New Musical Hub for Scotland announced

We are delighted to announce a new Musical Commissioning Hub in partnership with Pitlochry Festival Theatre. This new Musical Commissioning Hub will make The Studio the home of great new Scottish Musicals, and harbour Scottish musical talent. 

We will seek to collaborate with musicians, writers and artists to develop Scottish talent and cultural output, so that their stages become a home for great Scottish musicals year on year, which could ultimately be shared on tour with venues across the country. Both theatres will collaborate and develop new works with Scottish musicians and writers, who will be asked to submit an outline for a new musical alongside details of their previous work to be considered by a panel of experts.

The panel features multi award-winning composer and creator of musicals Howard Goodall; multi-award winning Scottish singer and actress Barbara Dickson; broadcaster and lead singer of Deacon Blue, Ricky Ross; Robert Softley Gale, artistic director of Birds of Paradise theatre company who brought us My Left/Right Foot; writer and Director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre, David Greig (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and most recently Local Hero); theatre director and radio DJ Matthew Xia; Award-winning producer of SIX and The Play That Goes Wrong Kenny Wax; Olivier award winner Katie Brayben acclaimed for her role as Carole King in the London production of Beautiful; co-director of Freedom Studios Aisha Khan and Co-Chairs Fiona Gibson and Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director Elizabeth Newman. Together they will bring a diverse background and range of expertise in music, musical theatre, creative writing, and performance to assess and guide the submissions and the process.

It is anticipated that the winning submission will be invited to produce a scratch performance at The Studio in Edinburgh in Spring 2021 and Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s new Studio Theatre in Summer 2021.

"Music is such an important part of Scotland's heritage.  As we emerge through lockdown and social distancing, we believe Scottish audiences have an appetite for new musicals celebrating Scotland’s culture, spirit and humour. This unprecedented period of our venues being closed provides a unique window of opportunity to progress new Scottish works at a time when enjoyment and entertainment has never been more necessary." 

Submissions open on 16 November and close on 15 December. Find out more information on what the panel is looking for and how to enter.