Bristol-based Tanuja Amarasuriya has won the opportunity to create a new production at Bolton Octagon next year, thanks to a grant of £50,000 from the Royal Theatrical Support Trust's Sir Peter Hall Director Award Scheme.
As the 2024 award-winner, Tanuja will stage the yet-to-be-announced show at the Octagon in a co-production with Mercury Theatre in Colchester and Rose Theatre in Kingston. The production will open next September as part of the Octagon’s autumn season, before transferring to Colchester and Kingston.
Tanuja said: “I'm totally thrilled to receive this award. There are so few opportunities, so to have the backing of three great theatres to step up my career is a total game-changer for me.
"As someone who didn't grow up around theatre, who didn't go to drama school and who has never lived in London, it's been a long path navigating the industry and building practice - and the RTST has been an amazing ally for me.
"This year is the sixth application I made to the prize, but even in the unsuccessful years, the connections the RTST helped me to make have helped me grow and brought me work. I'm absolutely made up that the panel connected with me and my ideas this year, and I can't wait to kick it all off.”
Tanuja is the co-founder of the multi-artform company Sleepdogs. She is currently staff director on the National Theatre’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest.
Now in its eighth year, the award – which honours the memory of Sir Peter Hall, the RTST's co-founder and Rose Theatre founding director (among his many other accomplishments) – offers the winner their first-time opportunity to direct a fully-realised, mid-scale production of a classic or modern play and take it on tour. The award also delivers financial support to the participating regional theatres.
Joint runners-up Hannah Stone and Jasmine Teo (pictured), have won the opportunity to be mentored by the Octagon, Mercury and Rose theatres.
Lotte Wakeham, artistic director at the Octagon, said: “The standard of all of the finalist candidates was incredibly high, but I’m delighted the panel has chosen Tanuja as the overall winner; she really impressed the panel. We were particularly taken with her thoughtfulness and ingenuity in approaching classic texts in an innovative and fresh way for modern audiences.
"I have no doubt she will direct an exceptional production for us and I’m hugely excited to work with her. I’m also really pleased we have identified two incredibly talented runners up, both of whom really impressed the panel with their directing skills and brilliant ideas.”
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