Titilola Dawudu, the newly appointed artistic director and CEO of Suffolk-based new writing company HighTide, has revealed her first season. The programme opens this week with the world premiere of Vikki Stone’s Caroline: A New Musical, spotlighting emerging talent across the East of England.

HighTide’s 2024 season launches on 22 April with Caroline: A New Musical, a world premiere at New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich. The musical, inspired by the true story of the pirate radio revolution, will run until 2 May before touring to venues in Hornchurch, Peterborough, Colchester and Bury St Edmunds.

The production is the first from the East Anglian Touring Consortium (EATC) and is directed by Douglas Rintoul, artistic director of New Wolsey Theatre, with co-direction by Alex Thorpe. Dawudu herself contributes dramaturgy to the piece.

Later in the year, HighTide will collaborate again with Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch to present The Disappearing Man, a world premiere by Kenny Emson. Directed by Thorpe, it follows Emson’s play RUST from HighTide’s 2018 Festival and will tour to Blackpool Grand Theatre, Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and Key Theatre, Peterborough.

June brings the premiere of A to B by Tia-Renee Mullings, produced in association with JFR Productions and Soho Theatre, continuing HighTide’s focus on new writing and regional artists.

HighTide is also launching HT Studios, a reimagined writer development scheme designed to create a clear pipeline supporting writers’ development and sustainable careers. The company has expanded its associate artists residency to include Tassa Deparis, Nayantara Nayar, Sonny Nwachukwu and Rosa Torr, all mentored by Dawudu and supported by the HighTide team.

A new My Story project will debut at the First Light Festival in Lowestoft this June, featuring audio works created with local participants that capture contemporary life. These will be accessible via QR codes at East Point Pavilion and The Seagull Theatre throughout the summer.

Additionally, the 2026 Jerwood HighTide Writers Group was announced, featuring six emerging playwrights on a paid year-long course led by Kelly Jones. The programme culminates with public presentations of new work at HighTide Rising in early 2027.

Dawudu, who took over from Clare Slater as artistic director, said the season aims to “highlight the incredible talent of writers across the four regions we work in, at every stage of their artistic journeys,” emphasising HighTide’s commitment to nurturing East of England talent.