Brand new print magazine launched to celebrate musical theatre

A brand new print magazine has been released to embrace and celebrate the incredibly diverse genre of musical theatre on an international scale.

MUSICALS magazine is a celebration of all things musical theatre, with a focus on the West End and Broadway, but also covering regional and international productions, and what’s on screen as well as on stage.

Editorially, the magazine is pitched at both the novice and connoisseur of the genre featuring interviews with creative teams, from producers and designers to composers and lyricists as well as the stars of the shows. Reviews are integral to the publication with in-depth analysis of productions as well as recordings.

Edited by Sarah Kirkup, writers for the magazine include the very best critics, presenters, authors and biographers of musical theatre, all of whom are steeped in this world and have years of experience of writing about the genre: among these are critic, broadcaster and presenter Edward Seckerson, London theatre critic for the International New York Times Matt Wolf, official Sondheim biographer and London critic for Variety David Benedict, and Deputy Editor of The Stage Matthew Hemley.

Sarah Kirkup said: ‘Whether you’re new to musical theatre, an afficionado, or somewhere in between, this magazine is for you. Our cover star of the launch issue is the unstoppable Marisha Wallace who has smashed through barriers to redefine what musical theatre in the 21st century looks like, most recently in her unflinching portrayal of Ado Annie in Oklahoma! at London’s Young Vic.

“Other features include an appraisal of Sondheim’s legacy by his official biographer David Benedict, while Matt Wolf looks at the most recent successful transfers of stage musicals to the big screen, from this summer’s 13 to the forthcoming Matilda. Plus, we review UK shows including Bugsy Malone and The Famous Five, Broadway’s MJ and A Strange Loop, and the North American premiere of & Juliet in Toronto.

“We’re pleased to include recording reviews too, from the cast recording of Back to the Future to John Barrowman’s new album ‘Centre Stage’. And we have the one-and-only Elaine Paige joining us too, for a trip down memory lane - from her earliest encounters with musicals to the starring role in Evita, which transformed her career.”

The first issue of MUSICALS will be on-sale from 21 October and launched at the Musical Con at London’s ExCel on 22 & 23 October.

The magazine will be distributed throughout UK newsstands (WHSmiths, Waitrose, Tesco & Sainsbury’s) and specialist stockists as well as internationally, and available at retail for three months until January 2023.

MUSICALS will then publish as a bi-monthly magazine from April 2023, available on newsstand and via subscription, in print & digital formats.