What Happens Next?
What Happens Next? is an interactive playwriting competition supporting Liverpool’s emerging artists. This unique event offers playwrights an opportunity to showcase their work, engage with audiences and industry experts, and be in with a chance to win a fantastic prize package.
What Happens Next? distinguishes itself from traditional writing contests by involving both the audience and a panel of judges in the selection process and having a deep focus on providing training opportunities to local artists.
Over the course of three evenings, eight compelling plays will showcase their opening 20 minutes in front of a live audience. The audience, alongside the expert panel of industry professionals, will cast their votes to determine which play deserves the spotlight, the coveted prizes and most importantly, which play made them say ‘What Happens Next?’
Tickets for this year’s competition are on sale now!
What’s on offer?
The winners of What Happens Next? will be awarded an impressive array of prizes designed to support their artistic practice going forward:
Five Days of Complimentary Theatre Space: Utilise The Hope Street Theatre for a week, providing a dedicated space to develop and rehearse your play.
Professional Production Contract: Tip Tray Theatre will contract the full production of the winning play, offering a platform for a polished, professional showcase.
Expert Dramaturgy: Benefit from in-depth dramaturgical support from Papatango Theatre Company, ensuring that your play reaches its highest potential.
£1000 Kickstarter Budget: Secure a financial boost to support the realisation of your creative vision with a £1000 Kickstarter budget.
Why Get
Involved?
What Happens Next? focuses on the development of early career artists in Liverpool. Tip Tray Theatre started the competition as a way to develop and showcase emerging talent, providing a platform for new voices to be heard. The initiative was designed not only to discover fresh, dynamic work but also to foster a supportive environment where writers, directors, and performers can collaborate and grow. By offering the opportunity for artists to see their work staged in front of a live audience, Tip Tray Theatre aims to bridge the gap between script and performance, helping new artists take their first steps toward a sustainable career in the arts.
Apply now!
Script submissions are now closed for What Happens Next? 2025.
Keep up with us on social media to find out what plays were selected and see how you can still be involved
Opportunities for emerging actors!
Calling all early career actors...are you looking for opportunities to perform?
As part of our yearly What Happens Next? playwrights competition, each play is paired with a professional director and a cast of actors. Because the competition is all about developing and giving a platform to emerging artists, we want to hear from early career actors who would be interested in performing in one of our selected 8 plays.
This is a great chance to work with experienced directors, gain stage time, and be part of an exciting creative process. If you're looking to build your experience, we’d love to hear from you.
Fill out the interest form below to be considered. Once the plays are selected, we'll use this pool of actors to help cast the roles needed.
Please note: This opportunity is voluntary, expressing your interest does not guarantee you will be selected due to the limited amount of roles available.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Help us continue to support emerging artists!
“What Happens Next? was an amazing opportunity to get my work off the ground and meet so many talented people in the process... An excitement that will stay with me for a long time.”
2023 WINNER
2023 WINNER
What Happens Next? winner 2023 I Am Steven Gerrard written by Sean McLoughlin has experienced great success in it’s time since winning. The shows origination at The Hope Street Theatre was critically acclaimed and was later taken to Liverpool’s Royal Court.
2024 WINNER
2024 WINNER
The winner of What Happens Next? 2024 was FOUR written by Elspeth Todd and directed by Ellie Begley. You will be able to see the full production of FOUR in 2025 at The Hope Street Theatre.
