NAMT Announces Information Session for 22nd Annual Festival of New Musicals

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) will host a Festival Submission Information Session on December 15 for writers and producers interested in submitting for the 22nd Annual Festival of New Musicals, to take place in Fall of 2010. The information session will be held at CAP21 (18 W. 18th Street, 6th Floor) in New York City from 6:15pm-7:15pm on December 15, 2009. At this session, NAMT's New Works Director, Branden Huldeen, will go over the steps for applying to the festival, share tips and tricks to a solid submission and answer questions. This is a great way for anyone interested in submitting for the Festival to learn about the submission and selection process.

Admission to the Information Session is FREE but a reservation is required. To reserve a spot, please e-mail festival@namt.org. Seating is Limited!

The application for the 22nd Annual Festival of New Musicals will be available online January 5, 2010. Submission deadlines this year are as follows: (postmark)

· February 4, 2010 - Non-NAMT Member Professional Theatre Organizations and Literary Agencies February 18, 2010 - NAMT Members and Alumni Festival Writers

Any writer may apply, as long as the submission includes a letter of support from a NAMT member or any other professional theatre organization or an agent. If selected for the festival, the writers and submitting organization have no financial obligation to NAMT, as NAMT fully funds the festival through contributions and sponsorships. Go to www.namt.org to read all submission guidelines and to fill out the new online application.

NAMT's Festival of New Musicals is the cornerstone of NAMT's mission to nurture the creation, development, and production of new musicals. NAMT's Festival brings theatre producers from across the world together for an industry-only event to discover eight new musicals over two days. Since 1989, the Festival has presented over 225 musicals and 330 writers, and 75% of these shows have found subsequent productions, tours, and licensing agreements as a direct result of the Festival.
The Festival of New Musicals is funded by contributions to National Alliance for Musical Theatre and is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency.

For more information about the Festival of New Musicals, please contact NAMT New Works Director, Branden Huldeen at branden@namt.org or 212-714-6668 x14.

NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE (NAMT)

Founded in 1985 and based in New York City, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT), is a national service organization dedicated exclusively to musical theatre. NAMT's 145 members include not-for-profit and commercial regional theatres, developmental organizations, universities, and independent producers. Located throughout 33 states and 4 countries, member organizations share NAMT's commitment to nurture the creation, production, and recognition of new musicals. Last season, NAMT members cumulatively staged over 26,000 performances attended by 15.6 million people and reached revenues of over $500 million. NAMT fulfills its mission through its New Works Programs which include the Festival of New Musicals, New Works Summits, and the National Fund for New Musicals. The National Fund for New Musicals awards grants to theatres, to help them collaborate with one another and with other musical theatre artists, as they create and produce new musicals. For more information, visit www.namt.org.