We read theatre

After a successful first Dutch edition in 2023, Vlaams Cultuurhuis de Brakke Grond and Theater Bellevue join forces again for Shakespeare is Dead, the unique Dutch-Flemish festival for performing writers and new stories. Discover a programme full of performances, meetings and inspiration sessions, created with and by writers and organisations committed to the stories yet to be written.

Het nieuwstedelijk is looking for an author to write a newevening-length play as part of Future Narratives for Planet Earth. 

The third edition of Shakespeare is dead was a success. Relive the festival for contemporary playwriting!

All excerpts and translations of the Dutch and International selection of Shakespeare is dead 2024 are available in the Reading Room.

Discover the Dutch language selection here.

Discover the 2024 International selection of Shakespeare is dead!

In 2023, the Ministry of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate will for the first time award the CARL ZUCKMAYER SCHOLARSHIP to promote contemporary European drama and the memory of the political German playwright Carl Zuckmayer.

The scholarship is addressed to playwrights living in Europe who have already written at least one theatre play that has been staged already. The working scholarship is intended to enable them to write a play on a socially relevant, European topic with financial security. 

Download the call!

Together with the Toneelschrijfprijs, the Translation Prize is also awarded, an initiative of the Fonds Podiumkunsten and Literatuur Vlaanderen. This year, the prize goes to 'Mater' by Femke Van der Steen. Her text will be fully translated into French, English or German and presented abroad during a staged reading thanks to the support of DeAuteurs.

With his stage script 'Queen of Disco', Maarten van Hinte has been named winner of the 35th edition of the Toneelschrijfprijs. The prize worth 10,000 euros was awarded this year on Friday 15 September at the Flemish TheaterFestival in Brussels.

Did your theatre text premiere between January 1 and December 31 2022? Submit from now on until March 31 your text for the Toneelschrijfprijs 2023, the award for the best originally Dutch-spoken theatre work.

Vlaams Cultuurhuis de Brakke Grond and Theater Bellevue are joining forces to organize Shakespeare is Dead, the festival for the new theater text. What was instigated by Het nieuwstedelijk in Leuven, Belgium, now also ignites in Amsterdam on March 24 and 25

Participate in Shakesepeare is dead Amsterdam on March 24 and 25 at Theater Bellevue and Vlaams Cultuurhuis de Brakke Grond.

Shakespeare is dead is looking for contemporary playwrights and plays to introduce in the Dutch speaking world.

This is my state.
And that of no one else.
The state I am in
The state of Lot Vekemans.
Who is also a playwright.

Discover 'The state of' of Lot Vekemans as delivered on Friday 25 February 2022 at the first edition of Shakesepeare is dead.

our generation is often seen as
a lost generation
we feel lost
or we have lost something
a kind of idealism or collectivity
but I have the feeling that we have
actually gained a lot
compared to previous generations
in insight
in consciousness and self-awareness
in modesty
and certainly in sensitivity

Read the State of the Young Playwright as delivered by Anouk Friedli on Friday 25 February at the first edition of Shakesepeare is dead.

 

LUCA school of arts organises workspace aiming at creating a safe and open space for each participating playwright to work on a (new) script, scene or text close to their hearts. The goal of this workspace is not to produce a polished, finished (and consumer-friendly) script or scene, but an exploration about and around the texts. Apply before February 4.

discover it !

Discover the Dutch and Belgian authors who are selected for the festival.

Discover the works and authors selected for the Shakespeare is dead festival!

In anticipation of the festival, which has been moved to February 2022, we proudly present this website.

In April, Theaterencyclopedie pays attention to forgotten female playwrights from the 17th and 18th century as part of the project Vondel was a Woman.

Dutch only.

The European Drama in Translation Network announced its 2021 selection of translated drama texts recommended for production and publication.