Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network will create a new base at Birmingham Hippodrome from summer 2024.
Following the creation of Birmingham Hippodrome’s New Musical Theatre department, the two organisations will help to create a hub for new musical theatre in Birmingham.
The move was announced at the UK Musical Theatre Conference on Friday, held at the Royal Court. Mercury Musical Developments (MMD) and Musical Theatre Network (MTN) are both nationwide membership organisations supporting the writing and staging of new musicals. They co-produce BEAM, the UK’s largest showcase of new musical theatre. Alongside the move, they have announced that BEAM2025 will take place at Birmingham Hippodrome on 15th and 16th May 2025. Pitching days, at which creatives can pitch their musical for inclusion in BEAM2025, will be held across the country in the autumn.
MMD and MTN are jointly funded as a consortium in Arts Council England’s National Portfolio and are relocating under ACE’s Transfer scheme. Members of both organisations will be able to benefit from facilities at Birmingham Hippodrome such as an artists’ lounge and studio space. A secondary shared London office will be maintained, as part of the ongoing nationwide spread of their activities.
Mercury Musical Developments (MMD) is the UK’s largest organisation dedicated to new musical theatre writing. Founded in 1992, it has over 400 members who are bookwriters, lyricists and composers of musical theatre. Members are supported through a year-round programme of initiatives including the Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize and Mentorship Award, Lionel Bart Memorial Masterclasses, industry panel talks, script reading and advice services, writers’ labs and retreats, grant funds and commissions.
Musical Theatre Network (MTN) is focused on development of the musical theatre sector as a whole, bringing people and resources together to improve infrastructure and opportunities for new musical theatre in the UK. Since 2005, MTN has worked in partnership with its members – a national network of venues, producers, colleges, theatre companies, directors, licensing houses, organisations and individuals developing or staging new musicals. MTN’s year-round programme of events and initiatives evolves to keep pace with the sector’s needs.
The two organisations collaborate on the BEAM Showcase, the UK Musical Theatre Conference and the Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer and Writer scheme. Four current and upcoming West End shows or their writers have been supported through MMD/MTN programmes – ‘Operation Mincemeat’, ‘Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)’, ‘Standing at the Sky’s Edge’ and ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’.
Natalia Scorer, Executive Director of Mercury Musical Developments, says, “There is tremendous synergy in what we and Birmingham Hippodrome are doing to support the development of musicals and the nurturing of artists, and by working more closely we can maximise our impact on writers, the industry and audiences. We can’t wait to be part of a venue that is buzzing with musical theatre creativity and look forward to creating new partnerships and projects in Birmingham.”
James Hadley, Executive Director of Musical Theatre Network, says “Musical theatre’s London-centric history has often made it less accessible to many creatives. Since 2012 most MTN and MMD development initiatives have been outside London, working in partnership with MTN member theatres and partner organisations to diversify who creates new musicals so they’re more reflective of the wider UK population. Relocating our main base to Birmingham Hippodrome is a logical next step to continue building infrastructure for the development of new musicals in the Midlands and throughout the UK.”
Chris Sudworth, Creative Director at Birmingham Hippodrome, says, “We are delighted to welcome MMD and MTN to join us, as the next step in developing Birmingham Hippodrome as a home and a hub for the UK New Musical Theatre community. We have worked together on specific projects over several years and we look forward to our relationship developing further; and with the relocation of these critical national organisations to our region, increasing opportunities for creatives and communities in Birmingham and beyond.”
