Seven new musical projects are currently under development at this year’s Theatre Royal Stratford East Musical Theatre Workshop (continuing until 22 July).
A total of 15 artists are currently at work until 22 July under the guidance of members of the East London venue’s artistic team including MT New Writing manager Fadi ‘Sevan’ Tavoukdjian and specialist tutors from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Fred Carl and Robert Lee.
The annual event aimed at revitalising the musical theatre genre in the UK was first held in 1998. This year’s event has attracted a number of award-winning artists including: Olivier Award winner Bola Agbaje; MOBO award winner Zara Macfarlane; Perfect Pitch 2016 award winners Craig Adams and Daniel York Loh; Kevin Spacey Foundation 2016 Fellows Chris Ash and Carl Miller; and emerging spoken word/rap/beatboxers Paul Cree and Conrad Murray. Joining them are Gus Gowland, Firdos Ali, Jacqui Adeniji-Williams, Theo Jamieson, Sonali Bhattacharyya and Pippa Cleary.
Projects under development include the topical Calais-based The Jungle; the story of the 2004 Morecambe Bay cockling tragedy, Sinking Water; the previously announced rock musical re-imagining of the lives of the Bronte siblings Wasted (due to play the West Yorkshire Playhouse in October); and Kali’s Toenail, a high kitsch pop musical set in post-Independence India.
Commenting on the two-week event, Tavoukdjian said: “Since being appointed last year, I’ve had such amazing support from TRSE to find and gather what I feel is the most diverse group of artists and new stories being told through the musical theatre genre.
“I am excited by the risks the artists are willing to take and by the possibility of each of their projects. I hope MTW 2016 starts a new wave of serious focus on the development of musical theatre that moves beyond the safe, traditional stories and forms we have come to know and love. These seven projects look ahead to what comes next in musical theatre.”
TRSE artistic director Kerry Michael added: “I’m excited by the promise of these artists and projects as we strive to expand the canon of British musical theatre. We’re firmly committed to bringing and developing new voices to the fore and that’s exactly what MTW 2016 is focused on.
“We are dedicated to bridging the gaps between artists of all genres to find that forward-thinking piece of musical theatre that changes the game for the industry. This year’s artists all have the promise of being at the forefront of that change and I am excited to see how these seven different projects grow as TRSE remains committed to the continued development of the British musical theatre.”
Angela Thomas
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