Shrubshall & Free

Curriculum Vitae

Started their collaborative partnership whilst studying Performing Arts at Middlesex University, writing and performing their own musical and comedy material. Subsequently they formed their own production company, producing original, small-scale shows with big themes and even bigger scope.
Shrubshall has played flute and sax in the pit orchestras of several West End shows as well as in many of the leading Soul & Dance bands in the country. Outside of his writing work he tutors at the Centre for Young Musicians in Southwark.

Free was a child actor who has many stage and screen credits to his name. Besides writing, he teaches music at a school for children with social and behavioral difficulties.
Together they are regular visiting lecturers in Musical Theatre at St. Mary’s University College and run workshops on composition and song writing at various adult institutes and children’s summer schools.

Works For Stage

Top Cat - The Musical

The much-loved Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters brought to life in an all-singing, all-dancing musical comedy. Developed for St. David’s College, Cardiff and Arts Educational School, London.

YEE-HAW!!

A crazy, camp, cross-dressing, cowboy musical. Premiered at the Rosemary Branch Theatre, Islington. Subsequently showcased at the Jermyn St. Theatre, London. Developed for Ambassador Theatre Group and toured Autumn 2001 (Palace Theatre, Westcliff, Churchill Theatre, Bromley).

Gay Poets In Mud

The irreverent musical comedy, set during the First World War. Premiered at the Rosemary Branch Theatre, 2000. Entered for the Global Search for New Musicals 2002 and selected as part of the Sony Showcase at the Cardiff International Festival. Nov. 2002. Showcased at Greenwich Theatre’s Musical Futures, 2003. Finalist
for STAGES 2004 in Chicago.

The Rampant Blade

A sexy, sassy, swashbuckling extravaganza, developed at Hoxton Hall Theatre, London. Finalist for STAGES 2004 in Chicag. Premiered at two London schools, Summer 2004. Showcased at Musical Futures, Greenwich Theatre, 2005.

The Big Ending

A one-act musical written in association with ANMT (Los Angeles) and performed as a rehearsed reading at Century City Playhouse (L.A.). Premiered at Chicago Stages, 2005. Performed at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, September 2005, at the Theatre Museum, Covent Garden, October 2005, at the Sixth Annual Festival of New Musicals, Seattle, August 2006. The Big Ending had its full production at The Rosemary Branch Theatre, Oct-Nov, 2006.

Around the Pond in 80 Days

A fantastic, fun, frog-based musical for children. First performed Summer 2004 at two very different London schools, Ibstock Place, in Roehampton, and Bonner Primary School, Bethnal Green. Showcased at Musical Futures, Greenwich Theatre, May 2005 using an adult cast of 6 with a children’s chorus from Deansfield Primary School, Eltham. Published by Samuel French, Spring 2007.

Sherlock Gnome’s Hound of the Baskervilles

The most famous tale of the most celebrated gentle-gnome detective from 221b Baker Street (Hounslow). Premiered July 2007 at Ibstock Place School, Roehampton.

Works For Radio:

Top Cat A series of thirty 5-minute episodes based on the Hanna-Barbera characters commissioned by BBC Radio 1.
The Green Stuff A half hour sit-com pilot for BBC Radio 4.

Works For Screen

Bloo Cloot Darkly comic horror feature. Winner of BBC’s First Exposure Competition. Developed for BBC Wales.
Cromwell’s Diary Comedy feature film. Finalist in the Lloyd’s Bank National Screenwriting Competition.
Rendell E.Rutter – Adventurer & Archeologist Extraordinaire Feature-length adventure comedy for the whole family, developed for Peakviewing Transatlantic.

Composition

Original music for stage:

Love of a Nightingale; Lord of the Flies; The Crucible (St. Mary’s University College)
Our Country’s Good (Leeds University)Descent (Oval House Theatre)
An Actor in Search of a Plot (Man in the Moon)
Brotherly Love (Rosemary Branch Theatre)
Musical Arrangements for Peggy Su (BBC Films)
Song on soundtrack of London Kills Me (Hanif Kureshi)
Song on soundtrack of Swimming With Sharks (George Huang)
Song on soundtrack of The Mystery Men (Bryan Singer)
Soundtracks for Melrose Films, Lifetime Vision, Fenman, Black Rod and Island World.
Voice coaching for Absolute Beginners (Julian Temple - Goldcrest Films)
Original cabaret songs for various artists at the Battersea Theatre Barge

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Curriculum Vitae Started their collaborative partnership whilst studying Performing Arts at Middlesex University, writing and performing their own musical and comedy material. Subsequently they formed their own production company, producing original, small-scale shows with big themes and even bigger scope. Shrubshall has played flute and sax in the pit orchestras of several West End shows as well as in many of the leading Soul & Dance bands in the country. Outside of his writing work he tutors at the Centre for Young Musicians in Southwark. Free was a child actor who has many stage and screen credits to his name. Besides writing, he teaches music at a school for children with social and behavioral difficulties. Together they are regular visiting lecturers in Musical Theatre at St. Mary’s University College and run workshops on composition and song writing at various adult institutes and children’s summer schools. Works For Stage Top Cat - The Musical The much-loved Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters brought to life in an all-singing, all-dancing musical comedy. Developed for St. David’s College, Cardiff and Arts Educational School, London. YEE-HAW!! A crazy, camp, cross-dressing, cowboy musical. Premiered at the Rosemary Branch Theatre, Islington. Subsequently showcased at the Jermyn St. Theatre, London. Developed for Ambassador Theatre Group and toured Autumn 2001 (Palace Theatre, Westcliff, Churchill Theatre, Bromley). Gay Poets In Mud The irreverent musical comedy, set during the First World War. Premiered at the Rosemary Branch Theatre, 2000. Entered for the Global Search for New Musicals 2002 and selected as part of the Sony Showcase at the Cardiff International Festival. Nov. 2002. Showcased at Greenwich Theatre’s Musical Futures, 2003. Finalist for STAGES 2004 in Chicago. The Rampant Blade A sexy, sassy, swashbuckling extravaganza, developed at Hoxton Hall Theatre, London. Finalist for STAGES 2004 in Chicag. Premiered at two London schools, Summer 2004. Showcased at Musical Futures, Greenwich Theatre, 2005. The Big Ending A one-act musical written in association with ANMT (Los Angeles) and performed as a rehearsed reading at Century City Playhouse (L.A.). Premiered at Chicago Stages, 2005. Performed at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, September 2005, at the Theatre Museum, Covent Garden, October 2005, at the Sixth Annual Festival of New Musicals, Seattle, August 2006. The Big Ending had its full production at The Rosemary Branch Theatre, Oct-Nov, 2006. Around the Pond in 80 Days A fantastic, fun, frog-based musical for children. First performed Summer 2004 at two very different London schools, Ibstock Place, in Roehampton, and Bonner Primary School, Bethnal Green. Showcased at Musical Futures, Greenwich Theatre, May 2005 using an adult cast of 6 with a children’s chorus from Deansfield Primary School, Eltham. Published by Samuel French, Spring 2007. Sherlock Gnome’s Hound of the Baskervilles The most famous tale of the most celebrated gentle-gnome detective from 221b Baker Street (Hounslow). Premiered July 2007 at Ibstock Place School, Roehampton. Works For Radio: Top Cat A series of thirty 5-minute episodes based on the Hanna-Barbera characters commissioned by BBC Radio 1. The Green Stuff A half hour sit-com pilot for BBC Radio 4. Works For Screen Bloo Cloot Darkly comic horror feature. Winner of BBC’s First Exposure Competition. Developed for BBC Wales. Cromwell’s Diary Comedy feature film. Finalist in the Lloyd’s Bank National Screenwriting Competition. Rendell E.Rutter – Adventurer & Archeologist Extraordinaire Feature-length adventure comedy for the whole family, developed for Peakviewing Transatlantic. Composition Original music for stage: Love of a Nightingale; Lord of the Flies; The Crucible (St. Mary’s University College) Our Country’s Good (Leeds University)Descent (Oval House Theatre) An Actor in Search of a Plot (Man in the Moon) Brotherly Love (Rosemary Branch Theatre) Musical Arrangements for Peggy Su (BBC Films) Song on soundtrack of London Kills Me (Hanif Kureshi) Song on soundtrack of Swimming With Sharks (George Huang) Song on soundtrack of The Mystery Men (Bryan Singer) Soundtracks for Melrose Films, Lifetime Vision, Fenman, Black Rod and Island World. Voice coaching for Absolute Beginners (Julian Temple - Goldcrest Films) Original cabaret songs for various artists at the Battersea Theatre Barge home