Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer, Rebecca Applin
Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network have announced that Rebecca Applin will be the Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester and the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, starting in October 2015.
Rebecca Applin said: “I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to be resident composer at the Mercury Theatre and the New Wolsey Theatre. This is such a wonderful opportunity to be able to explore theatre composition in a variety of contexts and I can’t wait to get started on this exciting collaboration with both theatres.”
Daniel Buckroyd, artistic director at the Mercury Theatre Colchester, added: “The Resident Composer scheme is a wonderful opportunity for an early career theatre composer to discover the creative challenges and opportunities of working within a producing theatre, and for that theatre to expand the range of ways that music might feature within its programme.
“This year that opportunity stretches across two theatres, after MTN and MMD invited the Mercury Theatre in Colchester and the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich to team up. Pete Rowe [at the New Wolsey] and I were bowled over by the quality of submissions from composers – there really is a vibrant new music theatre scene in the UK at the moment – and after an extremely competitive application process, we’re delighted to announce that Rebecca Applin will be joining us to work across our two theatres over the next year, getting involved in projects that we’ve already got underway and developing new work of her own with our support.”
Through this scheme emerging composers are paired with a venue, and given the opportunity to be involved in a range of work which could include underscoring plays, setting text to music or creating their own piece of new work. Recent venues have included Soho Theatre, London, Bristol Old Vic and the Watermill, Newbury.
Rebecca Applin is the first of five placements that MTN and MMD will be facilitating over the next three years thanks to the generosity of the Cameron Mackintosh Foundation. Applin is also the first female resident composer to have been appointed since the scheme began.
The next venue for the scheme will be announced shortly.
Rebecca Applin studied Music at Cambridge University, followed by Composition for Screen at the Royal College of Music, and has been composing for theatre, dance, radio and screen ever since. She has worked on a variety of collaborations with the theatre companies Forest Forge and Full House. She has written many new musicals and regularly writes with Susannah Pearse. Their musical Jabberwocky (originally written for YMT) was highly commended in the 2014 S&S Award; The 45th Marvellous Chatterley Village Fete is licensed by Perfect Pitch; and together with Kate Ferguson, Applin and Pearse won a commission from the George Bernard Shaw estate to adapt The Devil’s Disciple into a musical, facilitated by MMD. Applin has worked on theatre projects with Youth Music Theatre and with the International Schools Theatre Association, and community projects include the centenary celebration Milestones at Watford Palace Theatre. She has worked on projects for BBC Learning Zones with the production company Gamelab, two of which were nominated for BAFTA awards; Radio 5 Live drama; and a commission for an educational album of songs from the Welsh Assembly.
Musical Theatre Network is a membership organisation with a mission to create the environment that allows new musical theatre to flourish. Founded in 2005, it has grown into an organisation that has attracted members from across the industry, including independent producers, directors and writers as well as regional and major commercial producing companies. In 2012 it joined the Arts Council England National Portfolio (in partnership with MMD) and is one of only three organisations supporting the development of new musical theatre to be supported in this way. MTN runs a year round programme of development and networking events, an annual conference and an awards scheme in Edinburgh focused on broadening the conversation about what musical theatre can be. In 2015/2016 the company will collaborate with Mercury Musical Developments to pilot a showcase of new musical theatre highlighting the breadth of work and talent within the genre.
Mercury Musical Developments is a not-for-profit membership organisation that is dedicated to nurturing new musical theatre writing. The membership of more than 400 bookwriters, lyricists and librettist have access to a range of development and showcasing initiatives including seminars, masterclasses and professional residencies and Writers Labs designed to further their craft and career. They actively seek out commissions, build professional networks and are ambassadors on behalf of all our members. At MMD our aim is to support and represent the writers who are shaping the future of British musical theatre.
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