Katy Lipson of Aria Entertainment and Robert McWhir of The Landor Theatre are delighted to announce the full programme of work for the second annual From Page To Stage Festival, a season of new musical theatre at the Landor Theatre from Monday 10 February to Sunday 9 March 2014.
The full season of work is on sale now with tickets to the two headline musicals at £15 and tickets to all other events in the season at £10.
From Page To Stage is a season of new musical theatre dedicated to the showcasing of work in development to an audience, to garner feedback and create new opportunities for the artistes involved. The 2014 season was selected from an open application process which saw 120 musicals submitted, and presents a mixed programme of work at various stages of development from rehearsed readings to fully staged productions, as well as a selection of platform and scratch events aimed at inspiring discussion about the future of musical theatre on a local, national and international level.
The 2014 season will feature two fully staged productions, presenting the UK Premieres of a British and an American musical in week-long runs:
Before the Night is Through
15 – 23 February 2014
Before the Night is Through is a brand new British musical with Book and Lyrics by Olivia Thompson and Music by Chris Whitehead. November 1935. Honey Quenelle, England’s biggest movie star is hosting a lavish party to celebrate her birthday, at her remote home on Lost Crow Island. The champagne is chilling, the glamorous guests are ready for an unforgettable night and reliable butler, Hugo is on hand to make sure the evening goes without a hitch. But when catering fails to arrive, news filters through of an escaped inmate at Beningford asylum, and Gaylord, the gerbil escapes from the soup tureen, events take a nasty turn. Who is about to meet their maker? Who cannot escape from their past? And who will be brave enough to sample Mabel’s devilled prunes before the night is through….
The Mistress Cycle
4 – 9 March 2014
The Mistress Cycle is a new American musical with Book and Lyrics by Beth Blatt and Music by Jenny Giering. A musical tale of sacrifice, destruction and renewal, The Mistress Cycle is the story of Tess, a struggling 30-something photographer living in Manhattan, who is made an offer by a wealthy, older man to “keep her” as his mistress. As she wrestles with his proposition, Mistresses from different eras and cultures come to tell their stories and share their points-of-view: Ching, a 14-year-old concubine from 12th century China; Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of Henri II in France in the 1500’s; Lulu White, a bordello Madame in turn-of-the-last-century New Orleans; and Anais Nin, the famous diarist and infamous sexual adventuress. By the end of the show, Tess has learned so much about these women, about mistresshood, about herself – and has made her decision.
Three musicals will be showcased in the form of a rehearsed reading:
Merman’s Apprentice
11 & 12 February 2014
A new musical with Book and Lyrics by Stephen Cole and Music by David Evans
Claus The Musical
14 & 15 February 2014
A new musical with Book by Simon Warne Music and Lyrics by Andy Collyer.
The Return of the Soldier
28 February & 1 March 2014
A new musical with Book and Lyrics by Tim Sanders and Music by Charles Miller.
The season is completed by a selection of platform events and scratch nights:
From Page to Stage – Open Mic Sessions
10 February 2014
A selection of writers will be invited to present their own material with some special guest performers.
Film Screening: Big Society the Musical
13 February 2014
The producers of Big Society The Musical, which will be screened in cinemas all over the world, will present a 40-minute preview of the film, followed by a Q&A session.
Scratch Nights: Three Musicals in Development
25 – 27 February 2014
These scratch nights will present 30-minute excerpts of 3 new musicals in development, performed by a repertory company of actors.
For more details about the full season of work visit www.frompage2stage.com or follow @frompage2stage on Twitter and Facebook/FromPageToStageMusicals on Facebook.
