The month-long challenge for musical theatre writers returns

The Musical Theatre Writing Challenge is returning to encourage writers to keep writing - come what may.

In the height of the pandemic, a group of musical theatre writers met in an online writer’s room on Zoom, created by award-winning writer Gus Gowland (Pieces of String). The room was free and open to all, designed as a shared space to work, to meet other writers, and to combat freelancer isolation. What emerged from the Zoom room was something different entirely: the Musical Theatre Writing Challenge. 

The inaugural challenge was a huge success, with over 200 people taking part in over 14 countries across the world!

Every day throughout the month of May, participants of the Musical Theatre Writing Challenge will receive prompts – some provided by special industry guests – focused on generating new work and keeping creative juices flowing. Participants can be at any stage of their writing journey, and it’s free to get involved. All you have to do is take part and keep writing - come what may! 

Gus Gowland said: “Musical Theatre is famously the art of collaboration, and yet writing can be a lonely process. The musical theatre writing challenge allows us to build our MT writing community and provides all of us with an opportunity to really test ourselves as writers. Last year the challenge was such a wonderful experience for us all and we’re so excited to get stuck in again. We’re delighted to have the support of Paul Taylor-Mills and The Other Palace and Turbine Theatre for this year’s challenge, too.”

As musical theatre writers come in all varieties – writing book, lyric, music, or any combination – each prompt is either adaptable to your particular skill or provided with clear instructions on how to approach it without specialist knowledge. The goal of the challenge is not to complete the next Hamilton, but to create and to develop, every day of the month, come what may.

Sign up to be part of the inaugural musical theatre writing challenge here and follow the journey via the hashtag #ComeWhatMay.