UEA graduate ‘Stepping’ up in the world of theatre
By: Communications
AA University of East Anglia graduate is stepping into the spotlight with a glittering new Steps musical now touring theatres across the UK.
Shaun Kitchener, who studied English and Drama at UEA, has written the new jukebox musical Here & Now, based on the iconic pop group Steps.
The show has been rated four stars by The Guardian, as well as being promoted on Britain’s Got Talent and Strictly Come Dancing, with the cast of the musical performing alongside Steps themselves.
The idea for Here & Now began years before the musical’s debut. Back in 2017, a member of Steps’ management team happened to catch one of Shaun’s shows in a small Camden pub theatre.
Five years later, Shaun was invited to pitch for what would become the band’s official jukebox musical.
“It was surreal,” said Shaun. “I was a big Steps fan as a kid - and, let’s be honest, an adult too. So, I felt like I understood the vibe they wanted - party with a heart. Camp and shiny, sure, but grounded in something real.
“I’m really influenced by comedy‑dramas that make you laugh but also genuinely resonate. That was my starting point - with plenty of great songs thrown in.”
Set in a supermarket and following a multi‑generational friendship group, the musical explores relatable challenges, everyday joys, and the connections that form between ordinary people.
“In my third year, I wrote a short play for Minotaur’s Shorts Festival. It really wasn’t very good in hindsight,” he said. “But it was my first real taste of writing for the stage. Everything since then stems from that experience.”
After graduating, he took his first show to the Edinburgh Fringe with course mates, and his first professionally produced piece came about thanks to connections formed at UEA.
Since then, he has written for a soap, produced several plays, and penned a made‑for‑TV movie, which are achievements he credits to the strong creative foundation and community he found during his degree.
“Being in the Drama department for three years was totally game‑changing. The people I met there are still a massive part of my life, not least my now‑husband! My closest friends from the course are collaborators to this day.
“It gave me a huge understanding of writing, of different texts, and even the practicalities, lights, stage management, all of it. And it also set me up for my journalism career, which has run alongside my scriptwriting.
“My favourite memories from UEA are just being part of the Drama department community. Getting stuck in with Minotaur and DramaSoc, supporting each other’s work, spending time with people across all year groups - all on such a gorgeous campus, in such a brilliant city.”
Shaun says that bringing Here & Now to Norwich Theatre Royal feels like a milestone he never could have predicted as a student.
“It’s really special,” he said. “I started UEA knowing English and drama were my passions, but I didn’t yet know what to do with them. I left knowing I wanted to write.
“To now have a show like this, so much larger in scale than anything I’ve done before, playing in Norwich is overwhelming.”
The show arrives at the Theatre Royal in Norwich this month, from 14-19 April, with tickets on sale now: Here & Now | Norwich Theatre
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