Rewrites, the showcase for new musicals started by The Lowry in Salford in 2017, is expanding in 2024 by linking up with three new partner – Birmingham Hippodrome, MAST Mayflower Studios and Norwich Theatre.
The expansion will allow the partnership to create a new touring platform for new musicals in development, starting with Sheep Soup’s new work, Nel’s Place.
Rewrites was launched by The Lowry to promote new musicals at the start of their development, putting shows in front of audiences for the first time through scratch nights, work-in-progress workshops and concerts.
The quartet of venues has a history of collaborating on the development and touring of new musicals.
The hit West End musical Operation Mincemeat started out at a scratch event at The Lowry as part of Rewrites, as did No Miracles Here by The Letter Room, A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Sad) by Jon Brittain and Matthew Floyd Jones, A Mother's Song by Finn Anderson and Tania Azevedo and Snowflake by Lewis Cornay.
Nel’s Place is a new musical that examines what material things really mean to us and how easily we can become buried by the past. Trapped in a hoard of memories and music, Nel yearns to make space for granddaughter Molly's 16th birthday celebrations. Can she find a way through her grief to let her family in?
Nel’s Place will appear at The Lowry on March 8-9, 2024, at MAST Mayflower Studios in Southampton on March 14-15, at Birmingham Hippodrome (March 19-20) and the Norwich Theatre on March 22-23.
Matt Eames, who commissions contemporary shows for The Lowry, said: Rewrites has played a really important role in the growth in new musical theatre in recent years, and with our close friends at Birmingham Hippodrome, MAST Mayflower Studios and Norwich Theatre, feel there will be an even bigger impact as a national platform. Artists and companies will have an opportunity to test and develop their ideas across the country, as well as building audiences for future productions.”
Reflecting on the platform's role in the development of its hit West End show Operation Mincemeat, SpitLip said: “The show would never have existed without the support of The Lowry. Being able to try out material shaped the course of the show. We sang untested new songs in front of a supportive audience: some of those songs made into the final show and are sung every night on a West End stage– others not so much, but we don't talk about them!
"We couldn't be more grateful to Rewrites for giving us that space to chase our dreams. This may very well be where the next West End hit will be found.”
More info and tickets here