VIDEO: LION KING, TINA and PHANTOM Stars Perform 'The Ballad of Barnaby May'

Actors including Merryl Ansah (The Lion King), Charlotte Vaughan (The Phantom of the Opera) and Cameron Bernard Jones (Tina) have lent their voices to a choir video of the opening number from new British musical The Mayfly Man.

The story of a boy who grows from birth to old age in the space of a single day, The Mayfly Man taps into our anxiety about how best to spend our limited time on earth.

"It's about life choices," says Neil Bastian, the show's writer. "The boy's mother is religious and wants him to live his life in a way that'll guarantee a place in heaven. But his dad's an atheist who doesn't want him wasting his one and only day on rituals. This leads to clashes about what's more important, preparing for an afterlife, or living life now."

"Doing a socially distanced choir video on a tight budget is definitely challenging," Bastian continues. "You can't rehearse effectively in a Zoom room and there was no conductor. So everyone is singing along alone in their bedrooms, hoping for the best. Luckily all the singers are amazing, so I hope people enjoy the results."

Bastian is in the early stages of writing the show, which is based on his novel of the same name. "I'm looking for a producer or producers to help develop it, so please get in touch if you're interested."

Bastian's previous musical is Force Ten Gayle, also in development.

Neil Bastian is a member of Mercury Musical Developments and Book, Music & Lyrics Workshop. You can find more of his work on his website.

Watch 'The Ballad of Barnaby May' below:

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