YOUR NEWS – Theatre Book Prize 2021, and the Judges are…
Lucy Popescu, Steve Nicholson and Cleo Sylvestre announced as Judges for the Society for Theatre Research Theatre Book Prize 2021.
Representing theatre critics, academia and theatre professionals, journalist Lucy Popescu, Professor Steve Nicholson and actress Cleo Sylvestre will appoint a winner as part of a panel chaired by STR Committee member, Howard Loxton.
2021 marks the twenty-third STR Theatre Book Prize, which was estab. 1998 to celebrate the Society’s Golden Jubilee. The aim of the Book Prize is to encourage the writing and publication of books on British-related theatre history and practice.
Recent winners include Year of the Mad King: The King Lear Diaries by Antony Sher; Different Drummer: The Life of Kenneth Macmillan by Jann Parry; Margot Fonteyn by Meredith Daneman and Balancing Acts by Nick Hytner.
Previous members of the judging panel include actors Penelope Keith and Corin Redgrave, producer Thelma Holt, actress-director Yvonne Brewster and critics Michael Billington and Daisy Bowie-Sell.
Submissions are now being accepted for books published in 2020. Details of how to nominate a book are available via the Society’s website (www.str.org.uk).
The shortlist of 2020 titles for the 2021 Theatre Book Prize will be announced in early May, with the winner announced in June 2021 via an online streamed ceremony.
Judging panel chairman, Howard Loxton, said: “With us all turning to reading during lockdown, we can’t wait to get started on the many fascinating books published in 2020. Lucy, Steve and Cleo make an excellent trio of judges, bringing their wide experience, knowledge and practice to the panel. Books have already started trickling in and we look forward to discussing and debating them over the next few months before revealing our shortlist in May.”
To be eligible, titles must be about British or British-related theatre, be in English, first publications and carry the copyright date 2020. They may be written on any form of theatrical performance and any aspect of production, history, architecture or management, whether presenting theatre of the past, recording contemporary theatre or looking forward to the future. Play texts and studies of drama as literature are excluded. Publishers should send copies directly to the chair of the judges as soon as available. Entry closes on 19 January 2021.
Publishers should contact: theatrebookprize@str.org.uk for details of where to send books.