Developing New Musicals & Supporting New Writers

Canadian Theatre Review sits down with The Musical Stage Company’s Artistic & Managing Director Mitchell Marcus and Intern Artistic Director Kevin Wong to talk about the development of Canadian musicals and Canadian musical theatre writers. They discuss how The Musical Stage Company (formerly Acting Up Stage Company) has supported the development of Canadian Musical Theatre in the past through projects like its NoteWorthy program and the production of Reframed at the Art Gallery of Ontario. They also discuss The Musical Stage Company’s new initiatives: the Dan Fund, and the Crescendo Series, a three-year writer’s residency. Marcus and Wong explore the challenges and rewards of developing new musical theatre works in Canada from the perspective of an arts administrator (Marcus) and a composer-lyricist (Wong). Topics explored include whether Canadian musicals need the approval of Americans, The Musical Stage Company’s place in an emerging network of new musical theatre development in Canada, and the challenges of supporting new musical development over a long period, particularly through the middle of the development process.