Actors' Family x WestK: "Musical NEXT" Creatives Incubation Scheme – Play Reading Showcase Actors' Family

From script to stage – a look at Hong Kong's latest original musical theatre

From script to stage – a new landscape of Hong Kong's musical theatre

After a months-long exchange of creative ingenuity, a group of emerging Hong Kong musical theatre creators will unveil their original works in a series of play- readings at Tea House Theatre, Xiqu Centre in June 2025.

The "Musical NEXT" Creatives Incubation Scheme brings together 11 talented playwrights, composers and lyricists with a passion for musical theatre. Over the course of the programme, they received mentorship from seasoned musical theatre makers. Divided into six groups, each group of participants co-created an original musical book of approximately 30 minutes in length, crafted under the guidance of their mentors.

Hailing from varied artistic backgrounds, the creators produced works with rich thematic diversity – from youthful dreams to maturity, from realism to fantastical visions, these stories of love, family and friendship are woven into a tapestry of emotions. Under the direction of Bee Wan, Resident Director of Actors' Family, the works are arranged and produced in the play-reading format, bringing the participants' ideas from the script to the stage.

The six works will be rotated across different showcase sessions, with each performance featuring a selection of four works, offering audiences a curated glimpse into Hong Kong's musical theatre.

About the "Musical NEXT" Creatives Incubation Scheme
An initiative organised by Actors' Family, in collaboration with WestK as Strategic and Venue Partner, the scheme sets out to nurture talented playwrights, composers, and lyrists with a passion for musical theatre, and to uncover original musicals with potential. In 2024, 11 emerging musical theatre creators were selected for the scheme. In October 2024, they participated in a three-month professional training programme that included masterclasses, collaborative workshops and mentoring sessions. In June 2025, their works-in-progress will be showcased in a series of play readings at Tea House Theatre, Xiqu Centre, WestK. Mentors for the scheme include Cynthia Wong, Serena Tong, Jim Hui, Bee Wan and Mandy Yiu.

Koa Kong, Yau Sze-fung: "SLDPK"
A penniless youth, Yim Chun, stumbles upon an unexpected fortune – but the windfall also brings an uninvited guest. He finds himself haunted by the ghost of an old man who claims to be the rightful owner of the money. Amidst their entanglement, the two strike a deal: if Yim Chun helps the old man fulfil his final wish, he may keep half of the fortune. The unlikely duo – a man and a ghost – embarks on a fantastical journey through the night.

Rebecca Yeung, Lora Chow: "Dr. Clown"
Dr. Clown tells a story about family and dreams. The protagonist, Ming, is a cardiac surgeon who adopts the persona of a clown to mask the pressure he feels inside. His nephew, Yau Wai, dreams of becoming a film director, but lives under the control of his mother. After Ming passes away, Yau Wai's mother reflects on her own behaviour, slowly coming to understand the true meaning of family.

Tsang Wing-yam, Jer Chan: "A Star is Born"
If you were suddenly notified that you would be appearing on the TV show King Maker in a month's time, what would you do?

Three friends who have known each other for ten years meet up after one of them goes through a break-up. As they wake up the next morning, they receive an unexpected notice: they have been successfully signed up for the TV show King Maker. Reen, full of enthusiasm; Sophia, eager to give it a shot; and Odius, resistant to the whole idea – will these three girls get through the preliminaries and step onto the stage they have dreamed of since childhood?

Leung Hoi-wing, Ng Siu-fung: "hIDEAway"
Two brothers, forced to grow up apart after their parents' divorce, each finds his way into the world of book making, yet their creative practices, styles and career paths are distinctly different. The elder brother, struggling in his pursuit of a career in comics, unexpectedly reunites with his younger brother, a moderately well-known author. Throughout their interactions, they influence and change each other, in search of a forgotten happiness they once shared.

Kwan Wong, Hollye Lam: "The Spell"
A woman who has quit her job and a man who has just started his, both working at the same company, are strangers to each other. The two cross paths by chance on a bus, brought together by a warning letter and an unfinished documentary. They discover that they live in the same neighbourhood, and share common experiences, interests and ideals. As they resume filming a documentary about the closure of a second-hand bookstore, unhealed wounds from the past resurface, ultimately tearing them apart.

Yeung Chun To: "Bodhisattva's Stitch Doll and the Embroidered Shoes"
Bodhisattva's Stitch Doll and the Embroidered Shoes is a work of magic realism, inspired by Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore. The story features two protagonists from vastly different worlds: Uncle Wong, an elderly homeless man who can communicate with cockroaches, and Ian, a secondary school student desperate to stop his parents' affairs. Their stories unfold in parallel universes, with subtle connections between them. The Bodhisattva appears in their dreams and teaches them how to prevent impending disasters, and they follow the instructions without questions. Yet if humans merely react to the unknown – even if tragedy can be averted – what is the meaning of being alive?

- The performances on 13 June 2025 (Friday) Suitable for ages 3 and above.
-The performances on 14 June 2025 (Saturday) and 15 June 2025 (Sunday) contain adult content and coarse language. Audience members under 16 should be accompanied by adults.
- Approximately 135 minutes, including a 15-miniute intermission.
-A limited selection of drinks is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Each ticket includes a drink ( alcoholic or non-alcoholic ) and a pack of nuts, and available for sale on the night inside the venue.
- A limited number of different drinks are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Ticket holders are advised to arrive early to redeem their drinks and purchase any additional beverages.
- Latecomers will not be admitted until a suitable break.
- Unauthorised photography, audio and video recording are strictly prohibited.
- Purchase or consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited for those under the age of 18.
- No outside beverages allowed.
- The organiser reserves the right to make changes to the programme without prior notice.
- All prices are listed in Hong Kong dollars.
- If a black rainstorm warning or a typhoon signal no. 8 or above is in force three hours before the start of the event, the event will be cancelled.