The 2013 UK Theatre Awards were handed out yesterday (20 October) at a ceremony at Guildhall, London, with NHB authors among the winners.

Bull, Mike Bartlett's razor-sharp, acid-tongued play in which three candidates fight for just two jobs, was named Best New Play. Bull premiered at Crucible Studio Theatre, Sheffield in February 2013, to critical acclaim, with The Times calling it 'sinewy, stinging [and] witty... it's as if Bartlett has taken the nastiest needling from a Mamet or a Pinter play and put them into a space of pure verbal aggression'. It later transferred to 59E59 Theaters, New York.

The Stage Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre was awarded to actor and NHB author Simon Callow. Simon's book My Life in Pieces: An Alternative Autobiography, an engaging retracing of his life through the multifarious performers, writers, productions and events which have left their indelible mark on him, is published by Nick Hern Books.

The UK Theatre Awards are administered by the Theatrical Management Association. Professional productions across the UK are eligible, with the exception of West End shows and National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company productions in London.

Perfect Pitch, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the development of musical theatre in the UK, have recently announced a new £12,000 award for musical theatre writing, in association with Royal & Derngate, Northampton. Entries are open until 31 October.

The winning team of writers will be awarded a commission of £12,000 to complete a full draft of a new musical over a twelve month period supported and mentored throughout by Perfect Pitch and Royal & Derngate.

To help you get inspired for your application, we're offering a special discount on How Musicals Work, Julian Woolford's essential guide for any writers (or would-be writers) of musicals that draws on his experience as a director, writer and lecturer. Pick up the book for just £9 plus free UK p&p - just use the code PITCH when ordering through the website.

This offer lasts until 30 November. For more information on the Perfect Pitch Award, How Musicals Work and our offer, click here.

The Thrill of Love, Amanda Whittington's gripping drama about Ruth Ellis the last woman to be hanged in Britain, has been shortlisted for the Writers' Guild Award for Best Theatre Play.

A divorcee with a young child to care for, Ruth works in the kind of nightclubs where there’s more than just a drink on offer. The girls work hard, play hard and dream of a movie-star life. Then she meets the wealthy, womanising David, a racing driver with whom she becomes obsessed. Fame comes - but not in the way she imagines.

Why does their relationship end in murder? Why does she plead not guilty but offer no defence? Why does she show no remorse? And who is she trying to protect?

The Thrill of Love premiered at the New Vic Theatre, Stoke in February 2013, directed by James Dacre, before transferring to London's St. James Theatre in March. It received widespread critical praise, with the Telegraph's Charles Spencer calling it 'absorbing... the writing is playful and pin-sharp'.

The other nominees for the award are Quietly by Owen McCafferty and Brilliant Adventures by Alistair MacDowell. The winner will be announced on Wednesday 13 November.