May SumbwanyambeMay Sumbwanyambe is an award-winning playwright who is currently writing new stage plays, radio plays, operas and musicals on commission to The National Theatre of Scotland, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Scottish Opera and the BBC.

In 2015 he wasthe winner of the BBC PAF's £10k Legacy Award and in 2013 he was the inaugural Papatango Resident Playwright and winner of the £10k BBC Performing Arts Fellowship. Other award recognition includes being shortlisted for the Channel 4/Oran Mor Comedy Drama Award (2012), the Papatango New Writing Prize (2012), the Alfred Fagon Award (2011, 2012, 2015), the BBC'S Alfred Bradley Award (2011) and OffWestEnd's Adopt a Playwright Award (2010 and 2009). He also reached the final round of Soho Theatre's Verity Bargate Award (2011) and won the BBC's inaugural Scriptroom competition (2012). In 2016 he was shortlisted for the Old Vic 12 award and named a finalist for the Perfect Pitch £12k musical award.

Outside of dramatic writing, he has worked extensively as a script reader and as a freelance tutor (for children and adults) in new writing for performance. He was recently appointed as a trustee on the board of Arts Council England's national portfolio organization, The Writing Squad. Read More Read Less