Theatre Sheridan’s Musical Development Project brings new musicals to the stage

Sheridan students will have the opportunity to collaborate with artists around the world, thanks to a new initiative from Theatre Sheridan.  

The newly minted Musical Development Project will offer theatre audiences for the 2024/25 season a unique glimpse into the creative process that sees new musicals come to life. Over five weeks, students work with various artists to bring their vision to life on stage in a rough format.

Artists are chosen for the Musical Development Project through a selection process that factors in whether the project will be a benefit to both students and the artist.
Expectations for the project’s outcome are also part of the selection process, ensuring the students’ learning requirements are met and the artist receives the skilled input they need to move their project forward towards a successful production.  

“Students work closely with people in the industry who are able to guide and mentor them, both on the current project here at Sheridan and on future projects,” said Chris Scholey, Producer of Theatre Sheridan. “On the flip side, students bring their ideas and creativity to the process, with a chance to influence the piece or even change the direction of the piece. It’s truly a win-win situation, with incredible opportunity for growth.” 

Through the Musical Development Project, students studying in their fourth year of Sheridan’s Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance and each year of the Technical Production for the Performing Arts Industry programs will have the opportunity to advance their skills in both the development of new productions and in making important industry connections as they work on the final stages of a musical’s development.  

This initiative continues Sheridan’s history of musical incubations through the process of workshopping.  

Theatre Sheridan’s First Drafts program, which is showcased during the fall term, is an opportunity for Music Theatre Performance students to work with writers in the early stages of their scripts. The Musical Development Project builds on First Drafts and introduces Technical Production students to the process. Projects may be in a second draft or closer to production readiness for this initiative. 

Projects are chosen to support students’ learning – they learn valuable skills such as how to write and unwrite a script, how to be a participant in a workshop, what their role is in the process, and how to interact with writers: skills that will help them succeed in their careers beyond Sheridan.

This season, Theatre Sheridan is showcasing two Musical Development Project shows. Armchair Confidential features a creative team from the Greater Toronto Area and runs from February 4-8. Wild Child – A New Musical, runs from February 5-8, and features a creative team from various U.S. cities. 

These “stand-and-sing" performances focus on the music and text, with minimal choreography. Wild Child will include a unique immersive experience as part of the presentation.

Sheridan Alumni is proud to sponsor BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) students through ticket sales at the February 8 performance of Armchair Confidential. All ticket sales will support the Class of ‘95 Bursary, which provides vital financial assistance to students in Music Theatre Performance and Tech Production programs who identify as Black, Indigenous, or racialized individuals, to pursue their dreams and reach their full potential. 

Learn more about this bursary created by classmates of the Music Theatre Performance ‘95 program.

Visit Theatre Sheridan to learn more about the 2024/25 season. 

Top photo: Performance student Stephanie Brandt in Armchair Confidential works with technical production students to ensure her microphone is set to the proper level; Middle photo: The cast of Wild Child – A New Musical warm up their vocal cords to begin their rehearsal session; Bottom photo: Theatre Sheridan posters are created in-house by Sheridan Illustration students.