A case study of SpitLip’s Operation Mincemeat will be among the panel sessions at the UK Musical Theatre Conference 2024 at the Royal Court Theatre in London next month.
Produced by Musical Theatre Network (MTN) and Mercury Musical Developments (MMD), the popular biennial event will return to London for the first time in seven years on 12 April.
The creators of Operation Mincemeat will be in conversation with the Royal Court’s David Byrne during a session entitled ‘Developing New Musicals with the Next Generation’. One panel session will consider the question, ‘are classic musicals from the 20th century fit for purpose in the 21st’ while another will discuss ‘current audience trends in musical theatre’.
Industry figures will gather at the prestigious venue to delve into the future prospects for musical theatre in the UK. A day packed with panels, networking, discussions and provocations, the conference is a chance to think creatively about new work development and production, and the broader issues and opportunities facing the musical theatre industry. As the theatre industry in general faces significant challenges, the conference will consider musical theatre’s potential to invigorate and sustain the industry through difficult times.
Commenting on the event, Natalia Scorer, executive director of Mercury Musical Developments, said: “The UK Musical Theatre Conference is one of the few opportunities to gather together everyone involved with the creation and staging of musicals, from producers to writers to drama school course leaders. It’s where connections are made and ideas are shared, and hopefully everyone will come away energised and inspired.”
James Hadley, executive director of Musical Theatre Network, added: “It’s significant to gather at the Royal Court Theatre, an iconic venue for new writing, and talk about new musical theatre in the UK at a time of change. The art form of musical theatre is being taken more seriously in the UK, including by the theatre industry’s most dynamic creatives and leaders. New musicals are more relevant to more of the UK’s population than ever before. Conversations have shifted gear for a new era, and we look forward to this Conference being a buzzy update of many of those.”
The conference will run from 10am until 5pm. Tickets are priced at £125 for an organisation, £85 for an individual and £35 for students or unwaged. MTN and MMD members will be able to claim a 30% discount.
Angela Thomas
SHARE THIS POST:
Comments are closed.