Ryan Calais Cameron launches season supporting emerging Black and Global Majority playwrights
- London Theatre Doc
- Jun 9
- 2 min read
At a time when opportunities for emerging playwrights are becoming increasingly scarce, Olivier Award nominated playwright and Sky Arts Award winner Ryan Calais Cameron is launching a major new initiative designed to support the next generation of theatre makers in South London.
Created in partnership with Broadway Theatre, Catford, The Ryan Calais Cameron Season will run from 1 July to 25 October 2026, providing development support, mentorship, funding and fully realised productions for three emerging writers from Black and Global Majority backgrounds.
Unlike many writer development programmes, the initiative does not stop at workshops or script development. Instead, each playwright will receive a professional production, taking their work from page to stage in Broadway Theatre’s Studio space.
Having previously worked in Lewisham, it is particularly encouraging to see investment being directed into local creative talent. Broadway Theatre is a fitting home for a programme designed to nurture the next generation of playwrights.
The initiative feels especially fitting given Calais Cameron’s own roots in the borough. Having grown up in Lewisham with Broadway Theatre on his doorstep, the acclaimed writer is now using his platform to create opportunities for others following in his footsteps.
Best known for “For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy” and “Retrograde”, Calais Cameron has personally selected three playwrights for the inaugural season: Justice Ezi, Demi Wilson-Smith and Kaleb D’Aguilar. Their plays will each receive a 12 performance run, supported by professional development and mentorship throughout the process.
The season opens with “Last Goal Wins” by Justice Ezi from 1 to 12 July. The high-stakes football drama follows two players battling for a place on the Nigerian national team, exploring identity, belonging and power in elite sport.
Next comes “Cranes” from 23 September to 4 October. Written and performed by Demi Wilson-Smith, the autobiographical play explores activism, protest and the personal consequences of being caught up in events beyond your control.
The season concludes with “How To Keep Warm in Winter” from 14 to 25 October. Set in 1970s London, Kaleb D’Aguilar’s debut play follows Jamaican newlyweds navigating racism, economic hardship and the realities of migration in Britain. Previously longlisted for the Alfred Fagon Award, the production will mark its first ever staging.
At a time when many emerging writers struggle to secure professional productions, The Ryan Calais Cameron Season offers something increasingly rare: a direct pathway from page to stage.
Season Line-Up
“Last Goal Wins”
1 to 12 July 2026
“Cranes”
23 September to 4 October 2026
“How To Keep Warm in Winter”
14 to 25 October 2026
Venue: Broadway Theatre, Catford
Performance Times: 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Tickets: £15 (£12 concessions)
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