Turn on Fest 2022

The headline event is a rehearsed reading and concert of ‘The Regulars’ a new US folk music musical, about identity and self-love which is being produced and developed by Hope Mill Theatre.

Hope Mill Theatre Artistic Director Joseph Houston, said; “We are thrilled to be bringing Turn On Fest back to live audiences in 2022. While we were glad that we managed to go online with this year’s festival, we felt the loss of not being able to bring artists and audiences together, especially within the 

LGBTQIA+ community, that we serve. 

The headline event of the festival is a rehearsed reading and concert showing of new musical, ‘The Regulars’, a folk musical, which is being produced and developed by Hope Mill Theatre, with Music, Lyrics and Book by trans writter Will Shishmanian. The musical has been developed with and Directed 

by Miss Hazel Jade. With a passionate score and a familiar story, ‘The Regulars’ is a captivating original musical about identity and self-love - reminding us that despite our differences, we are all deserving of acceptance for who we are.

Mark Howard moves away from his West Virginia home to a rural, upstate town in search of a new type of family. When he picks up a stockroom position at the town’s local orchard, he’s met with toxic masculinity and comes to terms with his newfound male privilege. During his first day at wirk, he befriends 

Dani Thompson, a Black queer woman who is opening her own gay bar. Over time, these two very regular people form and find chosen family in one another and their community.

The Hope Mill will be bringing the team over from America to work with a company of 10 actors on a preview concert showing of the musical, which will then go into workshop and development in early 2023. 

Director of ‘The Regulars’, Miss Hazel Jade, said: “I am unbelievably thrilled to showcase Shish’s (Will Shishmanian) beautiful songs at Turn On Fest and continue developing ‘The Regulars’ with Hope Mill! 

It is a dream to share the world of Amberland with Manchester audiences.”

Hope Mill Theatre will be collaborating with Trans Creative to double bill ‘The Regulars’ alongside new Trans writing. This event will be a Trans Social event.

Run by Trans Creative, Trans Social Club is a space for trans and non binary people and allies to come together, socialise and share work in a safe trans friendly space to tell our own stories. Come and be part of the first 2022 Trans social club. Look out for the call out for new trans writers mentoring for 

this performance . Featuring Maz Hedgehog, Taylor Le Fin and more.

Details and tickets via READ MORE

Published: 2-Dec-2021: (6465)