Paul Taylor-Mills has announced casting for the Taster Menu series of new musicals which will form the centrepiece of MT Fest UK, the two-week festival of new musical theatre which will launch at The Other Palace next week.
Presented as 45-minute semi-staged ‘sharings’ in the studio at The Other Palace, the eight musicals range from brand new commissions from Taylor-Mills, to re-worked Broadway shows and new musicals developed by Taylor-Mills as part of his role as affiliate producer at The Other Palace.
Olivier Award-winning composer Richard Thomas’ AA will feature: Connor Byrne as Irish Bob, Emma Lindars as Abby, Rosemary Ashe as Angela, Dan Buckley as Bar Man, Matt White as Bert, Scott Garnham as Dave, Sooz Kempner as Lena, Declan Bennett as Rickie, Jenny O’Leary as Rose, Scott Paige as Simon and Matt Henry as Twirley.
Musical Dot-Comedy Nerds (music is by Hal Goldberg and book and lyrics by Jordan Allen-Dutton and Erik Weiner) will feature: Dan Buckley as Bill Gates, Kane Oliver Parry as Steve Jobs, Scott Garnham as Paul Allen, Bronté Barbé as Myrtle, Oliver Ormson as Steve Wozniak, Jenny O’Leary as Thekla, Scott Paige as Tim, Rebecca Lock as Sally/Oracle and Matt White as Narrator.
First Date (book by Austin Winsberg and music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner) will feature Liam Doyle as Aaron, Sophie Isaacs as Casey, Dean John Wilson as Man 1, Natalie Douglas as Woman and Russell Wilcox as Man 2.
Porn, the Musical (book and lyrics by Boris Cezek, Kris Spiteri, Malcolm Galea & Abigail Guan, music by Boris Cezek and Kris Spiteri and additional Book by Brendan Cull) will feature Russell Wilcox as Alfred Itchcock, Liam Doyle as Dr Jonny, Natalie Douglas as Mrs Bugeja, Sophie Isaacs as Sandy and Dean John Wilson as Stefan.
But I’m a Cheerleader: The Musical (book and lyrics by Bill Augustin and music by Andrew Abrams) will feature: Bronté Barbé as Megan, Carrie Hope Fletcher as Graham, Jamie Muscato as Jared, Matt Henry as Mike, Ben Forster as Larry, Stephen Hogan as Lloyd and Luke Bayer as Clayton.
Bloody Bloody Jessica Fletcher (book by Kevin Zak, Josh Lamon and Phillip Taratula with music and lyrics by Keith Varney and additional music and lyrics by Josh Lamon) will feature: Harriet Thorpe as Jessica, Verity Rushworth as Victoria, Connor Byrne as Mr Drake, Jemma Alexander as Lulu, Russell Walker as Seth and Steven Serlin as Tom.
The Astonishing Return of… The Protagonists (book and lyrics by Kevin Del Aguila and music by Michael Shaieb) will feature: Christina Bennington as Penelope, Rob Fowler as Voltman, Leo Ihenacho as Dr Zappus, Oliver Ormson as Fishboy and the voice of Nathan Amzi as Narrator.
Killer Queen (music and lyrics by Tasha Taylor Johnson, Jack McManus & Jonny Wright and book by Jonny Wright) features Izuka Hoyle as Jeanne, Christina Bennington as Marie Antoinette and Leo Ihenacho as Vilette.
The Taster Menu series will also feature current Arts Ed students Jessie Angell, Billy Downes, George Griffiths, Ahmed Hamad, Emily Hammond, Emilia Harrigan, Jonathan Hermosa-Lopez and Connor Lewis.
Running from 11 to 23 February, the showcase for new work by both emerging and established writers also includes talks by experts in the field and concert performances by musical theatre stars.
Taylor-Mills has also announced the industry leaders lined up to appear in the Tea For Two, programme of intimate and frank afternoon conversations with the producer in the Studio during the festival.
Casting director David Grindrod and agent Alastair Lindsay-Renton (of Curtis Brown) will discuss the relationship between agent and casting director on 11 February at 10.30am.
The marketing of a new musical will be the subject of the second Tea For Two on 12 February at 2pm. The chief executive of Dewynters James Charington will be joined by the head of media and marketing for SOLT, Emma De Souza, Dawn Farrow (CEO of Boom Ents) and Sita McIntosh (COO for WhatsOnStage).
On 16 February at 11am, producer Danielle Tarento and Victoria Saxton (executive director of Mercury Musical Developments) will discuss the process of reaching out to producers and organisations and their top tips for getting new work seen by the ‘right people at the right time’.
Choreographer and director Arlene Philips and former Strictly Come Dancing professional turned stage star Joanne Clifton on 18 February at 10.30am will discuss the choreography of musical theatre.
On 19 February at 11am, the audition process will be discussed by Paul Wooller, the head of casting for Cameron Mackintosh Ltd.
Theatre critic Mark Shenton will take to centre stage to discuss reviewing theatre in the digital age on 20 February, 11am.
Director and choreographer Drew McOnie will join Taylor-Mills for the final Tea For Two on 23 February, 11am to discuss their past projects together as director and producer (In The Heights, The Wild Party) and to share their thoughts on the collaboration needed to effectively create new work.
Angela Thomas
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