19 Musical Theatre Writers Announced for This Summer's Rhinebeck Writers Retreat

Founding Executive Director Kathy Evans announced the 19 writers and 9 new musicals selected for this summer's Rhinebeck Writers Retreat residencies. For nine consecutive weeks beginning June 26, each writing team will have a weeklong residency in Rhinebeck, New York to write their new musical. This year's writers include New York Drama Critics award winner Brian Crawley, Tony nominee Hunter Foster, 2016 Kleban award winner Daniel Goldstein, Susan Smith Blackburn finalist Michele Lowe, Arlen award winner Georgia Stitt, Fred Ebb award winner Adam Gwon, and New Dramatists Loewe Award winner Sarah Hammond. The 9 musicals were selected from among 95 applicants by a distinguished panel: Kent Nicholson of Playwrights Horizons, Donna Lynn Hilton of Goodspeed Musicals, Barbara Pasternack of Theatreworks USA, Steve Stettler of Weston Playhouse, Mara Isaacs of Octopus Theatricals, Drama Desk nominated composer Neil Bartram, and Robert Zukerman, former Director of Theatre at the New York State Council on the Arts.

Writers pay nothing to participate and donors to Rhinebeck Writers Retreat cover all the writers' costs. Each writing team lives in a private home and is provided transportation, food, and a $400 stipend. Major support for Rhinebeck Writers Retreat comes from National Endowment for the Arts, The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Fund, The Frederick Loewe Foundation, The Dramatists Guild Fund, and The Noël Coward Foundation.

The line-up for the summer and the donors providing major underwriting support each week are:

· June 26 - July 3: Amma Y. Ghartey-Tagoe Kootin, Khalil Sullivan, and Joshua Williams, At Buffalo, lead underwriting support from The Noël Coward Foundation, with additional support from Cornelia Ravenal

· July 3 - July 10: Michele Lowe and Adam Gwon, The Proxy Marriage, lead underwriting support from Stacey Mindich Productions

· July 10 - July 17: Maggie-Kate Coleman and Erato A. Kremmyda, Marie in Tomorrowland, lead underwriting support from Liz Armstrong

· July 17 - July 24: Will Aronson and Sarah Hammond, Wind-Up Girl, lead underwriting support from The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Fund, with additional support from The Harry, Cathy, Gabriella, and James Rubin Foundation

· July 24 - July 31: Daniel Goldstein and Dawn Landes, Row, lead underwriting support from The Frederick Loewe Foundation, with additional support from Amy Faxon

· July 31 - August 7: Daniel Lazour and Patrick Lazour, untitled musical, lead underwriting support from The Dramatists Guild Fund

· August 7 - August 14: Brian Crawley and Zoe Sarnak, Teddy and Max, lead underwriting support from Brian Hargrove and David Hyde Pierce

· August 14 - August 21: Hunter Foster and Georgia Stitt, Tempest Rock, lead underwriting support from Stacey Mindich Productions

· August 21 - August 28: Mark Sonnenblick and Ben Wexler, Ship Show, lead underwriting support from Alec Stais and Elissa Burke, with additional support from Peter Risafi and Steve Wheeler

Created in 2011, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to provide a sanctuary for musical theatre writers to develop their musicals in the heart of the Hudson Valley. Musicals developed in Rhinebeck have had productions at The Public Theater's Free Shakespeare in The Park, Barrington Stage, Second Stage Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, and The Eugene O'Neill National Music Theater Conference. Past participants include Kirsten Childs, Michael Friedman, Joe Iconis, Itamar Moses, Duncan Sheik, Stew and Heidi Rodewald. All costs are covered by contributions. We thank our major individual and corporate supporters: Liz Armstrong, Rick Farrar and Jeff Zadroga, Amy Faxon, Michael A. Jenkins, Cornelia Ravenal, Stacey Mindich Productions, Peter Risafi and Steven Wheeler; Harry, Cathy, Gabriella, and James Rubin Foundation; and Alec Stais and Elissa Burke. www.rhinebeckwriters.org