JEHF ONE playwriting competition ends June 12

The James Ene Henshaw Foundation ONE Playwriting Competition, which seeks to encourage the art of dramatic writing and the best original one-act play written for stage, film or TV, will close June 12, 2020. The contest is open to anyone between ages 18 and 35 years. The competition opened since 12 March 2020. The first prize is N50,000, second prize N35,000, and third prize N20,000 respectively.

According to the organisers, “We’re looking for plays that capture the pulse and moments of contemporary Nigerian society, writing with a unique voice that speaks to current and future generations.” 
 
Through a selection process, five plays will be chosen for rehearsed readings between August 14-15, 2020 at James Ene Henshaw Foundation Centre, Calabar, Cross River State, where the winning scripts will be judged and announced.  

The JEHF is a charitable organization founded in memory of a pioneer of African drama and author of the famous play, This Is Our Chance, late James Ene Henshaw. It has as its main objective development and support of new cadres of playwrights who will take on the mantle of theatre greats like Wole Soyinka, JP Clark and Femi Osofisan. The 2017 Creative Mentoring Scheme, supported by the British Council, produced four new brilliant playwrights, with two whose plays have been produced severally and gone on to be published in their own right. 

The criteria for competition entry include one-act plays between 25 and 30 minutes, writers should be between 18 and 35 years, plays must involve no more than four characters, and must be an original play, and not an adaptation. Submissions must be typed, double-spaced, single-sided, Times New Roman font and 12-point size, and be a min 40 pgs.

To enter the contest, writers are advised to email script, brief synopsis, short biodata with address, email, telephone number, and two hard copies to The James Ene Henshaw Foundation, 4 Murtala Mohammed Highway, Calabar, Cross River State.