Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius is launching The National Centre for New Musicals. It will be a place where ideas can grow and potentially end up on Broadway.

Theatre Aquarius’ production of Maggie was a hit for the company but it was a long time in the making, eight years in production before it hit the stage.

READ MORE: ‘Maggie’ opens at Theatre Aquarius on April 19th

Executive director Kelly Straughan said, “I think what’s really exciting is that we’re sticking our flag in the ground we are developing new musicals right here in Hamilton.”

The National Centre for New Musicals will be a place where creative ideas can become a reality with help from Theatre Aquarius and private funding which is $2 million so far.

Artistic director Mary Francis Moore said, “…We’re looking at the development of the shows, we have a building, and sometimes in the summer we have space to bring other folks in and so what we want to do is open the doors and say bring us your ideas, let’s work together.”

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Straughan says the centre will be a place for productions to test out staging, orchestras, and bands and says “We will support you, we will financially support you and we will also bring in audiences so you can test out your ideas.”

Michael Rubinoff who produced Come From Away is also involved in the project as an advisor. “Audiences will get to say I was there to see it first, I saw the birth of these musicals and then they get to follow the journey…” Rubinoff said.

Theatre Aquarius will start to look at submissions in September and they hope to develop two to four productions a year.

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