The Music Theatre Now Competition’s jury has meticulously selected six exceptional projects that reflect the evolving landscape of contemporary music theatre. This year’s curation spans a wide array of innovative expressions: from The Urban Tale of a Hippo site-specific auditory exploration to Black Lodge’s immersive blend of opera and film inspired by surrealism. The dual-continent creation At Your Doorstep exemplifies the seamless integration of live performances across geographies, harnessing interactive video technology to bridge narratives from Africa to Europe. Woman at Point Zero fuses Arabic and Western musical traditions in a poignant feminist narrative, while Halleluja harnesses the collective energy of local communities in a post-apocalyptic celebration. History of the Present uses the opera-film genre to probe political violence.
In the post-COVID era, new media and forms have surged in significance, with video, as a medium, rising in prominence—creating new opportunities for storytelling and audience engagement. The jury celebrates the artists whose vision and ingenuity have embraced these new horizons, pushing the boundaries of music theatre and offering profound insights into our shared human experience.
It has been a soul-nourishing and exciting journey over the past two years, and we eagerly anticipate sharing this artistic richness with a global audience. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the talented artists who represent these remarkable works, as well as to all those who boldly presented their extraordinary creations, continually challenging and inspiring our work as jurors. We would also like to express our deep gratitude to every artist who applied, your contributions have significantly enriched this competition and are immensely appreciated.
Discover the six laureates
The Urban Tale of a Hippo – Kokoras, Katinas, Vapaavuori, Nakaitė, Synaesthesis & Operomanija – Lithuania
Black Lodge – Beth Morrison Projects – USA
At Your Doorstep – Market Theatre Foundation & Theater Bielefeld – South Africa & Germany
Woman at Point Zero – Laila Soliman, Bushra El-Turk, Stacy Hardy & LOD – Egypt, UK & Belgium
Halleluja – Fleur Khani & the Khani Foundation – Belgium
History of the Present – Maria Fusco and Margaret Salmon – Northern Ireland, UK & USA
Jury Music Theatre Now Competition 2023
Sarah Crabtree – creative producer Royal Opera House, London – UK
Tisa Ho – veteran arts manager & former executive director of Hong Kong Arts Festival – Hong Kong
Marlene Le Roux – producer of various Performing Arts Genre and an Activist for the rights for Persons With Disabilities – South Africa
Andrea Caruso Saturnino – general director Teatro Municipal, São Paulo – Brazil
O. Professionals Programme
O. Professionals Programme celebrates the innovative, incessant, and poignant Music Theater scene. This year’s special edition includes MTNow 2023 competition award winners and jury members. During the three-day O. Professionals Programme you can find in one place international and local, experienced and emergent, programmers and makers. O. weaves experiences around performances, panels, meals, and what is in between to invoke thought-provoking discussions with a personal touch.
Save the date: May 16 – May 18 2024, Rotterdam