Drama Club Reveals 2026 Residency Cohort Selecting 32 Teams to Develop New Musicals This Summer
The amount of applicants increased by 227% over the last year.
Drama Club has revealed the official artist selections for its 2026 summer residencies at Drama Club Camp. Chosen from an unprecedented pool of applicants - representing a staggering 227% increase over last year - this year’s pool reflects a massive global demand for high-level creative development.
As the industry’s largest developer of new musicals, Drama Club continues to redefine the musical theater landscape. A residency at Drama Club Camp is the cornerstone of a comprehensive ecosystem that also includes the International Fellowship, the Drafts reading series, and a consistent track record of well-produced developmental workshops and world-premiere productions. By providing a place for these new musicals to grow, Drama Club reinforces its commitment to moving stories from the page to the global stage.
Drama Club Camp is a one-of-a-kind creative haven designed intentionally for musical makers that offers:
65 acres on the shore of Torsey Lake in Mount Vernon, Maine
A century-old 14-bedroom lodge (Drama Clubhouse) with a Steinway baby grand, three fireplaces, an open bar, and private bedrooms with queen beds and electric pianos
Private, quiet, rehearsal/writing spaces with electric pianos, instruments, printers, wicked-fast WiFi, and every tool a creative team could hope for
New in 2026: a state-of-the-art recording studio with all the equipment needed to make high quality demos
Miles of hiking trails, secret art installations, hidden glens, Frog & Toad Pond, a lakeside firepit, and endless inspiration
The 2026 selections represent a vibrant tapestry of genres and perspectives. From hip-hop odysseys and VR-inspired comedies to historical epics and modern satires, the strength of material submitted this year was at an all-time high. These works tackle themes of identity, technology, and legacy, offering a bold look at the future of the medium.
Writers in this year’s class have been produced on stages around the world, and includes winners of nearly every major plaudit in the industry, including the Larson, Kleban, Rodgers, Obie, Broadway World, Princess Grace, Emmy, ASCAP Cole Porter, and Ebb awards; residencies at Cove Park, The Johnny Mercer Grove, Rhinebeck, The O’Neill, and Barn on Fire; and honors including Dramatist Guild Fellowships; Disney Imagineering’s New Voices Program; Sundance; MTI Stiles & Drew Prize; NAMT; Write Out Loud!; MSU New Musicals Lab; and many, many more.
Five week-long cohorts of 13 artists each will begin in June and continue through August.
The 2026 Drama Club Camp Residency Selections Include:
A Pain in the Neck – Erin Reifler & Zonia Tsang
Americannibal – Nick Jonczak & Laura Lizcano
Bad Baby – Aaron Jafferis & Dahlak Brathwaite
barbara/tony – Adam J. Rineer
BLUDLINE: A Hip-Hop Odyssey – Pete White & Fermin Suero Jr.
Cocaine Cowgirl – Veronica Carrington & Indigo
Cole Porter is my Imaginary VR Boyfriend – Charles Gershman & Dylan Schifrin
Contact – Eric Ulloa & Brett Ryback
Diamond – Morgan J. Smart & Crystal Moneé Hall
Diva of Oz – Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton
Everybody's Son – Alric Davis & Aaron Alon
Florida Man – Nico Raimont & Saúl Nache
Hijinx & Sue – Jessi Pitts & Daniel Wolfert
Life Goes On? – Damian Barray
Living: A Now Musical – Taylor Fagins & Michelle Kuchuk
Mumu The Musical – Saeed Malami & Dolapo Akinkugbe
My Husband, My Robot, My Lover, & My Husband's Robot Lover – Stephen James Schmidt & Andrew Moorhead
Off Season – Selda Sahin, Derek Gregor & Andrew Coopman
Papers, Please (The Musical) – Julia Barry & Daniel Nagler
Philippa – G. Victoria Campbell & Stephanie Henry
Spanglish Sh!t– Samora la Perdida, Mobéy Lola Isiarry, Josiah Handelman & David Zwieibel
Stay - Jonathan O’Neill & Isaac Savage
Take Two – Leta Harris Neustaedter
The Bigness of Us – Jord Liu
The Bozos – Adam Gwon & Michael Mitnick, Commissioned by Roundabout Theatre Company
The Chest – Charles Inniss & Christopher Inniss
The Closure – Dylan Hartwell, Matt Sav & Molly Lyons
The Debutantes – Sam Norman & Eliza Randall
The Last Dance — Josh Walker
The Spell of Red River – EllaRose Chary & Brando(n) James Gwinn
The Untitled KUSAMA Project – Andrew Strano & Yuriko Shibata
Weeping Time [Working Title] – Postell Pringle
To learn more about the Drama Club Camp and this year’s campers, visit drama.club.
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