MGCfutures Bursary recipients announced

The recipients of the MGCfutures Bursaries have been revealed today.

Michael Grandage launched the programme in 2016 for theatre practitioners who show a commitment to their chosen career and look to progress to the next stage of their development.

They are awarded across a range of theatrical disciplines including directing, writing, production, design, theatre-making, and for the first time this year, a theatrical tailor. The registered charity offers both financial and ongoing mentoring support to the recipients who come from across the UK.

The new recipients were shared in a video on social media by Luke Evans, who joins the charity as a patron, having recently appeared in Grandage’s Backstairs Billy, alongside Penelope Wilton who also joins as a patron.

Evans said: “MGCfutures has done excellent work over the last ten years supporting theatremakers at pivotal moments in their careers and today, I am excited to have the opportunity to introduce the new bursary recipients.”

This year’s recipients are: Rachel Bellman in a joint project with Eden Tredwell, Layla Bradbeer, Ben Kulvichit and Clara Potter-Sweet as Emergency Chorus, Emma Higham, Jack MacGregor, Jasmin Mandi-Ghomi, Rebecca Prentice, Eleanor Sikorski, Virginie Taylor, and Xana. As well as David Wood , who receives the Stephanie Arditti Bursary for costume makers, and Cai Kennedy, who becomes Derby Theatre’s engagement communications producer.

MGCfutures patron Nicole Kidman continues her support by gifting a bursary designed to support women in the theatre industry. This year’s goes to director Imy Wyatt Corner.

Grandage said today: “In this, our eighth year of the bursary programme, we’re delighted to welcome a further 13 recipients to the futures family, now standing at more than 150 members in total.

“This year’s diverse group of practitioners represents a broad range of specialist skills in the theatre industry: three writers, a producer, a director, a video designer, a sound artist, a choreographer and three theatremakers, as well as our first theatrical tailor and a new traineeship at Derby Theatre. It’s clear that the need for the unique support that we offer is increasingly urgent. In these uncertain times, it’s really tough for those trying to establish their careers, and it’s vital that we nurture and support new talent in order to help them become established in the theatre industry.”