News Release
New Playwright Post for University
21st December 1999
A former County Down woman has been appointed as Playwright in Residence at the University of Ulster - its first such post.
She is Nicola McCartney, who is from Movilla and in recent years has earned a growing reputation in Scotland.
The new post has been jointly funded by the University and the Arts Council for Northern Ireland.
"We plan to teach a new course in writing for the stage and in scriptwriting.
"I also plan to devise and script an entirely new production with students, which will have an international perspective," she says.
Nicola, who is 27 and a former student of Regents House School in Newtownards, began her career as a trainee stage director with the Charabanc Theatre Company.
She then progressed to become Associate Director of the West End production of 'Trainspotting'.
Nicola has written several plays that have toured successfully throughout Scotland. Another is due to open early next year. She has several stage, television and film productions in the offing.
Her play 'Heritage', about Ulster immigrants in Canada during the First World war, is due to be revived next year.
For further information, please contact:
Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk
