Ava Pickett

Ava Pickett (born 1993 or 1994) is an English screenwriter and playwright. Her debut play 1536 won the 2023–24 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. She was a staff writer on The Great

Early life and education Ava Pickett is from Colchester, Essex. Pickett wrote 1536, a play following three peasant women friends in lead up to Anne Boleyn's execution. 1536 ran from 6 May – 7 June 2025 at the Almeida Theatre, directed by Lyndsey Turner and starring Liv Hill, Siena Kelly and Tanya Reynolds.

Pickett won the 2023–24 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for 1536, Pickett also received a special mention for the 2023 George Devine Award.

Pickett wrote a contemporary stage adaptation of Emma by Jane Austen, directed by Christopher Haydon. The show ran from 17 September – 11 October 2025 at the Rose Theatre Kingston, starring Amelia Kenworthy and Kit Young. Pickett's stage adaptation of The Manningtree Witches by A. K. Blakemore is set to run from 28 February – 14 March 2026 at the Mercury Theatre in her hometown Colchester, directed by Natasha Rickman. Pickett was the resident playwright at the Mercury Theatre in 2020. She has also written for Ten Pound Poms, Bad Education, Brassic, and was a Comedy of the Week.