The King's Head Theatre Announces Details of Tania Azevedo's LGBTQ+ Musical Theatre Focused Season, MT PRIDE LAB,

The King's Head Theatre has announced details of Tania Azevedo's LGBTQ+ Musical Theatre focused season, MT PRIDE LAB, celebrating the best in developing musical theatre. The announcement marks the third season in The Takeover, four seasons curated by guest artistic directors in the iconic Islington pub. Tania's season, with performances from 6 June - 31 July, features the best and brightest new LGBTQ+ musical theatre.

The Takeover sees the iconic Islington pub venue welcoming four guest Artistic Directors, drawn from different theatre backgrounds, curating their own individual programmes. The guest Artistic Directors – Isabel Adomakoh Young, Tom Ratcliffe, Tania Azevedo and David Cumming – are all mid-career LGBTQ+ artists from various disciplines. 

Tania Azevedo, is best known for her work in the musical theatre. Recent directing credits include Whatsonstage award-winning BUT I'M A CHEERLEADER (Turbine Theatre), MAYFLIES (York Theatre Royal) and A MOTHER'S SONG (Macrobert Theatre). She was the resident director on & Juliet (West End). Tania started her career as a Trainee Resident Director at the King's Head Theatre.

Tania Azevedo said, "I am thrilled to present the upcoming season of Musical Theatre Pride Lab. This season is a vibrant playground where artists will hone and nurture their shows, taking creative risks while connecting with audiences and learning from their feedback. Featuring stories celebrating forgotten Queer icons, mysteries about missing siblings and found identities, and tales where opera meets drag, our season offers a unique opportunity to witness the birth of tomorrow's musical hits. Join us in celebrating the future of musical theatre!".

Opening the season is Sex, Drag & Opera, all of the famous arias done very differently as opera singer and drag artist Freddie Love penetrates opera's queer and gender subversive history; Transferring from the Edinburgh Fringe and embarking on a UK Tour Julie is an hour-long gig musical diving into the story of iconic historical figure Julie D'aubigny - opera singer, swordswoman and flaming bi-sexual; From writer Gus Gowland, who's musical Mayflies recently premiered at York Theatre Royal to rave reviews, comes Lifeboats. A new song cycle about the stories and teachings of LGBTQ+ folk who have come before giving hope and guidance to those to come. With inspiration from Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens which premiered at Kings Head Theatre in 1992, comes a message of hope for the community, that someone has walked this path before and a celebration of the rich history of the queer community; In My Sister is Missing, budding young sleuth Basil find themselves in the centre of a musical mystery when they can no longer turn to the law to find their missing sister; comedy musical Guymart is a comment on gay hook-up apps from Toughnut Theatre - Matt's part of the stock and he's about to be swiped; Transferring from Brighton Fringe, Rockstar looks at the pressures of being in the public eye and bi-erasure, with songs inspired by Queen, The Killers and Kings of Leon; Rounding out the season comes Diary of a Gay Disaster, a new musical comedy where three queer women get to grips with their gay panic after unearthing a teenage diary.

Also featured in the season is #JoeShow, I'm Done With This Shit, La Copla, Dagmarr's Kabarett; Indefinite Leave to Remain and Kissing a Fool.

Senior Producer Sofi Berenger said “With Tania leading the queer musical theatre scene after her recent successes directing …But I'm A Cheerleader, Mayflies and A Mother's Song we always knew she'd curate an inspiring season of the best emerging LGBTQ+ musical theatre, and that's exactly what we're proud to present. It's been incredible to work with her on the season. There's a really broad taste of musical theatre forms to celebrate as well, including Opera, musical comedies, song cycles and gig theatre and we can't wait to bring them to audiences soon. ”

The guest artistic directors' seasons will be some of the final seasons ever programmed in the Kings Head Theatre Pub in its current building, London's oldest pub theatre. More details on the new theatre space to be announced in due course. 

The programme has been supported by Arts Council England.

The King's Head Theatre, 115 Upper Street, London N1 1QN – Box Office 020 7226 8561

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