The Widows of Wanstead-On-Sea is a brand new dark comedy musical written by Beth Granville, Tom O'Brien, and Violet Skies
Wanstead-on-Sea is run by women, for women, and it runs unnervingly well. When an investigative journalist travels to Wanstead-on-Sea to write a feature on a thriving group of widows, she discovers that this female utopia came at a cost…their husbands’ lives.
We are really excited to be developing The Widows of Wanstead-on-Sea and adapting the existing story into a new musical. The creation of new musicals is in decline, and making new work at a time when risk-taking is at an all-time low in the entertainment industry presents opportunities to do things in a different way. We believe in this idea, this story and the team making it happen; before going to theatres with The Widows of Wanstead-on-Sea, we plan to get the script and songs to first draft and here is where you come in … The creative team is currently raising capital to develop this piece and realise the musical in its crucial early stages.
We are seeking a total initial raise of £40,000, with tailored contribution tiers available between £500 and £10,000.
The raised capital will be strictly allocated across the primary development phases:
£15,000: Commissioning the book writers to deliver a complete, full-length draft of the musical.
£15,000: Commissioning the composers and lyricists to write the original score and songs to accompany the first draft.
£5,000: Funding a dedicated two-week writers' residency to accelerate the script and lyric development.
£5,000: Financing a development week of workshops with the creative team and performers, culminating in an exclusive initial industry sharing.
In recognition of your vital support at this foundational stage, contributors will receive:
Exclusive Access: Invitations to the initial industry sharing of the work and behind-the-scenes access to a live workshop day.
Creative Updates: Regular progress updates throughout the writing residencies and development process, including exclusive access to early music demos.
Future Rights: First-look opportunities and priority offers for commercial investment in the subsequent full production of the show.
Recognition: Formal acknowledgement and credit in marketing and promotional materials for all future productions.
Ongoing Connection: Continued insider updates on the project’s trajectory leading up to its premiere.