Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network (MTN) have announced details of the nationwide search for the UK’s most exciting new musicals to present at BEAM2025, the UK’s biggest showcase of new musical theatre.

BEAM2025 will be held on 15 and 16 May 2025 at Birmingham Hippodrome. This is preceded by a series of pitching days at which new work and artists are identified. MMD and MTN have partnered with theatres and arts organisations around the country to host 21 pitching days in twelve towns and cities across the UK between September and December 2024, and are expecting over 300 new musicals to be pitched.

Each creative or team has 10 minutes to share their idea with an industry panel and up to 40 musicals will be selected for BEAM2025. Around 50 diverse industry experts, including producers and programmers of new musicals, contribute to the selection process through sitting on the pitching day panels. Bespoke development feedback from the panels will be shared with every pitching team at a later date, thanks to funding from PRS Foundation. Participating venues include Regents Park Open Air Theatre, Birmingham Hippodrome, The Lowry, Wales Millennium Centre, Donmar Warehouse, The Other Palace, National Theatre of Scotland and Everyman Theatre, Liverpool.

To date, over 60% of the musicals showcased have gone on to be fully staged or received further development support as a result of BEAM. Notable BEAM success stories include current West End shows: Operation Mincemeat and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).

To book a pitching slot and for more information on the pitching process, please go to the Mercury Musical Developments website.

A free online event will be held on 4 September with an expert panel giving advice and tips for pitching, and answering any questions. This panel will include Matthew Eames (Head of Theatres, The Lowry), Kate Golledge (BEAM pitching facilitator/director), Suzanne Gorman (writer/producer) and Kiki Stevenson (Programme Manager, The Other Palace). Registration for this event is now open via the Mercury Musical Development website.