Winners Revealed for 2026 Write Out Loud Contest
Write Out Loud: From Contest to Concert VOLUME 8 will play 54 Below on September 14th, 2026.
The Write Out Loud Team – Taylor Louderman (Tony Nominee, Mean Girls), Mitch Burke, Josh Collopy, Sarah Glugatch, and Benjamin Rauhala (Disney Princess - The Concert) - has revealed the Winners of the 2026 Write Out Loud Contest.
“Round and Round Again” by Harrison Lewis and Emielyn Das
“Heights Unknown” by Janine Robledo and David Mallamud
“queen bee” by Madeline Sclichter
These songs were selected from a pool of over 400 submissions after an extensive review process that included the support of an initial selection committee — composed of industry guests — and this year’s panel of judges, Haley Bennett (&Juliet), Goldie Golden (SIX, Titanique), Alvin Hough Jr. (The Lion King, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical), Tom Kitt (Next To Normal, Almost Famous), Joriah Kwamé (Little Miss Perfect, Lyle Lyle Crocodile), Adam Laird, (&Juliet, Oh, Mary!), Jaime Lozano (El Otro Oz, Jaime Lozano and the Familia), Madeline Myers (Double Helix), and Ian Weinberger (CHESS, Hamilton).
The three winning songs will be recorded by Broadway alumni and released wide later this year. The winning works will also be featured in concert at 54 Below hosted by Taylor Louderman, alongside the FINALISTS of the 2026 Write Out Loud Contest:
“My Land” by Lynn An
“Man Of The House” by Ohad Ashkenazi
“Helen of Troy” by Carolyn Bacon
“IN THE GROUND” by Alanya Bridge
“So Happy (Again)” by Brooke di Spirito & Caitlin Thomas
“To Be A Butterfly” by Maria Andreoli & EmmaLee Kidwell
“Another Afternoon” by Ryan Jacobs
“Shower Talk” by Meira Marom & Yael Karoly
“Riding in Cars with Boys” by Robert Poole & Jacob Fjeldheim
“Orange Peels (Umm ad-Dunya)” by Vaheed Talebian & Faiza Alex Manaa
“WRITE OUT LOUD: From Contest to Concert VOLUME 8” will play 54 Below on September 14th, 2026 at 7:00PM. Cast to be announced!
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