Audible Announces Grants for Aspiring Playwrights

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Audible Announces Grants for Aspiring Playwrights

Today Audible, the digital audiobook company owned by Amazon, announced the creation of a series of 12 grants to the tune of a total of $5 million, which will go towards producing the works of aspiring playwrights around the world.

Audible is looking to develop either one- or two-character, intimate works. The advisory board tasked with informing the selection of the lucky recipients will be actress Annette Bening, playwrights Lynn Nottage, Tom Stoppard and David Henry Hwang, directors Trip Cullman and Leigh Silverman, and artistic directors Oskar Eustis and Mimi O’Donnell.

Audible’s CEO, Donald R. Katz told the New York Times that he is “hoping that people just come out of the woodwork,” so if you’ve always thought you had the next great American play in you, but felt that you lacked the funds or experience to get it off of the ground, now just might be your chance.

Ironically, Katz used a sports analogy to describe how he hopes having access to Audible’s diverse audience will help such playwrights reach more individuals, saying, “To celebrate live performance in the theater is one thing, but think of professional sports. There’s the game, but it’s also being projected to millions of other people in a really powerful way.”

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