Musical Con is returning to ExCel London this October for another weekend of all things stagey! After a sell-out weekend at their first ever event, the music, merch, workshops, interviews and more will be back again on 21 & 22 October 2023, with over 100 special guests and 140 hours of programming!
Highlights on the Main Stage will include include the opening and closing ceremonies featuring performances from Musical Con Ambassadors Aimie Atkinson, Trevor Dion Nicholas, Sophie Evans, Alice Fearn, Ben Forster, Lucie Jones, Shanay Holmes, Miriam Teak Lee, Jon Robyns and Layton Williams.
Lucie Jones says, ‘Musical Con is a place where all of the fans, of all different musicals, can come together under one roof and celebrate something that we all love. I’m so excited to see people in their favourite cosplay, taking part in a workshop, or just meeting someone they love!’
Show Spotlights include unique performances and interviews with the cast and creatives of Disney’s The Lion King, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and the new smash hit, Operation Mincemeat. Fans of Heathers will say farewell to the iconic production with a special celebration featuring the show’s composer, Laurence O’Keefe.
Other features include a performance and interview with Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical movie stars Alisha Weir and Meesha Garbet, an interview with internationally renowned choreographer and director Dame Arlene Phillips, and guest performances and an interview with the composer of Les Misérables & Miss Saigon, musical theatre legend Claude-Michel Schönberg.
Alisha Weir says, ‘Musical Con is so important because it inspires other kids and gives them the hope and determination to be who they want to be and do what they love.’
The star-studded line up also includes Michael Ahomka-Lindsay, Bronte Barbe, Courtney Bowman, Tom Francis, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt, Dom Hartley Harris, Holly Anne Hull, Cassidy Janson, Aisha Jawando, Hannah Lowther, Grace Mouat, Joel Montague, Natalie May Paris, Josh Piterman, SVN, Ivano Turco, Tosh Wanogho-Maud, Rachel Wooding, Michael Xavier and many more.
The weekend will also see special performances from Rachel Tucker and SVN, a celebration of the iconic pairings of Alice Fearn & Sophie Evans and Lucie Jones & Helen Wolf and a celebration of new shows with performances from Lizzie, Babies, Bronco Billy, Ride and The Book Thief. Cosplay, Lip Sync and Star of Musical Con competitions are back, as are the Cast Reunions with previous cast members of Newsies, Bat Out Of Hell, and a special surprise reunion which will be revealed at the event. The Show Off game show also returns, and this time, it’s previous cast members of SIX versus Heathers.
Theatreland is more extensive than ever with a huge marketplace full of stagey businesses and shows, including Hadestown, Disney’s Aladdin, Matilda, SIX, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, The Time Traveller’s Wife, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Goosebumps The Musical and Andrew Lloyd Webber Musicals.
The Backstage Theatre has moved into its own space, where it will host panels including ‘Accessibility On the West End’ with The Little Big Things choreographer Mark Smith; ‘LGBTQIA+’ with Olivier award winner Matt Henry MBE and Divina De Campo; ‘Black Excellence’ with Tosh Wanogho-Maud and Miriam Teak Lee; ‘Social Media & Musicals’ with influencers Hannah Lowther and Tom Scanlon; an interview with Standing at The Sky’s Edge and Cabaret At The Kit Kat Club casting director Stuart Burt; ‘Creating A Musical’ with Operation Mincemeat and Standing At The Sky’s Edge director Rob Hastie and designer Ben Stones; and the return of last year’s popular Disney’s The Lion King & Frozen ‘Puppetry Demonstration’.
At Stage Door fans will once again get a professional photo and autograph with stars including Lucie Jones, Erin Caldwell and Alisha Weir. There are also countless workshops and masterclasses, all taught exclusively by West End stars and creatives, including dance workshops with Layton Williams and Dame Arlene Philips and a writing masterclass with Claude-Michel Schönberg.
Fans can take a break from the main programming in the new pop-up cinema playing not-stop musicals, enjoy a photo opportunity or join Fan Meets for The Queendom, Corn Nuts, Phans, Mincefluencers and Fansies alike!
We’ll also be at Musical Con for the second year, with an Official London Theatre stall selling our on-the-day discount TKTS tickets. Check out our vlog of the weekend below, jam-packed with performances, previews of brand new shows, workshops, exhibitors, fan competitions and our very own find the cosplay game!
West End Musical Productions organise Musical Con with the support of the Society of London Theatre, the charity that runs Official London Theatre!
Emma De Souza, Executive Director of Audiences and Commercial for SOLT, says: “We are delighted to support this incredible convention which we look forward to becoming a staple of the West End’s annual events calendar, celebrating our world-leading theatre industry and its devoted audience.”
So get your costumes ready, your pipes warmed up and grab the last remaining tickets here!