WORLDS APART Workshop To Play The Turbine Theatre

Current West End stars have come together to workshop new musical: Worlds Apart with book by Matthew Cavendish and Music/Lyrics by Paul Schofield. Set between two schools separated by a fence in South London 1997, Worlds Apart follows the comedic coming of age journey between Dylan, an educational misfit with the gift of the gab and Kevin, an academic fantasist with social anxiety. Two 17 year olds on the cusp of a new millennium where anything seemed possible and youth culture defined the rules. Driven by an anarchic brit pop influenced original score, the boys push the boundaries of classroom order, taking their future's into their own hands to beat the system.

The week's workshop process is being performed by Jordan Luke Gage (& Juliet, Bat Out Of Hell), Jake Halsey-Jones (Hamilton), Hiba Elchikhe (Everybody's Talking About Jamie), Matthew Cavendish (Play That Goes Wrong), Tim Mahendran (& Juliet), Rosie Fletcher (Jesus Christ Superstar, Hadestown), Jessica Lee (Prince of Egypt), Jeremy Lloyd (The Comedy About A Bank Robbery), Rodney Vubya (Evita Regents Park) and introduces recent graduates Sophie Hutchinson, Beth Dare and Stacey Cornes.

The workshop, taking place at Paul Taylor Mill's Turbine Theatre in Battersea Power Station, sees the first staging of the new musical with direction by Luke Kernaghan, choreography by Claira Vaughan, visual design by Andrew Exeter, sound design by Dan Samson and orchestrations by Lewis Andrews.

"I'm thrilled to be workshopping this new musical, especially with such a talented and dynamic company. The story and characters have such charm and youthful energy, and yet there are incredibly relevant themes of social opportunity and class divide, especially in these times. I can't wait to explore (and personally relive!) the dreams, passions and relationships of 90s school kids through Paul and Matthew's high-octane, rabble-rousing brit-pop world" Kernaghan comments.

Artistic Director, Paul Taylor Mills, opens his theatre's doors to welcome the new musical explaining "now is a time more than ever to support new musical theatre. Generating new work it is one of the underpinning pillars of the Turbine's mission statement and I'm so excited that even in a world pandemic we are able to support emerging writers, composers and performers".

The workshop is being developed by West End star Ruthie Henshall's production company: Three Pin Productions. Henshall explains "We are absolutely thrilled to bring together such a talented new generation of west end stars for the first exploration of this exciting new musical. Worlds Apart is a quintessentially British new musical with all the energy and youthful optimism that is still desperately needed 20 years on."

Future production information to be confirmed but readers are being told to keep their eyes pealed on social medias for teaser songs and releases across the week.