Noisemaker Celebrates SCOTS Cast Album Release with Concert at 54 Below

Scotland's past, present and future. It's people and places. It's triumphs and failures. All in under 60 minutes! The award-winning writing duo Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie (Noisemaker) are excited to release the original cast album of their newest musical - SCOTS.

SCOTS is a funny poignant journey through Scottish history, all told by an unlikely figure that has seen it all. Someone who witnessed the Picts and the Celts unite; who survived the battles of Sterling and of Bannockburn; who witnessed Scottish Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, the charge for women's rights, the battle for gay rights, the call for Independence - basically someone who's seen and survived a lot of s**t. Scotland's greatest invention, the Toilet! By retelling some of the country's most iconic (and often forgotten) stories, this new musical asks us all to consider one fundamental question: What Makes A Country?

Originally commissioned by legendary lunchtime theatre company A Play, A Pie and A Pint, SCOTS sold out its initial run at Oran Mor in Glasgow in 2022, where Noisemaker produced and recorded the album shortly after

"To capture the sound of this anarchic and hilarious show was a challenge - mainly to keep myself from giggling in the recording studio - but Scott and I are delighted to be able to share the incredible performances from this exceptional cast with audiences everywhere," said McKenzie.

The SCOTS cast album features eleven original songs including: "Quick History Lesson"' - a who's who of every King, Queen and in-between in Scotland's history; "Give Me A Reason" a thrust-worthy tribute to Scotland's inventions from the television to the toaster; and "Daniel & Oscar" which follows the long and hard-fought battle for gay rights in Scotland.

"For us, SCOTS is more than just a bonkers history lesson - it's a total celebration. A chance to bring folk together to share the stories of a nation and its people. To see what's possible when we come together and what happens when we don't," said Gilmour.

Noisemaker will celebrate the album release at 54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on Sunday, April 16 at 9:30pm EST. Directed by PPP artistic director Jemima Levick and music directed by Luke Williams, this one-night event is a celebration and calling card for newly immigrated Noisemaker.

"Bringing this mad wee musical to audiences, not just at home in Glasgow but now in the heart of New York City, is a privilege for us as writers and we're thrilled to have the original Scottish cast with us to celebrate as part of the 25th Annual Tartan Week in NYC."

Tickets for the album release concert are available at www.54Below.com or by calling (646) 476-3551. Hear the original cast now on Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you get your showtunes.

ABOUT NOISEMAKER

Graduates of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie formed their partnership in 2012, dedicated to creating and developing new musical theatre in Scotland. Now nearly ten years on, the pair have worked with a variety of companies and collaborators around the world including The National Theatre of Scotland, Royal Lyceum, Goodspeed Musicals, Barbara Whitman Productions, LD Entertainment, Studiocanal, BBC Scotland and Selladoor Worldwide. Theatre: ATLANTIC: A SCOTTISH STORY (The Big Light Podcast Network - ARIAS Award 2022), OOR WULLIE (Selladoor Worldwide/Dundee Rep), LEGEND TRIPPERS (NYMT), HI MY NAME IS BEN (Goodspeed Musicals/NAMT Festival 2019), THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE AND HER LOVER (Faena Miami/Unigram), THE SNOW QUEEN (Dundee Rep/Citizens Theatre), A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Dundee Rep), MY LEFT/RIGHT FOOT (National Theatre of Scotland - Fringe First/Herald Angel Award), SONGS FROM THE SEVEN HILLS (Sheffield Crucible), LITTLE RED AND THE WOLF (Dundee Rep Theatre - UK Theatre Award), THE GIRL WHO (The Rev/AMTP Northwestern), FOREST BOY (New York Musical Theatre Festival/The Other Palace - S&S Award for Best Musical), FREAKSHOW (Roundhouse/ The Arches - Scottish Daily Mail Drama Award). Film & TV: ANNE OF GREEN GABLES (Sullivan Entertainment), UNICORN UNIVERSE (In Development - DC Thomson Media), LITTLE RED AND THE WOLF (LD Entertainment), OOR WULLIE: Animated Series (In Development - DC Thomson Media). Upcoming Projects: HI MY NAME IS BEN (Robert Ahrens, Mickey Liddell and LD Entertainment), CEILIDH dir. Sam Pinkleton (Barbara Whitman and Beth Grove), THE SNOW GOOSE (Goodseed, upcoming production 2024).

ABOUT A PLAY, A PIE, AND A PINT

A Play, A Pie and A Pint is the most prolific producer of new writing in the UK, producing 32 brand-new plays a year. They are based at the iconic Òran Mór in Glasgow's West End and tour throughout Scotland and beyond. Founded in 2004 by theatre maverick David MacLennan, its core principles remain the same: present a new play every week at lunchtime, which lasts for under an hour, with a pie and a pint included in the price of every ticket, making it an accessible and affordable theatre experience for all.

A Play, A Pie and A Pint has been wildly successful, receiving critical acclaim under its current artistic director Jemima Levick and is now cited as the 'bedrock of the Scottish theatre industry'. Its famous lunchtime theatre model has seen global impact too with Tiny Dynamite Theatre in Philadelphia having done their own version of A Play, A Pie and A Pint for several seasons. Find out more: playpiepint.com/about.