Benjamin Velez and Joel Perez to Present LOST CITY RADIO at Rhinebeck Writers Retreat

Lost City Radio, a new musical with book by Joel Perez (Fun Home) and music and lyrics by Tony nominee Benjamin Velez (Real Women Have Curves), based on the novel by Daniel Alarcon, has been selected for Rhinebeck Writers Retreat's Triple R Program, and a staged reading of the piece produced by the two organizations will be presented on May 14, 2026. The reading is directed by Tony nominee Leigh Silverman (Suffs), with music direction by PJ Ju (Big Gay Jamboree).

Based on the acclaimed novel, Lost City Radio is the story of Norma, a radio host in a country where radio is the only source of media. Ten years after a failed attempt to overthrow the military regime, what started as a radio show meant to find people who have disappeared during the war has become a propaganda machine for the state. Norma's own husband was one of the "disappeared," but when a young orphan named Victor shows up at her radio station with a clue to her husband's whereabouts, the two must work together to learn the truth and perhaps form their own family in the process.

Rhinebeck Writers Retreat addresses a critical need faced by musical theatre writers: dedicated, uninterrupted time and resources to write. Each year one writing team is selected for Triple R, a three-step development program designed to accelerate their musical towards production. Triple R ("2 Readings and Residency") begins with a cold table read in NYC to hear the latest draft aloud, followed by a 5-day writing residency in Rhinebeck to further develop the work, and culminates with an AEA 29-hour reading back in NYC to collaborate with a cast and creative team. Over the past 15 summers, RWR has supported over 250 writers developing 130 musicals, which have gone on to fill stages across the country and grow our musical theatre canon. 

NEW NEXT NOW is a new initiative from The Stage Door Foundation, co-founded by Jesse Kissel and Jeff Whiting that seeks to support new works, by new voices, in new ways. Their mission is to create safe, rigorous, generous, and truly creative spaces for creators. As part of their inaugural season, NEW NEXT NOW is enhancing the Triple R reading of Lost City Radio, in the hopes of supporting the project more in the future.

The reading team includes Casting Director Andrew Fem, and General Management by Sing Out, Louise! Productions.