We sat down for a quick chat with the writer Martin Storrow about King of Pangea, opening on the 7th of June at King’s Head Theatre.
What inspired you to write King of Pangea?
When I started writing KoP, I had no idea it would be a musical, nor did I know that it would become so personal. I had written a few songs about a boy who washes up an imaginary Island called Pangea. I thought I might make a concept record. I remember having a difficult time explaining the project to people, and a wise friend asked why Pangea was important to me. I thought back to my childhood, of all of the times I used to escape into my own imaginary world. Pangea had been a refuge in hard times, especially during the twelve year period from the time my mother first became ill to the time she passed away. My friend said that might be a story worth exploring. Once I made the choice to lean into that, the project became something much more vulnerable and meaningful.
How has it been working with theatre icon Jerry Mitchell as producer?
Working with Jerry (Mitchell) is a dream come true. I met Jerry in 2023, when he was paired up as our mentor at the Barn on Fire residency in New York, and his advice at the time led me to write a brand new song (“The Puzzle”) which transformed the arc of the show. Every meeting with Jerry is inspiring – he is so generous in sharing his experience and also in giving insights and ideas that have helped us make the show stronger. I learn something new everytime I’m in his presence. We were so happy that he connected with the material enough to want to keep supporting/mentoring us after the residency, and when he said yes to joining the producing team, it was the ultimate vote of confidence. We truly have the best team, both onstage and off, and would not have been able to reach this very exciting milestone without them. Somehow this show always finds its people and I’m incredibly grateful for that.
How does it feel to see your personal story being brought to life on stage?
It still feels surreal. I’m not sure I’ll ever fully get used to it. There are moments in the show that are drawn from actual conversations and memories, and sometimes seeing them brings me back very vividly. At the same time, there’s also so much imagination, humor, and new color that the director, designers, orchestrator (Anthony Lucca) and performers have brought to the story and the characters, and seeing those elements come to life is wildly exciting. And of course, I love hearing the music performed by our brilliant cast. There’s such a range of musical styles in the show, and each cast member brings their own unique voice and heart to the material.
There’s a poem quoted at the end of the show that was actually written by my mother, and I love hearing her words read aloud at each performance.
How do you hope audiences will connect with King of Pangea and its themes of grief, hope, and personal transformation?
Our director Richard Israel says that this is not a story about someone who dies; it’s a story about someone who learns to live, and I couldn’t agree more. Yes, this show deals with loss, but within that journey there is romance, joy, hope, laughter, and of course music. We all encounter loss in our lives, and we all have to make that journey back to hope. It may look different for each of us, but in some way, everyone has a Pangea. I hope those who come will leave the theatre feeling that they are not alone, that their sense of hope has been deepened, and that they’ve enjoyed themselves in the process 🙂
And finally, what excites you most about premiering King of Pangea at the King’s Head Theatre?
The moment we got the call about King’s Head, I knew in my heart that it was the perfect fit. The King’s Head is a theatre with such an extraordinary history, and it’s also a theatre that is currently reinventing itself in a gorgeous new space, and both of those things feel very aligned with this show, which is about examining your past but also looking forward and reimagining your future. It’s such an honor to be part of this beautiful season along with so many other incredible shows, and I love that we forever get to be part of the King’s Head story, and that King’s Head is now part of ours.