The Abbey Theatre has today announced playwright Carley Magee as the recipient of the inaugural Lady Gregory Bursary for Playwrights, an award made possible by the generosity of Patron of the Abbey Theatre, Dr Cecily O’Neill. Magee, who is a writer and theatre maker from Belfast, was selected on the strength of her play submission Growing Pains.
The Lady Gregory Bursary for Playwrights provides space and time for the recipient to work on their play in the Abbey Theatre Artists’ Studio with dramaturgical support of Literary & New Work Associate, Rían Smith. Every script submitted via the Abbey’s year-round script submissions process is automatically considered for the bursary opportunity. Lady Gregory’s creative values of energy, intensity, a belief in the power of community and a sense of justice are all considered when selecting a suitable recipient.
Literary and New Work Director at the Abbey Theatre, Ruth McGowan said: “I am delighted to welcome Carley to the Abbey Theatre Artists’ Studio this summer as the recipient of our first Lady Gregory Bursary for Playwrights. Lady Gregory’s commitment to supporting playwrights of imagination and courage informs the ethos of our script submissions process year-round. That open submission window is how our team were introduced to Carley’s imagistic and observant plays. This bursary, made possible thanks to Cecily O’Neill, offers Carley the time, space and financial resources to develop her next idea with dramaturgical support from Rían Smith, Literary & New Work Associate.”
Commenting, Patron of the Abbey Theatre, Dr Cecily O’Neill, added: “Growing Pains is full of lively dialogue, and a deep understanding of the complexities of teenage friendship. Set in Belfast in 2015, her characters are ‘Children of Peace’, but echoes of the Troubles resonate, particularly in a powerfully surreal scene. She embraces ambiguity throughout her play, rejecting happy endings and easy answers.”
L-R: Head of Fundraising and Philanthropy at the Abbey Theatre, Marie Lawlor; Patron of the Abbey Theatre, Dr Cecily O’Neill; Playwright, Carley Magee and Literary and New Work Director at the Abbey Theatre, Ruth McGowan.
