We’ve put together some answers to frequently asked questions about our MT Writers Group programme.
The Programme
Sessions
Are composers expected to attend all sessions?
All team members should attend all sessions. We think there is benefit in understanding the different disciplines and taking advantage of all opportunities to connect with other writers in person.
Is virtual attendance possible in case you cannot attend in person?
We understand that people sometimes have prior commitments which are unavoidable, or access needs which may necessitate attending virtually. This opportunity is aimed at connecting writers together in person, but we will make adjustments when necesary.
If we must travel from further, is there be an option to join remotely? Or would you suggest that attending in-person is necessary?
We expect writing teams will attend in-person and we will cover travel expenses for those travelling from further afield in the UK. We will make best adjustments to ensure everyone can arrive in time for all activity.
Will the sessions be full days?
In-person sessions will be full days! The start time will allow everyone to arrive in time. Birmingham is centrally located in the UK so we expect this will be fine.
Performances
Will Birmingham Hippodrome provide performers for the sharings?
We will be providing professional performers and a live band for the live sharings. There are limitations on this and we expect the majority of new music shared will be with a small number of performers (between 1-6) rather than an ensemble cast.
Are the writers allowed to perform their own work in the live sharings if they want to?
Yes!
Will Birmingham Hippodrome provide performers for sharing work in sessions?
We will not be providing professional performers for sharing work in the taught sessions and will expect writing teams to sing through new work themselves or bring demos to share.
Putting your application together
Writing teams
Can an individual apply with more than one group?
Yes.
I am a playwright with no specific experience writing for a musical. Do I personally need to demonstrate previous experience in this field?
No. We are looking for writing teams who can demonstrate a commitment to musical theatre. Your sample of previous work can be taken from a play or non-musical project. In this case, your team would need to include a composer and lyricist who also submit a sample of previous work.
I have collaborators in mind but I am unsure whether they would be able to commit to coming in person regularly. Should I apply this time?
We want to provide consistent and effective support to the writing teams who take part in the programme, so the timing of the next application process will depend on that. If your team is not united around a project and available for the programme, we would recommend applying for another of our opportunities as laid out on our webpage.
Are there any potential dates that are already there?
The full list of dates is at the bottom of this webpage here.
Is this group for composers who lean to songwriting rather than orchestration?
Yes. We are keen to hear from composers experienced in orchestration or songwriters who would look to be paired with orchestrators as their work develops.
Are you happy for producers to be a member of the team?
This is a programme primarily aimed at generative artists, so we do not expect producers to be members of the writing team in attendance.
Can you have two musicians working in a group? For example, a composer and a music editor collaborating?
We expect different writing teams to look different, so this would be fine. Each team should include up to three members and cover the disciplines of book music and lyrics between themselves.
How can I meet collaborators from other disciplines for my application?
Social media is a great way to connect with collaborators. You can also contact Mercury Musical Developments which is a charity dedicated to supporting musical theatre writers in the UK.
Application questions
What questions are asked in the application form?
These are the details we need from you in your application:
Section 1: Lead contact details
– First name
– Last name
– Email
– Are you applying as part of a team or as an individual? (drop down)
Section 2: About you/your team
– Your full name and a bit about your experience in musical theatre (300 words)
– Option to add up to two other team members in this answer (300 words each)
– Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your/your team’s previous experience in musical theatre? (400 words)
– How would you benefit from taking part in the MT Writers Group? (500 words)
Section 3: About your project
– Working title of your project
– Short blurb about your project (300 words)
– What stage of development is your project in? (400 words)
– Link to add samples of previous work – from each team member
Projects
Is an adaptation of an existing source text acceptable? For example, a book whose rights have lapsed, or a book we have already got the rights for?
In this programme, we are looking for projects without underlying rights. There will be other opportunities to speak to our team about jukebox musicals or texts which you have secured rights to adapt into a musical.
What do you consider early stage? i.e is a story outline too early stage?
No. We are looking for a range of projects of different stages and scales. In the application for the Writers Group you will need to give us some information about your concept and work so far. But nothing is too early stage.
We have two musicals at differing stages of development. Which one should we submit?
Ultimately, this decision is up to you and should be based on which project you think will benefit most from peer discussion and mentorship from our team. This might be a concept that you want to move forward or a project that has had some development. We are not looking for polished pieces of work for this programme.
Should we identify the performance space we envisage for our project in the application?
If you feel it would give us a better understanding of you and your project, then you can talk about performance space, but it is not necessary or expected. We are interested in you and your concept rather than production plans at this stage.
Are sung-through projects allowed?
Yes! We refer to book as a discipline which needs to be covered in your team but are interested in the different ways writing teams approach the form. Teams who decide to tell their story entirely through music and lyrics are welcome.
Are there any requirements with regards to the scale of the project? Would you want us to have a certain cast size, length, budget in mind?
There are no requirements in regard to the scale of the projects accepted onto the programme. We do not have a certain cast size, length or budget in mind. There are limitations on the number of professional performers we can provide for sharings – so this is something to bear in mind (see earlier question).
Is the ultimate ambition to stage some of these pieces at the Hippodrome?
Yes. We hope that some of these projects will have a future life with us.
Previous samples of work
Can we send you links to YouTube videos?
Yes. You can add links to YouTube or Vimeo videos in the box beneath the final question. Please be specific with the material which you send us, and either cut out the section you would like us to view or tell us the timecode.
How many samples of work would you expect us to submit?
We are looking for one sample of work for each discipline, clearly labelled with the team member’s name and the name of the project.
Can you include more work from the lead in the group, or would it need to be equal content for each team member?
The lead contact is for when we need to get in touch about your application. We understand each collaboration may look different in terms of weighting, but we need equal content from each discipline.
Does it matter if the style of my work sample differs massively from the style which I want to explore in the project I am applying with?
No. If we can see evidence of different disciplines within your application, then it does not matter whether the sample is from a previous and different project, or from the project you are applying with.
How long a book sample would you want to see?
One scene of book will be plenty so do not feel the need to submit more than five or six pages.
Results
How many projects will you be taking on?
We intend to take on five projects for this programme.
When will we hear if our application was successful/unsuccessful?
We aim to respond to all applications by the end of February.
Other submission windows
You mentioned that there will be another submission process in May for shows that need development – what would be the main difference for that?
These opportunities would be considered for workshops and other ways of developing new work within our department and may require a different level of time commitment.
Could you please provide a bit more info about February’s submission window, the application process for it, and what it offers?
February’s submissions window will focus on shows that will be ready for programming in our Studio space in 2025.
Are we able to apply for this programme and in future submission windows?
Yes!