County Durham playwright nominated for Stage Debut Award

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Andy WatsonNorth East and Cumbria

BBC Sarah Bond, 28, is stood holding part of the set used in Seagulls and Sad, Sad Stories while holding a published manuscript of the play. She is dressed in a black hooded jumper which has white writing across it which reads "Rebel, rebel".BBC

Sarah Bond is the only person from the North East nominated for a Stage Debut Award this year

A playwright has been nominated for a prestigious theatre award, alongside West End productions and Hollywood actors, for her story about her home region.

Sarah Bond, from Stanley, County Durham, wrote Seagulls and Sad, Sad Stories, which is up for the Best Writer category at the Stage Debut Awards.

The play centres on three working-class teenagers from South Shields, who seek the help of a fortune teller while studying for their GCSES, only to be faced with damning and cruel prophecies about their life prospects.

Miss Bond, 28, said: “Seagulls is the first play I’ve written, it’s got a lot of North East humour and we’re so proud a show performed in the north has been selected.”

The award ceremony will be hosted in London, and there are some famous names nominated in other categories, including Rachel Zegler, who performed in Evita at the London Palladium.

Miss Bond said: “Our play maybe a smaller scale to the other nominees, it’s fringe theatre, but it’s got real heart and, in my opinion, this is where great writing begins.”

Jeff Spicer/Getty Images Actor Rachel Zegler performing Don't Cry For Me Argentina live on the balcony as she plays Eva Peron in Evita at the London Palladium. She has blonde hair in an elegant, low braided bun and it wearing a strapless white dress and an ornate diamond necklace. Her arms are stretched out and she is smiling while singing.Jeff Spicer/Getty Images

Rachel Zegler has also been nominated for a Stage Debut Award

The play was commissioned by the Laurels Theatre in Whitley Bay and ran for two weeks in December 2024.

Laurels’ Steve Robertson said: “We couldn’t be prouder that a show which ran above a chicken shop in Whitley Bay has been nominated.

“Sarah’s writing is so funny and thoughtful, she’s been a pleasure to work with and we’ll be living vicariously through her when she heads down to the awards.”

From left to right, Jake Jarratt, Maya Torres, Aaron Fenwick and Ben Gettins. They stand in front of a piece of set which was used in the play "Seagulls, and Sad, Sad Stories which was shown at the Laurels Theatre in Whitley Bay. They are all smiling.

The cast of Seagulls, and Sad, Sad Stories is “buzzing” to see Sarah nominated

The core cast of Seagulls during its December run were all from north-east England.

Jake Jarratt, who played the role of Jordan, had never acted before being cast.

“It’s great for the region, we’re going up against the big boys. It just shows we can do theatre up here, it’s not all about football and being daft,” Mr Jarratt said.

The manuscript for the play has also found new life after being published as a book by Bloomsbury earlier this year.

Miss Bond said: “Out of 200 plays we got the nod, and it would be a real honour to win, as this play really is written for the North East and about the North East.”

The Stage Debut Awards take place on 28 September.

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