Eight new online theatre and arts events will be held this month by Thespie to celebrate the work of Black and LGBT+ theatre artists.

Inspired by LGBT+ History Month (UK) and Black History Month (US), two marquee concert premieres make up the programming: Break Free, an empowering musical celebration with LGBT+ theatre artists; and The Road to Prominence, a filmed concert celebrating Black musical theatre writers and composers, from the early twentieth century to today.

Break Free sees an LGBT+ cast sharing their personal journeys and performances of musical theatre and pop songs that have inspired them. Performers include Natasha Agnew, Paul Baker, Allie Daniel, Eloise Davis, Andrew Derbyshire, Nick Hayes, Mark Inscoe, Eleanor Kane, Millie O’Connell, Alex Thomas-Smith, Courtney Stapleton, La Voix, Andrew Patrick-Walker, Shona White, Layton Williams and Charlotte Elisabeth Yorke. Proceeds from this event will go to LGBT+ charity, Stonewall UK.

The Road to Prominence is directed by Dominic Powell and features performances and interviews with leading UK theatre performers. Powell’s musical Cases is showcased during the concert, alongside works such as The Wiz, The Color Purple, Ain't Misbehavin', and Shuffle Along. The cast includes Zoe Birkett, Adrian Hansel, Waylon Jacobs, Aisha Jawando, Bobby Little, Maiya Quansah-Breed, Alex Thomas-Smith and Andrew Patrick-Walker. Proceeds for this event will go to Black Lives Matter UK.

Break Free premieres on Friday 19 February at 8PM GMT (book here) and The Road to Prominence premieres on Friday 26 February at 8PM GMT (book here). Both concerts will be available to stream on-demand following their premieres, and purchasers will have 72 hours to view. 

There will also be a series of free artist talks, In The Room, with performers and creators about writing, rehearsal and collaboration. Star of the forthcoming film of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Max Harwood, will feature on 3 February; with cast members from the Leicester Curve production of The Color Purple in conversation with Dominic Powell on 10 February. More artist talks will be announced in due course.

In addition, informal chat series Thespie Thursdays will feature artists Eloise Davis and Courtney Stapleton on 4 February, Millie O’Connell on 11 February, Genesis Lynea on 18 February and Melanie La Barrie on 25 February. These talks will also be free to view on Thespie.

For more information, please click here.