When We Strike Opens at Southwark Playhouse

BYMT presents the world premiere of WHEN WE STRIKE By Caitlyn Burt (Librettist & Lyricist) and Amir Shoenfeld (Composer & Lyricist). Directed by Georgie Rankom. Choreography by Jane McMurtrie at Southwark Playhouse Elephant on Friday 30 & Saturday 31 August (14:30/19:30)

BYMT (British Youth Music Theatre) presents When We Strike, a punk rock rendition of the 1888 matchstick
girls’ strike in London – the finale of its 20th anniversary season of new music theatre shows.

When We Strike features a cast of 36 young BYMT female and non-binary performers and musicians from
across the UK. Created by librettist/lyricist Caitlyn Burt and composer/lyricist Amir Shoenfeld (who were the
first writing team to be selected for the Cameron Mackintosh Composers Residency).

It’s 1888 and a group of working-class girls in East-London are barely making ends meet working for Bryant
and May’s matchstick factory. Though their lives are tough, these girls are tougher. But when they learn the
abhorrent working conditions in their factory are responsible for the mysterious disease that’s been killing
them, the Match Girls must band together to stand up to the capitalist elite who see them as disposable – and
change the world. Inspired by historical events, the show celebrates the courage of young people and the rage
of a new generation fighting for a more equitable world. Using the energy and fire of punk-rock, this new
British musical will spark debate and question who’s responsible for igniting change.

A group of girls holding up signs and yelling
The foreman in a bowler hat pulls at the hair of young girl who is yelling
A girl looks on sadly as she sings
Four girls holding hands sing with each other
A young woman sings confidently while two other stand behind her. A concerned person stands looking down at her from the balcony
Two young girls hold microphones singing while they both point to the sky
A young girl looks over her shoulder singing
Young people stand facing forwards singing determinedly on stage - a balcony behind them
A teenage girl leans forwards singing into a microphone
A young person stands on a crate singing to the other girls around her
A well-to-do individual sings with her eyes looking to the side as she holds a newspaper
A young girl in a cap and oversized suit sighs holding a pile of newspapers
A young girl smiles looking fowards
Two young girls stand looking scared - the younger behind the older
A teenage girl stands reading a news paper while others wait behind her
A 'well-to-do' crowd sing with feathers in their caps and snobby expressions
The 'well-to-do' stand in a clump with canes and feathers, their noses in the air - judgemental looks on their faces.
A ballet dancer holds her arms out longingly in blue, ominous light

Photos by Greta Zabulyte

RETURN HOME

Best of Friends

Lucy and her friends sing and dance to our new song, ‘Best of Friends’, where they realise how boring it would be if everyone was the same.

What’s On Stage

Read the What’s On Stage article announcing the upcoming Signal Online, featuring our new song, ‘It’s You’, by Amir Shoenfeld and Caitlyn Burt.

READ HERE

‘It’s You’ debuted at the first ever SIGNAL Online

In the midst of cancelations and isolations, Adam Lenson’s Signal performance decided to keep its scheduled date, swapping what would have been a live BEAM2020 event, for a ground-breaking online format. Direct from composer’s houses all over the globe, SIGNAL ONLINE streamed live performances of new musical works.

Making its debut, ‘It’s You’, from our new musical ‘Out of Sight’ was performed by Amir Shoenfeld.

WATCH BELOW

‘From Inspiration to Stage’ Podcast - (Im)Perfect Rhyme

Hear Caitlyn’s opinion on the perfect/imperfect rhyme debate, along with the song ‘Offspring Just Spring Off’ by Amir Shoenfeld and herself, from their children’s musical, ‘Sheila the Tiny Turtle’.

The battle lines are drawn as Drew asks one of the big questions surrounding lyric writing.  From all over the world, lyricists have had their say on whether rhymes should be perfect, or if imperfect rhymes are now the norm.  What’s the answer?  Join Drew along with a very distinguished group of artists including Noel Katz, Caitlyn Burt, Cal Silbertstein, Krishna Alexandra, Millicent Sarre and Makayla Ryan as they tackle this fascinating topic.  This episode also features an array of songs from new musicals including tracks by Cal Silberstein and Jinhee Kim, Krishna Alexandra and Lorien Patton, Caitlyn Burt and Amir Shoenfeld, and Drew Lane himself.  Get ready for a passionate debate!

LISTEN HERE

Garden Theatre Songwriting Challenge

We are really excited to have our song ‘A Man Called John’ selected as one of the winners of the Garden Theatre Song Writing Challenge! A ‘watch party’ will be taking place on Tuesday 26.5.20 on the Garden Theatre Facebook page, 5.00pm (EST), where our song will be sung by the very talented Valerie Torres-Rosario.

Garden Theatre Songwriting Performance

‘A Man Called John’ selected as one of the winners of the Garden Theatre Song Writing Challenge! Watch the very talented Valerie Torres-Rosario’s performance.

Johanna, a very clever 16 year old woman in the year 819, has been secretly reading about John the Baptist with her friend Lucas. When she realises she won’t have access to books anymore, she resolves to change where her future is heading.

Bite-Sized Broadway Podcast

Announcement of Bite-Sized Broadway Podcast Musical, ‘Sheila the Tiny Turtle’

Amir Shoenfeld (Music) and Caitlyn Burt (Book and Lyrics) are excited to announce that ‘Sheila, the Tiny Turtle’, our 20 minute Aussie musical, will be part of the Bite-Sized Broadway: A Mini-Musical Podcast season. Episodes premiere on October 5th, with Sheila’s date to be confirmed.

Bite-Sized Broadway: A Mini-Musical Podcast consists of 50-minute episodes each featuring a 10-to-20-minute “mini-musical” presented as a fully produced radio play complete with top-of-the-line digital orchestrations and captivating sound effects. Each musical is followed by a discussion with its writers about their piece and their careers. In order to support these gifted writers, we have cast top Broadway and theatre industry talent to help get eyes and ears on these writers and help them launch a fruitful career in the theatre.

In the Australian desert, a family of turtles works hard to find food for their sick mother. Sheila, the cleverest – yet smallest – turtle of the family, is mocked by her brothers for not being able to contribute due to her size. When Sheila hears about a cure located dangerously far across the desert, she determines to bring the seeds back to save her mum. While crossing the sand, Sheila encounters a kangaroo, followed by a dingo, where she is forced to use her brain instead of her size to overcome the obstacles and make her mum well.

Go to www.indieworkstheatre.com/bitesizedbroadway for more information!

SIGNAL Online 6

‘Rich, Dead Saint’ Debuted at SIGNAL ONLINE 6

Introducing a new project, Amir and Caitlyn sing ‘Rich, Dead, Saint’ from their work based on 90s computer game, Grim Fandango at Signal Online 6.

WATCH BELOW