Spark Musical Theatre Festival NYC Lineup to Feature 26 New Musicals

Award-winning Emerging Artists Theatre has revealed the lineup for the inaugural Spark Musical Theatre Festival NYC, featuring 26 new musicals, both short and full-length, over three weeks. Showcasing a diverse array of original works at various stages of development, the festival will feature everything from staged readings to fully produced productions. Performances will run November 2-22 at the 28th Street Theatre (TADA) in Manhattan's Flatiron District. Short talkbacks will follow some of the productions.

Festival highlights include The Selkie Bride, written by Regan Hicks, with music direction and orchestration by Jaz Koft. Inspired by Celtic mythology, this folk musical follows a young selkie-a half-seal, half-woman-who finds herself trapped on an island; Long Ago Song, written by Lynda Crawford and Gary Kupper, in which the memories of an elderly Black poet are awakened when a young musician discovers an obscure tune in an old songbook; The Love Is Afoot! Musical Cabaret, written by Michael LaFata, with lyrics by Perry Sachs and music by Perry Sachs and Kevin Guillaume, blending the glamour of Golden Age Broadway with the energy of big-band swing; and The Kusama Project, with music by Yuriko Shibata, lyrics by Andrew Strano, and a book by Shibata and Strano. This immersive musical ritual is created for anyone who has ever felt alone in an infinite universe.

Tickets range from $25 to $40. You can find tickets and the full lineup HERE. All performances take place at The 28th Street Theatre (TADA), 15 West 28th Street, 2nd floor (elevator access) between Broadway & 5th Avenue.

FESTIVAL CALENDAR:

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2 AT 7PM

An Hour with Ben Yarmolinsky - staged reading

Written & performed by Ben Yarmolinsky

Ben Yarmolinsky has prepared a program of his new and recent satirical and sentimental songs, including "The Ethical Culture Fight Song" "You-Know-Who," and "Warriors for Peace and Social Justice."

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4 AT 7PM

An evening of short musicals.

Not Really Strangers - workshop production

Writer and directed by Maggie Monaghan, musical direction by James Bally

At a struggling New Jersey branch of fast-food chain MeatDay, owner Elliot grieves his brother's death and grasps to keep the business afloat. This 10-minute excerpt explores what happens when the constant pursuit of efficiency isolates everyone.

Kaleidoscope - workshop production

Written by Liam Searcy, Sam Street and Jordy Searcy, directed by Rosie Corr

Four astronauts, adrift, alone, and short on oxygen, reckon with their lives and the choices they've made. How did we get here? Was it worth it? Who will remember? Is it too late?

Keep It Growing: A 2060's Jukebox Musical - workshop production

Written by Lain Walls, directed by Caroline Mack

In the year 2076, an ensemble of theatre artists workshop a government-approved jukebox musical about a seemingly idyllic garden, until the show's story reveals the bleak world outside it. Featuring all the greatest hits of the last decade, the 2060s!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 AT 7PM

Apollo - workshop production

Written by Thomas Jaques, choreographed by Alex Bronchetti, directed by Ava Fackler

APOLLO: A New Musical* goes behind the glory of the Space Race, following determined rocket scientist Martha Matthews and former Nazi scientist Frederich Bauer as ambition, reinvention, and history collide.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 AT 5PM

An evening of short musicals.

Clickbait - staged reading

Written by Matthew Climbingbear, composed by Tiffany Hwang

A new musical about what it means to be distracted at work. Watch two rivals fight for a promotion on a random Saturday as they get roped into the rabbit hole that is Clickbait! Will they overcome or be consumed by an algorithm that knows their deepest insecurities?

Treason - workshop production

Book and lyrics by Donna Sanders, music by Deena Zammam

In 1779, Stony Brook, NY is a loyalist stronghold infiltrated by vigilante patriots who pursue their cause under the constant specter of death. One fatal night, Annette Williamson is forced to choose between her love for a convicted traitor, and her commitment to the hard-fought war for freedom.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10 AT 7PM & WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 AT 7PM

Brighter Than the Sun - workshop production

Written and composed by Collin Hendley, directed and choreographed by Jojo Minasi

Brighter Than the Sun is an autobiographical, anecdotal musical that analyzes the relationship between a young man desperately seeking to come to terms with his identity and his grandmother during both of their upbringings in South Georgia.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12 AT 4PM

The Great Mortality - staged reading

Music and lyrics by Holly Doubet, Kathy Babylon, and John Vester, book by Holly Doubet and James McCarthy

1600s Venice, destitute composer Vivaldi and wealthy castrato Farinelli share friendship. Vivaldi reunites with Anna, a former singer in his orphan choir. Her father dons a Plague Doctor costume for coin, unknowingly bringing death home.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12 AT 7PM

Brighter Than the Sun - workshop production

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13 AT 4PM

The Great Mortality - staged reading

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13 AT 7PM

An evening of short musicals.

Standing Above Pajaro - workshop production

Story and libretto by Conrad A. Panganiban, music by Jeremy Rafal

In 1930, Celestino Tobera, breaks into the Watsonville General store seeking refuge from an angry mob threatening to kill all the Filipino Immigrant workers there. Melissa Crawley, the store owner, must decide between helping Celestino or the person in charge of the mob-her son.

The Man Who Could Imitate a Bee - workshop production

Written by Jason Curtis Rivera, directed by Katie Claire Harrigan

Hervey Deyo, a great ornithologist, wants nothing more than to impress a girl. He utilizes a party trick to get her attention, and it sends his life in an unforeseen direction.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13 AT 9PM

Coming Home - staged reading

Written and directed by Lawrence Dandridge, assistant director Amoria Burks

Coming Home meets a family at their first reunion after years of estrangement. Through music inspired by our favorite cookout classics and eye-opening dialogue, we challenge the traditions that make up strong Black families and uncover the unconditional bond that is love.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14 AT 7PM

An evening of short musicals.

Sailing Man - staged reading

Written and composed by Seungyeon Kwon and Elliot Pemberton, directed by Matthew Climbingbear

Across 127 years, two people living at different speeds meet through a broken radio. On a stage strictly divided between two worlds, a fantasy unfolds. In a universe of uncertainty, where are we sailing toward?

The Man Who Could Imitate a Bee - workshop production

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14 AT 9PM

Reign of Smoke and Lust (Seduced by the Shadow King's Son) - workshop production

Music by Rose Bauman, lyrics by Miranda Holliday

Lust, power, and magic... will our Female Main Character discover what fate has in store for her? Come along for the ride in this enemies-to-lovers tale that's got everything: a steamy love triangle, and a sexy misunderstood villain.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15 AT 2PM

Coming Home - staged reading

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15 AT 5PM

An evening of short musicals.

16/32 - workshop production

Written by Henrietta Steventon and Jacob Iglitzin

In a Midtown rehearsal room, veteran actress Andrea meets with Broadway's newest star Babs to rehearse for a tribute concert to a legendary composer. In this one-woman musical, the divas flip through the songbooks of their own lives.

The Man Who Could Imitate a Bee - workshop production

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15 AT 7PM

Jeremy Worried About the Wind - staged reading

Book, music, lyrics by Jeremy F Richter, directed by Stephen Santa

Jeremy has a list of 673 worries. Maggie has none. Mom has her own anxieties. Adapted from Pamela Butchart's book, this fast-paced family musical sweeps an anxious boy on a whirlwind adventure to choose fun over fear.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16 AT 7PM

Mysterious Rays - workshop production

Book, music, and lyrics by Noah Canby

Alan is a pioneering trans radiologist in the 1930s. Lauren is a closeted tween track star in the 2000s. What happens when a vlogger turned time-traveling hacktivist shows up? A gorgeous mission to save transkind.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17 AT 7PM

The Kusama Project - staged reading

Music by Yuriko Shibata, lyrics by Andrew Strano, and book by Yuriko Shibata and Andrew Strano

An immersive musical ritual for anyone who has ever felt alone in an infinite universe, transmuting fear, obsession, and solitude into the joy of connection.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18 AT 7PM

Long Ago Song - workshop production

Written by Lynda Crawford and Gary Kupper, musical direction by D. Michael O'Dell, directed by Lee Summers

Ruthie Coleman, an elderly Black poet whose memories ignite when a young musician plays an obscure tune he found in an old songbook. The story goes back and forth between the present and the 1920s-1940s of Tin Pan Alley, the Harlem Renaissance, and World War II, as the puzzle of Ruthie's past is revealed.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19 AT 4PM

Alexandros - staged reading

Written and lyrics by Elizabeth Filippouli, music by Dirk Brossé

What if a neurodivergent teenager who feels voiceless and abandoned could meet the myths that taught the world to dream big? By pairing a contemporary story of resilience with the fascinating mythology surrounding a historical figure, the play explores friendship, loyalty, love, as well as identity, resilience and empowerment.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19 AT 7PM

Reign of Smoke and Lust (Seduced by the Shadow King's Son) - workshop production

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20 AT 4PM

Alexandros - staged readings

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20 AT 7PM

Long Ago Song - workshop production

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 AT 7PM

Queen of Clubs - staged reading

Book, composer, lyrics by Kimberly Korn & D. Michael O'Dell

A new musical about Sydney-a daring, tenacious, and passionate woman navigating New York City's chaotic club scene over five decades. Her resilient journey reveals unexpected friendships, grit, and how, when life breaks your heart, music can heal your soul.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 AT 9PM

An evening of short musicals.

Twin or Lose - workshop production

Book by Jesse Ayala, composedr by Jen Coogan, lyrics by Beth Barton and Jen Coogan

Twin or Lose is a fast, irreverent musical comedy. When a sandbag set by the mob mistakenly drops it on their frontrunner for Miss New Jersey, her overlooked twin sister is forced to step into her sister's gown, only to discover that she just might want the crown for herself.

Stud Country Shuffle - workshop production

Book and lyrics by Isabel Beatriz Tongson, composed by D. Michael O'Dell and The Blue Genes Collective

When the House of Donna-a queer line dancing hall-runs into financial trouble, the newest generation of queer line dancers must save the hall from shutting down. When traditional line dancers seek to buy the hall, both groups must confront what the true spirit of line dancing is to them.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22 AT 2PM

Long Ago Song - workshop production

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22 AT 5PM

An evening of short musicals.

The Love Is Afoot! Musical Cabaret - workshop production

Written by Michael LaFata, lyrics by Perry Sachs, composed by Perry Sachs and Kevin Guillaume

Golden Age Broadway meets big-band swing! Featuring four fabulous singers, blazing brass, toe-tapping tunes, and a delightfully unconventional love story, this 30-minute spectacle celebrates desire, acceptance, and the beautiful absurdity of love!

From the Abuela's Window - staged reading

Book and lyrics by Nancy Burke, music by Ignacio Valdivia, additional lyrics by Ed Levy

In Chile in 1973, Maribel learns her Papa is among the disappeared. A gift from a trio of magical abuelas empowers her to help local prisoners to freedom while she holds onto hope that someone, somewhere does the same for her missing Papa.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22 AT 7PM

The Selkie Bride - full production

Written by Regan Hicks, music direction and orchestration by Jaz Koft, directed by Alysia Homminga

Inspired by Celtic mythology, this folk musical follows a young selkie (half-seal, half-woman) who finds herself trapped on a struggling island and confronted with the world of men. Will she return to the sea or become a Selkie Bride, stripped of her autonomy and forced to marry a human?