Introducing HAL, A New Musical
We are so excited to share with you the DRY COLD Musical Development Programme Hal!
“Hal is a modern musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV. The classic underdog tale of Henry IV’s son Hal is explored through the lens of hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and other contemporary styles. With a mandate of casting primarily IBPOC artists, Hal reimagines Shakespeare’s original historical play in a post-apocalyptic world. A world marred by rebellion and class struggle. After the rise of nationalism and a capitalist culture which led to a global catastrophe, groups of survivors established colonies and new systems of government in hopes of rebuilding their lives. In a time of civil unrest, it becomes incumbent upon the titular Prince Hal to lead the colony he is to inherit into a new, more equitable future.” ”
Meet the HAL Team
Cuinn Joseph
Playwright & Composer
Cuinn Joseph is a Winnipeg-based writer, composer, and designer. Joseph’s most notable projects include composition and sound design for WJT's Intimate Apparel (2019), associate musical direction and instrumentation for Pizza Party Productions' Chicago (2019), composition and musical direction for University of Manitoba's Peer Gynt (2019), and performing in Bunbury Productions' Elizabeth Rex (2020). For his work in theatre, Joseph has been awarded the RMTC Jean Murray–Moray Sinclair Theatre Scholarship and has twice received the Charles M. Cohen Prize for the Best Original Writing in Theatre or Film at the University of Manitoba. Most recently, Joseph has served as an artistic resident at One Trunk Theatre.
Connor Joseph
Co-Writer
Connor Joseph is a high school humanities teacher who studied and now teaches both creative writing and drama. He began writing plays in university and has since developed and produced four original works with Joseph-Herd Productions. Connor’s primary goal with his writing is to make his work feel thought-provoking, nuanced, and accessible to everyone. In recent years, he has been awarded the Harry S. Rintoul Award for Best New Manitoba Play at the 2019 Winnipeg Fringe Festival and was the runner-up for the Digital Adams Prize for Musical Theatre at Toronto Fringe Festival.
Sean Mayes
Music Dramaturge
Sean Mayes is a New York City and Toronto-based music director. As an MD & conductor, his work has involved productions on stages across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. He is an active member of the Broadway community as an MD, Orchestrator-Arranger, Vocal Coach, Accompanist & Pit Musician. In Spring 2019, Mr. Mayes was Music Director and Conductor of the all-Canadian premiere of The Color Purple. As an author, Mr. Mayes has published on the role of Black music directors on Broadway (Reframing the Musical, Palgrave Macmillan, 2019), and the retracing of Black practitioners through British musical theatre history (An Inconvenient Black History of British Musical Theatre, Bloomsbury, 2021).
Ann Hodges
Script Dramaturge
Winnipeg-based Ann Hodges directs plays, musicals and operas across Canada, including The Citadel Theatre, The Musical Stage Company, Charlottetown Festival, Blyth Festival, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Great Canadian Theatre Company, Rainbow Stage, Prairie Theatre Exchange, and many opera companies. A graduate of the National Theatre School, favourite credits include BLACKOUT, GREY GARDENS (The Musical Stage Company); AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, TOP GIRLS (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); MARY POPPINS, MAMMA MIA! (Rainbow Stage); ONCE (Citadel) & IN REAL LIFE (Sheridan/The Musical Stage Company). Ann directed Dry Cold’s smash production of URINETOWN.