The name Katy Lipson will not be unfamiliar to anyone interested in Musical Theatre or involved in the Manchester Theatre Scene. She is a producer of Musicals, the head of Aria Entertainment, and has had many of her productions premiered at Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre as well as large scale receiving theatres in the city.
As part of The Theatre In Isolation Festival organised and curated by Two In A Bed Theatre Company; Owen Murphy, joint owner of the company, was lucky enough to have an online chat with her at her offices in London.
We learn from the conversation how Katy Lipson started out in her career. Originally from Manchester herself, and started as a musician (she plays piano, cello, guitar and is a singer, but prefers piano and voice), she has always had a love of Musicals. It was only at university, oddly reading Human Genetics, that she met a young man who pursuaded her to write a musical with him. They did, and then he further pursuaded her to produce it, and she did! .. and the rest, as they say, is history!
However, not before quitting her degree course, taking a year at theatre school, and then doing another degree in Classical Music. So owning a company and producing for a living hasn't been something she has been doing very long; only since 2012 actually. Despite this, she still manages to have a very impressive 65+ shows under her belt!
The chat continues through her career and her involvment with 'Page To Stage' - an iniative for finding new British Musical Theatre talent; her working at The Other Palace and hobnobbing with Andrew Lloyd-Webber and collaborating with Stephen Schwartz on 'Rags' and producing the revival cast recording.
She was asked which Musicals gave her the greatest pleasure (she has an eclectic taste), and of course where does she go from here? Which, in the present climate is a very tricky one to answer for anybody. However she still remains oiptimistic, believes the industry will eventually bounce back, and when it does, she has at least 10 projects in the pipeline to keep her occupied!
She gives some sage advice for anyone thinking of starting out as a producer, and she comes across as very genuine, focused, motivated, honest and pragmatic.
A genuinely interesting and informative one hour's listen. Thank you.
Reportage - Matthew Dougall.
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