If you are a would-be Sondheim or Lloyd Webber it is time to dig out those scores and scripts and enter the New Musical Project.
The announcement that award-winning British composers George Stiles and Anthony Drewe have joined the judging panel for Leicester Square Theatre’s The New Musical Project is also a reminder that you have less than three weeks to enter this competition which aims to find, nurture and develop new musical theatre writing talent and produce it.
The theatre claims that it is offering, “a unique opportunity for writers to develop their work alongside a professional West End theatre with the support of an experienced creative team.
“We have no preconceptions. We simply want to find talent and ideas that will entertain audiences for years to come.”
It will do this through a process of mentoring and rehearsal. Those responsible for the successful submission will then get a fully-staged production in Leicester Square Theatre.
Composers have until Sunday 1 December to submit their work. They need to enter a short treatment and recordings of up to three contrasting songs from the show. Full submission details can be found at www.leicestersquaretheatre.com/new-musical-project.
Out of the submissions received, six shortlisted finalists will each get a rehearsed reading and then one will be chosen to take on as a fully-staged production in the 60-seat Lounge Theatre at Leicester Square Theatre.
At each reading there, will be an industry panel who will provide feedback on the piece, which will be used to determine which musical is eventually taken to full production.
The theatre will provide the cast, a director and a musical director for the rehearsed readings. At the reading, 30 minutes of each show will be performed before a Q & A with the industry panel and audience.