6th August 2020

ALICE THE MUSICAL & PETER PAN SCRIPTS NOW AVAILABLE 

The librettos (scripts and lyrics) of Alice The Musical and Peter Pan The Musical have been published for the first time and are now available to buy in beautifully designed editions which also include production photos and original cast and production team credits.

The softback versions of the books cost just £7.99 in the UK (+p&p) and the luxurious hardback versions, which feature an imagewrap cover, cost £14.99 (+p&p).  The books are also on sale worldwide with equivalent prices in local currencies.

The Alice The Musical libretto features production photos by Melissa Gordon at Gorgeous Photography, and the Peter Pan The Musical libretto features production photos by Johnny Frazer.  50% of all sales from the Peter Pan The Musical libretto will benefit Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital Charity.

You can preview the books free online and order directly from the MERCHANDISE page.

15th June 2020

AN UPDATE FROM PAUL DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS

The theatre industry around the world has been brought to a complete standstill over the past few months as individual countries have worked to contain the spread of coronavirus. The repercussions of this paralysis are felt particularly keenly here in the UK and Ireland where the industry was already suffering from a systematic lack of investment from various governments.  As of today, 15th June 2020, there is still no clear indication of when or how the theatre business in the UK can return to operating in any recognisable form.

Earlier this year I announced two exciting new productions which were, at that time, scheduled to premiere in 2020.  I am pleased to confirm that the touring production of Spike Milligan’s Adolf Hitler: My Part In His Downfall produced by Creation Theatre has been rescheduled and we now hope that we can present that show across the UK in late 2021 (details will be announced in due course).

My 25th original musical Pinocchio The Musical, when announced, was to open at the end of this year at the Lyric Theatre Belfast.  The show, a new commission written specially for the theatre, is a follow up to my recent productions there, Alice The Musical (2018) and Peter Pan The Musical (2019). We hope to have some news to share about Pinocchio The Musical later this summer, so visit this page again for that, or you can follow pbm on twitter @paulboydmusic and on Facebook.

In the meantime, there is lots of free original musical theatre material to enjoy here on the pbm web site.  The MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS page features 20 short videos of songs from my shows filmed live on stage in various productions across the UK and Ireland.  The songs are performed brilliantly by a myriad of talented musical theatre performers and this Musical Highlights collection is something I am very proud to share.

If you’d prefer to watch a full film recording of one of my shows, there is now a selection on the SCREEN ARCHIVES page.  Some of the films are available to the general public to watch free of charge (check out Molly Wobbly filmed live in concert in the West End in 2014, or the water spectaculars The Little Mermaid and Sinbad ) others such as Peter Pan The Musical, Alice The Musical, Tinseltown, and Spike Milligan’s Puckoon are accessible only to industry colleagues who worked on the shows - so if you’d like a password to watch one of those films, contact me at paul@pbmusicals.com

Check back soon when, hopefully, I will have some concrete announcements to make about upcoming work and new productions, and in the meantime enjoy the songs and performances here on the web site.  Please keep safe and well.

25th September 2020

PAUL'S NEW PINOCCHIO MUSICAL POSTPONED UNTIL 2021 

The Lyric Theatre Belfast, Northern Ireland's national producing theatre, has announced that due to the ongoing affects of the global pandemic it will not be producing any work on its stages for the remainder of the year.

In a statement the theatre's Executive Producer Jimmy Fay said:

"At every stage of this pandemic, we have been working towards reopening the theatre in a safe and COVID compliant way for our wonderful audiences and brilliant artists. But each carefully thought-out plan has collapsed like dominos in the howl of the ill-wind of this pandemic.  The Lyric has reluctantly come to the conclusion that this year, for the first time in our history, we will not be presenting our hugely popular and unique Christmas offerings. Therefore, we will not produce any work on our stages until 2021".

Amongst the shows due to be staged at the Lyric in 2020 was Paul's new musical version of Carlo Collodi's "Pinocchio", which has the working title Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age.  The adaptation was commissioned by the Lyric at the end of 2019 as a follow up to the theatre's acclaimed productions of Alice The Musical (2018) and Peter Pan The Musical (2019). Pinocchio will now be staged at the end of 2021.

Paul has given a response to the announcement:

"We really tried; I can absolutely confirm that this wasn’t a decision taken lightly. From early April up until just a few weeks ago the Lyric Theatre and I were engaged in an ongoing conversation about how we might be able to safely and innovatively stage a show for our amazing audiences this year.  We came up with many exciting and creative solutions, many seemed possible for a time until new circumstances, rules, and conditions were imposed upon the sector, at which point we had to put our heads together and come up with yet another exciting and creative solution.  We did this time and time again, as Jimmy said in his statement: 'each carefully thought-out plan has collapsed like dominos'.  But know that we really tried.

Ultimately creativity and innovation didn't matter - everything came down to one simple, practical, boring reality: the Northern Ireland government has yet to give any indication of when venues such as the Lyric might re-open to the public.  So whilst the theatre's announcement is heartbreaking, given the circumstances it was tragically inevitable.  Next year, with the building open, the staff back at their desks, actors, writers, directors and creatives wandering the corridors, and hit shows back on its stages, the Lyric Theatre will be better than ever for having weathered this storm so gracefully.

In 2021 Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age will be the production we had always intended it to be, back when we were allowed to dream."

8th November 2020

SANTA's CHRISTMAS TREE-MAIL - NOW TAKING BOOKINGS 

During the month of November Santa is normally busy visiting towns and cities, meeting children and families, and switching on Christmas lights in front of huge crowds. 

This year his schedule isn't quite so full and he isn't travelling as far and wide - but Santa still wants to say hello to as many children as he can in the run up to Christmas; pbm is making that possible with the all-new Santa's Christmas Tree-mail service!

Priced at just £10 for a video for one child (or £15 for a video for two or more children) Santa's personalised video message comes direct from his home to yours.

Launching the new service Paul Boyd said, "I normally have a couple of shows in rehearsals at this time of year, so to try and generate some income for a small team of creatives over Christmas 2020 I’ve put together this new project - 'Santa's Christmas Tree-mail' - creating personalised video messages from Santa Claus himself with appearances by Santa's chief elf and also Mrs. Claus, all set to some of my original Christmas music.

We're using as much theatrical talent as we can muster to create something truly magical - fortunately, I know the real Santa Claus very well and he was keen to be involved.  Do please share the service on social media and with your friends and family - we really appreciate the support and the opportunity to use our theatre experience to spread some festive magic from isolation.  Why not order a video for the little elves in your life?"

Bookings are now open and you can order your Santa's Christmas Tree-mail message online now - click here.  Early booking is advised as Santa and the pbm team are expecting to be very busy (this year in particular)!

26th December 2020

ALL WILL BE WELL - THE NEW SINGLE FROM PINOCCHIO IS NOW ON SALE 

The first song from Paul Boyd's new stage musical Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age has been released ahead of the show's newly-rescheduled opening in November 2021.

The song, All Will Be Well, is written for the character of Pinocchio, and is performed by Christopher Finn.  It was recorded during lockdown earlier this year.

Paul Boyd said, "Due to the uncertainty of 2020, and the postponement of the opening of the new musical of 'Pinocchio', I didn't get to share any of the music I had written this year for the new show, my twenty-fifth original stage musical.

There were plans to release a selection of the songs as a concept album, performed by the cast that had been lined up to premiere the show at the Lyric Theatre Belfast from November 2020 - but as lockdowns came and went, and we staggered from tier to tier, in the end even that plan wasn’t possible.

I really wanted to share something of the new show before the end of 2020, and I decided that the words and the sentiment of Pinocchio’s ballad ‘All Will Be Well’ might resonate with people at the end of this most unusual of years.  Christopher Finn performs the number beautifully, and I’m very excited to start work on the show properly as we gear-up for its premiere at the Lyric Theatre at the end of 2021”.

All Will Be Well is available now to download on iTunes, Amazon Music, and to stream on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, and all other usual online platforms - click here to visit the Merchandise page.  Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age opens at the Lyric Theatre Belfast from 26th November.  Tickets are now on sale at lyrictheatre.co.uk

6th September 2021

ALL-STAR 'PINOCCHIO THE GREATEST WONDER' DEMOS ALBUM RELEASED

An album of specially-recorded demo versions of the new songs from Paul Boyd's 25th original stage musical Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age is now available to download and stream.

The songs are performed by an all-star cast including West End stars Sabrina Aloueche (We Will Rock You), Jodie Jacobs (Rock of Ages), Mark Dugdale (Come From Away), Alan Richardson (Chicago), and Fra Fee (The Ferryman).

Also featured on the album are TV legend Su Pollard (Hi-de-Hi!) and musical theatre stars Michael Mahony (Once), Allison Harding (Sister Act), Jamie Steen (The Good Old Days), and Christopher Finn (All Male Iolanthe).

Written, rehearsed, and recorded throughout the 2020 and 2021 lockdowns at various locations across the UK and Ireland Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age: The Demos is available from iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and all major digital platforms- click here to visit the Merchandise page

A free 13-page digital booklet is available to accompany the digital download - click here.  A Limited Edition CD version is also available - click here to visit the Merchandise page

Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age, which was commissioned by the Lyric Theatre Belfast and was postponed in 2020, is expected to go into production later this year.  Tickets for the show are currently on sale at lyrictheatre.co.uk

21st April 2021

MOLLY WOBBLY'S TIT FACTORY - BRAND NEW PAGE NOW ONLINE

Paul Boyd's acclaimed cult hit musical Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory has a new home on the pbm web site with an all-new page full of information, photos, archive material, and a complete cast recording to listen to online for free!

The show is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2021 - it was first performed in staged concert form for a trial run at the Lyric Theatre Belfast in October 2011.

Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory went on to enjoy a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2012 and an award-nominated staged concert run at Phoenix Arts Club London's West End in 2014 before eventually opening at Leicester Square Theatre in 2015.

The new Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory page features production photos and cast/creative team information from its various incarnations plus a Sound Cloud audio player through which you can stream the entire Special Edition Cast Recording of the show performed by cast members from the 2012 Edinburgh and 2014 & 2015 London productions accompanied by the 2015 Leicester Square Theatre band!

To visit the page click here.

7th October 2021

PINOCCHIO THE GREATEST WONDER OF THE AGE TO OPEN IN BELFAST

Paul Boyd's 25th original stage musical Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age will run at the Lyric Theatre Belfast from 26th November - 31st December 2021, it has been announced.

Like theatres all across the country, the Lyric, Northern Ireland's national producing theatre, closed in March 2020 just as Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age was about to enter early pre-production. The show was later postponed.

Paul has a long history of working with the Lyric, which is located in the heart of his native city of Belfast, and previous shows there have included Alice The Musical, Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory, Hansel & Grettel, and 2019's hit musical of Peter Pan - Paul's last show to be staged before the lockdown in 2020.

Tickets for Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age can be booked online at www.lyrictheatre.co.uk

9th February 2022

PINOCCHIO THE GREATEST WONDER OF THE AGE - FILM AVAILABLE TO PRODUCERS

Paul Boyd's 25th original stage musical Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age ran at the Lyric Theatre Belfast from 26th November - 31st December 2021, to critical acclaim.

The Guardian newspaper described the show as "One of the 25 Best Shows to Book For Christmas 2021", The Stage gave it ★★★★ and called the show "a rollicking, atmospheric slice of musical folklore", and the Irish Times also awarded the production ★★★★ saying it was "beautifully packaged" with "irresistible songs".

Footage from Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age can be seen in the short promotional trailer (opposite) and the full video recording of the show, filmed in front of a live audience on 16th December 2021, is available for potential producers and venues to view on the Archives page (here).  E-mail paul@pbmusicals.com for a password to view.

24th June 2022

THE TALE OF THE BEAUTY AND THE TAIL OF THE BEAST TO OPEN IN OXFORD

Award-winning Creation Theatre Company has revealed plans to stage an exciting revival of Paul Boyd's 2007 musical The Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast as their 10th annual Christmas production at Oxford's North Wall Arts Centre from 4th December 2022.

The show was originally staged at the Castle Theatre in Wellingborough in 2007 and has also enjoyed acclaimed productions at the Lyric Theatre Belfast and at Thomas Hardy House in Enfield, London.  

Described by the Sunday Times as, "no sugary Disneyesque trifle, more like Angela Carter retold with a strong sense of the burlesque," Creation's new production of The Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast will run until 7th January 2023.  Cast to be announced. For more information about the musical click here.

For more information on the new production, show times, and for booking click here.

23rd May 2022

THE SNOW QUEEN - A NEW MUSICAL BY PAUL BOYD TO OPEN IN BELFAST

The Lyric Theatre Belfast has commissioned writer/director Paul Boyd to create an all-new musical adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's beloved adventure story The Snow Queen to run at Northern Ireland’s national producing theatre from 25th November 2022.

Paul has a long association with the Lyric Theatre which has staged many productions of his work over the past 30 years, including the international hits Alice The Musical and Hansel & Grettel, the multi-award nominated cult musical Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory, the record-breaking Peter Pan The Musical, and last year’s critically acclaimed Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age, named by The Guardian as “one of the 25 best shows to book for Christmas”.  A special recording of songs from Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age - featuring performances by West End stars Fra Fee (Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club), Su Pollard (Me and My Girl), Sabrina Aloueche (We Will Rock You), Jodie Jacobs (Evita), Mark Dugdale (Come from Away), and Alan Richardson (Chicago) - was released last year in support of Actors’ Children’s Trust, and is available to stream and download from all good digital platforms.

The Snow Queen will be Paul Boyd’s 26th original stage musical to be professionally produced in this, his 30th year of productions.

Gerda works in her grandmother’s busy flower shop in the centre of town where, for as long as she can remember, the roses are delivered every morning by her friend, one of the town’s young men, Kai.  One night an unexpected cold wind blows across the land, and when the windows of the town begin to freeze over grandmother fears the worst - the Snow Queen has returned.  When Kai doesn’t arrive at the shop next morning Gerda becomes worried for her friend, and so she sets off on a long journey to find him, travelling across distant lands in search of a palace that legend says sits amongst the snowy, frozen peaks of Finnmark.  

Following the announcement Paul said, “I’m delighted to be returning to the Lyric Theatre in my hometown of Belfast in 2022, a very special year.  Throughout my career I’ve always been very proud to return home to work at the Lyric; the success we’ve had in recent years with shows like Alice The Musical, Peter Pan, and Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age is testament to the great talent and dedication of my colleagues there.  The Snow Queen is going to be our best show yet - a spectacular piece of musical theatre for all ages inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s much-loved tale of courage, adventure, and friendship.”

The Snow Queen runs at the Lyric Theatre Belfast from 25th November - 31st December 2022. Booking now open online at lyrictheatre.co.uk or via the box office on 028 9038 1081

2nd April 2022

THE MAGIC BOOKSHELF'S ALICE IN WONDERLAND - NOW FREE TO WATCH ONLINE

The Magic Bookshelf's Alice In Wonderland is now free to watch in full exclusively on the pbm web site via pbm's YouTube channel.

Produced during lockdown at the beginning of 2021, this 30-minute storytelling video is created specially for younger viewers, and features music and songs from Paul's Alice The Musical.

Join the librarian as he takes us on an adventure down the rabbit hole to help the Hatter to find Alice.  In a Wonderland full of music and song we meet the White Rabbit, the Caterpillar, and the Cheshire Cat and we take part in a madcap tea-party!  It's all fun and games until the Queen of Hearts arrives ...

Watch (here). 

12th October 2022

THE SNOW QUEEN - LYRIC THEATRE BELFAST CAST ANNOUNCED

The cast has been announced for the Lyric Theatre Belfast's premiere production of Paul Boyd's all-new musical adaptation of The Snow Queen.

The Snow Queen will be performed by Ruby Campbell, Christopher Finn, Darren Franklin, Aaron Halliwell, Calla Hughes Nic Aoidh, Ben McGarvey, and Christina Nelson.  The show will be directed by Paul Boyd, choreographed by Deborah maguire, with musical direction by oli George Rew.  The set design is by Stuart Marshall, costumes by Gillian Lennox, with lights designed by Mary Tumelty. 

The Snow Queen runs at the Lyric Theatre Belfast from 25th November - 31st December 2022. Booking now open online at lyrictheatre.co.uk or via the box office on 028 9038 1081

11th March 2023

THE SNOW QUEEN - FILM AVAILABLE TO PRODUCERS

Paul Boyd's 26th original stage musical The Snow Queen ran at the Lyric Theatre Belfast from 25th November - 31st December 2022, to critical acclaim.

The Guardian newspaper described the show as "One of the 25 Best UK Shows This Christmas", The Stage gave it ★★★★ and called the show "a thrilling musical journey", and the Irish News said it was "this Christmas's coolest family show".

Footage from The Snow Queen can be seen in the short promotional trailer (opposite) and the full video recording of the show, filmed in front of a live audience on 14th December 2022, is available for potential producers and venues to view on the Archives page (here).   E-mail paul@pbmusicals.com for a password to view.