The organisers behind the UK’s largest showcase of new musical theatre have launched a nationwide search for undiscovered work, with 22 pitching days planned across 14 towns and cities between September and December 2026, ahead of the BEAM2027 showcase in Northampton next spring.

Mercury Musical Developments (MMD) and Musical Theatre Network (MTN) — the two organisations that co-produce the biennial BEAM Showcase — announced the details on Thursday, with the final event scheduled for 20th and 21st May 2027 at Royal & Derngate, Northampton. More than 300 new musicals are expected to be pitched during the selection process, with up to 40 ultimately chosen to present at BEAM2027 itself.

What is BEAM and why does it matter?

BEAM has established itself as a pivotal gateway for new British musical theatre, operating on a biennial cycle and functioning as one of the sector’s most inclusive development opportunities. MMD is the UK’s only membership organisation dedicated entirely to developing new musical theatre writing, nurturing book writers, lyricists and composers through workshops, masterclasses and showcasing. MTN, meanwhile, exists to strengthen infrastructure and opportunity for new musical theatre nationally, connecting venues, producers, colleges and individual practitioners across the country.

Together, the two bodies have built BEAM into a nationally recognised springboard. To date, more than 150 new musicals have been presented at BEAM showcases, and over 60 per cent of those have gone on to receive full productions or further development support. Alumni include Operation Mincemeat, now a West End and Broadway hit; Hot Mess, currently playing at The Other Palace in London; A History of Paper, soon to appear at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Dundee Rep; and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), which received a Tony nomination and is currently running on Broadway.

Producer Tim Johanson, who has worked on two BEAM shows, said: