VIDEO: Metta Theatre Releases Season Two of Musical Drama CELLS

Metta Theatre - one of the UK's leading production companies devoted to British musical theatre - are pleased to announce the release of second season of filmed musical drama CELLS today, Monday 21 March, a year after the first season was released in 2021, in partnership with Royal & Derngate Northampton, The Queen's Theatre Hornchurch and the Taunton Brewhouse.

A test, an upcoming birthday, a family reuniting.

Alan Bennett meets The Streets in this tender and uplifting new work, giving voice to the lives of three ordinary people in search of connection...the continuation of this story of new beginnings and second chances.

CELLS once again stars Metta's Patron, the Olivier award winning Clive Rowe alongside rising star Lem Knights. They are joined by Natalie Hope, whose credits include The Commitments (West End), and Sweet Charity (Royal Exchange), and Legally Blonde (Leicester Curve). The first season of CELLS was written, developed and recorded entirely during the 2021 winter lockdown by the award-winning writer/director P Burton-Morgan and composer Ben Glasstone. The cast album is available via Spotify and other digital platforms accessible here.

CELLS is written and directed by P Burton-Morgan (Madam Butterfly UK tour, In the Willows, UK tour, Jungle Book UK & International Tour), with music by Ben Glasstone, mixed and mastered by Simon Small and the Musical Director is James Cleeve. The Director of Photography is Jon Dickinson, the films are edited by Will Reynolds. James Cleeve plays keys, Paul Moylan plays double bass and Curtis Volp is on guitar.

P Burton-Morgan, who in 2020 won the Writers Guild of Great Britain Award for musical theatre book writing for In the Willows says, "We're delighted to be revisiting our digital musical Cells and releasing 'Season Two' with the introduction of a third character. With the first season having been seen by over 42,000 people across YouTube and Facebook, it's wonderful to hopefully reach even more audiences digitally with the next instalment of this intimately moving story. Taken together both 'seasons' make up a full-length piece and we're in conversation with several venues about bringing the stage version to live audiences in 2023.

It's wonderful to see theatres recovering, but the challenge of developing and more crucially producing new British musicals remains as acute as ever. We're excited to continue pursing digital outlets for our work alongside traditional live performances, and we hope this alongside our cast albums and music videos for other projects will help sustain interest in our quirkier projects, as well as reaching audiences who are still unable to return to in-person performance."

Established in 2005 by P Burton-Morgan and Motley trained Designer William Reynolds, Metta Theatre has been at the forefront of new work - with a strong focus on the development of new British musical theatre, and a commitment to highlighting climate justice and sustainability; as well as celebrating all forms of diversity.

Over the pandemic, they have released a range of digital content including 5 cast albums, 7 music videos/short films and Cells (Season One) which has had over 40,000 views across YouTube and Facebook. In December 2021 they premiered their new musical THE RHYTHMICS at Southwark Playhouse, which was tragically cancelled on the morning of its rescheduled press night due to covid. The production will be revived in 2023.

Prior to the pandemic Metta were one of the UK's leading mid-scale touring companies - known for combining emotionally powerful performances with imaginative theatricality and striking visual style. Previous productions include their smash hit street-dance Jungle Book(Theatre Royal Windsor & UK tour), circus-musical Little Mermaid (Theatre By The Lake & UK tour) and In The Willows (Exeter Northcott & UK tour), Mouthful (Trafalgar Studios) and Arab Nights (Soho Theatre & UK tour).

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