We’re excited to reveal the shortlist and ten winning monologues from our Love in the Time of Corona opportunity.
Choosing our winners hasn't been an easy task but we're proud to present a range of voices and experiences in this extraordinary time.
Each of the 460 entries was read in its entirety by at least three readers. The shortlist was read by a further seven panellists, all of whom are theatre professionals and have expertise in writing, directing and/or theatre for young audiences (see biogs below).
The ten winning monologues will be presented at the end of June, performed and directed by theatre professionals.
Congratulations to our ten winners:
For ages 7-11:
When We Were Singing by Mike Peacock
Monty’s Not an Alien by Katharine Jee
Bird Behaviour by Sophie Parks
For ages 8-12:
Not The End by David Haworth
Milly’s Mum by Nicola Latchana
For ages 15-18:
Click & Collect by Sophia Chetin–Leuner
PS Love 2 by Tom Hardman
Stolen Rainbows by Guy Hargreaves
This Corona Chick by Eden Regina Ehiojhae
Eggs, Washing Powder & Oranges by Naomi Sumner Chan
Shortlist:
For ages 7-11:
Press Play by Sam Holley-Horseman
The Day Footie Died by Jacqueline Green
Mum by Josie Cerise
Love is…Rubbish by Samantha Lewis
Do Math’s Teachers Feel Love? by Rebekah Ann King
I Picture… by Natsu Hirukawa
The Great Grandaddio by Chris Dance
For ages 8-12:
A Good Boy by Tony Elston
Runaway by Simon Macallum
Discarded by Sammy Harris
The Pattern by Emily Capstick
All the Helpers by Jonathan Dixon
Serenade by Aine King
Tiger Talking by Michele Sheldon
So, Now You Know by Marcella Rick
For ages 15-18:
The Leap by Alex James Donne
Your Call is Important by Victoria Ferguson
Living My Best Life by Sophie Parkes
Imogen, Django & St Corona by Andy Chaplin
Sparking Joy by C Zarrilli
Control by Duncan Turner
Hi Mum by Sarah Teale
Callum by Joe Shipman
Capacity by Aron Penczu
A Rose Tinted Realisation by Josephine Wilson
Judges:
Joining our in house team of Gilly Baskeyfield (Artistic Director), Caroline Kennedy (Participation Director), Eleanor Samson (Participation Projects Manager), Jenny Harris (Participation Practitioner) and Luke Walker ( Playwright & Performer ) are:
Kash Arshad
Kash Arshad is a theatre director based in Halifax. Recent credits include Guards at the Taj (Theatre by the Lake), Black Teeth and a Brilliant Smile (Freedom Studios), Airplays (Leeds Playhouse) and Memories of Partition (Royal Exchange Theatre).
Mary Cooper
Mary Cooper has written extensively for theatre, radio and screen. She has written or dramaturged the majority of the monologues produced by M6 over the past decade including Clueless and Hench.
Morgan Forrest
Morgan is a member of our 15-18s Youth Theatre Group. He has been attending M6 Youth Theatre for 8 years.
Mike Kenny
Mike Kenny specialises in writing theatre for young people and families. He was included in the Independent on Sunday’s list of Top Ten Living UK Playwrights. Recent productions include A Tiger’s Tale for M6 and his adaptation of The Railway Children won the 2011 Olivier Award for Best Entertainment. Last year he worked on a large scale community production with Graeae and BLESMA, commemorating the Disabled of the First World War as part of 14-18-Now.
Myiesha Amani
Myiesha is a member of our 15-18s Youth Theatre Group.
Olwen May
Olwen May is an actor, theatre director and drama teacher. As an actor she has worked at theatres including The National and The RSC. Her directing works include Sandhouse at Cast, Doncaster; Til the Cows Come Home for Mikron and Family Business, Homeward Bound, Grandpa’s Railway, Clueless and Hench for M6.
Punam Ramchurn
Punam Ramchurn works as the Talent Development Manager at MIF. She was previously Director of Rochdale Literature and Ideas Festival. She has written several plays and was a finalist of Oldham Coliseum's BANG initiative. Her first TV commission for CBBC was a one-off drama called Tale of Two Cities, part of the Stepping Up Series.
Roy Alexander Weise
Roy Alexander Weise is the joint Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange Theatre, Associate Artist at the Donmar Warehouse and a tutor at Open Door. His work in theatre includes Master Harold and the Boys, Nine Night (also in the West End) and Dead Don’t Floss at the National; Black Dick (staged reading) at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center; Luminosity at Manchester Met; The Trick at Bush and on UK tour and The Dark for Fuel at Ovalhouse and Bristol Tobacco Factory.
Dot Wood
Dot is an M6 Patron and has been involved with the company for over 30 years. She has produced an outstanding range of innovative and accessible theatre which always has children’s emotional well-being at the heart. In 2006 Dot received an MBE for services to Drama in the North West.