The Oxford Playhouse Student Slot MT26

The Oxford Playhouse welcomes student theatre every term to perform on its main stage. From large scale plays to the glitziest of musicals, there’s no bigger student stage. Offering unparalleled technical capacity, alongside support from staff at The Oxford Playhouse itself, this is the stage on which to let your imagination go wild.

Though leading an OP production is mostly recommended for students with theatrical experience behind them, don’t let this prevent you from applying – ideas and passion get you just as far. The most successful student production teams at the Playhouse have a complete mix of experienced and less experienced members in their company.

To submit a bid please fill in the below application form which includes more guidance and information about the slot. Note that no more information is required other than answering the included questions and attaching a provisional budget. Please use the budget template attached above, filling in the ‘Projected’ tab of the template.

Choosing a Production to Pitch

You are advised to contact the University Drama Officer prior to the deadline to discuss your application so that we can support you in making your bid as strong as it possibly can be. They will also check that your proposed title doesn’t clash with anything in the venue’s upcoming programme.

A whole range of texts make fantastic pitches for The Oxford Playhouse - from Renaissance drama to Broadway musicals, classics of 20th Century Drama to more recent modern classics. We don’t have a preference for any particular form, style or genre (even if other students tell you we do…!), though are unlikely to programme pitches for new writing. You do need to consider why a play is relevant to contemporary audiences in Oxford, what makes it artistically exciting to stage this play now and why audiences why want to see the production.

The Oxford Greek Play, a triennial Oxford University production, will also be performing at The Oxford Playhouse in Michaelmas 2026 - likely in the week before or after the student theatre slot. Do consider this when selecting potential titles - we’re keen to see pitches for which counterpoints in tone, modernity and relevance to audiences locally.

Deadline: Midnight Sunday 22nd February

Please email your completed application form to Noah Wild, the University Drama Officer, at drama.officer@admin.ox.ac.uk and Katy Snelling, Director of Programming at Oxford Playhouse, at katy.snelling@oxfordplayhouse.com

Interviews will follow in the fortnight after the deadline.

For any questions please contact the University Drama Officer on drama.officer@admin.ox.ac.uk