Playwrights’ Masterclass
Led by Simon Stephens as part of The Masterclass Project 2026, Auckland Theatre Company will host an intensive masterclass for mid-career to established playwrights, which has been co-designed with Aotearoa theatre artist Jason Te Kare (Ngāti Maniapoto, Tainui).
There are strictly limited places for the Playwrights’ Masterclass and expressions of interest open on 15 December 2025 and close on 12 January 2026. Submit via the form below. Playwrights traveling from outside Tāmaki Makaurau can access limited travel support.
We are looking for nine mid-career to established theatre playwrights.
These sessions are designed for writers with an existing body of work, who have track record of writing plays for professional theatre and a developed artistic voice.
ATC invites applications from mid-career to established Aotearoa playwrights who:
- Have two or more full length plays produced for professional theatre.
- Works that have garnered notable success in terms of audience and critical response.
- Are available for all three days of the workshop.
- Are based anywhere in Aotearoa (with travel support available).
- Are over 18.
Selection Process: All expressions of interests received by the deadline will be reviewed together. If oversubscribed, selection will focus on identifying playwrights who will benefit most from an intensive three-day workshop with Simon Stephens, balancing a range of experience levels, and ensuring regional representation.
Selected participants will be asked to supply a writing sample of roughly 30-40 pages prior to the workshop.
• A three-day workshop with Simon Stephens, designed specifically for Aotearoa practitioners: Developed with a clear awareness of the unique and varied cultural, artistic, and dramaturgical landscape that our theatre-makers inhabit.
• Partial travel support: For selected playwrights traveling from outside Tāmaki Makaurau.
• Access to the wider week of Masterclass Project events: Including the Writers Reception and public performance of Sea Wall on 21 February.
• Connection to peers and sector leaders: Creating networks that extend beyond the week itself.
Participants will also be asked to provide a short written or video reflection following the masterclass.
Expression of Interests open 12pm, Monday 15 December 2025. Fill out the form: Expression of Interest
Expression of Interests close 12pm, Monday 12 January 2026.
The Masterclass Project application process starts with an Expression of Interest, designed to be accessible with a view to respecting the time of all interested candidates.
Selection Process: All expressions of interests received by the deadline will be reviewed together. If oversubscribed, selection will focus on identifying playwrights who will benefit most from an intensive three-day workshop with Simon Stephens, balancing a range of experience levels, and ensuring regional representation.
With sincere thanks to Cynthia Braithwaite and Peter Macky for their generous donation, and the British Council New Zealand and the Pacific for support through their Connections Through Culture Programme.
