Sean has now completed his March 2006 residency but will return to New York City again soon.  During his stay he completed a first draft of a brand new play provisionally entitled Grand Central Terminal (Part One) and carried out research at the Whitney Museum of American Art for a collaborative project based on the art of Edward Hopper.

In addition he worked with the award winning Godlight Theatre Company, under the directorship of Joe Tantalo, to develop his play Waiting on the Z Train, culminating in two rehearsed readings at 59E59 Theatres and The Gershwin Hotel, both in New York City.  Godlight have recently opened their production of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 to critical acclaim at 59E59 Theatres in New York City.  The cast featured: Ken King as Columbus, Gregory Konow as Hudson and Teal Wicks as Madison. _________________________________________________

FROM HEDGE END... TO THE BIG APPLE (Daily Echo, Southampton, UK -January 16, 2006)                                             "IT is a favourite with creative travellers and a temple to the bohemian and pop art movements of 1960s New York.
                                              An inspirational building in the old tin-pan alley area of midtown Manhatten, whose artistic godfather is Andy Warhol. An inspirational building in the old tin-pan alley area of midtown Manhatten, whose artistic godfather is Andy Warhol.

Now a Hedge End playwright will be hoping to tap into its creative energy as he takes up a role as writer-in-residence of the Gershwin Hotel.

Sean Tyler, 37, of St John's Road, will jet out to the Big Apple in March with high hopes of launching his career on the New York literary scene.

Sean, who has written four plays, draws heavily on America for his inspiration and was delighted to have been chosen for the role at the Gershwin by a board of New York writers.

Sean said: "This is a wonderful chance to fully immerse myself in the city.

"New York inspires most of my work - I wrote my latest play Waiting on the Z Train during a stay in the city last year.

"That play has proved to be my best yet, so I'm hoping to take my playwriting to the next level this time around.

"I'm honoured to have been selected by the Gershwin Hotel for this position and I'm very excited about the opportunities this will open up to me."

Sean will take up his position on March 1 and will be in residence at the Gershwin Hotel throughout the month.

He will spend time researching and writing several new projects, as well as developing contacts with producers and theatres.

Sean will present a showcase of his work at the end of March to launch him on the New York scene.

He also hopes to bring back material he writes in New York to perform in the UK this summer.

Hotel owner Suzanne Tremblay, who renamed the building the Gershwin Hotel in 1992 when she took it over with her husband, said it tried to capture the essence of New York's artistic heritage.

"We wanted to retain the feeling of art and music and give people the sense of being where they are," she said.

The hotel - a kind of mini-arts centre - owes its creative status to the pop art scene of the 1960s and is to be featured in a forthcoming French arthouse film starring Harvey Keitel and Emmanuelle Béart.

Its lobby shines with original pop art, including an actual Campbell's soup can autographed by Andy Warhol; it hosted the first renunion party for his studio, The Factory, following his death in 1987.

Mrs Tremblay said the residency scheme has run for more than a decade to give artists a chance to find inspiration. Up to 60 applicants apply each year.

"New York is a great place for an artist to come to," she said.

"But it is very important we give people the mandate to create. They have to show us they have a definite project.

"Sean had clarity and we felt that this would make a difference to his career."

During his stay Sean will contribute his time and skills to benefit the Children's Cause, the Gershwin Hotel's charity programme."