Applications Open For Musical Theatre Writers At Rhinebeck Writers Retreat

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director of Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, announced applications are open for this summer. Nine musical theatre writing teams will be hosted for 9 consecutive weeklong residencies in the Hudson Valley between July 2 and September 3. All writers are eligible and their musical can be at any stage of development, as long as it has not been published or licensed. Selected writers pay nothing to participate and receive a $500 stipend. All costs are covered by donations to Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, including travel up to $750. Writers with children are welcomed to apply and Rhinebeck Writers Retreat will accommodate their housing needs. There is no fee for applications received by February 16 and there is a fee of $20 for the final deadline of February 23. All information, guidelines, and online application can be found at www.rhinebeckwriters.org.

Past Rhinebeck writers and musicals include Kirsten Childs, Bella: An American Tall Tale, at Playwrights Horizons last year; Max Vernon, The View UpStairs, which was off-Broadway last year and has a cast recording; Joe Iconis, Lance Rubin, and Jason "SweetTooth" Williams, Broadway Bounty Hunter which had a world premiere at Barrington Stage; Stew and Heidi Rodewald, Family Album; and 2017 Jonathan Larson winners Ben Bonnema, Maggi-Kate Coleman, and Erato A. Kremmyda.

Since 2011, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat has provided a sanctuary for writers to develop their new musicals in the heart of the Hudson Valley. Musicals developed in Rhinebeck have been seen at The Public Theater's Shakespeare in The Park, Barrington Stage, Second Stage Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, The Old Globe, and The Eugene O'Neill National Music Theater Conference All costs for the retreats are covered by contributions, including major support from New York State Council on the Arts, The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Fund; The Frederick Loewe Foundation, The Noël Coward Foundation, Liz Armstrong; Cathy Cabrera; Rick Farrar and Jeff Zadroga; Amy and Roger Fazon; Steve Reynolds; Peter Risafi and Steven Wheeler; Jacqui and Lew Rose; and Alec Stais and Elissa Burke. www.rhinebeckwriters.org.