CULT - COMPOSER CALL OUT

WHAT WE WANT

Composers / Music producers / Singer-songwriters / Music-makers

We are looking for four composers/music producers/singer-songwriters/music-makers to join us in exploring ideas as part of an early R&D for a new immersive musical about CULTS.

We are especially interested in working with composers/music producers who have not worked in theatre before and we are specifically looking for people with proficiency in the the following musical styles:

  • Folk  / Modern Folk

  • Choral music

  • Trance / Euphoria / Dance music

The aim of this R&D will be to explore new musical collaborations and experiment with musical styles. We will work with each composer/producer independently across 3 days, testing out our collective ideas and exploring different sonic avenues that could potentially work for the future show. The R&D will culminate in a digital industry sharing of all the music created by all participants, provisionally due to take place on 19th Feb 2021. 

We will have access to a keyboard in the rehearsal room (London), but composers will need to provide any other instrument they wish to use themselves. We are also planning to engage 2 actor-singers for the sharing so there will be the option of up to 5 voices, plus the composer’s own. 

We actively encourage applications from under-represented groups and are committed to ensuring that our collaborative team is wholly inclusive and representative of the wider artistic community. 

Unfortunately we don’t have the budget for travel / accommodation costs, however we are open to the idea of remote working if necessary. As such, whilst rehearsals will take place in London, we welcome applications from across the UK.  

WHAT YOU GET

3 days music-making @ £130/day, spread out across Jan/Feb 2021 in the following manner: 

w/c 18th Jan: 1 day working with us in the rehearsal room (London or remotely)

25th Jan - 6 Feb: 1 day working independently on the music

w/c 8th Feb: 1/2 day with us in rehearsal room for edits/rewrites (London or remotely)

19th Feb: 1/2 day preparing for & attending a digital sharing. 

All dates are currently provisional and may shift slightly in response to government COVID measures. 

31220003-skippy.jpg



 

image.jpg

WHAT WE’RE MAKING

Musicals are often safe, cosy and conservative. We want to change that. 

A new horror-comedy musical inspired by a blend of classics (The Wicker Man), modern horror (Midsommar) and documentaries (Wild Wild Country), CULT will be a dark, atmospheric, outdoor musical piece that teeters between laughter and fright. 

Why are we drawn to charismatic, under-qualified leaders in times of crisis? What powers our need to come together and find comfort in rituals? And what happens when belief becomes fanaticism? Immersive, seductive and strange, CULT will provide the exact thing we crave right now - the simple joy of being with others - while sliding towards a nightmare of people driven by fear/anxiety to adopt dangerous systems of belief. 

Equal parts uplifting, brutal, euphoric, terrifying, ecstatic and crazed, CULT will be the rave you wish you’d never stumbled upon but just can’t bring yourself to leave. 

WHO WE ARE

David Cumming, Natasha Hodgson and Zoe Roberts - three members of multi-award-winning breakout new musical company SpitLip (WINNERS Best Lyricist/Composer The Stage Debut Awards 2019 and creators of hit-show Operation Mincemeat). We are also 3/5ths of multi-award-winning comedy-horror troupe Kill the Beast. We’ve been working together for over 10 years and have to date between us made four ‘deliriously imaginative, genre-busting horror-comedies’ (The Stage) , three ‘offbeat cult classic podcast series’ (Irish Times) that ‘batter you into laughter’ (The Guardian) and one full-blown musical with ‘a finely varied score, and lyrics that shame most big musicals by their dexterousness and ingenuity.’ (The Observer). 

We are very excited to see what gems these new collaborations may uncover. 

HOW TO APPLY

Please send an email to zroberts28@gmail.com including “CULT Composer Application + your name” in the subject line. The email should contain:

  • A short professional biography

  • A few lines detailing why you think you & your music would be suitable for this project

  • Links to 3 examples of your music 

    • If you are linking us to an album, please specify which tracks you would like us to listen to. 

    • If possible, please avoid sending music files directly. Links are preferable. 

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: 10am on Tues 5th January 2021. 

Once submissions are closed, a shortlist of applicants may be asked to attend an online informal interview with us between 6th-8th Jan 2021 to further discuss their work before the final four successful applicants are chosen. 

Please note: Whilst we of course hope all the collaborations are fruitful, participation in this R&D does not guarantee future involvement in the project going forward.