Musical theatre is an important part of LGBTQ+ culture, but how effectively do our musicals represent lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex and asexual creatives and audience members in all their fabulous glory? Dr James Lovelock, curator of www.queermusicals.com, is joined by special guests from across the musical theatre industry to think about how these productions are creating spaces that centre queerness and represent LGBTQ+ people of different genders, races and lived experiences. Join us to celebrate how our queer identites are challenging conventions and creating a bold new future for musical theatre! Series 1-3 of this podcast were funded by the University of Wolverhampton. Series 4 of this podcast is funded by the British Academy Early Career Researchers’ Network Seed Fund as part of a project on ’Queer gain in queer-infused musical theatre practices’, and is supported by Sheffield Hallam University
Episodes
Jul 30, 2024
Jul 30, 2024
51 min
In this episode, Dr James Lovelock chats to Jessica Aubrey and Joshua Clemetson from Wicked about their experiences as queer people in the musical theatre industry. We discuss Jessica's work on But I'm A Cheerleader and Joshua's ambition to be the first octagenerian Lola in Kinky Boots.
TW: Conversion therapy
You can follow Jessica on Instagram here.
You can follow Joshua on Instagram here.
You can follow James on Instagram here.
This episode was funded by the University of Wolverhampton.
Jul 22, 2024
Jul 22, 2024
57 min
In today's episode, Dr James Lovelock talks to Elizabeth Ayodele (Standing At The Sky's Edge) and Madeline Charlemagne (Hadestown) about the representation of black, working class women in musical theatre and the importance of diverse education in drama schools.
You can follow Elizabeth on Instagram here and Madeline on Instagram here.
Find out more about Open Door here.
Standing At The Sky's Edge is at the Gillian Lynne theatre until Saturday 3rd August - tickets are available here.
Hadestown is playing at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue - tickets are available here.
You can follow queermusicals on Instagram here and Dr James Lovelock on Instagram here.
Jul 17, 2024
Jul 17, 2024
51 min
This episode's guest is director Tania Azevedo. Tania has directed several new musicals with LGBTQ+ characters including But I'm A Cheerleader, Mayflies and A Mother's Song as well as working as an associate director on & Juliet and Heathers.
In this episode, we discuss Tania's work along with LGBTQ+ representation in the musical theatre industry.
The podcast is hosted by Dr James Lovelock.
You can find Tania's website here.
Don't forget to follow us @queer.musicals on Instagram and Facebook!
Oct 8, 2023
Oct 8, 2023
1hr 2 min
In this episode, I am joined by David Cumming and Zoe Roberts from Spitlip to discuss the fabulous smash-hit West End musical Operation Mincemeat. We talk about how the show has been shaped by the perspectives of its creative team (and actors) to represent women and LGBTQ+ people in a story that is dominated by male characters, and we explore how the real life characters and their legacies have inspired a new generation of musical theatre fans.
Operation Mincemeat
The year is 1943 and we’re losing the war. Luckily, we’re about to gamble all our futures on a stolen corpse.
Singin’ in the Rain meets Strangers on a Train, Noel Coward meets Noel Fielding, Operation Mincemeat is the fast-paced, hilarious and unbelievable true story of the twisted secret mission that won us World War II. The question is, how did a well-dressed corpse wrong-foot Hitler?
Tickets available here
Follow Operation Mincemeat on Instagram and Twitter
Follow Spitlip on Instagram and Twitter
Follow David on Instagram and Twitter
Follow Zoe on Instagram and Twitter
For more information about Dr James Lovelock and his research, go to www.queermusicals.com or follow queer.musicals on Instagram.
Tickets for fantasies come true - the queermusicals.com concert are available here.
Sep 17, 2023
Sep 17, 2023
54 min
In this episode, I chat with Roshani Abbey (& Juliet, Hamilton) and Flora Leo (Show & Tell, The Lightning Road, Stiles and Drewe Best New Song winner) about female queer representation in musical theatre and television. We discuss Triangularity, one of Flora's current writing projects as we explore new ways to tell queer stories that challenge the harmful tropes and stereotypes in queer representation.
Follow us on Instagram and check out our website at www.queermusicals.com for more information.
Find out more about Triangularity on Flora Leo's Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@FloraLeoProductions
Check out Roshani's website here and Flora's website here.
Aug 2, 2023
Aug 2, 2023
47 min
Today's guests are Robin Simões da Silva and Teddy Hinde from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. We chat about audition processes, the opportunities for trans men in industry and Robin's musical Brother as well as the importance of queer-led companies and shows in musical theatre.
Follow us on Instagram and check out our website at www.queermusicals.com for more information.
Robin Simões da Silva's instagram
Teddy Hinde's instagram
Jul 17, 2023
Jul 17, 2023
1hr 4 min
This episode features Jo Foster, Jaz Terry and Aaron Shales, the three actors who most recently played and covered May in & Juliet in the West End. We discuss their different experiences of playing a character who is exploring gender throughout the musical, and how each actor connected with this iconic role. We also touch on different intersections with race and sexuality, and imagine a future for queer characters in musical theatre post-Juliet.
Follow us on Instagram and check out our website at www.queermusicals.com for more information.
Jo Foster's instagram
Jaz Terry's instagram and GoFundMe
Aaron Shales' instagram
Represent! The queermusicals.com podcast
Musical theatre is an important part of LGBTQ+ culture, but how effectively do our musicals represent lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex and asexual creatives and audience members in all their fabulous glory? Dr James Lovelock, writer and curator of www.queermusicals.com, is joined by special guests from Legally Blonde, Rent, But I’m A Cheerleader, Daddy, The Normal Heart and Interstate: A New Musical to think about how these productions are creating spaces that centre queerness and represent LGBTQ+ people of different genders, races and lived experiences. Join us to celebrate how our queer identites are challenging conventions and creating a bold new future for musical theatre!