Musical Theatre Writers’ Group programme launched by Birmingham Hippodrome

The Birmingham Hippodrome’s New Musical Theatre Department has announced the launch of a Musical Theatre Writers’ Group which will offer the opportunity for five writing teams to develop a new musical over the course of 12 months.

Open to musical theatre artists across the UK, Musical Theatre Writers’ Group (MT Writers Group) is “a key developmental programme that focuses on the craft of writing new musical theatre,” explains a press release from Birmingham Hippodrome.

The opportunity for musical theatre writers begins in April 2024, and the writing teams will attend monthly sessions led by writer and dramaturg Victoria Saxton, and award-winning composer and musical director Tim Sutton, along with guest masterclasses and peer learning.

Each member of the writing teams will receive a bursary of £2,000, along with travel expenses to attend sessions at Birmingham Hippodrome. The writers will also have the chance to share their work with an audience at two points during the year and will receive ongoing mentorship from the Hippodrome’s New Musical Theatre Department beyond the end of the project

Applications for the MT Writers Group are open now, and those interested can find out more here.

Deirdre O’Halloran, Head of New Musical Theatre at Birmingham Hippodrome, said: “We’re really excited to begin developing new musicals for a range of scales and platforms with the launch of our flagship talent development programme.

“The long term aim beyond the 12-month course is for us to provide sustained support for musical theatre artists, including commissioning and developing ideas for production. There are so many brilliant musical theatre artists in the UK and we can’t wait to get started.”

What’s more, The Hippodrome has also released details of how artists can connect with the new musicals department. Each year, there will be three dedicated submissions windows to pitch ideas for development and production. The first submissions window is open now, with the department planning to expand its network of musical directors, arrangers, sound designers and sound engineers.

The New Musical Theatre Department has recently received a major charitable donation from philanthropist Charles Holloway to support the department over the next three years, including their MT Writers Group programme.

Charles Holloway explained: “I’m delighted to be the founding supporter of the New Musical Theatre department. It’s very encouraging to see an organisation like Birmingham Hippodrome commit to making new work with national and regional partners, creating new opportunities, especially for writers and creatives. I’m looking forward to following developments closely over the coming months as this important work unfolds.”