Samuel Macdonald

Composer | Lyricist | Musical Director | Arranger

Image by Gold Visual UK

I am a composer, lyricist, and musical director based in Glasgow. I am a graduate of Cambridge University and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where I trained in musical directing. My work is focussed on new musical theatre, both in my own musicals, and as an arranger and music supervisor for new work across the UK, recently working on developments with Louis Barabbas and Andy McGregor.

I am the winner of the 2026 David MacLennan Award, with my new musical Magnificat, which will be produced by A Play, A Pie, And A Pint in Spring 2027. I’ve been shortlisted three times for the BYMT New Musical Theatre Award, and this summer they are producing my musical Technical Difficulties written with Joe Venable. My own company Matchstick Productions is producing a two hander by myself and Mairead Dunsmore called The Perfect Match. In its preview run it received 4 stars from ArtsReviewHub.

Recent musical directing work includes: Drive Lounge (Fonn Mór, 2026), Aladdin (Bard in the Botanics/Byre Theatre, 2025), The Glasgow Poisoner (A Play A Pie And A Pint, 2025), Savoy! Everybody’s Doing It (NP&Joy Productions, 2024).

Image by Luca Dickson


“Sam’s script was a frontrunner from the get-go, a playful reworking of the immaculate conception that explores gender and Christian social justice with equal parts reverence and radicalism. And with great songs, too.”

— Brian Logan on Magnificat