Winner of inaugural WiT Award announced

D A Nixon has been announced as the winner of the inaugural Writers in Theatre Award at a ceremony at the Royal Court in London.

Nixon, a former associate literary agent, won the award for his play Look Me In The Eye When We’re Dancing. The play follows the two-year journey of two young men who dream of becoming successful DJs.

The playwright has been awarded an £8,000 commission, and additionally a dramaturgical relationship with touring theatre company Out of Joint which will include a public reading of his play.

Among the other finalists were actor Oliver Bennett, front of house assistant at Bristol Old Vic Marek Horn, producer and practitioner Bethany Sharp, and literary manager at Graeae theatre company, Chloe Todd Fordham. They will each receive £100 in theatre tokens and copies of Steve Waters’ book The Secret Life of Plays.

WiT Award was launched by touring company Out of Joint and charitable trust the Experienced Theatre Practitioners Early Playwriting Trust. It was open to playwrights who already work within the theatre industry.

The judging panel included playwrights Mark Ravenhill and Winsome Pinnock, publisher Nick Hern, director Max Stafford-Clark, Out of Joint’s literary manager Catriona Craig and Clive Webster, member of the ETPEPT.