Mercury Musical Developments (MMD) and Musical Theatre Network (MTN) have confirmed the British Youth Music Theatre will host the next recipient of The Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer scheme.
Commenting on the announcement on behalf of the British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT), executive producer Jon Bromwich said: “As a company committed to creating new music theatre, we see this residency as an integral part of our programme for 2022 and look forward to meeting the applicants and discussing the range of opportunities that we can extend to the successful candidate. Making new work is at the heart of BYMT’s ethos. That’s what we love and what this post will become part of.”
MMD’s executive director Emily Gray added: “This is such an important opportunity for a composer to be embedded in the life of an organisation and develop their own craft whilst learning so much from those around them. We are delighted to be collaborating with BYMT to make this an exciting and challenging residency and grateful to The Cameron Mackintosh Foundation for supporting developing artists.”
Running from 2018-2022, The Cameron Mackintosh Foundation-backed development scheme pairs musical theatre composers with venues giving the recipients the opportunity to be involved in a range of work which could include underscoring plays, setting text to music or creating their own new work.
Venues involved in the scheme have included the Royal Shakespeare Company, Dundee Rep, Lyric Hammersmith, Leeds Playhouse, Curve, New Wolsey Theatre, The Lowry and Hope Mill Theatre.
With BYMT, MMD and MTN all committed to ‘diversifying voices in new musical theatre writing and broadening the art form’, the next placement is particularly suited to a musical theatre composer interested in wring challenging work for young people.
A range of tailor-made opportunities on offer to the chosen composer could include:
- Composing an original score for a devised/semi-devised musical theatre production at a UK venue. (This will be a residential course outside London in summer 2022)
- Shadowing a composer/MD on a new musical in development (Easter 2022)
- Observing and then leading young people’s online auditions (January-June 2022)
- Serving as the MD for BYMT’s Christmas concert of Let It Snow 2021
- Shadowing and then running Discover Musical Theatre: school audition and careers days (January -June 2022)
- Shadowing a composer/MD on Summer Camp 2022
- Acting as composer/MD for a second Summer Camp 2022
- R&D space/residency time to develop the chosen composer’s own work at BYMT’s home at Mountview in Peckham, South East London
- Working with BYMT’s vocal coaching team delivering masterclasses for pre-conservatoire students
The successful recipient will receive an all-inclusive fee of £11,000, plus £500 towards travel expenses, thanks to the generous support of The Cameron Mackintosh Foundation. The placement could begin in December 2021, although that BYMT’s primary season is July/August 2022 and applicants available throughout that period.
Applicants should be musical theatre composers who have already had some work professionally produced (which can include paid work for a drama college or other training institute).
All applications must be received by midnight on 9 July. Shortlisted candidates should be contacted by 30 August with interviews expected to take place during late October in London.
Angela Thomas
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