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Sumerah Srivastav

Writer - Stage / Television

Agent: Jean Kitson - jean@kitsonpress.co.uk

Email Agent

Sumerah Srivastav is a playwright, librettist and screenwriter with a background in TV, film and radio production.

She is a regular writer on EastEnders and has been identified as a rising star in the BBC’s 2017 New Talent Hotlist. She is currently one of fifteen writers selected for a year-long MediaXchange/Creative Skillset Programme on Advanced Writing for TV drama under which she is developing an original television series.

As a playwright she has been a member of the Royal Court’s Critical Mass and invited Studio Writers’ programmes, Orange Tree Writers Collective, Criterion playwright programme and as a librettist twice taken part in the Stratford East’s Musical Theatre Initiative.

Sumerah is a full member of Mercury Musical Developments, the Royal Television Society and the Writers Guild.

She is on Twitter @sumerahas and more info can be found at www.sumerah.com

Work

Current

Bollywood Rose (Musical)
BEAM 2018 / MMD & MTN

Commissioned to showcase a 25’ extract of Bollywood-inspired contemporary musical at Theatre Royal Stratford East on 1st March 2018. Composer: Ajay Srivastav. Director: Adam Lenson.

Origami (Short Film)
130 Elektra Films

Sci fi short film in development with Pearl Mackie and Nicholas Pinnock attached. Directed by Jemma Gross.

Untitled (Musical)
Rifco Arts

Seed commission to develop an original 80s-inspired musical. Composer: Ajay Srivastav. Director: Pravesh Kumar.

Untitled (Feature Film)
Air Street Films / Poisson Rouge Pictures

Contemporary feature film in development.

The Importance of Being Ismael (Stageplay)
Epsilon Productions / artsdepot

An adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s Earnest set in multicultural England.

Television

Eastenders (2015 ongoing)
BBC

8 x 30’ episodes

Theatre

Vigil (2017)
Tamasha

Public showcase of short play following week long R&D at the Barbican.

Hear Me Now (2017)
Tamasha

Audition monologues commissioned for publication compiled by Titi Dawudu and working with Company 3.

Jigsaw (2016)
Migration Museum

Short play commission for Migration Museum directed by Julia Voce.

Veiled & Vinegar (2015)
Redbridge Theatre Centre

One hour play performed at Redbridge Drama Centre and directed by Maria Pereira.
Based on her original 2014 short of the same name developed with seed funding from Tamasha Theatre Company directed by Jane Fallowfield and with additional support from Old Vic New Voices and Unity Theatre.

The Fairy King, Space Invaders and The Last 10lbs (2014-2015)
The Orange Tree

Short plays in response to The Orange Tree programme and performed as part of ‘Juicy Bits’ new writing showcase in June

Downfall (2013)
Equal Writes / Tamasha Theatre Co.

Short play performed at the Tristan Bates Theatre for Equal Writes directed by Amanda Castro. Originally commissioned in 2011 by Tamasha Theatre Company for rehearsed public reading at Soho Theatre and also later read by Unicorn Theatre’s Young Company.

Border Lies (2012)
Kali Theatre Co.

Full length play developed with Kali Theatre Company for rehearsed public reading at Soho Theatre, directed by Elizabeth Freestone.

Blind Love (2011)

Short play shortlisted for The Windsor Fringe Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama Writing.

For the Love of Her (2010)

Short play for Write Now Festival reading at Brockley Jack Studio Theatre.

Film

Too Many Balls (2004)

Writer & Director of short film shown at Bite the Mango film festival.