David Edgar
David Edgar has a long association with the Dorchester Community Plays Association. He wrote the town's first play Entertaining Strangers in 1985, which was a huge success. It went on to be produced at the National Theatre in 1987 under the direction of Sir Peter Hall, with Dame Judi Dench playing the lead role. David Edgar was born into a theatrical family in Birmingham in 1948. After a short career as a journalist he took up playwriting full time in 1972. Most of his early plays were written for the Bradford University Theatre Group and by the mid 70's he was receiving regular commissions from repertory theatres and small touring groups. David's plays have been directed by the incumbent Artistic Directors of both the major British companies, Trevor Nunn for the RSC and Peter Hall for the National Theatre. His work has been performed and/or published in Ireland, throughout Western and Eastern Europe, America and as far afield as, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Japan. David Edgar has won numerous awards including the Evening Standard Play of the Year award for PENTECOST. He is an honorary Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Stephanie Dale
Stephanie Dale read Theatre and Media Drama, specialising in script writing for stage and radio (1993-96), going on to study for an MA in Playwriting at Birmingham University (1997-98). In 2001, she took part in Radio 4's Double Acts initiative, writing Written in Mist with Ieuan Watkins (Radio 4, 2002). Since then she has written What Is Missing From Your Life (Radio 4, 2004); First Bite of the Air (Radio 4, 2007); What Is Missing From Your Life (the Men) (Radio 4, 2007). All radio work was directed by Peter Leslie Wild and Sara Conkey. Stephanie is currently writing Believe Me, a drama which explores domestic violence. (Radio 4, 2010). The drama will be aired with an accompanying documentary. Directed by Toby Swift. Recent stage plays include; A Time to Keep (co-written with David Edgar) directed by Penny Cherns, staged at LAMDA (2009). Currently, Stephanie is on attachment with the Birmingham REP and is writing Dealing With Dreams. Stephanie is also working on an adaptation of Moonfleet, J.M Falkner's smuggling tale set in 1759, with original musical score by Tim Laycock. Stephanie has also been commissioned to write A Bundle of Sticks for Midland Actors Theatre Company. Stephanie Dale teaches Applied Drama at Loughborough University and Playwriting (both undergrad and post grad) at Birmingham University. She also co-founded Theatre Works and has delivered writing workshops in over one thousand schools across the UK.
