Lookout Point supports National Theatre on New Writer in Residence Programme 2016/17
Drama producer Lookout Point continue to highlight their commitment to developing and nurturing new writing talent by supporting the National Theatre on their New Writer in Residence Programme 2016/17.
Anupama Chandrasekhar will take up the twelve month post in September 2016. Chandrasekhar, a Chennai based playwright, whose plays have been staged at leading venues in India, Europe, Canada, the US and the UK include Free Out Going and Disconnect which played at the Royal Court to great critical acclaim.
Anupama said: “I’m thrilled and overwhelmed at the faith the National Theatre have placed in me. This is an unprecedented opportunity for me to learn, share, explore and grow. I’m sure the distance from my homeland will offer me new lenses with which to view my culture and history and the NT's support system will give me the freedom and focus to write the kind of plays I want to write. I can’t wait to get started on this new journey. “
This new programme will see Chandrasekhar begin a twelve month residency for the National Theatre’s New Work department led by Emily McLaughlin. Following this, she will work with Lookout Point’s award-winning team led by joint CEO Faith Penhale to develop TV script ideas. Anupama will follow in the footsteps of previous National Theatre Writer in Residence Mike Bartlett (Charles III, Dr. Foster, The Town) who is currently working with Lookout Point on the recently announced newspaper drama series for BBC1, Press.
Lookout Point’s joint CEO Faith Penhale comments “We’re thrilled to be supporting the National Theatre and the incredibly talented Anupama on this exciting programme. Through this partnership we aim, not only to develop a strong relationship with the National Theatre and Anu, an exciting emerging writer, but also build on our reputation as a home for new, alternative and diverse writing talent.”
Emily McLaughlin, Head of New Work at the National Theatre said “Anupama joins the National at an exciting time, succeeding Suhayla El-Bushra as the NT’s new Writer in Residence. I first got to know and understand Anupama’s potential through the work of Elyse Dodgson and the Royal Court’s International Department.This post is a brilliant opportunity for a writer to use the broad resources that the National Theatre has to offer and we are thrilled that Anupama will be our first international Writer in Residence.”
Ends
End Notes to editors:
1. For more information about Lookout Point contact: Emily Finch: [email protected] 2. For more information about the National Theatre contact: Vicky Kington, Head of Press, National Theatre: [email protected] 3. For images of Anupama Chandrasekhar, click here
About the National Theatre
The National Theatre is dedicated to making the very best theatre and sharing it with as many people as possible. We produce productions on the South Bank in London each year, ranging from re-imagined classics to modern masterpieces and new work by contemporary writers and theatre- makers. The National’s work is seen on tour throughout the UK, in London’s West End, internationally (including on Broadway) and in collaborations and co-productions with theatres across the country.
Across 2015-2016, the NT staged 34 productions and gave 3,057 performances in the UK and internationally. We reached audiences of over 787,000 on the South Bank, and over 3.7 million worldwide. Via the NT Live programme, which broadcasts live performances to cinema screens internationally, we reached 1.5 million people around the world.
The Clore Learning Centre at the NT is committed to providing programmes for schools, young people, families, community groups and adult learners, including the nationwide youth theatre festival Connections and playwriting competition New Views. Last year, we engaged with over 189,000 participants through the NT Learning events programme. Further, over 2,200 secondary schools have signed up to the free streaming service, On Demand in Schools since its launch in September 2015. nationaltheatre.org.uk
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About Lookout Point Lookout Point is an independent drama production company working with the UK’s leading writing, directing and on screen talent to produce bold and innovative television drama.
The company was established in 2009 and has a proven reputation as the market leaders in global drama financing. Faith Penhale, formerly Head of Drama at BBC Wales, recently joined as joint CEO alongside Chairman and joint CEO Simon Vaughan to take the company into its next phase as a leading producer of high quality scripted drama.
Lookout Point's credits to date include Andrew Davies' critically acclaimed adaptation of War & Peace for BBC One, Ripper Street (shortly in its fifth and final season on Amazon Prime), Tom Stoppard's adaptation of Ford Madox Ford's Parade’s End starring Benedict Cumberbatch and recently collaborated with BBC Cymru Wales on period mystery drama The Living and the Dead.
Lookout Point is currently co-producing Mike Bartlett’s bold and provocative newspaper drama, Press, with Nigel Stafford-Clark/Deep Indigo and BBC Studios for BBC One; Sally Wainwright’s landmark single film for BBC One about the extraordinary lives of the Bronte sisters, To Walk Invisible, with BBC Studios/Wales; Andrew Davies’ adaptation of Victor Hugo's 19th century classic, Les Misérables, with BBC Studios and The Weinstein Company for BBC One and is also producing Oliver Goldstick’s sumptuous drama set in a post war Paris fashion house, The Collection, for Amazon Prime.
The company has an exclusive co-venture partnership with BBC Worldwide, through which they jointly maximise the financing and distribution of projects in the global marketplace.