What does the future look like for new musicals?

This year’s UK Musical Theatre Conference, held at Soho Theatre Walthamstow last Wednesday, was an urgent pulse check for the musical community.

Presented by Musical Theatre Network and Mercury Musical Developments, the event showcased an industry grappling with its role as a vehicle for global exchange, social change, and technological innovation, but also one that can feel incredibly exclusive or “niche.”

A recurring theme was the capacity for musicals to act as a bridge between cultures. A session chaired by producer Emily Lunnon, panellists Natalie Chan of Jonathan Church Productions, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’s co-creator Jethro Compton, ATG Productions’ John Manning, and producer Danielle Tarento explored the increasingly global exchange of new work between the UK, North America, and Asia.

Tarento – preparing a third tour for her production of Titanic the Musical – noted that while some international audiences seek the “full English experience,” others look for “something that feels recognisable,” citing the varied reception of Titanic across different territories, a show she has toured both across the UK and internationally.

This creative cross-pollination is becoming more literal; for example, the production of The Lion has experimented with alternate nights featuring Japanese and British lead actors. Meanwhile, Compton, who has just confirmed The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will be heading to Seoul, and Manning, highlighted that while big intellectual properties travel easily, the international journey for new work requires a long-term commitment to development and fan-building.

With capitalisation often reaching £2 million and only around 30 feasible venues nationwide, international touring is increasingly seen as the primary route to financial viability.

Manning’s observations about how the process around building audiences for new musicals has also transformed, with the new concept of “workshopping for an audience.” By using public workshops for shows like Bliss or Why Am I So Single? to gather feedback and build visibility, creators can mitigate the risks and build buzz.

The discussion on Black and global majority perspectives, chaired by Nancy Medina, artistic director of Bristol Old Vic since 2023, whose credits include Trouble in Mind at the National Theatre and a critically acclaimed revival of Choir Boy that won both Best Play and Best Director at the 2024 Black British Theatre Awards – brought the industry’s structural challenges and creative potential into sharp focus.

Medina highlighted the friction between diversity and true belonging, noting how success is often dictated through a white lens, which can unfairly cast Black and Brown work as “amateurish.” Playwright, TV writer and musical book writer Sumerah Srivastav argued that while the talent is abundant, the problem remains one of access, as producers often “de-risk” by sticking to familiar faces and existing IP. Srivastav pointed out that the music industry has moved far faster than musical theatre in terms of diversity, yet maintained that specificity in storytelling does not mean a narrow audience, as underlying themes remain universal.

Panellists also championed a shift away from “trauma mining.” Producer Rafia Hussain expressed a desire to see more “coms” in the form of rom-coms and sitcoms, questioning why joyful stories are often viewed as less important. This was echoed by Srivastav’s observation that “joy travels faster and more furiously than trauma does,” and by composer Tim Sutton’s description of the “Black joy” found in rehearsal rooms. Sutton, optimistically, described the current landscape as “unprecedented” and “terrifying” because there are no rules; musicals can now draw from hybrid sounds ranging from Malawi to Caribbean ghost stories, or Shakespeare infused with ska and calypso. This comes just ahead of the West End transfer of his musical The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, which first opened in Stratford-upon-Avon ahead of a spell at @sohoplace.

You can hear even more from the conference in our exclusive podcast, where Compton also teases further international plans for Benjamin Button: