NEW MUSICALS SHOWCASE
Thu 6 Mar 2025
Introduction
The New Musicals Showcase is a moment of celebration of our Musical Theatre Writers Group and the exciting new shows they’ve been developing at Birmingham Hippodrome. We are so thrilled to welcome esteemed industry colleagues from across the country, proud friends and family of our Musical Theatre Writers Group members, and our musicals-loving Brummie audience to celebrate with us!
Over the past year, under the expert mentorship of Victoria Saxton and Tim Sutton, six teams of book writers, lyricists and composers have begun work on six original musicals. The quality and the variety of the work that you’ll hear today is astounding, and a testament to the creativity and brilliance of new musical talent in the UK.
As our New Musical Theatre Department, the first of its kind in the UK, works to become a home for new musical theatre, we are proud that the Musical Theatre Writers Group is a cornerstone of the community of artists that we are building. Not only is this a group of talented musical theatre artists, they are also excellent collaborators and colleagues, providing each other with support, guidance and artistic provocations. We are very pleased to be introducing them and their shows to you today.
Following on from the success of the New Musical Theatre Department’s first production
The Jingleclaw, we are looking towards the future today and presenting sneak peeks of two new productions that we can’t wait to present later this year!
There is an electricity to new works meeting audiences for the first time. When actors and musicians bring what’s lived on a page or a computer screen to life and new ideas and feelings are communicated, it’s magical and clarifying and so important for every writing process. Thank you for joining us for this special moment. We are delighted to have you here.
Deirdre O’Halloran Head of New Musical Theatre
Hosted by Alex Cardall
Training: ArtsEd & National Youth Music Theatre. Alex won the Stephen Sondheim Society Performer of the Year award in 2018.
Credits Include: The Jingleclaw (Birmingham Hippodrome); What the Butler Saw (UK Tour); The Box of Delights (RSC); Winnie The Pooh: A New Musical Stage Adaptation (Riverside Studios & UK Tour); The Osmonds: A New Musical (UK Tour); Rapunzel (Chipping Norton Theatre); The Wind In The Willows (Australian Shakespeare Company); HouseFire (Turbine Theatre & Jermyn Street Theatre); Gypsy, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Kiss Me Quickstep, #PFTLightHopeJoy (Pitlochry Festival Theatre); The Season (Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York) (Royal & Derngate & The New Wolsey); Evita (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Putting It Together (Hopemill Theatre); Sweet Charity (The Watermill Theatre); Olivier Awards and Friday Night Is Music Night (Royal Albert Hall); Jule, Jerry and Steve (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre); Brass (Leeds City Varieties Music Hall).
Workshops Include: The Shocking Truth about Flat Earth (Riverside Studios) Come Dine With Me: The Musical (Turbine Theatre); Behind Enchanted Windows (Immersive Everywhere); The Giraffe and The Pelly and Me (Roald Dahl Trust LTD); The Magician’s Elephant (RSC) and The Season (Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York) (The Other Palace & Crazy Coqs).
Recordings Include: The Jingleclaw - Original Cast Recording (Birmingham Hippodrome), Adventures With The Painted People (BBC Radio 3); Brass - Original Cast Recording (NYMT).
Alex is an actor and drummer originally from Solihull in the West Midlands.
Director
Justina Kehinde
Director
Lizzie
Justina Kehinde is an award-winning poet, writer, director, and actor. Her directorial debut Til Death Do Us Part (Theatre 503) won Best New Production at the 2022 London Pub Theatre Awards. She was the associate director for the West End production of Long Days Journey into Night (Wyndhams, 2024) starring Brian Cox, and Rebecca Frecknall’s production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Almeida, 2024/25).
In 2017, she was one of eight selected onto Damsel Productions directorial development scheme where, under the mentorship of Paulette Randal (MBE) she co-wrote and directed her first original play, UMUADA, which debuted at the Bunker Theatre before headlining the King’s Head Theatre’s PlayMill Festival to 5 and 4 star reviews.
As an actor, she portrayed Marianne in Connor McPherson’s Olivier and Tony Award winning Girl From The North Country (UK and Ireland 2022/23 inaugural tour) and was featured in the Netflix hit series SANDMAN.
Lizzie Manwaring is British/American director who grew up in Germany.
As director: Lord Of The Flies (LIPA); Bible John (Ed. Fringe 2019/Vaults Festival 2020, *Pleasance Charlie Hartill Recipient); The Woman Who Gave Birth (Camden People’s Theatre); WAGGO (Ed. Fringe); (Latitude Festival).
As associate director: Oedipus (West End); Player (West End and UK Tour); RuneSical (Ed. Fringe).
As assistant director: Macbeth (RSC); Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial (Ambassadors/Wyndhams and UK Tour); Maria Stuart (Schauspiel Stuttgart); The Two-Character Play, The Dumb Waiter (Hampstead Theatre); The Tyler Sisters, Unknown Rivers (Hampstead Downstairs); A New And Better You (The Yard).
Music Supervisor and Arranger Alex Beetschen
Alex Beetschen is a musical director, composer and orchestrator based in London. He is a graduate of Jesus College, Cambridge and The Royal Academy of Music and works across genres in musical theatre, opera, dance and film. He was recently musical director and associate musical supervisor on Standing at the Sky’s Edge at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.
As musical director/supervisor and orchestrator his credits include: Billie the Kid (Vaudeville Theatre); Company and Spring Awakening (RADA); Claus (The Lowry); Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Leeds Playhouse); The Wizard of Oz and A Little Night Music (Storyhouse); The Magic Flute (Soho Theatre); Shock Treatment (King’s Head Theatre).
As musical director: Tammy Faye (Almeida Theatre and Pre-Broadway); Curtains (UK Tour and Wyndham’s Theatre); Little Shop of Horrors (Storyhouse); The Toxic Avenger (Arts Theatre/Southwark Playhouse); La Traviata (Soho Theatre/Tricycle Theatre).
As a composer: The Good Show (HOME Manchester) [in development], Vibrations (Mark Smith and D-Sign dance), Synergy (Greenwich and Docklands Festival), Antigone (Storyhouse); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (East London Shakespeare Festival).
BAND
Alex Beetschen - Keyboard
Ayse Osman - Bass
Ralph Porrett - Guitar
Jonathan Antill - Drums & Percussion
Will Tuckwell & Matthew Harvey - Additional Arrangements
Production Credits
Stage Manager
Lottie Badge
Lighting Designer
Jack Davies
Sound Designer
Christopher Wall
Produced by Finlay Carroll for Birmingham Hippodrome’s New Musical Theatre Department
New Musical Theatre Department
Head of New Musical Theatre
Deirdre O’Halloran
New Musical Theatre Producer
James Ashfield
New Musical Theatre Coordinator
Finlay Carroll
Production Manager (New Musicals)
Christopher Ball
Thank You
This event has been supported by D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust
With thanks to our founding supporter
Charles Holloway MBE
Additional thanks to Birmingham Hippodrome staff
About the Musical Theatre Writers Group
Musical Theatre Writers Group has been a key developmental programme that focuses on the craft of writing musical theatre. The six writing teams have worked with the Hippodrome’s New Musical Theatre Department to develop a new musical over the course of 12 months.
The group have attended monthly sessions at Birmingham Hippodrome led by writer and dramaturg Victoria Saxton and composer and musical director Tim Sutton, along with guest masterclasses and peer learning. Each member of the writing teams received a bursary of £2000, along with travel expenses to attend the sessions. The writers have also had the chance to share their work at two points during the year and will receive ongoing mentorship from the Hippodrome’s New Musical Theatre Department beyond the end of this project.
Course leader - Victoria Saxton
Victoria Saxton is a writer and dramaturg with an expertise in new musical theatre. Her dramaturgy clients, from Broadway to the West End, call her the ‘musical whisperer’. Victoria was Executive Director of Mercury Musical Developments from 20152019 co-founding and producing BEAM2016/18 alongside other new writing initiatives. Recent credits as a writer include Rosie & Hugh’s Great Big Adventure (Edinburgh, Soho Theatre), Our Girls Our Game (BYMT, Birmingham Hippodrome) and TV features for Reel One Ents. She’s working on several commissions, including as lyricist for a project with The Path Entertainment Group and a book about the dramaturgy of musicals (Bloomsbury Publishing).
Course leader - Tim Sutton
Tim Sutton has written music for the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Globe, Young Vic and commercial theatre, including most recently The Merry Wives of Windsor (RSC) and a bilingual BSL/English production of Antony and Cleopatra (Globe).
Musicals include To the Streets! (Book by Roy Williams), Restless Natives (Perth and touring 2025) and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (co-lyricist with Richy Hughes, Kenny Wax Productions) which premieres at RSC, February 2026.
Radio includes Mother Courage, The Now Show, Paul Sinha’s Perfect Pub Quiz and Alexei Sayle’s Imaginary Sandwich Bar (Series 1-5).
Tim has been a facilitator for Book, Music and Lyrics (BML) since its inception in 2011.
THE CAMBRIDGE FIRST ALL-LADIES FIRE BRIGADE
The Cambridge First All-Ladies Fire Brigade is an upbeat ensemble piece by composer Jenni Pinnock, writer Brian Mackenwells and lyricist Helen Arney. It follows the world of Hertha Marks-Ayrton and four of her contemporaries at 1870s Girton College, Cambridge who form the first ever all-female fire brigade.
firebrigademusical.com | facebook.com/firebrigademusical @firebrigademusical | firebrigademusical.bsky.social
Jenni Pinnock
Jenni Pinnock is a British composer known for blending quirky time signatures, soaring melodies, and moments of stillness. Her music, inspired by nature, science, and stories is regularly performed worldwide. Recent works include Antarctic sound installations, dance collaborations, a song cycle about the weather, and a new musical with Helen Arney and Brian Mackenwells. She regularly collaborates across the arts and works in both contemporary classical and musical theatre composition. She/her
jennipinnock.com
@jennipinnock
@jennipinnockcomposer
jennipinnock.com
jennipinnockcomposer
Email: jenni@jennipinnock.com
Lyrics by Helen Arney Music by Jenni Pinnock Book by Brian Mackenwells
Helen Arney
Brian Mackenwells
Songs
Put Out The Fire Fire Drills
Annie -Elexi Walker
Charlotte - Courtney Stapleton
Helen Arney is a songwriter, science presenter and recovering stand-up comedian. You might have seen her explaining physics while riding a rollercoaster for BBC2, electrifying Sandi Toksvig on QI, singing the periodic table on Channel 4 News or touring the UK with science comedy phenomenon “Festival of the Spoken Nerd”. Alongside writing musical theatre projects that put complex women and science centre-stage, Helen has also filled several notebooks with rhymes for Uranus (none of which are printable here). She/her
helenarney.com
@helenarney
@helenarneycomedy
helenarneycomedy
helenarney.bsky.social
Email: hello@helenarney.com
Brian Mackenwells is an Irish writer living in Oxford. Despite being quite tired, he has written for the BBC about pencils, told stories on stage about not getting sick in zero gravity, performed standup comedy about strange superheroes, written children’s poetry, and co-wrote an audio drama every month for five years. He/him
mackenwells.com
@mackenwells
mackenwells.bsky.social
Ida - Elena Pitsiaeli
Hertha - Maddison Bulleyment
Ethel - Rosie Coles
Extract directed by Justina Kehinde
A VERY SERIOUS UNSERIOUS BLACK HAIR COURTROOM DRAMA, THE MUSICAL
& Lyrics by NEONE Book & Lyrics by Lakesha Arie-Angelo
A Very Serious Unserious Black Hair Court Room Drama, The Musical is a satirical, fantastical drama about friendship, the black hair care industry and capitalism. The dramedy is set to 90’s R&B, Hip-Hop and New Jack Swing.
Jade and Ebony, founders and CEO’s of Mahogony Crown Magazine are being tried for crimes against humanity. When their defence lawyer doesn’t show up to court, they have learn to settle their differences to self- represent. Chaos ensues when the courtroom flips into a strange dimension where hair products become witnesses, ghosts of black hair pioneers appear, and a big wig grows so large that it takes over the entire courtroom. Jade and Ebony not only have to save their reputation but the entire world too. This Little Shop of Horrors and Jerry Springer the Opera-esque musical asks, can commerce and care ever co-exist?
Music
Nathan
Lawrence Lakesha Arie-Angelo
Nathan Lawrence (aka NEONE) is part of MOBO’s Unsung class of ‘23 in collaboration with Marshall amps and TikTok’s SoundOn. He has gigged for Sofar Sounds, Camden’s Jazz Cafe, Soho House, Jazz Re:Freshed, The Great Escape Brighton, We Out Here Fest, Mostly Jazz Fest, Across the Tracks Fest, Brick Lane Jazz Fest, Edinburgh Fringe Fest and many other events across the UK. NEONE’s music has had sync placements on TV series Dreaming Whilst Black and an advert for Tesco F&F. (he/him)
neonethewonderer.bandcamp.com
@neone_wonderer
Lakesha Arie-Angelo is a Theatre Director, Writer, Dramaturg, Facilitator and Associate Artistic Director at Clean Break Theatre Company.
Work as a Director includes: The Color Purple 2022 UK tour (for Leicester Curve and Birmingham Hippodrome); Sikisa-Life of the Party (Pleasance Theatre Edinburgh, Soho Theatre); Shuck ‘n’ Jive (Soho Theatre); soft animals (Soho Theatre); Summer Fest (The Bunker Theatre); The Hoes (Hampstead Theatre).
As Playwright: The Ancestors (National Youth Theatre) Graveyard Gang (Richmix, Poplar Union).
lakeshaarieangelo.co.uk
lakeshaarieangelo.bsky.social
Songs
Opening Number
Justices’ Exposition
Maxine’s Song
Justice of Society - Sharlene Hector
Justice of the Land - Georgina Onuorah
Justice of Economy - Elexi Walker
Jade - Courtney Stapleton
Ebony - Kianyah Caesar-Downer
Maxine - Elexi Walker
Extract directed by Justina Kehinde
Credit: Adama Jalloh
Credit: Dujonna
REALITY BITES
Reality Bites - The Interactive Musical by David Payne, Aron Sood and Nyasha Gudo, is a darkly comic, satirical romp through reality TV that explores the pitfalls of fame, trolling, media manipulation and the culpability of the public in the treatment of celebrities. With nods to television through the ages, it asks how far the contestants in smash hit reality show, Purgatory will go in the pursuit of notoriety.
David Payne
David Payne is an LGBTQ+ writer, director, producer and lyricist from the Midlands that has worked on Hollyoaks online, EastEnders, Class Dismissed and the Radio 4 continuing drama, The Archers. He has just been commissioned to write his third play, Eyes Down for Just Some Theatre, his queer comedy drama Terminal 2 will debut at the Shakespeare North Playhouse in June and he is developing All The World’s A Stage - The Shakespeare / Eurovision mashup with Aron and Nyasha.
@daveyjpayne
@davey_jpayne
Email: daveyjpayne@hotmail.co.uk
Book and lyrics by David Payne Music and additional lyrics by Aron Sood
Dramaturgy, direction and additional lyrics by Nyasha Gudo
Orchestrations by Will Tuckwell
Aron Sood
Nyasha Gudo
Aron Sood is a musical director, composer and arranger with an extensive and varied portfolio across theatre, cruise ships, pantomimes and function bands. He is currently writing and developing several new projects, including another project with Dave & Nyasha. His writing experience means he brings a creative mind to musical direction, with his strengths lying in acting through song. Aron also works as regular musical supervisor for AIDA cruises and musical director for P&O Cruises.
aronsood.com
@aronsood
Email: aronsood@outlook.com
Nyasha Gudo has directed musical theatre in the West End and subsided theatre. Most recently he directed #50days, a grime musical at Birmingham Hippodrome. He worked as an Associate Director on the Olivier nominated Bob Marley: The Get Up Stand Up Story, Spitting Image - The Musical and a new show about the Bristol Bus Boycotts. He also worked at various theatres across the country including the National Theatre, RSC and is the Creative Director of Tectum Theatre.
tectumtheatre.co.uk
@masterbuilder1409
Email: nyasha88@live.com
Constance - Sharlene Hector Natalie - Rosie Coles
Extract directed by Lizzie Manwaring
THIS IS MY NAME
Book by Dominique LaVictoria Music & lyrics by Melisa Camba
This Is My Name follows a Filipino historical figure from Spanish colonised Philippines, Señora Maria del Rosario Gil y Montes de Sanchiz, rumored mistress of Governor-General dela Torre. In September 1869, she arrived at a ball in Manila wearing ribbons in her hair saying VIVA LA LIBERTAD! (Long Live Freedom!) Her defiance angered officials and friars, leading to her erasure from history. This one-woman show sees Señora prepare for the ball: rehearsing her toast, confronting her fears, and singing the story of love, scandal, and resistance that defined her life. With each note, she reclaims her name and her place in history.
Learn more: bit.ly/thisismynamemusical
Melisa Camba Dominique La Victoria
Melisa Camba is a Filipina actor, singer, and theatre-maker based in London. She trained at Mountview (MA Musical Theatre) and the UST Conservatory of Music (BM Vocal Performance).
As a writer, her work includes This Is My Name (Birmingham Hippodrome MT Writer’s Group, OVERTURE); Boses (Maiden Speech Festival, All That Scratch - The Other Palace); and Greta’s Song (NEWSFEED at The Southwark Playhouse).
Recent performance credits include: Little Women (Dugdale Arts Centre); The Legends of Arahma (The Actor’s Church). She will play Claire in Ordinary Days this April at the Old Joint Stock Theatre and Upstairs at the Gatehouse. She is represented by Access Artiste Management.
Dominique La Victoria is a Filipino writer, dramaturg, and educator based in Glasgow, Scotland. Her works have been staged and read in the Philippines, US, UK, Japan, and Malaysia, and published by the Cultural Center of the Philippines - Intertextual Division. She finished her MA in Dramaturgy and Writing for Performance at Goldsmiths, University of London. She is a recipient of the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature.
Songs Would You Like To Be Free Tonight?
Querida / The Letter
Malinaw
Maria - Melisa Camba
Extract directed by Justina Kehinde
PIT STOP AND WASH
Music by Tyriq Baker Lyrics by Kristal Malin-Sheppard
Book by Gaby Songui
Pit Stop and Wash is a romantic comedy musical written by book writer Gaby Songui, lyricist Kristal Malin, and composer Tyriq Baker. It is set in a small, run-down laundrette in the middle of rural Brazil, with one exceptional feature: a magical washing machine. Bruna, our protagonist, is desperate to use the washing machine to find the woman of her dreams. Will her impulsive journey to the remote laundrette have what she is looking for? pitstopandwashmusical@gmail.com
Tyriq Baker
Tyriq Baker is a musician and composer based in Birmingham. He has written music for City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Rep, 2022 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, among other organisations, as well as for independent films. This is the first time he has written music in the context of a musical, and has enjoyed researching and mixing different genres of music together to create the world of Pit Stop and Wash tectumtheatre.co.uk
Kristal Malin-Sheppard
Gaby Songui
Kristal Malin-Sheppard is a songwriter, lyricist and singer who has always found a home in musical theatre. She studied songwriting and singing at Italia Conti, and has showcased her own songs in small venues around London and Birmingham. In 2024, Kristal starred in and co-directed Bournville Musical Theatre Society’s latest production Lights, Camera, Broadway. She never thought she would be a part of something as wacky and wonderful as Pit Stop and Wash, but is incredibly glad that she is.
@kristalmalin1
Gaby Songui is a freelance writer, producer, and facilitator with a first-class degree in English and Creative Writing from the University of Birmingham. She is the co-founder of community arts company Windswept Workshops, which runs events and workshops throughout Birmingham. She has also written commissions for various Midlandsbased organisations, including Aston Hall, Selly Manor, and Warwickshire Libraries. She has loved molding the characters of Pit Stop and Wash and giving them storylines that will tug at your heartstrings.
gabysongui.com
@songuigaby
Songs
Have You Heard The Rumours? This Will Work
Bruna - Courtney Stapleton
Asami - Kanako Nakano
Person 1 - Maddison Bulleyment
Person 2 - Khalid Daley
Person 3 - Jack Loxton
Extract directed by Lizzie Manwaring
REVERIES
Music & lyrics by Matthew Harvey
Creative direction & book by Ryan
Carter
Reveries, by Matthew Harvey and Ryan Carter, follows a group of childhood friends who return to their hometown to dig up the time capsule they buried years ago, expecting a bittersweet trip down memory lane. But when they uncover the capsule, they’re shocked to find that their late friend has already opened it - and left behind a video message. In his final message, he challenges them to seize this opportunity to make changes in their lives before they return. Stuck in mundane routines, restricted by societal expectations, and facing their own personal demons, the group must now confront their futures and reconcile who they were with who they’ve become. Reveries is a musical about rediscovery, self-empowerment, and the power of taking control of your own story.
Matthew
Harvey
Matthew Harvey began writing during lockdown following a successful performing career, appearing in West End shows such as Les Misérables and Jesus Christ Superstar. His first song cycle, Now Or Never, premiered at the Barn Theatre in 2021, marking his first collaboration with Ryan Carter. Since then, he has received the Michael Grandage Futures Bursary and a Stiles & Drewe Best New Song Prize nomination. His debut album, Whatever Happens Next, is available on all streaming platforms.
matthewharveymusic.com mharveymusic
Email: matthewharveymusic@live.co.uk
Songs
Here We Are
A Page Away
One Two Three
Mona - Georgina Onuorah
Avery - Maddison Bulleyment
Jess - Katie Shearman
Sam - Matthew Harvey
Ryan Carter s a theatremaker and performer with a passion for innovative, audience-centred storytelling. He began to focus on creative work following the industry’s call for more Black creatives and has since worked on projects including The Wiz, The Secret Society of Leading Ladies, Now Or Never and Turn Up London.
Performance credits include Bat Out Of Hell, Ain’t Too Proud, Choir of Man and Motown The Musical. Ryan won Black British Theatre Awards for Innovation in 2020 and 2021.
@_RyanJesse
@RyanJesse95
Young Mona - Kianyah Caesar-Downer
Young Avery - Rowan Macpherson
Young Jess - Maisie-Kate Robertson
Young Sam - Elliott Evans
George - Khalid Daley
Extract directed by Lizzie Manwaring
CAST
Maddison Bulleyment
Maddison made their professional debut in the role of Carolyn in The Bridges of Madison County at the Menier Chocolate Factory, and has most recently appeared as The Kid in the original cast of the UK Premier of 42 Balloons. Other professional credits include: The Witches (National Theatre), Anne Boleyn in Six the Musical (Original UK Tour Cast).
Alex Cardall
The Jingleclaw (Birmingham Hippodrome); What the Butler Saw (UK Tour); The Box of Delights (RSC); Winnie The Pooh: A New Musical Stage Adaptation (Riverside Studios & UK Tour).
Melisa Camba
This Is My Name (Birmingham Hippodrome MT Writer’s Group, OVERTURE); Boses (Maiden Speech Festival, All That Scratch - The Other Palace); and Greta’s Song (NEWSFEED at The Southwark Playhouse). Little Women (Dugdale Arts Centre); The Legends of Arahma (The Actor’s Church). She will play Claire in Ordinary Days this April at the Old Joint Stock Theatre and Upstairs at the Gatehouse.
Rosie Coles
Rosie graduated from Birmingham School of Acting in 2017. Shula, Felicity De Doge in Christmas Present and Correct; Misty, Kim, Len in A Christmas Getaway); Mina in Dracula, Inspector Gregson in Sherlock Holmes; Elinor in Sense and Sensibility; Ruth in Blithe Spirit (Tread the Boards); Jane in The Bah Humbug Club (Lichfield Garrick); Sapphire in Billionaire Boy (West End and UK Tour); Princess Jasmine in Aladdin (Winchester Theatre Royal).
Khalid Daley
The Big Life, Choir Boy, Hamilton, War Horse and Lord of the Flies (New Adventures & Birmingham Hippodrome). Doctors (BBC), 4 O’Clock Club (BBC), and The Great Wars.
Matthew Harvey
Matthew Harvey began writing during lockdown following a successful performing career, appearing in West End shows such as Les Misérables and Jesus Christ Superstar. His first song cycle, Now Or Never, premiered at the Barn Theatre in 2021, marking his first collaboration with Ryan Carter. Since then, he has received the Michael Grandage Futures Bursary and a Stiles & Drewe Best New Song Prize nomination. His debut album, Whatever Happens Next, is available on all streaming platforms.
Katie Shearman
Alternate Eva Peron in Evita (UK and European Tour); U/S and played Maria in The Sound of Music (UK and Ireland Tour); Sleeping Beauty (Hackney Empire); Swing in Where is Peter Rabbit? (Old Laundry Theatre); Leisl in The Sound of Music (UK Tour); Jack and the Beanstalk (Hackney Empire); Janet in Girlfriends. (Union Theatre) She is now specialising in Vocal Coaching at KPHVocals.com
Sharlene Hector
Here & Now (Birmingham Alexandra Theatre); Standing at the Sky’s Edge (Gillian Lynne Theatre); A Strange Loop (Barbican); Derren Brown’s Showman (Apollo Theatre); Dreamgirls (UK Tour); Hairspray (London Coliseum). Love Actually; Alan Carr’s Epic GameshowName that tune; The X Factor; Top of the Pops; Later with Jools Holland, Travel Supermarket Ad.
Courtney Stapleton
Blast in SuperYou (Leicester Curve); Belle in Beauty And The Beast (West End and UK Tour), Dear Evan Hansen (Noel Coward Theatre); Six (Arts Theatre); Les Miserables (Queens Theatre); Bat Out of Hell (Dominion Theatre) and Mamma Mia (Novello Theatre).
NEW MUSICALS SHOWCASE
CAST
Kanako Nakano
My Neighbour Totoro (RSC/Barbican), Kiki’s Delivery Service (Southwark Playhouse), Miss Saigon (Prince Edward Theatre and International Tour), A Chorus Line (Leicester Curve). Peep Show; Showtime at the Stadium; People Just Do Nothing - The Movie.
Elena Pitsiaeli
Elena is a wheelchair-using actor and singer who began her professional career after training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The Boy with Wings (Workshop, Polka Theatre); The Little Big Things, Soho Place); Teenage Dick (Tour, Donmar Warehouse). Broken Arrow (Feature Film); Dark Soil (Feature Film, Lead); Sex Education (TV); Horrible Histories (TV); Battery (Short Film); Buffering S2 (TV); Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back (TV).
Jack Loxton
Dear Evan Hansen (West End), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (National Theatre/West End), War Horse (National Theatre/West End). Vanity Fair (ITV), Danny and the Human Zoo (BBC), Father Brown (BBC), The Coroner (BBC); The Sense of an Ending (BBC Films).
Kianyah Caesar-Downer
Kianyah Caesar-Downer is a graduate of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Since graduating she has played Nurse Fiona on Doctors (BBC Studios), she has been been to Edinburgh Fringe playing Toni in Rapsody (2022 recipient of The Pleasance’s Charlie Harthill Theatre Reserve), and has done a Commercial for Capital One Credit Card.
Elexi Walker
Peaky Blinders (BBC); Doctor (BBC); Agatha Raisin (Sky); Young Vic; Complicité; West Yorkshire Playhouse; Leeds Playhouse.
Elliott Evans
Alternate Marty McFly in Back to the Future (The Adelphi Theatre), Eugene in Eugenius! (The Turbine Theatre), Kevin in Homo Alone (The Other Palace), Jack and The Beanstalk (Little Wolf Entertainment Ltd), Broadway & Beyond Concert (WestEndDoes), A Night With Drew Gasparini (Norwich Theatres).
Maisie-Kate Robertson
ArtsEd (2024 graduate). Rent and Made In Dagenham. The Singing Revolution (Savoy Theatre); Pippin 50th Anniversary Concert (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); and The Olivier Awards 2024 (Royal Albert Hall).
Rowan Macpherson
Rowan Macpherson is a graduate of the University of Leeds. The Last Five Years, Carrie, Spring Awakening. Spring Awakening (Phoenix Arts Club); Babies (Original Cast, The Other Palace).
Georgina Onuorah
Lois in Kiss Me, Kate (London’s Barbican Theatre); Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton (West End); Ado Annie in Oklahoma! (Wyndham’s Theatre). The Black British Theatre Awards recognised Georgina with a nomination for Best Recent Graduate upon graduating Arts Ed where she was awarded the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Scholarship. She starred as Cinderella in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Bad Cinderella (Gillian Lynne Theatre); Alice in Dick Whittington (National Theatre); Hannah in Millennials (The Other Palace); Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz (The London Palladium).
Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network in association with Birmingham Hippodrome
BEAM2025 is a dynamic two-day industry event that shines a spotlight on the most exciting new musicals being created today. Selected from an extensive nationwide search, this extraordinary showcase features performances from 28 inspiring and diverse shows in development, introductions to talented new writers, thought-provoking panel discussions and unbeatable networking opportunities.
Don’t miss out on discovering the future of musical theatre at BEAM2025!
From £85 Prices and Discounts subject to change Thu 15 & Fri 16 May 2025
birminghamhippodrome.com