The theatre will develop original musical theatre in a new department also offering skills development and employment opportunities.
Simon Hadley
Birmingham Hippodrome has revealed plans to develop a department dedicated to the production of new musicals.
The department, set to become the first of its kind in a UK venue, will commission, develop and produce new musicals, alongside offering skills development and employment opportunities.
Recruitment for a Head of New Musical Theatre is underway. The chosen applicant will lead the department towards the delivery of the first fully Hippodrome-produced musical in 2024.
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The plans form part of the Hippodrome’s five-year business strategy and have been developed in consultation with industry figures, as well as local and national artists.
The theatre’s existing Patrick Studio has been designated home of the new department.
“Over 260,000 people come to see musical theatre at the Hippodrome every year and we know our audiences are hungry for new musicals,” Artistic Director and CEO Jon Gilchrist said.
“This next phase in our artistic ambitions sees the organisation make a long-term commitment to developing musical theatre on site and making more opportunities for careers in musical theatre.”
Theatre producer and consultant Vicky Graham, who worked with the Hippodrome in the consultation of the project, added that "while there is no shortage of musical theatre writing talent in the UK, there is a need for consistent space, support and production opportunity”.
“The Hippodrome - with its enthusiastic musical theatre audience base, passionate and skilled team, and well-equipped space - is perfectly placed to respond to this need.”
'Game changer'
The Hippodrome will offer a range of long-term creative development opportunities to artists looking to form a career in musical theatre as part of the new commitment.
This will include a year-long Writers Lab, led by writer and dramaturg Victoria Saxton and the Head of New Musical Theatre.
Saxton called the opportunity a “game changer”.
“Musical theatre writers need time, space and long-term support to work on their craft, collaborate and dream up bold new projects – and, crucially, have the chance to get them on their feet and produced,” Saxton said.
“What has been missing in the UK has been a coherent, long-term strategy that provides a home for brilliant career musical theatre writers”.
The Hippodrome expects to share full details of its Writers Lab and other talent development and commissioning opportunities this autumn.
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