National Alliance for Musical Theatre To Host 2025 Fall Conference and Songwriters Showcase

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre has announced details for its 2025 Fall Conference, “Stronger Together: Reimagining Collaboration,” taking place October 21–22, 2025 at the Bruno Walter Auditorium at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

The Conference will be followed by NAMT’s 37th Annual Festival of New Musicals, including the Songwriters Showcase and College Roadtrip programs, October 23–24 at New World Stages.

The NAMT Fall Conference, one of the most important networking events in the musical theatre industry, will bring together theatre leaders from across the country to explore new work development, production challenges, and industry-wide collaboration.

Fall Conference Highlights

This year’s Conference will open with “Creative Resilience,” a keynote concert by violinist, songwriter, and theatre artist Val Vigoda (Striking 12, Sleeping Beauty Wakes, Beautiful Poison). The program blends music, storytelling, and humor to examine resilience at the intersection of art and adversity.

On Wednesday, Brett Egan, President of the DeVos Institute of Arts and Nonprofit Management, will present on the major issues facing theatre administration in 2026 and provide frameworks for navigating them.

Additional sessions include:

• Collaboration Case Studies – exploring theatre partnerships for mutual benefit

• Pathways for New Works – examining unconventional development routes

• Big Musicals, Big Possibilities – questioning assumptions about cast and orchestra sizes

• New Musicals, New Needs – a nuts-and-bolts guide for producers at every level

For the first time, NAMT will also host a Board Roundtable, offering governance and best practices conversations for board members from member theatres.

Conference speakers and panelists currently confirmed include Marsha Brooks (Brooks & Distler), Michael Cassara (Michael Cassara Casting), Jason Eagan (Ars Nova), Sharon Fallon (Sharon Fallon Productions), Mark Fleischer (Pittsburgh CLO), Caroline Gibel (Kansas City Starlight), Meredith Gordon (Broadway Rose Theatre), Kim Heil (The Old Globe), Mike Isaacson (The Muny), Andrew Kato (Maltz Jupiter Theatre), Brian Marcum (Music Theatre Wichita), Amy Rose Marsh (Concord Theatricals), Bob Martin (Writer), Rebecca Marzalek-Kelly (Weston Theater Company), Joey Monda (Joey Monda Productions), Aaron Sanko (UIA Talent Agency), and Ashley Wells (Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma), with more to be announced.

Songwriters Showcase & College Roadtrip

The Songwriters Showcase, presented in partnership with Musical Theatre Radio, will include a live taping of NAMT’s New@NAMT podcast with host Jean-Paul Yovanoff. Featured artists include Timothy Huang (2015 Festival writer), Tabitha Moore (winner, 2024 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge for High School Students), and the team of Andrew Strano and Yuriko Shibata with Tom Morrissey (Theatre Now New York), recipients of the 2025 Frank Young Fund for New Musicals Writers Residency Grant.

This year also marks the return of College Roadtrip, which will highlight new musical theatre work developed at universities nationwide. Programs featured include:

• Florida State University (PREVIEW@FSU)

• Michigan State University Department of Theatre (New Musical Laboratory)

• Syracuse University Department of Drama (New Works/New Voices)

• San Diego State University Musical Theatre Program

About NAMT

Founded in 1985, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to nurturing the development, production, and collaboration of musical theatre worldwide. Its 200+ members include leading producers, theatres, and educational institutions across 31 states and five countries. NAMT’s Festival of New Musicals has launched more than 300 works, including Come From Away, The Drowsy Chaperone, Lizard Boy, and Thoroughly Modern Millie.

For registration, membership, and full details on the Fall Conference and Festival, visit namt.org.