Two NHB projects have made the shortlists for the Music & Drama Education Awards 2025, which were announced today (18 October).

The Drama Workshop Leader by Linden-Walcott Burton is in the running for Outstanding Drama Education Resource. Written by a facilitator with over fifteen years' experience running workshops for renowned organisations including the National Youth Theatre, Barbican and The Old Vic, this book is a comprehensive guide to planning and delivering effective drama sessions – no matter what's thrown your way.

Elsewhere, Multiplay Drama: Season 2 is shortlisted for Outstanding Drama Initiative. First introduced in 2019, Multiplay Drama provides fantastic large-cast plays – originally commissioned by some of the UK's top drama schools and youth theatres – specifically written to be performed by and appeal to young people. Season 2 was launched in 2023, and expands the series with ten more plays in an exciting variety of styles, genres and subject matters. (Season 1 of Multiplay Drama was also shortlisted for the same award in 2020.)

The winners of the Music & Drama Education Awards 2025 will be announced in January. Recent NHB winners have included our Platform play series (in partnership with Tonic Theatre), and When This Is Over (in partnership with Company Three).

Azuka Oforka won Best Writer at last night's The Stage Debut Awards for her play The Women of Llanrumney, which was premiered at Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, in May this year.

The play, which explores the lives of women on a Welsh-owned slave plantation in Jamaica in 1765, was described as 'a scorching writing debut that marks the arrival of an exhilarating new voice' (The Stage).

The Best Writer award was shared with Sam Grabiner for Boys on the Verge of Tears at Soho Theatre. Their joint victory marks the first time the gong has been won by two writers.

Also on the shortlist for Best Writer were NHB authors Martha Loader for Bindweed (HighTide/New Wolsey Theatre) and Harry McDonald for Foam (Finborough Theatre).

Other winners at this year's Stage Debut Awards, which were held in London on 29 September, included Jack Wolfe, who won the Best West End Debut Performer award for his performance in Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's musical next to normal, and Daniel Bailey, who won the Best Creative West End Debut award for his work as director on Tyrell Williams's play Red Pitch (@sohoplace).