Entries open for RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award 2026

The Royal Theatrical Support Trust (RTST) and Exeter Northcott Theatre are delighted to announce that the 2026 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award Scheme is now open for entries.

Now in its tenth year, this prestigious Award – which honours the memory of RTST co-founder, Sir Peter Hall – provides the winner with their first-time, career-transformative opportunity to direct a fully realised, mid-scale production of a classic or modern play on the main stage of a British regional theatre and to take it on tour.

The 2026 Award-winner will win the opportunity to create a brand-new production on the main stage at Exeter Northcott Theatre in a co-production with Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, Northern Stage in Newcastle, Salisbury Playhouse and Royal & Derngate in Northampton. The production will open in October 2027 as part of Exeter Northcott Theatre’s autumn season and then tour to the co-producer venues.

The RTST will make a grant of £60,000 to support the costs of the production.

The official runner-up will win mentoring from Exeter Northcott Theatre.

The Award promotes the RTST’s charitable objectives by supporting up-and-coming directorsand British regional theatres. It is also intended to appeal to a wide range of candidates and to play a part in promoting diversity in the theatre, onstage, offstage and among audiences.

The winning director will demonstrate exceptional directing skills and a passion for regional theatre, and will be chosen by a distinguished panel comprising Chair, Martin Berry, Creative Director and Joint Chief Executive of Exeter Northcott Theatre; Sir Nicholas Hytner, Artistic Director of the Bridge Theatre; Natalie Ibu, Artistic Director of Northern Stage; Jesse Jones, Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate; Gareth Machin, Artistic Director of Wiltshire Creative/Salisbury Playhouse;Prema Mehta, Lighting Designer; Hannah Sinclair Robinson, actor; Alex Thorpe, Creative Director of Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch; and Roy Williams, playwright.

Sir Geoffrey Cass, RTST Chairman, said today, “We're thrilled to be running the 2026 Award with Exeter Northcott Theatre, and delighted they'll be working with Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, Northern Stage in Newcastle, Salisbury Playhouse and Royal & Derngate in Northampton to co-produce the winner's production for the benefit of their local audiences. The Award – this is our tenth – continues to serve our allied objectives of promoting the country's finest rising directing talent and supporting excellent British regional theatres.“

Mark Hawes, Director of the RTST commented: “We’re proud that, once again, our unique Award and associated grant will be the catalyst for a regional touring production directed by the winner as their mid-scale directing debut. The opportunity for the winner is career-transformative. But the Award scheme doesn’t only benefit participating theatres and the winner.  For directors who reach an advanced stage in the selection process, the Award gives valuable professional experience, recognition and connections – many have reported that this has opened doors for them. The winner of our 2024 Award won on her sixth attempt, yet she reported that, even in the “unsuccessful years”, the connections that the RTST enabled her to make helped her to grow and brought her work.”

Martin Berry, Creative Director and Joint Chief Executive of Exeter Northcott Theatre commented:“The RTST is one of the most exciting opportunities available to an emerging director anywhere in the UK, with an incredible legacy, and we're thrilled to be hosting the 2026 award here in Exeter. It embodies so much of what we believe in at the Northcott: outstanding theatre, nurturing talented artists to push their careers to the next level, and the power of collaboration. Working alongside our friends in Hornchurch, Newcastle, Salisbury and Northampton, and the exceptional team at the RTST, we're looking forward to welcoming the next generation of directing talent. If you're eligible, apply. I can't wait to meet the artists who'll shape the future of our industry."

The winner of the 2025 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award was Lily Dyble; the runner-up was Sophie Drake. As the Award-winner, Lily is to directJane Eyre in September 2026 as part of the main season of plays to be staged on the main stage at Mercury Theatre in Colchester before touring to Rose Theatre in Kingston, Northern Stage in Newcastle and Storyhouse in Chester. The production – based on Sally Cookson, Mike Akers and the original company’s adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel – is a co-production between Mercury Theatre, Rose Theatre and Storyhouse in association with Northern Stage.  Other past Award winners and official runners-up of the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award are detailed in the Notes to Editors below.

Entries for the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award Scheme 2026 are now open.

The Award is open to UK permanent residents aged 18+ and candidates must be able to demonstrate a professional track record as a director. To apply, candidates are required to submit ideas for directing a play of their choosing (complying to certain criteria).  Shortlisted candidates are required to participate in directing workshops with actors in which to demonstrate their directorial skills.  Finalists are interviewed. 

The 2026 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award opened for entries on Monday, 27 July 2026 and the closing date for entries is 6.00pm on Monday, 21 September 2026.

For further details of the Award, please visit the 2026 Award page of the RTST’s website: www.rtst.org.uk.

Photo: Exeter Northcott Theatre by Ralph Whitehead.