The Wind Singer
Your musical treatments are great. The short oath - ‘I must try harder’ - is so right. As is the wind singer’s music and Chaka Spies is delicious.
William Nicholson - Author
An exciting new musical in development.
The Wind Singer based on the novel by William Nicholson. Book and lyrics by Teresa Howard, music and soundscape by Sarah Llewellyn
An Epic Fantasy Family Musical Adventure about a fierce girl in a dystopian world, who sets out on a quest to find the Wind Singer’s lost voice and free her people from a cruel regime.
Alice in Wonderland meets The Hunger Games, meets The Wizard of Oz!
The Music
The electro-acoustic score incorporates a children’s choir, full ensemble singing combining classical and contemporary vocal styles, a musical saw, tuned wine glasses and an owl!
RSC workshop rehearsal with Belmont School junior choir
The singing was beautiful and amazing. And I loved the dramatic speech SOOOOOO Powerful!
Yr 5 (age 9-10) Stratford Primary focus group @ RSC sharing
The sound and visual staging, and the text & song were woven in with such grace that I felt transported to Aramanth. I really look forward to seeing further development of this project
Sam Griffiths ATG Theatre
Listen to extracts (live recordings) from sharing @ RSC
In Development - Extracts The Wind Singer
The children’s choir was excellent
Sarah with MD Bruce O'Neil - head of music RSC
Kestrel is a wonderful character, and I hope she can help to represent a huge chunk of the female population who are struggling to find their voice.
Adult audience member @RSC sharing
Be part of the journey - follow us on twitter
Creative meeting William Nicholson, author and Teresa, book & lyrics
About the book
The Wind Singer is the first part of William Nicholson’s Wind on Fire Trilogy, translated into 25 languages, winner of the Smarties Prize Gold Award and the Blue Peter Book Award. Nicholson’s sold millions of children’s books worldwide and written for stage and screen including the Oscar-winning film Gladiator, BAFTA-winning play Shadowlands and wrote the screen adaptation of Boublil and Les Miserables.
Development to date
Due to the pandemic we had to pause this project but looking to go to the next stage of development early 2023.
- Jan 2019 week with the Royal Shakespeare Company
- August 2018 writing residency @ RSC
- March 2018 25 minute Spotlight Showcase at BEAM2018 at the Theatre Royal Stratford East
- Jan 2018 Masterclass with Claude-Michel Schönberg
A magical feast of vocal and mysterious sounds
Adult audience member @RSC sharing
It made me feel that you should treat everyone the same and everyone should show who they really are
Yr 5 (age 9-10) Stratford Primary focus group @RSC sharing
Clever lyrics that convey essential narrative. Strong complicated women at the heart of the piece. The Wind Singer’s song finale gave me chills
Adult audience member @RSC sharing
It made me feel joyful but sometimes scared (in a good way)
Yr 5 (age 9-10) Stratford Primary focus group @RSC sharing