National Alliance For Musical Theatre Receives $60,000 Grant

The National Endowment for the Arts awarded a $60,000 grant to the National Alliance for Musical Theatre to support NAMT's Fall Conference and 21st annual Festival of New Musicals taking place in fall 2009. This is the highest donation that NAMT has received since its founding in 1985.

At the Fall Conference, NAMT's membership of leading professional producers of musical theatre will gather to hear from experts, discuss new work development, and collaborate on new projects. At the 21st annual Festival of New Musicals, NAMT members will be joined by hundreds of industry professionals to see 45-minute staged readings of eight new musicals over two days. The last 20 Festivals have launched such notable musicals as The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, The Drowsy Chaperone, Kingdom, Meet John Doe, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Story of My Life, Striking 12, and Vanities.

Executive Director Kathy Evans stated, "We are honored to be recognized by the NEA as playing a crucial role in nurturing the development and production of new musicals. And we are excited to play a part in helping such talented artists find future homes for their work in theatres across the country."

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 membership includes not-for-profit and commercial theatres, developmental organizations, universities, and independent producers. Located throughout 33 states and 6 countries, the 150 member organizations share NAMT's commitment to nurture the creation, development, production, and recognition of new musicals. For more information, visit www.namt.org.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre thanks the following individuals, foundations and government agencies for providing major support: The ASCAP Foundation, The Dramatists Guild Fund, Jamie DeRoy & friends, Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Theater Foundation, The Mackintosh Foundation, Stacey Mindich, The Rodgers and Hammerstein Foundation, The Shen Family Foundation and The Shubert Foundation. The Festival of New Musicals is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art, and by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency.