Ayla: A New Musical will receive a one-night-only semi-staged concert presentation at The Other Palace on 30 November 2026, following several years of development through workshops, readings, concerts and recordings.
The new musical is created by award-winning composer and producer Gianluca Cucchiara and Academy Award and BAFTA-winning producer Giovanna Romagnoli, with direction by Eleesha Drennan. The production will be accompanied by a four-piece band.
Set in a future where the natural world is dying and communities have become divided by fear and survival, the story follows a young woman faced with a choice: accept the world she has inherited or find the courage to change it.
Leading the cast as Ayla is Nathania Ong, whose recent theatre credits include Les Misérables, Hamilton and Legally Blonde. She is joined by Djavan van de Fliert as Mohr, Arlissa as Sindah, Astrid Harris as Tonah, Glenn Adamson as Rooh and Jonathan Andrew Hume as Crohm.
The musical arrives at The Other Palace following the release of its concept album, which has been building an international audience and introducing listeners to its story of courage, leadership and hope in the face of division.
The creative team features music by Gianluca Cucchiara, lyrics by Andrew James Whelan and a book by Clive Frayne. The adaptation for The Other Palace has been created by Gianluca Cucchiara and Giovanna Romagnoli, with dramaturgy by Michael Conley.
Described by its creators as a story about imagining a future beyond fear, Ayla: A New Musical explores themes of conflict, resilience and social change through an original contemporary score.
The concert presentation runs for 1 hour and 50 minutes, including an interval, and marks the latest stage in the musical’s development journey.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
