Soundstart 2015 - the next generation of the BBC Radio Drama Company
Hannah Khalil
Digital Content Producer, About The BBC Blog
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Earlier this week (Tuesday 23 June) at New Broadcasting House in London there was a special event to announce the winners of two important awards: The BBC Norman Beaton Fellowship and BBC Carleton Hobbs Bursary, part of BBC Radio Drama’s (((soundstart))) programmes to bring new voices into radio drama.
The Norman Beaton Fellowship is for applicants from non-traditional training backgrounds, and this year partnered with a range of theatres across the UK to source the winners, while the Carleton Hobbs Bursaries are aimed at students graduating from regular (or post-graduate) courses run by accredited drama schools across the country.
The winners of both the Fellowship and the Bursary are each given a five-month contract in the Radio Drama Company, while the runners-up will all be cast as a freelance actor in one of Radio Drama’s autumn/winter productions.
The event itself was held in the Council Chamber at New Broadcasting House under the watchful portraits of every former BBC Director General. Rebecca Wilmshurst, Production Executive for Radio Drama introduced the proceedings and Producer and chair of the judges for this year’s Norman Beaton Fellowship, Marion Nancarrow read a short message from Norman’s son, Will Beaton, who was unable to attend in person.
London Editor Toby Swift then introduced an audio clip of some of the winners in action, which you can hear below:
Audio montage of some of the Soundstart radio drama award winners in action
Next, actress Nina Wadia handed out the prizes, and then helped Rebecca Wilmshurst and Marion Nancarrow cut a very special cake to mark 75 Years of the Radio Drama Company. You can read more about the history of the company in Rebecca’s blog.
Marion Nancarrow, Nina Wadia and Rebecca Wilmshurst cut the cake
This year’s winners and runners-up are as follows:
BBC Norman Beaton Fellowship Winners 2015
- Debra Baker (Theatre Royal Stratford East)
- Katie Redford (Birmingham Rep)
- Leo Wan (Yellow Earth Theatre)
BBC Norman Beaton Fellowship Runners-up 2015
- Nahel Tzegai (Talawa Theatre)
- Chris Jack (Bolton Octagon)
BBC Carleton Hobbs Bursary Award Winners 2015
- Evie Killip (Drama Studio London)
- Rebecca Hamilton (BOVTS)
- Caolan McCarthy (RADA)
- George Watkins (RWCMD)
BBC Carleton Hobbs Bursary Award Runners-up 2015
- Nicola Ferguson (MMU)
- Julianna Jennings (RCSSD)
- Tom Forrister (RWCMD)
- Karl Queensborough (RCSSD)
Later in the summer we will also host a blog from one of the award winners about their experiences. Until then for more information visit the (((soundstart)))) website.
Hannah Khalil is Digital Content Producer, About the BBC Website and Blog
