‘IN THE WINGS’ RETURNS FOR A THIRD SERIES
Hugely-successful new British musical series is back with live performances by West End performers and emerging artists.
Following on from the success of the first and second series,In the Wings is returning in October for a third series. In the Wings is a series of filmed human interest interviews with composers, writers, and creatives of musical theatre productions. The series takes a focused look at a variety of new musical theatre writing, and provides a platform for creatives to present their work to a wide audience.
Series Three will air weekly from Friday, October 22nd at 7.30pm on the In the Wings YouTube Channel. The series is free to watch on-demand indefinitely with musical direction by Henry Brennan, visual design by Justin Williams, and casting by Kelly Everitt.
The third series features six shows: Améliore, Deptford Wives, Fiver, Reality Bites: The Interactive Musical, The Red Side of the Moon, and Tarrytown. As the theatre industry reopens, this series will look to the future of theatre beyond the shutdown. Michael Auger will interview creatives from each of the shows, discussing their work, inspiration, and the future of their productions.
Each episode also includes variety of performances of songs from those shows, as well as already known musicals. The West End cast is made up of Emma Lindars (Groundhog Day, Made in Dagenham), Nikita Johal (Broken Wings, What the Ladybird Heard), and Cleve September (Hamilton, Jesus Christ Superstar).
Weekly, episodes also feature a number of performances by 2021 Graduates from MT colleges across the U.K. The graduate cast is made up of Naomi Alade (London College of Music), Anna Amelia (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), Olivia Brookes (ArtsEd), Owen Clayton (ArtsEd), Georgia Dixon (Italia Conti), and Sydnie Hocknell (ArtsEd).
The band for the third series is made up of Henry Brennan (Keys/MD), Leon Stenning (Guitars), Mark Fincham (Bass Guitar), and Nick Anderson (Drums).
With the addition of the third series, ‘In the Wings’ will have championed sixteen new musicals, and provided showcasing opportunities for eleven west end performers, and twelve new musical theatre graduate performers. The series has gathered over 100,000 views on YouTube, with an average of 11,000 viewers tuning in weekly to watch each episode.
The first series of In the Wingsaired during the U.K.’s first lockdown in June, 2020, and consisted of four episodes, with a core ‘cast’ of four performers and an interviewer, supported by a live three-piece band. The performers had one slot on each episode to perform a song; These slots were interspersed with the interview, which discussed their show, the industry shutdown, how it had affected the interviewee and their show, etc. The first series focused on No Limits: A Song Cycle, Legends of Arahma, Gretel!: The Musical, and Dorian: A Rock Musical.
The second series of In the Wingsaired in September and October of 2020, and consisted of six episodes, with a larger cast than the first series. Four West End professionals were joined by emerging artists from the 2020 Graduate pool from various musical theatre colleges across the UK. Featured in the second series were The Wicker Husband, You and I, Millennials, Terror at the Sweetshop, Plan Bea, and The Rise. Interviews in this series focused less on the initial industry shutdown, and looked at how the industry had begun to adapt to a new normal.
In the Wings can be found on Facebook, twitter, instagram, and YouTube at /inthewingslive. Head to YouTube.com/InTheWingsLive
Tarrytown, with Adam Wachter – October 22nd
Adam Wachter’s original musical “Tarrytown” is a contemporary story loosely based on Washington Irving’s story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. A finalist for the Richard Rodgers Award and winner of the Craig Noel Award for Best New Musical, “Tarrytown” is a funny, tuneful, intense, and romantic 90- minute musical for three singing actors.
Book, music, and lyrics by Adam Wachter
Deptford Wives, with Anthony Kosky and Tania Azevedo – October 29th
Deptford Wives tells the remarkable true story of Mary Lacy, the female shipwright.
In 1773, Mary Lacy, a poor girl from Kent facing a lifetime as a domestic servant, ran away from home, disguised herself as a man, and joined the British Navy.
She became an apprentice shipwright, but when her gender was revealed, she was expelled from the Navy, leaving her to find her identity as a woman in a man’s world.
Mary went on to become an architect and builder, building a row of houses now known as Deptford High Street, found time to write her memoirs and was the first woman to be granted a pension from the British Admiralty.
This musical explores the passionate love affair between Mary and her soon-to-be ‘wife’, Elizabeth Slade and how the impossible became possible.
Original book by Jennie Buckman, book and lyrics by Nikki Racklin, music by Anthony Kosky, with additional music and lyrics by Daniel Jarvis. Concept and adaptation by Tania Azevedo
Fiver, with Alex James Ellison – November 5th
FIVER, follows the story of a humble five pound note as it passes through the hands and pockets of people in London. Often unnoticed and obviously unaware, the fiver is present for significant moments of connection in each person’s life – whether it be an appreciation of their skills as a street performer; the start or end of a relationship; or the simple realisation that they can afford a bed for the night.
This beautifully crafted series of musical vignettes explores the value of money, relationships between people, and the relationships between people and their money. In a world where connection has been lacking, the show uses a five pound note to emphasise the importance of connection between ordinary people.
The diverse characters in FIVER are explored through a broad variety of musical styles as we follow our unusual hero through the ups and down of what is – to a fiver – just a normal day.
Book, music and lyrics by Alex James Ellison
The Red Side Of The Moon, with Kathryn Tindall and Zoe Woodruff – November 12th
The Red Side Of The Moon is the story of two young women in the early 00’s who meet at an open mic night and connect through their music. And as the world is falling in love with them and their music, they are falling in love with each other. When their management team find out, they have a difficult choice to make, stay together or stay in the public eye and chase their dreams. It is a queer folk inspired musical, that focuses on love, friendship, the pressures of fame on women and whether it is ever okay to be queer and in the spotlight.
Music and lyrics by Kathryn Tindall, book by Zoe Woodruff
Reality Bites: The Interactive Musical, with Dave Payne and Aron Sood – November 19th
Nine ‘celebrities’ enter Purgatory — the newest and biggest reality TV show on the planet. Nine strangers, plucked from a world of instant, tenuous fame who will do anything to achieve true icon status, the public’s affection and the chance to extend their fifteen minutes. But who will ascend to the heavenly heights of worldwide notoriety and who will plunge into Z list obscurity hell?
Reality Bites: The Interactive Musical is a satirical and hilarious romp through an iconic genre. With nods to classic shows such as Big Brother, Love Island, and Drag Race, a glimpse into the dark side of fame, a truly modern love story, an interactive twist that gives YOU the power to banish a contestant, four alternative second acts and loads of popular culture Easter eggs to find, Reality Bites is not just a musical — it’s an experience that can be enjoyed again and again.
Book and Lyrics by Dave Payne, music and additional lyrics by Aron Sood, orchestrations by Will Tuckwell
Améliore, with Melissa Boyce-Hurd and Matteo Ressa – November 26th
Améliore follows the journey of Amelia in the emotional aftermath of her best friend’s wedding. Tormented by her own past failed relationships and dwindling job prospects, she battles with her ever-worsening mental health as she desperately tries to build a future that her mother will be proud of.
Améliore prides itself on starring a 3-dimensional, queer, POC character whose story isn’t defined purely by their race or sexuality.
While charismatic, Amelia is far from perfect, and her journey is fraught with disappointments and traumas that threaten to dim her light. But she will build from her pain rather than wallow in it, and she will get better.
Music, lyrics, and book by Melissa Boyce-Hurd, score and orchestrations by Matteo Ressa
In the Wings can be found on Facebook, twitter, instagram, and YouTube at /inthewingslive. Head to YouTube.com/InTheWingsLive