MAKING IT HAPPEN Festival of 15-Minute Musicals Extends Submission Deadline
The Theater Center will present the Off-Broadway Times Square festival with a $5,000 prize for the winner.
The Theater Center has extended the submission deadline for Making It Happen: Festival of 15-Minute Musicals from June 15 to July 6, 2026. Applications are currently being accepted from writers, composers, lyricists, and creative teams interested in presenting original short-form musical theater works.
Following the success of the venue's Making It Happen: Ten-Minute Play Festival, the new festival turns its focus to musical theater, offering selected artists the opportunity to present their work Off-Broadway in the heart of Times Square.
The festival is seeking original musicals of any style, genre, or subject matter that run 15 minutes or less. All submitted material, including book, music, and lyrics, must be fully original, and applicants must hold the rights to all material submitted.
Selected musicals will be presented at The Theater Center during one of three preliminary rounds on August 12, August 19, or August 26. Each evening will feature three musicals. Audiences and judges will vote to select one winner from each preliminary performance, with the three finalists advancing to a final round on September 2.
The overall winner of the festival will receive a $5,000 cash prize.
Participating teams will receive performance space at The Theater Center, basic technical support, box office services, festival-wide marketing, and a technical rehearsal slot on the day of their performance. The festival also provides artists the opportunity to showcase their work before a live New York audience.
Applicants should only submit if they are available for at least one preliminary performance date and for the final performance on September 2.
Submissions for Making It Happen: Festival of 15-Minute Musicals are now being accepted through July 6, 2026.
Festival Schedule
Preliminary Performances
- Wednesday, August 12, 2026
- Wednesday, August 19, 2026
- Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Final Round
- Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Prize
- One overall winner will receive $5,000
