“TURING”is the heart-wrenching true story of Alan Turing:
A boy, abandoned by his parents, who struggles to fit in, and loses the first companion who truly understands him.
A young adult, who brilliantly led the cracking of the German Enigma code, in turn saving the Western world from the Nazis during World War II.
A grown adult, put on trial for being gay and stripped of his very core being which drove him to his dark demise.
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| Timothy L. Michuda in the recording studio. Photo by Rachel Bard. |
Told through three parallel timelines, “TURING” explores the fastidious attempt of one man to persevere against the instruction of authority, the law, abandonment, and societal repudiation of homosexuality. With an intense and deeply moving contemporary orchestral score, “TURING” approaches one of the most complicated ciphers in the world:
Decoding the relationships and life of Alan Turing himself.
Ahead of the release of a 6 track EP, we caught up with co-writer Timothy L. Michuda to learn more.
What drew you to Alan Turing's work and inspired you to create this EP?
When Ben Ward and I started writing together at BerkleeNYC, we wanted something hefty, soaring, dramatic, and orchestral. In our early brainstorming sessions, Ben proposed, “what about Alan Turing?” From there, we dove into tons of different biographies and found this profound life, but there was no way we could cover everything.
When Ben Ward and I started writing together at BerkleeNYC, we wanted something hefty, soaring, dramatic, and orchestral. In our early brainstorming sessions, Ben proposed, “what about Alan Turing?” From there, we dove into tons of different biographies and found this profound life, but there was no way we could cover everything.
What stood out were the patterns in his relationships: finally finding someone who gets him, then drifting away or breaking apart for different reasons. In TURING the musical, we tell that story in three parallel timelines, with Alan at age sixteen, twenty-eight, and forty on stage at the same time. Having the same person at three different ages reflects how we're made up of all our past experiences and relationships, which I think is really cool.
The TURING concept EP grew out of seeing how people connected to that story through the music. Someone who saw our DePaul University Blue Demon Theatre production in Chicago told me a year later, “I still have ‘Amongst the Stars’ stuck in my head,” and they had only heard it once! We wanted to get our music out there. These six songs are a taste of the full two-act musical, for theatres, producers, and fans to get a sense of our show, and also hear the potential for TURING.
Alan Turing’s work revolved around complex systems, ciphers, and algorithms. How did you approach translating those highly structured, mathematical concepts into musical themes and motifs?
Ben and I had so much fun geeking out over hidden patterns and references, both within and across the timelines. In “Man or Machine,” Alan is questioning whether he himself is a man or a machine. If you translate the intro's rhythms into Morse code, they actually spell out “A-l-a-n.”
Ben and I had so much fun geeking out over hidden patterns and references, both within and across the timelines. In “Man or Machine,” Alan is questioning whether he himself is a man or a machine. If you translate the intro's rhythms into Morse code, they actually spell out “A-l-a-n.”
We also use the music to connect his experiences. In “Damned,” Alan at forty feels misunderstood by the courtroom, and boom, what piano motif pops up but “They Can't Comprehend,” from his teenage years. Little references like that are part of the whole structure: a puzzle that unfolds as the show goes on. When the three Alans come together, we see why it's the same character at three different ages.
Turing is often remembered as a monumental historical figure and codebreaker, yet your project leans heavily into his personal vulnerabilities. How did you balance the public legacy of his genius with the deeply private, tender aspects of his life and tragic persecution?
We obviously had to include Enigma. It's a big moment in the show, and I'm not going to shy away from that. While Alan's accomplishments are the backbone of the story, his relationships are front and center.
A musical lets us get into that internal monologue and really express how he's feeling. Rather than just seeing a lonely schoolboy studying by himself, we have a frustrated, angsty sixteen-year-old singing “They Can't Comprehend.” That's the emotional aspect we want to nail, and what makes TURING different from other plays or movies about Alan Turing.
We obviously had to include Enigma. It's a big moment in the show, and I'm not going to shy away from that. While Alan's accomplishments are the backbone of the story, his relationships are front and center.
A musical lets us get into that internal monologue and really express how he's feeling. Rather than just seeing a lonely schoolboy studying by himself, we have a frustrated, angsty sixteen-year-old singing “They Can't Comprehend.” That's the emotional aspect we want to nail, and what makes TURING different from other plays or movies about Alan Turing.
The musical spans three distinct stages of Turing’s life (ages 16, 28, and 40) across parallel timelines. How does the score evolve across these ages to reflect his growth, isolation, and shifting internal state?
We keep the scoring and orchestration fairly consistent while blending all sorts of musical styles. I wouldn’t say we keep one genre to each timeline; the biggest distinction is the tone.
We keep the scoring and orchestration fairly consistent while blending all sorts of musical styles. I wouldn’t say we keep one genre to each timeline; the biggest distinction is the tone.
Alan at sixteen is bright, upbeat, and green, and sings fun, quirky duets with Christopher Morcom. They haven't yet felt the harshness of life. At twenty-eight, his sonic world becomes methodical and precise, with rhythms that sound like machines and gears turning as he works on Enigma.
By forty, he's experienced life and loss, and you feel that gravity. In “Damned,” he cries out, “I used to be your hero, but now I'm far from free.” That darker sound reflects a government turning on someone who put his life on hold to serve it.
The lead single, "Amongst The Stars", sets the visual and emotional tone for the project. What made this specific track the right introduction to the world of TURING, and how does it encapsulate the broader themes of the EP?
Whenever people talk about the show, the song everyone goes, “Oh my gosh, I love that song,” is unanimously “Amongst the Stars.” I recently played it for some friends who'd never heard anything from TURING, and they started crying. Imagine being that moved by a song from a show you've never seen.
Whenever people talk about the show, the song everyone goes, “Oh my gosh, I love that song,” is unanimously “Amongst the Stars.” I recently played it for some friends who'd never heard anything from TURING, and they started crying. Imagine being that moved by a song from a show you've never seen.
We wanted to put “Amongst the Stars” front and center because it has that hopeful youthfulness, but also the longing for a world where everyone understands you. People can relate to that. Then you have the catchy five-four, really tasty duet harmonies, and an epic key change after the bridge. I still love singing along to the duet. It never gets old.
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| Timothy L. Michuda in the recording studio. Photo by Rachel Bard. |
The title, "Man or Machine" touches directly on Turing’s iconic Imitation Game test. How do the lyrics and musical arrangement pit human emotion against mechanical coldness in this track?
In “Man or Machine,” Alan is creating the Automatic Computing Engine, and he's realizing he has this gift to create something. But he's also finished his work on Enigma and is wondering what's next for him.
In “Man or Machine,” Alan is creating the Automatic Computing Engine, and he's realizing he has this gift to create something. But he's also finished his work on Enigma and is wondering what's next for him.
So the song turns from, “Here I am, creating technology,” to, “What's my worth? What's my role? Am I myself just a machine?” I think that turn is really powerful and dramatic. Musically, it's a luscious ballad, like something you'd hear in Les Misérables, and it really lends itself to full symphonic work. I'd love to hear it with a full orchestra someday!
As an American composer telling the story of a towering British figure, how did you approach capturing the cultural nuance and historical weight of Turing’s life for a UK audience?
My co-writer, Ben Ward, is actually from the UK and lives in Nottingham. We both write book, music, and lyrics, though we have different strengths. I often write lyrics that drive the plot forward, while Ben writes some of the more poetic or introspective songs.
My co-writer, Ben Ward, is actually from the UK and lives in Nottingham. We both write book, music, and lyrics, though we have different strengths. I often write lyrics that drive the plot forward, while Ben writes some of the more poetic or introspective songs.
Having a British co-writer also means he can sense-check the dialogue and language. If I draft something and he goes, “That sounds so American,” or, “That's too modern,” he helps clean it up. Working together that way keeps the narrative honest and true to its roots.
The EP features vocalists with West End ties, including UK performers like Jacob Fowler and Aiden Carson alongside James Olivas. How did collaborating across the Atlantic shape the vocal landscape of these recordings?
Hearing Aiden Carson and Jacob Fowler sing “Amongst the Stars” for the first time was absolutely incredible. Being that Alan and Christopher are both British characters, it somehow just clicked and felt right when they sang it. As for James Olivas, I happened to catch him in New York just after his time in Evita in the West End.
Hearing Aiden Carson and Jacob Fowler sing “Amongst the Stars” for the first time was absolutely incredible. Being that Alan and Christopher are both British characters, it somehow just clicked and felt right when they sang it. As for James Olivas, I happened to catch him in New York just after his time in Evita in the West End.
Working with that level of talent really illuminated the show's potential. They would be singing through a sound check to get audio levels and I'd think, “It's the best I've ever heard that song.” Then we'd get into the characters' emotions and little choices in stylization, and they were so adaptable. I am so grateful to and impressed by the incredible talent on this EP; each one of them sounds amazing. Hearing each actor, I think TURING could be a star vehicle for three really solid male leads.
Beyond the history lessons, why do you feel Turing’s story—and the theme of a brilliant mind longing simply to be understood—demands to be heard on musical theatre stages right now?
Yes, it's a historical story, and we want to look back and think that persecution is so distant. But every time I open the headlines, in the US and abroad, the LGBTQ community is under attack and our rights are being stripped away. It is wild that who we love is even up for debate in 2026. It absolutely should not be.
Yes, it's a historical story, and we want to look back and think that persecution is so distant. But every time I open the headlines, in the US and abroad, the LGBTQ community is under attack and our rights are being stripped away. It is wild that who we love is even up for debate in 2026. It absolutely should not be.
I want TURING to be a heartfelt remembrance of Alan Turing, but to also serve as a warning. This history could almost be a dystopian future if we as society continue down our path. We need to support our queer and trans brothers, sisters, and siblings so we don't go back. Everyone should be allowed to simply love who they love and express their true selves without fear.
If you were able to sit down and interview Turing, what would you like to ask him?
I'd ask, “What is your proudest accomplishment?” Alan Turing is lauded for Enigma, Enigma, Enigma, but I'm curious about what mattered most to him.
I'd ask, “What is your proudest accomplishment?” Alan Turing is lauded for Enigma, Enigma, Enigma, but I'm curious about what mattered most to him.
Then I'd ask what he still wished he could accomplish. He was always looking for patterns and searching for meaning, and I'd love to know what inspired him and what else he would have done.
What was the first piece of theatre that had a big impact on you?
I'd have to say “The Phantom of the Opera”, the first Broadway show I ever saw. When I was nine, my grandparents took me and my cousin to New York to see it. As a classical violinist, I was thrilled by that soaring orchestra, but then there was the chandelier, the massive sets, the costumes, the vocals…I'd never seen anything with that grandeur.
I'd have to say “The Phantom of the Opera”, the first Broadway show I ever saw. When I was nine, my grandparents took me and my cousin to New York to see it. As a classical violinist, I was thrilled by that soaring orchestra, but then there was the chandelier, the massive sets, the costumes, the vocals…I'd never seen anything with that grandeur.
I was obsessed with the soundtrack for years afterward and even dressed as the Phantom for Halloween. I'm sure my parents were sick of me singing “Music of the Night” around the house! Seeing a full emotional, dramatic production on top of an orchestra sparked my love for theatre. That rapturous symphonic sound is still very much part of my musical writing world.
The release of this concept EP leads up to the full October launch. What are your ultimate hopes for the future of TURING as a fully realised theatrical production?
I want this new musical to reach and move as many people as possible. Of course, my dream would be Broadway or the West End, but this show can also be done in communities throughout the US and the world.
I want this new musical to reach and move as many people as possible. Of course, my dream would be Broadway or the West End, but this show can also be done in communities throughout the US and the world.
I've fallen in love with the music all over again while recording this EP, and I want people to have that same experience with the songs, the characters, and the story. I can already see tenors using “They Can't Comprehend” in their audition cuts. What we need now are the right creative partners: people who see the show's potential and believe in it like we do, so we can share it with those audiences.
Link to listen to the TURING EP: https://bit.ly/TURING-BeyondtheCurtain
Please visit TuringMusical.com for further information
Please visit TuringMusical.com for further information
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