Pentabus run an annual, six month scriptwriting course for young writers aged 18 – 30 who are based in Shropshire, Wales and the West Midlands.
Through a series of in-person and online workshops, young writers are guided and supported by experienced scriptwriters and a professional director to develop a new short script. Learning and working collaboratively throughout the course, these scripts are brought to life with help from a professional creative team and ultimately performed by professional actors as part of our annual Young Writers Festival in July.
No previous experience of playwriting is necessary as this programme is aimed at young people who may not even know they’re writers yet, as well as those who have some experience of writing.
Throughout the course you will:
What is the time commitment?
There are a mixture of in-person and online sessions, spread out across 6 months.
Applications are now open for the 2025-26 cohort of the Bridge the Gap Producer Programme!
Apply to be one of 10 emerging producers from underrepresented backgrounds to take part in this year long development programme; gaining skills in commercial producing through monthly workshops, a mentor, coaching sessions, tickets to shows, access to grants and more!
Deadline: 12 noon on Friday 9 May
Apply online via our website.
Not sure if it's for you? Find out some more info in our Should I Apply? guide.
Stage One created Bridge the Gap to diversify the current field of commercial theatre producers and therefore strongly encourages individuals from underrepresented backgrounds and outside of London to apply. We want to support people from a Global Majority background, who identify as working class or from a lower socio-economic background, are LGBTQIA+, those that have a disability and/or are neurodivergent and/or those from a culturally or religiously Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim or Sikh background.
