Rhinebeck Writers Retreat Now Accepting Applications for Summer 2016

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director of Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, announced that applications are open to all musical theatre writers for this summer's retreats. With new grants from National Endowment for the Arts, The Frederick Loewe Foundation and more, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat will increase programming to 9 weeklong residencies, hosting 9 musical theatre writing teams. Each team will live in a private home in the countryside near Rhinebeck, New York and do nothing but write their new musical. The retreats will take place between June 26 and August 28. Applications are due February 19 and the application fee is $25. Both established and early career writers are eligible, and the submitted 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 $400 stipend. All their expenses are covered, including travel costs up to $750 per writer. Writers with children or other caregiving responsibilities are eligible and, if they are selected, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat will work with them to accommodate their housing needs. All information, guidelines, and online application can be found at www.rhinebeckwriters.org.

Past Rhinebeck writers include Duncan Sheik and Kyle Jarrow, Noir; Kirsten Childs, Bella: An American Tall Tale; Joe Iconis, Lance Rubin, and Jason "SweetTooth" Williams, Broadway Bounty Hunter, getting its world premiere at Barrington Stage this summer; Stew and Heidi Rodewald, Family Album; Alex Timbers and Michael Friedman, Love's Labour's Lost, seen at The Public Theater's Free Shakespeare in the Park; and Janet Allard and Niko Tsakalakos, Into the Wild.

Created in 2011, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat provides a sanctuary for writers to develop their new musicals in the heart of the Hudson Valley. All costs for the retreats are covered by contributions, including major support from National Endowment for the Arts, The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Fund, The Frederick Loewe Foundation, Liz Armstrong; Rick Farrar and Jeff Zadroga; Amy Faxon; Brian Hargrove and David Hyde Pierce; Michael A. Jenkins; Stacey Mindich Productions; Cornelia Ravenal; Steve Reynolds; Peter Risafi and Steven Wheeler; Harry, Cathy, Gabriella, and James Rubin Foundation; and Alec Stais and Elissa Burke. www.rhinebeckwriters.org.