New Civil Rights Musical I DREAM to be Workshopped in London Concert Presentation

A new musical exploring the life and legacy of the American Civil Rights Movement will receive a workshop presentation in London next month, with the powerful historical work I DREAMset to be performed in a concert-style format at The Other Palace.

The musical, which focuses on the friendship and political partnership between civil rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Reverend Ralph Abernathy, will be presented as a script-in-hand concert on Monday 27 April. The event marks the first time the piece has been shown to audiences in the United Kingdom.

Written by Douglas Tappin, who provides the book, music and lyrics, the musical also features additional writing by Jonathan Payne. The London workshop will be directed by Annabel Mutale Reed, with music direction by Keith Williams and casting by Heather Basten. Producers have indicated that the concert will run for approximately 80 minutes without an interval and will feature a contemporary gospel and soul-inspired musical score. The cast for the London presentation has not yet been announced.

I DREAM tells the story of Martin Luther King Jr. and the wider Civil Rights Movement, tracing both the public struggle for racial equality and the personal relationships that helped shape the movement’s leadership. Central to the narrative is King’s friendship with fellow activist Ralph Abernathy, a Baptist minister who worked closely with King throughout the 1950s and 1960s as the two men organised campaigns and protests that reshaped American social history. The musical culminates with the events surrounding King’s assassination in 1968, a moment that transformed the trajectory of the movement while cementing King’s status as one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century.

The work aims to explore both the historical significance of the Civil Rights Movement and the personal sacrifices made by those at its forefront. Through a combination of dialogue and music, the show examines themes of justice, faith, activism and resilience.

Although the upcoming London workshop marks the piece’s UK debut, I DREAM has a development history spanning more than a decade.
The musical originally premiered in Atlanta in 2010, where it was first staged as a musical theatre work exploring King’s life and the broader struggle for civil rights in the United States.

Following its initial production, the work underwent several evolutions, including presentations in a more operatic format between 2010 and 2021. During that period, the material was adapted for semi-staged opera performances in different venues. More recently, the creators have returned the piece to its original musical theatre form. The upcoming London workshop is part of that continuing development process, allowing the creative team to revisit the material in a concert setting and introduce it to new audiences. The musical has previously been performed in concert form in Washington, DC in 2017, demonstrating the flexibility of the piece across different presentation styles. Musically, I DREAM draws inspiration from gospel, rhythm and blues, and soul traditions, reflecting the cultural and spiritual roots of the Civil Rights Movement.

These musical influences play a significant role in shaping the emotional landscape of the show. Gospel music in particular was closely tied to the movement itself, serving both as a form of worship and as a means of unifying communities during demonstrations, marches and church gatherings.
By weaving these musical traditions into the storytelling, the creators aim to capture both the historical context and the emotional power of the era.

The musical format also provides a vehicle for exploring the personal dimension of the story. While King’s speeches and political leadership are well documented, the show places equal emphasis on his relationships, doubts and moral convictions.

The London concert presentation will take place at The Other Palace, a venue known for supporting new musical