Orange Tree Theatre has announced the new cohort for its Orange Tree Writers’ Collective for 2025–2026.
This year’s selected writers are Hassan Abdulrazzak, Azan Ahmed, Martha Watson Allpress, Catherine Dyson, Lucy Phelps, and Ben Weatherill.
For over ten years, the Orange Tree Writers’ Collective has supported mid-career playwrights by offering a year-long residency at the theatre.
The programme provides a space for writers to share practice, develop new ideas, and engage with the theatre’s work throughout the year.
Participants benefit from monthly masterclasses with industry professionals, dramaturgical support, and access to the Orange Tree’s facilities.
These include desk space, a comprehensive reference library of play texts, and complimentary tickets to productions.
Each writer also receives a £1,000 tax-free bursary and the opportunity to showcase their work in the main auditorium for industry guests and the public.
For the first time, the cohort includes a translator, Lucy Phelps, whose place is supported in association with the British Centre for Literary Translation (BCLT).
Previous alumni of the Orange Tree Writers’ Collective have gone on to be commissioned and produced by leading theatres across the UK.
Notable past members include Chris Bush (Standing at the Sky’s Edge), Anne Odeke (Princess Essex), Eve Leigh (Midnight Movie), and Joe White (Mayfly).
More information can be found here.
