Mercury Musical Developments (MMD) and Musical Theatre Network (MTN) have been awarded funding from the Cameron Mackintosh Foundation to support five placements as part of The Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer Scheme over 2023-2025, with the next placement hosted by the Octagon Theatre Bolton.

Through this scheme, professional musical theatre composers are paired with a company and given the opportunity to be involved in a range of work which could include composing assignments on the host company’s projects, setting text to music or working on development of their own musical theatre material. Recent hosts have included the Royal Shakespeare Company; Theatr Clwyd; Dundee Rep; Hope Mill Theatre; The Lowry; and British Youth Music Theatre. 

The placement is expected to cover October 2023 to March/April 2024 and applicants should be free to commit throughout that period. The successful recipient receives a fee calculated to cover six months of a composer’s time, sometimes spread over a longer period with gaps if by mutual agreement. The exact timetable and the projects to be worked on will be agreed in consultation between the composer and the Octagon. The opportunity is open to any applicant resident in the UK. It’s expected the successful applicant will be based in Bolton at the Octagon for at least a significant portion of the six-month placement.  The Octagon, MMD and MTN are committed to diversifying voices in new musical theatre writing and broadening the art form, and composers from a background which is under-represented in musical theatre writing are encouraged to consider applying.

The successful recipient will receive an all-inclusive fee of £13,000, thanks to the generous support of The Cameron Mackintosh Foundation.

Lotte Wakeham, Artistic Director of the Octagon Theatre Bolton said:

“I’m absolutely thrilled that we are collaborating with our friends at MTN and MMD to host a Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer. It will be brilliant to support a musical theatre composer in our building, following on from our recent successful new musical productions of The Book Thief and A Christmas Carol. I’m passionate about the development of new musicals and can’t wait to welcome this artist to join the team at the Octagon.”

This placement will consist of a range of bespoke professional development opportunities at the Octagon which may include:

• Observe the musical direction/composition aspects of new musical Around the World in 80 Days, culminating in a production at the Octagon in Nov 2023.

• Potential opportunity to compose for a new production of a play which the Octagon will be co-producing in Jan 2024 (likely to be a schools set text).

• Opportunity to compose for a world premiere co-production of a new play adaptation.

• Composing for creative engagement productions.

• Time and space for writing and/or research and development at the venue.

For more information on how to apply, please click here.