How It Began and What It Became - From Writer Terry Ronald

In 2016, I wrote a series of monologues—five women reflecting on their encounters with Joe Cannon, a young photographer who had moved from London to New York. The characters were drawn from people I’d known or crossed paths with during my time in NYC, but they also carried fragments of me—traits and flaws I felt free to explore through them. The aesthetic was pure late-’80s New York, drenched in the colours of the clubs, parties, and larger-than-life personalities.

I shared the writing with my friends and collaborators, Ian Masterson and Steve Anderson, and armed with their brilliant musical ideas, we locked ourselves away in a cottage in Rye, crafting dark, theatrical pop songs to make the characters sing. The songs came easily, but something wasn’t quite right. At the time, the narrative was abstract and non-linear—mostly because the idea of writing a full-length musical scared the shit out of me. I was searching for the heart of the story, which—despite its wit and beautiful songs—remained elusive. It was smart and snappy—but was it honest?

With all of us juggling other projects, The Most Beautiful Man in New York went on the back burner—until late 2021, when I started working with dramaturg Brian Mullin. Suddenly, I was writing the version I’d been too afraid to face. Putting Joe in the spotlight—flaws and all—made the characters feel urgent and alive. What emerged was a vivid patchwork of memories, music, and meaning. It wasn’t just about my experience of NYC in that thrilling, evocative time—it was about real people I had known and loved. It became a personal exploration of passion, loss, self-doubt, rejection, nostalgia, and joy. The trouble was, it made the idea of putting it out there even more terrifying.

With fresh arrangements from Ian and Steve, we recorded studio versions of the songs with talented singers, creating a polished soundtrack. Then, in early 2024, we finally held our first readthrough with actors. Later that year, we staged a week-long workshop and saw the piece come to life in front of an audience of trusted industry friends. As we watched their reactions and took in their generous, encouraging feedback, the fear evaporated. For the first time, we truly saw what The Most Beautiful Man in New York could become—and all the thrilling ways it could connect and resonate with others.