MTFestUK reveals 2024 line up and cast with eight new musicals
MTFestUK 2024 has revealed a line up of eight new musicals which will be showcased over two weeks from 30 January – 11 February.
MTFestUK has established itself as a unique festival, dedicating its platform to the discovery and development of new and thrilling musical theatre works.
This year, eight innovative productions will be workshopped and presented in special ‘sharing’ sessions across The Other Palace Studio and The Turbine Theatre. These sessions are a fantastic opportunity for audiences to engage with and enjoy the earliest stages of musical theatre development.
Paul Taylor Mills, Artistic Director at The Other Palace and The Turbine Theatre said: “We are thrilled MTFestUK continues to support and showcase such a broad range of new musical theatre writing at both The Other Palace and The Turbine Theatre. Several MTFestUK pieces have gone on to fully staged productions, which is a testament to the function of both theatres to provide space and support to allow new work to be explored.”
Each of the eight pieces will be professionally cast and rehearsed before presenting four sharing performances in a workshop format, open to audiences. This year’s line-up includes a diverse range of titles and themes, crafted by a wide array of authors and composers.
Highlights at The Other Palace include:
– A Jaffa Cake Musical, written by Sam Cochrane with arrangements by Rob Gathercole, is a family-friendly musical comedy brought by Gigglemug Theatre. It’s inspired by the 1991 tribunal that determined the true identity of a Jaffa Cake. Cast includes: Sam Cochrane as Kevin, Emily Kitchingham as Katherine, Harry Miller as Jake, Alex Prescot as Judge, and Katie Pritchard as Tax Man.
– Both, featuring music and lyrics by Declan Bennett and Olivia Broadfield, and a book by Declan Bennett. It’s an intimate new musical that explores the complexities of love and identity. Cast includes: Declan Bennet and Nimah Perry.
– Tit Swingers, a punk gig musical by Abey Bradbury and Sam Kearney-Edwardes, tells the tale of polyamorous queer pirates Anne Bonney and Mary Read. Cast includes: Abey Bradbury as Mary Read, Sam Kearney-Edwardes as Anne Bonney, and Max Kinder as Calico Jack.
– Plastered, a comedy musical with a book, music, and lyrics by Randy Rogel, developed by BT McNicholl and directed by Jerry Zaks. Set in a 1950s San Francisco coffee house, it follows a beatnik sculptor’s accidental rise to fame. Cast includes: Jacob Fisher as Beatnik, Peter Hannah as Maxwell, Jenna Innes as Beatnik, Miriam-Teak Lee as Carla, Gina Murray as Mrs Swickert, Rory O’Malley as Walter Paisley, Quinn Patrick as Leonard Desantis, and Ian Virgo as Detective. Stage directions read by Pete Gallagher.
At The Turbine Theatre, the lineup includes:
– ROMY AND MICHELE The Musical, written by Robin Schiff with a score by Gwendolyn Sanford and Brandon Jay, directed by Kristin Hanggi. It brings the iconic duo’s misadventures to the stage. Cast includes: Femi Akinfolarin as Mike, Laura Baldwin as Romy White, Jarrad Biron Green as Sandy Frink, Millicent Blair as Michelle Weinberger, Jordan Kai Burnett as Heather Mooney, Connor Carson as Billy Christianson, Evangeline Jarvis Jones as Christie Masters, Deena Kapdia as Kelly Possenger, Anna MacLeod as Lisa Luder, and Kingsley Morton as Toby Walters.
– Bling, a darkly comic pop-opera by Elliot Clay (music and lyrics) and Tori Allen-Martin (book), inspired by the 2008 Hollywood celebrity home robberies. Cast includes: Roxanne Couch as Sacha, Rosanna Hyland as Mum/Teacher, Idriss Kargbo as Ryan, Jessica Lee as Lucy, and Olivia Mitchell as Jenny.
– Redcliffe, written by Jordan Luke Gage and directed by Josh Seymour, is based on the true story of William Critchard and Richard Arnold in 1753, depicting an epic tale of forbidden love. Cast includes: James Darch as Richard, Jess Douglas Welsh as Abigail, Chris Fung as Landlord, Jordan Luke Gage as William, Emma Lindars as Landlady, and Rebecca Lock as Mother. Graduate ensemble includes: Elena Bluck, Ellie McAspurn, Rees Parry, and Jonathan Peniket.
– The Garden, an afro-electric-folk musical by Chisara Agor with orchestration by Robin G Breeze. It tells a magical story of community, nature, and social housing. Cast includes: Chisara Agor as Azalea, Elinor Machen-Fortune as Abbi, Jack Matthew as Developer, Resident. Full cast to be announced.
MTFestUK 2024 promises to be a spectacular event, bringing fresh and dynamic musical theatre to the forefront of London’s vibrant arts scene.
