Wicked Young Writers’ Award

The smash hit West End musical WICKED is proud to announce the second year of its hugely successful WICKED Young Writers’ Award.  The Award recognises excellence in writing, encourages creativity, and helps develop literacy and writing talent in young people between the ages of 5 and 25 years old. Inspired by the production’s roots within Gregory Maguire’s acclaimed novel, the Award is championed by Patron Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall and spearheaded by bestselling author and former Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo. Assisting with the judging process will be Michael McCabe, Executive Producer of WICKED, and William Fiennes, founder of First Story, an organisation that supports and inspires creativity, literacy and talent in schools by arranging for authors to run long-term writing workshops in challenging secondary schools in the UK. Michael McCabe said in a statement: “Following the huge success of 2010’s inaugural year, it is with great pride that we are again able to use the production’s important messages of choices, values and consequences to help enhance young peoples’ engagement with creative writing.”Michael Morpurgo praised the scheme: “I am delighted to be involved in the WICKED Young Writers’ Award for its second year. We had thousands of entries last year with some wonderful and original writing.  Again, my fellow judges and I will be looking for stories and poems that are written from the heart and passionately felt, where young people have written for themselves to develop their own style and voice. Here’s hoping for another amazing year!”WICKED star Louise Dearman (Glinda) voiced her excitement at being asked to be the spokesperson of the Award on behalf of the cast: “Performing a reading at the winners’ ceremony last year was a real privilege, so I jumped at the chance to get involved earlier and help to energise and inspire young people to enter”Young people can submit entries until Sunday 31 July 2011. A shortlist of 100 finalists will be announced in the Autumn, followed by a special winners’ showcase at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre, home of the award-winning musical. Get involved at WickedYoungWriters.com