Ingrid Selberg and Thea Melton. Photo credit: Sharron Wallace
Congratulations to Thea Melton who won with her play Blaxit Means Blaxit. Thea will be mentored by Paula B. Stanic.
Thea Melton says, “I am so honoured and grateful to be the recipient of the Mustapha Matura Award and Mentoring Programme this year. This has been so encouraging and a massive confidence boost for me to keep writing but also platform my work. I am excited to receive guidance from my mentor who can help nurture and expand my craft as a playwright but also equip me with the skills to navigate the industry. Thank you to everyone involved in organising the award. This is a life changing opportunity and I cannot wait to see where it takes me.”
Ingrid Selberg, Estate of Mustapha Matura says, “Blaxit Means Blaxit is a satirical, but thoughtful, exploration of young Black Brits re-evaluating their place in the land they call home, through a range of different characters. The writing is funny and sharp, the storytelling bold but also very relatable and certainly topical. Blaxit Means Blaxit shows the talent and the promise of Thea Melton as a playwright, and we are delighted to be presenting her this year’s Mustapha Matura Award and Mentoring Programme.”
The Mustapha Matura Award and Mentoring Programme is supported by Estate of Mustapha Matura, Garrick Charitable Trust and The Henry Kent Trust and many individual donors.
Shortlist
- Elan Ayana Black Love
- Raphael Phillips Chew & SPit
- Thea Melton Blaxit Means Blaxit
- Zakiyyah Deen Why A Black Woman Will Never Be Prime Minister
Longlist
- Deontaye Osazuwa Hope and Death
- Elan Ayana Black Love
- Hayley Schiffer Iss Right!
- Raphael Phillips Chew & Spit
- Thea Melton Blaxit Means Blaxit
- Zakiyyah Deen Why A Black Woman Will Never Be Prime Minister
