Hello MusT Alumni!

Welcome to the first edition of the University of St Andrews Musical Theatre (formerly ‘Just So’) Society Alumni Newsletter! You’ll figure us for calling it the ‘MusT Alumni Newsletter’ for short!

This is an idea that has been in the works for several months now. Prompted by my looming graduation, conversations with alumni from a range of generations, and some reflections on our Honourary Life Membership system, I wanted a way for people to keep a link to the St Andrews community for years to come. Thus, this newsletter was born! My hope is that it will provide a great once-in-a-while* update on the amazing work and talent in the St Andrews musical theatre space, the goings-on of the society, and the success stories of its alumni. 

*You can hopefully anticipate an email around once per semester.

I would like to thank those who have helped make this happen, in particular Iain Cunningham, the incoming 2023/24 Development & Outreach Officer for building a beautiful website and infrastructure to host it, and Matthew Colquhoun, the incoming 2023/24 President, for letting me work on this for a little bit longer than my role’s tenure would normally have allowed! You can expect to hear from him in the next edition of this email.

This group has been going in one form or another since 1986, fostering an inclusive community of performers, crew members and enthusiasts from all backgrounds. In recent memory it survived the COVID-19 pandemic, a rebrand, and now with the backing of the Bunyan-Craig fund for upcoming years, it is 37 years old and going strong! So, if you know of anyone from the past 37 years who would be interested in this newsletter, then please share it with them!

If you have been forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive it above!

With that though, let’s dive in…

2022 Autumn Semester Round-Up

In the Autumn 2022 semester we rejoiced as it was the first semester of shows free of COVID-19 restrictions since the pandemic began. Our first show was our annual tradition of lip-synced production of Rocky Horror in the Byre Theatre. It was a sold-out show and a spectacular production that remains a hallmark of the society the St Andrews calendar. On this occasion we invested in a larger set budget used to make long-lasting set pieces that can hopefully be used in more productions of Rocky Horror to come, a great step towards sustainability within the society. The doorway in particular has proven popular, seeing use two weeks later in the autumn production of ‘Pippin’ in the Byre Theatre. A brilliant showcase of the hard work and talent of the town, we were very happy that it all came together.

This semester marked the second year of the Backstage Training Scheme (BTS), started by Sarah Johnston, the 2021/22 Society President. The BTS saw its largest pool of applications yet, and in the end we facilitated 29 shadows across the two shows. Following a mixer event towards the end of the semester, I was overjoyed to see so many of them going on to form the crew of the Spring Semester’s New Members’ Musical, ‘She Loves Me’.

We had two workshops this semester, namely a Music Literacy Workshop with Bede Williams, Head of Instrumental Studies at the University of St Andrews, and a general workshop for the ‘Pippin’ team with Lucy Schaufer, Bunyan-Craig Visiting Fellow in Singing at the University of St Andrews. Both of these were really well-received and all-the-more easier to organise with the pandemic behind us. As always, if you would be in a position to provide a talk or workshop, please get in touch with us at musicaltheatresociety@st-andrews.ac.uk !

We enjoyed close relations with our friends at the Mermaids Performing Arts Fund. We contributed to their Give-It-A-Go session during Freshers’ Week, and enjoyed a jointly-run trip to see ‘The Book of Mormon’ at the Edinburgh Playhouse. We also collaborated on the Pre-Event to the annual Christmas Ball, with some vocalists of the society commencing the entertainment of the evening.

The Autumn Semester was certainly a learning period as we adjusted into the freedoms of post-pandemic musical theatre. Nevertheless it proved to me that this community is rich with talented and incredibly capable individuals who are never afraid to dream big!

2023 Spring Semester Round-Up

This past semester of Spring 2023 was an exceptionally busy one. The first production of the semester was ‘Little Shop of Horrors’, which took place in the Byre Theatre as our contribution to the On The Rocks arts festival in St Andrews. The show was fantastic, our partnering with OTR enabling us to hire out some awesome puppets for Audrey II. In a fun coincidence, three successive presidents of the society were all in one place!

Society Presidents from left to right: Sarah Johnston (2021/22), Tristan Sharman (2022/23), and Matthew Colquhoun (2023/24)!

Following that, we were expecting to run our final two shows in the StAge in the Student Union. However, three weeks before opening, that space was unexpectedly closed, so we quickly had to seek new venues, and transform our plans to accommodate that. Almost every logistic of the shows had to be reconsidered, but the teams rose valiantly to the task. The first of these was the New Members Musical ‘She Loves Me’, of which much of the crew were graduates of the Backstage Training Scheme the previous semester. Their show ended up performing in the Buchanan Lecture Theatre, with much help from the Ents Crew who rigged up an impressive lighting and sound setup with very little to work with. The show was a labour of love from the cast and crew that truly came across to all who watched. Last but by no means least was our production of ‘Into the Woods’. This Sondheim spectacle marked the society’s first ever performance in the Laidlaw Music Centre. Despite the challenges of the venue change, the huge show sold out its three-night run, and was a fantastic finale for the semester, and the year.

Much of the committee’s time was spent in and supporting this semester’s shows as opposed to workshops outside of them, but we were delighted to welcome back Lucy Schaufer, Bunyan-Craig Visiting Fellow in Singing at the University of St Andrews, for another character workshop with the ‘Into the Woods’ cast. We are always eager to facilitate more though, so if you would be in a position to provide a talk or workshop, please get in touch with us at musicaltheatresociety@st-andrews.ac.uk !

We used much of this year’s Bunyan-Craig Fund to buy 8 more microphones, bringing our society-owned total to 16, and plenty of peripheries to make them all fit together. We anticipate this will dramatically lower our tech rental costs, which leaves us with more money to put elsewhere in shows and other areas of the society. The Bunyan-Craig fund also helped the Music Centre fund four vocal scholarships for the year, fostering talent which we are always happy to have in our shows. The fund is also contributing to the society website, which hosts this very newsletter!

The Backstage Training Scheme (BTS) ran on a smaller scale this semester compared to the previous one, as is proving to be a trend. Nevertheless, 13 shadows enjoyed the newly added abilities to formally ‘flex’ between different production team roles as part of their time on a show, whilst still ensuring the smooth running of the scheme.

It was an immensely busy semester, particularly regarding the challenge of the venue changes, but we were immensely proud of the final forms of the shows. A huge number of people were involved in each of our production. Seeing their hard work, talent and dedication, I’m confident that I am leaving the St Andrews musical theatre scene in very capable hands.

Coming Up In The Calendar

Looking ahead to autumn, there’s plenty to look forward to.

Our annual production of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ returns once again to the Byre Theatre on October 28th-29th.

Are you shivering with antici…pation for the St Andrews Musical Theatre Society’s interactive screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show? Well don’t dream it, be it! Get ready for a night of Halloween filled Transylvanian madness. Dressing up is encouraged, so get out your highest heels and tightest corset ready to come up to the lab and see what’s on the slab with this unique live action screening of a cult classic.

Tickets on sale now!

The autumn musical is set to be ‘Little Women’, which will take place in the Byre Theatre from 14-16th November. 

Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel is musically revived in the University of St Andrews Musical Theatre Society’s production of Little Women. Set in Civil War-era Massachusetts, this timeless coming-of-age story follows the adventures of the March sisters, Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy, while exploring themes of gender, family, love, and independence.

Tickets on sale now!

Finally, we are introducing ‘A Chronicle in Concert’, taking place on November 11th in the Laidlaw Music Centre.

Enjoy a musical recounting of the evolution of Musical Theatre through the ages in the beautiful McPherson Recital Room featuring a live orchestra and chorus.

If any of these might interest you, keep an eye on our social media for ticket details to come!

Closing

We’re thrilled to be launching this newsletter, so be sure to forward it along to anybody who might be interested. They can sign up to receive it at ustamusicaltheatre.co.uk/alumni

If you have gone into theatre beyond St Andrews, we would love to hear your story! Whether you would be willing to give a talk, workshop, or share a short story in this newsletter, we’d love to hear from you! You can reach out to us at musicaltheatresociety@st-andrews.ac.uk!

With that, this email reaches its curtain call.

Starting this newsletter has been my final act as President, and I’m immensely proud that it has come to fruition, but with this sent, I now join the ranks of alumni. It has been a pleasure serving on committee for the past two years, as well as taking part in ‘Chicago’ (2019), ‘Spring Awakening’ (2020), and ‘RENT’ (2022). It has given me friends and memories for life, and I wish all the best to those taking it forward.

All the best,

Tristan Sharman

(Musical Theatre Society President 2022/23)