This programme has previously been known as the Musical Theatre Darkroom. The old name was in reference to a space where ideas develop akin to a photographer’s studio, but in conversations with partners it was agreed that this wasn’t clear and therefore we have renamed it the Musical Theatre Workroom for 2025.
Musical Theatre Darkroom 2022
Presented by China Plate, Birmingham Hippodrome, Musical Theatre Network, Mercury Musical Developments and Royal & Derngate, Northampton.
Selected teams and musicals included:
- Nemo Martin – Seashore Yuánfèn 海缘
- Maya Productions – Benny and the Greycats
- Thabo Stuck – #50 Days
Head to our blog here, to read more about them.
The teams also had the opportunity to pitch their work at the BEAM2023 Showcase in Spring 2023.
Musical Theatre Darkroom 2019
Produced by partners from the Musical Theatre Development Consortium China Plate, Royal & Derngate Northampton, Musical Theatre Network and Mercury Musical Developments, the 2019 Musical Theatre Darkroom was a groundbreaking laboratory programme launched to feed the wider consortium ambition to develop and commission original new musicals for mid-scale touring.
The development support offered was bespoke, recognising that different writing teams required different kinds of support, and delivered in two main strands.
As part of the consortium’s commitment to championing diverse voices within mid-scale musical theatre, Strand One was targeted specifically at new musicals developed by global majority artists.
Selected teams and musicals included:
- Lakesha Arie-Angelo and collaborator Dominique Le Gendre – Runaway Bay
- Omar Baroud – After Elijah
- Charlie Westenra, Darren Clark, Michael Henry and Juliet Gilkes Romero – On Hostile Ground
Strand Two was aimed at developing original British musicals (not adaptations or jukebox musicals) and offered bespoke support as part of a yearlong development cycle.
It supported the development of Gin Craze! by April de Angelis and Lucy Rivers and culminated in a critically acclaimed production at Royal & Derngate, Northampton in June 2021.
Musical Theatre Darkroom 2016
A Musical Theatre Darkroom pilot took place in 2016, bringing together four experienced theatre makers who were new to musical theatre and four experienced musical theatre makers to take part in a six-month development programme. The initiative was based on China Plate’s Darkroom artist development programme, which has run since 2004.
The Musical Theatre Darkroom 2016 was led by China Plate and the Musical Theatre Network, in partnership with Royal & Derngate Northampton, South Hill Park Arts Centre, Harlow Playhouse and Farnham Maltings’ greenhouse initiative. The project was supported by Arts Council England and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.
Previous participants:
- Bola Agbaje
- Katie Lyons
- Ella Grace
- Tim Sutton
- Craig Adams
- Pippa Cleary
- Caroline Horton
- Rash Dash
Musical Theatre Darkroom Participants 2019
Photo © Royal & Derngate, Northampton
