About The Prize

At a time when theatres are actively seeking work that resonates widely and revitalises attendance, the Prize supports writers who think big: plays with emotional weight, narrative drive, and the power to fill a room. The Mainstage Prize celebrates theatrical storytelling with scale — bold characters, gripping plots, and ideas that spark public conversation.

Each year, the Prize identifies a guiding theme or creative direction that reflects the stories audiences are hungry for now, signalling to the industry where the next wave of major new work may emerge. The Prize exists to celebrate high-impact, high-appeal theatre— and to launch writers whose plays can tour nationally, transfer commercially, and stand alongside the most successful works on the contemporary stage.

Prize Mission

To champion playwrights with the ambition to create high-impact theatre — work with the potential to reach large audiences, tour nationally, and thrive on major stages.

To identify the stories, themes, and ideas that audiences are hungry for, and support writers who can transform those impulses into compelling, dramatic works.

To connect emerging playwrights with major industry figures creating real pathways to production, visibility, and long-term careers.

To stimulate a renewed culture of popular theatre in the UK, celebrating plays that combine emotional power, narrative drive, and artistic excellence.

Team

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Sophie Cairns

Founder

  • With over a decade of experience across the UK, Ireland, and the USA, Sophie is a producer and director dedicated to the pulse of new writing. Through Sophie Cairns Productions, she has championed over 200 artists and commissioned 50+ original works, leading to award-nominated runs and successful Fringe tours.

Laura Turner

Literary Manager

  • Laura is a writer, script reader, editor, dramaturg and teacher, and associate artist at Nottingham Playhouse. She has over 15 years' experience working with the BBC, BFI, Hull Truck Theatre, the Almeida, the Universities of Lincoln and York, the Undergraduate Global Awards, the Women of the Future Awards, among others.