Represent! - The queer musical theatre podcast

You're listening to Represent, the queer musical theatre podcast.

My name is Dr. James Lovelock and I'm an academic and a huge musical theatre fan exploring the representation of all things queer in the musical theatre industry.

In this episode we are joined by Georgina Coram and Lucy Mackay from the cast of the Sheffield-based musical Gwenda's Garage.

The musical is based on the stories of queer women who were involved in the real Gwenda's Garage in the 1980s and follows the characters through the political upheaval of Margaret Thatcher's Britain, including the enacting of Section 28 and the fight for the rights of queer people to adopt children.

As always you can follow us on your favourite podcast platform and don't forget to share this episode on social media.

Links

Tickets for Gwenda's Garage at the Southwark Playhouse

Georgina Coram on Instagram

Lucy Mackay on Instagram

Dr James Lovelock on Instagram

Queermusicals on Instagram and website

to Represent, the queer musical theatre podcast.

My name is Dr. James Lovelock, and I'm an academic and a huge musical theatre fan exploring the representation of all things queer in the musical theatre industry.

My guests today are West End leading man Zheng Xi Yong and West End leading they-dy Jo Foster, who have just finished starring in Fourplay at the Kings Head’s Theatre.

In this episode, we discuss queer, Asian and non-binary representation in Your Lie in April and Why Am I So Single, and start an entirely unsubstantiated rumour that Jason Robert Brown is planning a musical adaptation of the CBeebies show In The Night Garden.

As always, you can follow us on your favourite podcast platform, and don't forget to share this episode on social media.

Links

Jo's instagram

Zheng Xi's instagram

James's instagram 

Represent podcast instagram and website

New work

Why Am I So Single? website, instagram, Spotify and Apple Music

Your Lie In April instagram Spotify and Apple Music

Fourplay instagram

Welcome to Represent, the queer musical theatre podcast.

My name is Dr. James Lovelock and I'm an academic and a huge musical theatre fan, exploring the representation of all things queer in the musical theatre industry.

Today's guests are the iconic Gracie McGonigal and the extraordinary Ashley Goh, who met during a production of the new musical The Phase at the Vaults Festival.

Since then, Gracie has wowed us with her performances as Lily in Fangirls at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, and Ashley has imparted her wisdom as Alex in Babies at the Other Palace.

We discuss the importance of queer spaces, the joys of workshopping, and our hopes for the future of musical theatre.

As always, you can follow us on your favourite podcast platform, and don't forget to share this episode on social media.

Links

Gracie's instagram

Ashley's instagram

James Lovelock's instagram 

Represent podcast instagram and website

New Work

The Phase - website instagram 

Fangirls - website instagram Spotify Apple Music

Babies - website instagram Spotify Apple Music

Shipton: A New British Folk Musical Instagram MT Spotlights

Asian Pirate Musical - website instagram Spotify Apple Music

Weird - website instagram

Welcome to Represent, the queer musical theatre podcast.

My name is Dr James Lovelock, and I'm an academic and a huge musical theatre fan, exploring the representation of all things queer in the musical theatre industry.

This week we are talking to the genius writer that is Yve Blake, and the genius performer that is Mary Malone.

Mary appeared as Jules in Yve's musical Fangirls at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre last year, and recently workshopped Yve's news show Mackenzie, which is a retelling of Macbeth as a child television star.

In this episode, we discuss female, queer, and trans representation in musical theatre, and explore how to make a welcoming creative space for queer performers.

As always, you can follow us on your favourite podcast platform, and don't forget to share this episode on social media.

Links

Yve's instagram

Mary's instagram

James Lovelock's instagram 

Represent podcast instagram and website

New Work

Fangirls - website instagram Spotify Apple Music

A Transgender Woman On The Internet Crying - Spotify Apple Music

Mel and Sam (writers of Doof) - Podcast Tiktok

Gillian Cosgriff (writer of The Fig Tree) - instagram 

piss/CARNATION - Instagram

Fox Hunt - Royal Court 

Welcome to Represent, the queer musical theatre podcast.

My name is Dr. James Lovelock, and I'm an academic and a huge musical theatre fan, exploring the representation of all things queer in the musical theatre industry.

Our guests today are the effervescent Joshian Angelo Omaña and the fabulous Finton Flynn, who both appeared in the UK tour of Everybody's Talking About Jamie in 2024.

We explore Joshian and Finton's experiences in the industry, including Joshian's performance as a fridge, a double-denim-wearing museum curator, and a bee in Why Am I So Single, and Finton's concert appearances as one of Lola's angels in Kinky Boots, and as a porn star in Shooting Star, a new musical.

As always, you can follow us on your favourite podcast platform, and don't forget to share this episode on social media.

Links

Joshian's instagram

Finton's instagram

James Lovelock's instagram 

Represent podcast instagram and website

New Musicals

Everybody's Talking About Jamie website Spotify Apple Music

Why Am I So Single? website, instagram, Spotify and Apple Music

The Parent Agency website

Shooting Star website  excerpts

Welcome to Represent, the queer musical theatre podcast.

My name is Dr. James Lovelock and I'm an academic and a huge musical theatre fan exploring the representation of all things queer in the musical theatre industry.

Our guest today is the wonderful and versatile actor, dancer and superstar swing Owen McHugh, who recently appeared in the fabulous Why Am I So Single? at the Garrick Theatre.

We discussed what the show means to us and how it created an inclusive space for its sparkling ensemble and we also explore some of Owen's other projects including But I'm a Cheerleader and Like a Rat.

There's also a very detailed analysis of how to gender bins and curtains when rehearsing for a West End show.

As always you can follow us on your favourite podcast platform and don't forget to share this episode on social media.

Links

Owen McHugh's instagram

James Lovelock's instagram 

Represent podcast instagram and website

New musicals

Why Am I So Single? website, instagram, Spotify and Apple Music

But I'm A Cheerleader instagram and YouTube channel

'Wrestling' from But I'm A Cheerleader

Like A Rat - workshop promo

Television Shows

What It Feels Like For A Girl on BBC3

Love and Rage: Munroe Bergdof on Apple TV

Welcome to Represent, the queer musical theatre podcast. My name is Dr. James Lovelock, and I'm an academic and a huge musical theatre fan exploring the representation of all things queer in the musical theatre industry.

Links

Jordan Cambridge-Taylor's instagram

Olivia O'Connor's instagram and TikTok

Dr James Lovelock's instagram

Podcast instagram and website

2008 Stuttgart production of Wicked

'For Good' - Willemijn Verkaik and Jana Stelley

'Popular' - Jana Stelley

Welcome to Represent, the queer musical theatre podcast.

My name is Dr James Lovelock and I'm an academic and a huge musical theatre fan, exploring the representation of all things queer in the musical theatre industry. My guests today are the fabulous writer and director Robyn Grant and her astoundingly versatile collaborator Allie Dart, who is currently appearing in the comedy about spies at the Noel Coward Theatre. Robyn and Allie are the Victoria Wood and Julie Walters of our time, appearing together in the hit musical parodies Unfortunate, The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch and Wolverine, among many other productions. Today we discuss the art of collaboration, creating inspiring rehearsal rooms and Robyn's current project, Medusa.

Links

Robyn Grant's Instagram and website

Allie Dart's Instagram

Dr James Lovelock's Instagram

Series Instagram and website

New Musicals

Unfortunate the untold story of Ursula the Sea Witch - a musical parody Trailer Instagram Spotify Apple Music

Shipton: A New British Folk Musical Instagram MT Spotlights

Tickets

Buy tickets for Unfortunate the untold story of Ursula the Sea Witch - a musical parody at the Lowry Theatre in December

Find out more about The Comedy About Spies.

Welcome to Represent, the queer musical theatre podcast.

My name is Dr. James Lovelock and I'm an academic and a huge musical theatre fan, exploring the representation of all things queer in the musical theatre industry.

My guest today is the iconic River Medway, star of RuPaul's Drag Race season three in the UK, and more recently a leading lady as Ariel in the outrageous musical parody Unfortunate, the untold story of Ursula the Sea Witch. We discuss River's unique pathway to representing their authentic self in musical theatre and talk about their upcoming role as Jem in Here and Now, the Steps musical.

Links

River Medway's Instagram

Represent - the queer musicals podcast Instagram

New musicals

Unfortunate the untold story of Ursula the Sea Witch - a musical parody Trailer Instagram Spotify Apple Music

House of Cleopatra - Instagram Spotify (original version) Apple Music (original version)

Here and Now - The Steps Musical - Trailer Website Instagram

Tickets

See River in the UK tour of Here and Now - The Steps Musical

See Unfortunate the untold story of Ursula the Sea Witch - a musical parody at the Lowry Theatre in December

Welcome to Represent, the queer musical theatre podcast. My name is Dr James Lovelock, and I’m an academic and a huge musical theatre fan exploring the representation of all things queer in the musical theatre industry.

My guest today is the extraordinary actor and writer Lauryn Redding. Lauryn appeared as Nikki in the gorgeous West End musical Standing At The Sky’s Edge, and was the first writer and performer to open a show at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester after the pandemic with the wonderfully titled Bloody Elle. We discuss Lauryn’s current project Jack, based on the diaries of Anne Lister, and recent television role as Mel in Smoggie Queens, as well as exploring our hopes for female queer representation in musical theatre in the future.

Links

Lauryn Redding - Instagram Tiktok 

Dr James Lovelock - Instagram

Represent the queer musical theatre podcast - Instagram

Lauryn performs 'Open Up Your Door' from Standing at the Sky's Edge 

Standing at the Sky's Edge album and script

Bloody Elle album, script and 2021 trailer

Smoggie Queens on BBC iPlayer

Signal Musicals YouTube channel

Otherland script and trailer

I Kissed A Girl on BBC iPlayer

The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs script and trailer