Jordan Paul Clarke is the Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer at BYMT
BYMT together with Musical Theatre Network (MTN) and Mercury Musical Developments (MMD) are delighted to announce that Jordan Paul Clarke will be the Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer on placement at BYMT commencing in January 2022.
MMD and MTN run The Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer scheme, which is made possible by funding from the Cameron Mackintosh Foundation. Through this, musical theatre composers are paired with a producing organisation, and given the opportunity to be involved in a range of projects including developing their own new work, shadowing other composers, musical direction and composing songs, sound & music for new productions. Recent placements have included the Royal Shakespeare Company, Dundee Rep, Lyric Hammersmith, Leeds Playhouse, Curve, and New Wolsey Theatre.
After being impressed by the talent of the writers shortlisted, BYMT have offered work or development opportunities to all five of the other finalist composers for the placement. Adam Howell, Matt Regan, Joanna Taylor, Michael Betteridge and Nimrita Kaur will work for the musical theatre charity across various projects in 2022, with further details on each opportunity to be announced.
Jordan Paul Clarke, composer, said: “I am beyond grateful to have been chosen as the Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer, with British Youth Music Theatre this year. Opportunities like these - which allow artists to freely focus on creating new musical theatre with resources and financial support - are rare blessings. It fills me with immeasurable joy to know I'm able to spend the next six months supported by such a nurturing organisation. This is a scheme which puts artists' ideas first, and provides the creative and financial support needed to ensure those ideas can be brought to fruition. I'm incredibly grateful to be welcomed into the wonderful team at BYMT, and to Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network for providing this brilliant opportunity, along with their steadfast advocacy and support."
Jordan trained in Composition at The Royal Academy of Music, and is a composer, musical director and improviser. He's a member of Olivier Award Winning Showstopper: The Improvised Musical ["incredible... defies belief" The Telegraph], and has toured with multi-award winning Mischief Theatre (Olivier-Nominated Mischief Movie Night). Other MD Credits include Broken Wings (Assistant MD, Dubai Opera House), AIDS Baby (Barbican) and Ride (Garrick Theatre). He composes for plays, digital media and musicals including: Happy at Waterloo Vaults, and The Kings Head ["profound, modern theatre at its best" Boyz], Building Paulus (UK Tour), Friday Night Sinner at Soho Theatre, "would do Mel Brooks proud" [Chortle] "Flawless music" [Musical Theatre Review], and with writing partnership Forristal and Clarke - P.S. I’m a Terrible Person (currently in development, shortlisted for the Charlie Hartill Award, Pleasance Theatre, and the Stiles and Drewe Mentorship Award 2021), and Public Domain (Vaudeville Theatre) ★★★★★ Everything Theatre ★★★★★ GScene - The Times' Pick of the Week [The Times Hotlist, 2021]; featured on BBC RADIO 2 [“INNOVATIVE" The Daily Telegraph, “ORIGINAL AND EDGY" The Guardian] for which they received a Merit Award from the LA New Voices Project 2021, supported by Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment.
Jon Bromwich, Executive Producer, BYMT, comented: “We are delighted with this appointment and very grateful to Cameron Mackintosh and his Foundation for making it possible. Jordan will take part in every aspect of the organisation’s work over the course of the residency, from outreach work in schools to creating a new production of his own choosing and making. The residency is in perfect harmony with our goals of supporting the next generation of creative artists and giving them the opportunity to work with talented young people. We are looking forward to it!”
Emily Gray, Executive Director, MMD, added: “To make the most of an opportunity such as this residency, a composer needs to be at a particular stage of their development, when they are ready to connect with an organisation creatively and to bring their experience to the role as well as a readiness to explore and learn. Jordan is absolutely at the moment in his career to focus on his voice as a composer and develop his knowledge of working within the vibrant and creatively brilliant BYMT. At MMD we are delighted to be partnering with an organisation focussed on making work with young people and excited to see how this relationship evolves and what new musical theatre emerges”.
“Under Jon Bromwich’s leadership, BYMT encourages writers to develop music theatre which pushes artform boundaries and gives young people performance opportunities in keeping with the complexity and sophistication of their lived experiences. Jordan stood out, among a typically strong shortlist of applicants, for the synergy of his creative ideas and experience with BYMT’s ambitious, UK-wide activities,” - said James Hadley, Executive Director, MTN,.
BYMT are looking foward to the new year 2022 full of excitng collaborations and fresh and innovative new musical theatre.
