Covering all the highlights of a year overshadowed by the pandemic, while maintaining a sense of humour throughout, it masterfully touches upon sensitive issues and emotions experienced by everyone, including the world’s youngest, during lockdown.
The musical features nine fantastic songs in various popular styles, the highlight being a foot-tapping hoedown that pays homage to Captain Sir Tom Moore. The script takes the audience on a journey that begins with a group of children reflecting on lockdown, showing snapshots of many of the memorable events that have defined the last 12 months, and finishes with a celebratory ending that both commemorates the era and sets the stage for a brighter future.
While the writers at Edgy Productions put their hearts into everything they create, this musical was different. They wanted to come up with something that would enable teachers and children to engage with their communities in a positive, honest way.
“We knew we had to write a show that would capture all the feelings that people have experienced during lockdown and express it in a way that children can relate to,” says Andrew Oxspring, creative director at Edgy Productions.
“School musicals are supposed to be fun. They make people laugh and cry for all the right reasons. But this one is also about living through a really intense year, accepting it for what it was, and being able to move forward to a place of hope and joy again. I think that may be why so many teachers have already fallen in love with the script and songs – they know it’s what their children, and all of us adults, truly need right now!”
Now, with schools re-opening and restrictions potentially lifting by the end of June, teachers will be able to revive many aspects of the traditional learning experience, including all the exciting events that bring communities together. To this end, school plays and musicals are more important now than ever.
Not only has “Wow! What A Year!” been a perfectly timed production for primary schools, it’s also an emblem of hope for all of the artists who were hit hard by lockdown and the disruption caused by COVID. Throughout 2020 and early 2021, many in the industry, including Edgy Productions, suffered massively. With school closures and then restrictions on singing and performing to audiences, no one was buying or putting on their musicals.
However, this brand-new musical is set to be a turning point for the small Leicestershire-based company. Already, over 300 schools have purchased it, and teachers across the UK are talking about it on social media. “Wow! What A Year!” is predicted to be one of the most successful releases to date for the company.
Despite still recovering from a trying year, Edgy Productions is one of, what will hopefully be, many bright stories of artists and creative companies pulling out of this year stronger than ever and ready to continue spreading optimism and connecting people through music.
10% of the profits from “Wow! What A Year!” will be donated to The Captain Tom Foundation, whose mission is to build a lasting legacy of hope.
Edgy Productions has been creating original school musicals since 2001. Their productions are known for being both irresistibly funny and sensitive, offering children a medium through which they can celebrate the shared experience of being young and going to school, while having lots of fun. The company has sold musicals to over 14,000 primary schools, making them the number one publisher of end-of-year and primary school leavers’ productions. To explore their catalogue of original titles, visit edgyproductions.com
