Ben Ward (Golden Days)

Musical theatre writer, composer and director Ben Ward is set to release his new EP Golden Days, with an EP launch party at The Pheasantry in London this September. Golden Days is a song cycle about growing up, letting go and finding the joy in imperfection. The EP will be performed live by a cast of musical theatre performers, as well as special guest performances from Alice Fearn and Ryan Kopel. We took the opportunity to speak with Ben to tell us more.

Q) Hello Ben, thanks so much for taking the time to answer a few questions today. Before we begin, please can you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about what sparked your interest in becoming a musical theatre composer, music director and writer?

I’ve always wanted to work in music for as long as I can remember! My mum is a pianist, so there was always a piano around the house when I was growing up, and as I got older that sort of grew into a huge interest in music, and then into musical theatre specifically. In terms of writing, that was really sparked by my master’s degree – I went to Berklee College of Music in NYC to study writing for theatre, and that was a really formative year for me.

Q) Golden Days is described as a contemporary song cycle about growing up and finding joy in imperfection. What inspired you to explore these themes?

I was reflecting on my own teenage years (getting more distant by the day…!) and how, when you’re that age, everything feels massive, and everything you do has to be perfect, or else what’s the point? I wanted to write some songs that kind of tear that perspective apart a bit, and I think Golden Days really focuses in on some moments in the lives of these characters where things don’t go to plan, or maybe they change a bit or have to settle for something less, and how everything might just be ok anyway!

Q) Golden Days focuses on five standalone stories that are emotionally linked - can you give us a little insight into how this was achieved?

Each of the songs isn’t connected to any of the others in any narrative way, so the throughline I’ve tried to create is more tonal – as I mentioned above, focusing in on small moments. I think they all have an element both of change and acceptance of change, whether that be the loss of a relationship or the start of one, or reflecting on the loss of childhood. The songs all live in that same world, and hopefully that element of cohesion ties them together.

Q) The EP blends both musical theatre and singer-songwriter traditions—how did you balance those two worlds?

This was tricky for me, as I tend to write quite heavily in a contemporary MT style, and I think that Golden Days still does lean very much that way. When I was working on orchestrations (with my very very talented friend Harry Greatorex) we tried to lean away from that MT sound slightly in places, to really hammer home that these are individual songs and individual stories. We wrote for guitar a lot which, as a pianist who barely knows what a fret is, took some getting used to!

Q) What was your process for choosing the cast of five and what are you hoping they bring to the project?

I always try to work with the best singer-actors I can find, and this project definitely achieved that. I didn’t know Joe Boyle personally before this project, but he came highly recommended and is so massively talented. Similarly with Morgan Gregory, although I’d heard him perform before, and I just absolutely love his voice. Cameron Collins is a good friend of mine and is such an intelligent and intuitive actor (and writer). I’d worked with Cahir O’Neill on [title of show] at the Southwark Playhouse and wrote his song specifically for his crystal-clear voice (so it’s lucky he said yes). And Mason Olshavsky is one of my favourite performers in the world, and it’s always a thrill to work with him. Every one of them is just a master at what they do, and bring such different and unique takes to each song. It’s been such a joy!

Q) Golden Days will have its album launch this September with a cabaret performance at The Pheasantry, with performances from the five-piece cast alongside special appearances from Alice Fearn and Ryan Kopel. What can audiences expect from the evening?

This is going to be such a fun gig! Most of the cast from the EP will be there performing their songs, and I’m so so thrilled that Alice and Ryan agreed to come along as well, along with a bunch of my friends. Expect songs from Golden Days, previous and new shows I’m working on alone and with some great collaborators, and some brand-new songs written just for the night (so brand new that I’m still writing some of them!). There’ll also be pizza and wine, so win-win.

Q) Your previous work includes co-composing the Alan Turing musical, which is based on real-life people and events. How do you approach writing for real-life people and events, and how does this differ to your approach in writing your own stories?

TURING has been a real process! My collaborator Timothy Michuda (who is just the best) and I have been working on that show for the better part of three years, and we’ve had so many conversations about how to approach writing music and dialogue for real-life people. I think we always just try really hard to reflect the heart of the story we’re telling, and stay true to the lives of these people, whilst also accepting that details often need to be slightly fictionalised due to available information, or to make clearer dramatic arcs. It’s tricky but we were thrilled that audiences in Chicago responded really well to the show last year, and we’re making lots of edits and have fun plans for the future of the show.

Q) Do you have any future plans for Golden Days - are you hoping that it sticks as a standalone EP or can you see it evolving into a staged piece in the future?

Who knows! I think, right now, Golden Days works best as a standalone recorded work, but maybe one day we’ll see it on the stage…

Q) Why should audiences come along and what are you hoping audiences take away with them?

Come along for lots of belting and MT goodness! I hope the audience leaves with maybe a little more appreciation for the small moments in their own lives. Or maybe just having had a good night out! That’d be great, too.

Q) Just a fun question to finish off with - If you could collaborate with any artist—musical theatre or otherwise—on your next project, who would it be and why?

Alex Lacamoire! The man is a genius.

Tickets and More Information