrik Harms: Writing for Film
Thu 25 June - 7pm
£15
Hendrik is an optioned writer-director, who has previously been selected for Raindance, won one of their filmmaking competitions and their pitch event. Alongside this, he’s been nominated for Best Film at BAFTA-qualifying Carmarthen Bay and Best Short Film at the Royal Television Society Midlands He has won several screenwriting competitions with one script going on to be made and acquired by streaming platform Yoreflix.
In total he’s written and directed 12 short films, as well worked on numerous commercial projects with a range of clients like local authorities, the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, Grosvenor Pubs & Inns, and the United States of America Embassy.
He also partnered on a UK Government funded initiative called Made In Worcester that's aim was to reskill and upskill 40 young people from the region into the film industry.
He is currently in development on his first slate of feature films with projects focussing on the local Worcestershire area.
Zoe Lewis: How to produce your own show
Thu 2 July - 7pm
£15
Playwright Zoe Lewis will take you through everything you need to know about the role of a Producer. This masterclass will answer the big questions like 'What does a Producer do?', 'Can you produce your own work?' & ‘How do the finances work?'
Perfect for writers who have the finishing post in sight for their projects, and want to know what’s next.
Aaron Corbett: Poetry in playwriting
Wed 22 July - 7pm
£15
How do we confidently combine poetry with playwriting? Join Aaron for one evening masterclass to explore your relationship with poetry and its translation to the stage. Enjoy building your toolkit of creative devices whilst simultaneously turning prose into performance.
Open Writing Submissions
Please note that although the deadline for Scripts for the spring showcase has passed, we are still happy to receive scripts from yourselves. Please send to [email protected] with details about yourself and the play you have submitted and what support you would like from us. We aim to respond within one month of the play being received.
Our full portal will re-open in September.
Shire Stories is being delivered with funding support from the Arts Council England and through a partnership with Crave Arts.
Shire Stories partners include Severn Arts, University of Worcester, and Writing West Midlands.
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