Claire Rivers

Writer

Director

Lyricist

About Claire

Claire Rivers trained in Creative Writing at Roehampton University, where she specialised in Fiction and Poetry, as well as completing modules in Screenwriting, Writing for Television, Journalism, Life-writing, Critical Skills, and English Literature.

Despite being a lifelong musical aficionado, Claire did not formally approach pairing words with music until she attended Goldsmiths College. She graduated with an MA in Musical Theatre (as a bookwriter / lyricist) in 2012, for which she received a distinction.

Claire is an active member of Mercury Musical Developments, supporting new musical writers and creatives, and part of the Women Who Write Musicals collective, who recently completed their first immersive theatre project “Tiny Shows”.

Claire has also directed a number of projects.  (See ‘Credits’ for details.)

Media

Gerry and Me

by Claire Rivers & Tom Lees | PS I Love You

Too Old To Care

by Claire Rivers & Ryan Scates | Letters

World Of Endless Grey

by Claire Rivers & Michael Lovelock | Dave, The Less Than Average Fairy

Credits

Wish List  – Writer/Director – Union Theatre (2022)
Cabaret fundraiser for Make-A-Wish Foundation (Ft. Samuel Haughton; Musical Direction by Terence Penk)

Sweeney Todd – Director – Jellicoe Theatre, BPC (2022)
Final Project, HND.

Lord of the Flies – Writer/Dramaturg – East 15 (2020)
Final Showcase, Stage Combat 

Tasting Notes – Director – Old Diorama Arts Centre (2021)
Workshop Presentation

Assassins – Director – Jellicoe Theatre, BPC (2021)
Final Project, HND.

Strain – Dramaturg – East 15 (2020)
Online Devised Showcase, Stage Combat  

Hunger City: 1984 – Writer/Director – Jellicoe Theatre, BPC (2020)
Adapted with permission of Orwell Estate, using songs from David Bowie’s ‘Diamond Dogs’. First Year Theatre Degree Show.

Behind the Man – Writer – Women @ RADA (2019)
Young Alex questions gender and sexuality, before joining the army in search of andwers, glory, and a man called Max. When becoming a mother doesn’t go the way they planned, Alex begins to question other things as well. Whose life is this? How many labels can one person bear? And how come Lady Macbeth never got called “military wife”? (Ft. Bee Menabney)

Urinetown – Director/Choreographer – Jellicoe Theatre, BPC (2018)
Final Project, HND.

‘Tiny LGBTQ Shows’ — Participant – Omnibus Theatre, Clapham (2017)
An open-space exploration of LGBTQ people in the arts, in life, and how one is represented in the other. (Led by Jenifer Toksvig)

Legally Blonde – Director – Jellicoe Theatre, BPC (2017)
Final Project – HND. (Ft. choreography by Shannon Hudson and Claire Rivers)

Life and Death in an Ocean Full of Hope – Lyricist – LIghthouse Theatre, Poole (2017)
(Written and directed by Andrew Muir, with music by Ryan Murphy)

‘Hard-Hearted Hannah: In Love and Theatre’ — Director – Cavendish Arms, Stockwell (2016)
Solo cabaret exploring love and anti-love. ( Ft. Hannah Cheetham)

‘I Love You Because’ — Director – Jellicoe Theatre, Bournemouth and Poole College (2016)
Final Performance – HND. ( Ft. choreography by Joanna Gregory and Claire Rivers)

A Comfy Kind of Christmas — Writer/Director – The Pheasantry, Chelsea (2015)
Four down-and-out seasonal performers are trapped by bad weather after a Christmas show. ( Ft. choreography by Shannon Hudson; Musical Direction by Aaron Clingham)

Tiny Shows — Participant – So and So Arts (2015)
An open-space exploration of methods of storytelling, focusing on a musical interpretation of a traditional fairytale. ( Led by Jenifer Toksvig)

Let’s Revue…with Jacobs & James — Director – Canal Cafe, Little Venice (2014)
Part cabaret, part couples therapy session – a funny Vaudeville act for today’s audience. ( Ft. Jennie Jacobs and Matt James Barlow)

Songs from the Shower — Writer/Director – London Theatre Workshop, Fulham (2014)
Cabaret. ( Ft. Samuel Haughton; Musical Direction by James Robert Ball)

The Writer’s Playground — Participant – Union Theatre, Southwark (2014)
Showcase of new musical writers. ( featuring music from ‘One of Those Days’)

One of Those Days — Book/Lyrics – Lost Theatre ( now Stockwell Playhouse) (2014)
Twenty-two-year-old Josh fell asleep when he was just fifteen…and that’s the last day he remembers. ( Music by Tom Lees; directed by Adam Leonard-Burns)

Dave the Less-than-Average Fairy — Book/Lyrics – Tristan Bates Theatre (2013)
Dave makes a deal with the Goblins, and learns some valuable lessons about self-confidence and friendship. ( Music by Michael Lovelock; choreography by Shannon Hudson; directed by Leon Trayman; Musical Direction by Jerome Van Den Berge)

From Page to Stage — Participant – Landor Theatre, Clapham (2013)
A showcase of new musical writing samples.

Letters to Myself — Book/Lyrics – The Star, Guildford (2013)
Six strangers gather in a therapy session. ( Music by Ryan Scates; directed by Leon Trayman)

Tall, Thin, and Blonde — Book/Lyrics – Tristan Bates Theatre (2012)
Based on the novel by Dyan Sheldon. ( Original Music by Simon Burrow; rewrites by Michael Lovelock; directed by Russell Lucas)

Cycles — Book/Lyrics – Jermyn Street Theatre, London (2012)
Part of ‘Passing the Torch’ – a collection of new musical writing based on the Olympics. ( Music by Michael Lovelock; directed by Tim McArthur)

Education

Goldsmiths College, University of London — MA Musical Theatre
October 2011 – October 2012 ( Distinction)

University of Surrey, Roehampton — BA Hons Creative Writing
Sept 2003 – May 2006 ( 2:1)

Awards

FINALIST: Chesil Theatre 10 x 10 Playwriting Competition (for ‘Five Years’)

WINNER: Lost Theatre 5 Minute Festival (Music by Tom Lees)

WINNER: Stiles & Drewe Prize for Best New Song (for ‘Gerry and Me’ from ‘PS I Love You.’ Music by Tom Lees)

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