More local musicals will be taken from the page to the stage, with the announcement of a new $1 million fund to boost the development and production of new theatre shows in Victoria.
The Musical Theatre Development Fund, jointly funded by the City of Melbourne and Victorian Government and delivered through the Regent Theatre Trust, is designed to help talented creatives turn their ideas into reality on home soil.
Funding for Victorian musicals – quick links
A lifeline for an industry in crisis
The investment is encouraging news, with Australia currently experiencing what is being referred to as a live performance industry crisis, with the abrupt cancellation of multiple touring musical theatre productions prompting the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance to call for urgent action to prevent industry collapse.
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Victoria already claims the title as Australia’s musical theatre capital, with the highest recorded revenue and attendance in the country.
While international productions remain a major drawcard in Melbourne’s theatre scene, this investment promises to strengthen the pipeline of homegrown musicals – helping original works find their rhythm in Melbourne before reaching audiences around the world.
Half of the fund will also be reserved for projects that tell Australian stories, in a move to put local experiences in the spotlight.
‘International productions have launched the careers of countless Melbourne creatives. Now it’s Melbourne’s turn to create the next global hit,’ said Lord Mayor Nick Reece.
‘From Billy Elliot to Hamilton, some of the world’s most successful musicals started as local stories. We’re backing Melbourne creatives to tell ours.’
About the Musical Theatre Development Fund
The Musical Theatre Development Fund will support creatives at every stage of the journey, helping new ideas build momentum and giving original works the backing they need to reach larger audiences.
Established creative teams will be able to apply for significant grants to develop and advance original musical works, with the fund also supporting projects heading towards commercial release.
The fund will also back professional development opportunities, including workshops, masterclasses and access to industry expertise – helping creatives refine their work and attract national and international investment.
Emerging creative teams will be supported to stage new productions in the City of Melbourne, while musical theatre students will have opportunities to attend workshops and performances.
An industry delivery partner will soon be appointed to engage with the sector and deliver the program.
‘Musical theatre is big business for Victoria – employing thousands of Victorians and drawing tourists from around the world,’ said Victorian Minister for Creative Industries Vicki Ward.
‘This fund gives Victorian stories the chance to shine on stages here and around the world.’
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The new Australian musicals already making waves
There is definitely an audience for original Australian musicals, especially when they receive the due investment to be developed to a high standard.
A stellar example is the critically acclaimed My Brilliant Career, the Melbourne Theatre Company backed production based on Miles (Stella) Franklin’s Australian classic novel. The musical recently won Australia’s richest playwriting prize, following an encore season at Melbourne’s Southbank Theatre and an east coast tour.
In ArtsHub’s 4.5-star review, veteran theatre critic Richard Watts praised the show for its ‘many strengths and enormous heart’, writing: ‘In years to come, another great Australian musical will be written by someone who was inspired to write – or compose – by My Brilliant Career. It’s that bloody good.’
Melbourne audiences who are hungry to see original Australian musical theatre can also enjoy the world premiere of Mackenzie, a new show presented by Bell Shakespeare and penned by Fangirls creator Yve Blake, which is currently playing at the Arts Centre Melbourne until 9 August.
Technically a ‘new play with four original songs’ rather than a musical, this modern and deeply camp twist on Shakespeare’s Macbeth has been praised by critics and audiences alike, reimagining the tortured Scottish general as a child star in the heights of early 2000s fame, and Lady Macbeth as her ruthlessly ambitious stage mum.
