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Wicked Announces Young Writers’ Award 2011
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Hit West End musical Wicked has announced the second year of its hugely popular Young Writers’ Award competition. The show is keen to inspire the next generation of storytelling talent and is once more looking for young people between the ages of five and 25 to put forward their poems and tall tales. The Award is championed by Patron Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall and is supported once more by Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo, the author of Warhorse. |
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A New Perspective on StorytellingThe Wicked Young Writers’ Awards are split into five age categories, making them unique in the UK for rewarding writing excellence across such a broad age-range. The age categories are 5 – 7, 8 – 10, 11 – 13, 14 – 16; and the individual Gregory Maguire award for ages 17 – 25. |
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The individual award is inspired by the creative journey of the novel Wicked, the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West written by Gregory Maguire. He was captivated by the works of L. Frank Baum and the memorable characters he created in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Maguire re-imagined the stories of the witches and how they came to be Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West. His prequel story won widespread acclaim before being adapted for stage with music and lyrics by Broadway Composer Stephen Schwartz. The individual award encourages entries in a similar writing style of taking a well-known story and revisiting it from a new perspective. |
Award Team Hoping for Plenty of EntriesOver 3,500 entries were received in 2010 before being narrowed down to 100 finalists. Five winners were then announced at a special winners’ showcase held at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, the home of the musical. The successful format will continue in 2011, with entry completely free and open to any young person in the UK and Northern Ireland aged between five and 25 on the closing date of 31 July 2011. Entries can range from poems, to stories, to drama. They must be typewritten and no longer than 750 words. |
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Award Judge Michael Morpurgo said: "I am delighted to be involved in the Wicked Young Writers' Award for its second year. We had thousands of entries last year with some wonderful and original writing. Again, my fellow judges and I will be looking for stories and poems that are written from the heart and passionately felt, where young people have written for themselves to develop their own style and voice. Here's hoping for another amazing year!" |
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For full information please visit the Wicked Young Writers’ Award Website here. Click Here for Our Great Wicked No Booking Fee Offer! |
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