Picture: David Ovenden
Mercury Musical Developments (MMD) and Musical Theatre Network (MTN) have launched a new regional initiative designed to support emerging musical theatre writers.
The BEAM Follow-Spot Programme is a year-long scheme aimed at providing sustained development support for writers launched in partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Exchange, Manchester.
Announcing the project MMD’s executive director Victoria Saxton and MTN’s executive director James Hadley said: “The need for the Beam Follow-Spot Programme emerged following the BEAM 2018 pitching days when MTN and MMD travelled across the UK seeing nearly 300 pitches for new work. Writers were pitching for a slot in our biennial industry showcase of new British musical theatre writing – BEAM.
“In both Scotland and Manchester, we noticed that there was an incredible amount of talent but no real sustained developmental support for that talent. Writing a musical is really hard and takes a long time, it’s a complex craft with no clear career path.
“We want to provide a supportive developmental programme to help writers in those areas achieve their writing and career goals – with an aim to them being ready to pitch material for BEAM 2020 and beyond. We are grateful to the PRS Foundation for their support and our partners at The Royal Exchange, Manchester and the National Theatre of Scotland.”
Recently re-confirmed as a PRS Talent Development Partner, MMD and MTB are using the award funds to finance a programme that includes monthly writers’ Labs, facilitated by Dr Mary McCluskey (Scotland) and Max Emmerson (Manchester), which will provide peer-to-peer critique and a support network
In addition to the monthly Labs, four masterclasses will take place at both locations which will be open to any artists, producers, directors in the area interested or involved in the development of new British musical theatre.
BEAM was launched in 2016 as a biennial event aimed at providing a platform for aspiring and established musical theatre professionals to reach producers, venues and anyone with the resources to develop and stage shows. Sixty per cent of the work showcased at BEAM2016 has since received further development and in some cases, has been fully staged.
Featuring eight musicals performed as 25-minute extracts, BEAM2018 was held at Theatre Royal Stratford East.
Angela Thomas
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