Smock Alley is looking for submissions for the 2025 edition of its flagship Rachel Baptiste Programme.

• Are you Black Irish and/or a Person of Colour?
• Are you a writer, performer, or theatre maker?
• Are you interested in writing for the stage?
• Are you ready to commit time to exploring ideas about playwriting, putting ideas down on paper and then expanding into new drafts?
• Did you ever want to work with a dramaturg?
• Would you like the opportunity to talk to well-known playwrights and find out how they go about writing their plays?
• How about handing your script over to actors to hear your words read out?
• If you have ever thought about these things the Rachel Baptiste Programme at Smock Alley could be right for you.

Smock Alley has long been a venue that supports artists particularly in the early part of their career. The Baptiste Programme is one of a series of targeted new work programmes at Smock which seek to professionalise artists, to provide a platform for underrepresented voices and to raise skills in artistic practice. Created by Lucy Ryan and Pamela McQueen in 2020, the Baptiste Programme is a paid, mentored script development programme for Black Irish and/or Persons of Colour to write a new play.

The programme is named after the 18th century Black Irish singer Rachel Baptiste, who performed to great acclaim here in Smock Alley as well as at other notable and prestigious venues and pleasure gardens of the time.

This programme is a combination of dramaturgy workshops, mentor seminars and facilitated meetings. The programme culminates in a reading of the new scripts with a professional cast and director. For the past two years the programme of rehearsed readings at the end of the programme have been presented as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival.

For the programme in 2025, we welcome previous participant Esosa Ighodaro as the Project Lead and Facilitator.
Pamela McQueen will continue as the dramaturg on the programme developing scripts with the participants.

We are now looking for expressions of interest.
To apply fill out the following form: https://form.jotform.com/242983170449060

You will be asked for you CV or a bio along with an answer to the following question:
At this point in your practice, what do you hope to gain through participation on the programme?

The final deadline for applications is midnight Sunday 1st December 2024.
Interviews will be held in early December 2024.

The programme sessions will be a combination of in-person and on-line events. With in-person sessions taking place in Dublin.

The programme has been previously funded by the Arts Council and Dublin City Council.

Outline of the Programme:

4 participants will be selected for participation.

The programme is broken into four stages that take place over 9 months.

Stage One:
Includes script concept exploration, writing plans and feedback sessions led by Pamela McQueen.

Stage Two:
Involves master classes with Irish and British writers and theatre makers with established careers. For 2024 we were very pleased to have Annie Ryan, Raymond Keane and Sonya Kelly deliver these sessions.

Stage Three:
The writers focus on redrafting their scripts with further dramaturgical support from the team and peer-to-peer support facilitated by Esosa Ighodaro. First draft scripts will then have an in-house informal reading with actors.

Stage Four:
A facilitated two-day rehearsed reading process for the redrafted script with a professional cast and director.

We are looking to achieve the following outcomes:
To support the skills and craft development in the creation of 4 proto scripts that can be brought to completion with further development.
An expansion of Smock Alley’s relationships with artists of colour that can grow into future projects.
Connecting the writers and their work with a broader swathe of producers and creative team members across Irish theatre.
This program wishes to facilitate those networks and relationships with the writers’ new plays.

To apply fill out the following form: https://form.jotform.com/242983170449060

Previous Participants

2024
Tanya Bridgeman
Christie Kandiwa
Matthew Sharpe
Shannon Welby

2023
Gabriel Adewusi
Sean Gallen
Sophie Lenglinger
Joy Nesbitt

2022
Ikenna Anyabuike
Dagogo Hart Dagogo
Esosa Ighodaro
Nandi Jola

2020
Osaro Azams
Mary Duffin
Kwaku Fortune
CN Smith

Alumni from the programme continue to work in the industry, with many further developing the work they began on the programme. Kwaku Fortune’s play It’s Cool in the Shade is currently undergoing further development with Once Off Productions, Dagogo Hart Dagogo’s play, Mmanwu was staged as part of the 2023 Dublin Fringe Festival. Esosa Ighodaro’s play Let Me In, underwent further development with The Everyman Theatre, Cork. Joy Nesbitt’s play Goode has been longlisted for a Verity Bargate award in 2024.

Pictured Top Left L – R:  Esther Ayo James, Donna Anita Nikolaisen, Ryan Lincoln, Pete Daly, Bairbre Ní Chaoimh, Barry Simpson, Jeanne Nicole Ní Áinle. | Top Middle L – R: Amanda Azams, Jeanne Nicole Ní Áinle, Esther Ayo James | Top Right: Amanda Azams, Alessandra Zevedo, Jeanne Nicole Ní Áinle, Yves Lorrhan |  Middle Left: Amanda Azams, Aoife Spillanne-Hinks | Middle: Bairbre Ní Chaoimh, Caitríona Ní Mhurchú | Middle Right: Alessandra Zevedo, Jeanne Nicole Ní Áinle, Yves Lorrhan, Esther Ayo James | Bottom Left: Jeanne Nicole Ní Áinle | Bottom Middle: Leah Minto, Ryan Lincoln | Bottom Right: Amanda Azams, Esther Ayo James