Who was Bertolt Brecht?

Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht, popularly known as Bertolt Brecht was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. He is one of the most performed western playwrights in India.

 

What is the application process? 

If you are a playwright from anywhere in India, with an experience of having written at least three full length plays OR If you have a formal training in creative writing/ playwriting from a recognised university/ institution/ association from India or abroad, then this opportunity is for you.
 

You will be required to submit:

1. A detailed profile of your work and your writing sample- a completed full length play (60 minutes +) in any Indian language
 

2. While we are trying our best to identify a linguistically inclusive selection panel, we hope you understand that there might be limitations. We request you to upload an English translation of your writing sample, one that does justice to the original for the purposes of evaluation. If this is a challenge, please write to priti@bhashacentre.com. We will try to help.
 

3. A statement of purpose which must include:

a) which literary work/s of Bertolt Brecht you have chosen to respond to,

b) the reasoning behind your choice; its relevance in contemporary India,

c) a detailed note with the theme/s, context and summary of the script you would like to attempt, if you are awarded the commission.

Feel free to submit this as a video or a document, please be sure to address the above requirements in the given order (a-b-c) and upload them as one file.

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Are there any restrictions on language?

No, you can write the play in any Indian language including English.

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What about the selection process?

A selection panel will evaluate the proposals and shortlist five playwrights. These shortlisted applicants will be required to write a five minute scene as a clear indicator of the emerging text. The scene can be written in any Indian language including English and must be completed within one month. These five applicants will receive a stipend of INR 10000.

 

On the basis of these scenes, the selection panel will further select two applicants who will be awarded the commission to write the full length play under the terms mentioned above.*

 

*Bhasha Centre reserves the right to not select anyone if the applications do not meet the standards of selection criteria.

 

What about timelines?

Deadline for submitting applications: June 15, 2023

Announcement of the shortlist: July 05, 2023

Submission of scenes from the shortlisted applicants: July 25, 2023

Announcement of the final commission: August 01, 2023

Submission of first sharable drafts: October 31, 2023

 

Will there be any feedback or mentoring?

There will be no mentoring through the writing process. However, the first draft will be published on The Drama Library (TDL).

 

TDL will organise at least two readings of each of the plays for the general public and/ or

the theatre community. Any feedback received at these engagements can be incorporated into future drafts of the script at the playwright's discretion.

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Will the final version of the play be published?

 

The first shareable draft of the play will remain on The Drama Library for the period of one year. It may be replaced by any future drafts - including the final version - at the playwright's discretion.

 

Can you help me to find resources for Brecht's work?

Definitely. We have uploaded some resource material for reference and research purposes.

 

The resources made available here are not exhaustive but  enough to give you a jumpstart for your research process. Please do your own research as well.

 

Disclaimer:

Bhasha Centre, accessible online, has shared some books and/or resource materials for reference and educational purposes only. We want to emphasize that we do not own the copyright in any of these materials displayed on the website. The books and/or resource materials are the intellectual property of their respective owners, publishers, or authors. These resources are made available solely for educational/ reference purposes and should not be copied, reproduced, or distributed in any manner whatsoever. It is strictly prohibited to exploit these materials for monetary gain or any other unauthorised purposes. Any integration, in whole or in part, of the ideas, concepts, notes, expressions, statements, suggestions, and treatments contained within the material requires explicit written permission from their respective owners, publishers, or authors. By accessing Bhasha Centre, you acknowledge and agree to comply with these terms and conditions. Failure to adhere to these terms may result in legal consequences. Please note that this disclaimer may be subject to modification or update without prior notice.

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Who owns the copyright?

All moral and legal rights of the work created by the playwright will remain with the playwright.

 

More questions?

Write to priti@bhashacentre.com