Musical Writers Festival Returns to Frisco This Month

MusicalWriters.com will present the 2025 Musical Writers Festival from July 11–12 at the Hyatt Regency Frisco–Dallas, featuring two evenings of performances that showcase the next generation of musical theatre talent. The festival welcomes both national and local artists, with special appearances by acclaimed songwriter Joey Contreras and viral sensation Alyssa Payne.

This year’s festival includes two headline events: the New Works Cabaret on Friday, July 11, and the New Musicals Spotlight on Saturday, July 12. Tickets are available through the All-Access Performance Pass, with General Admission priced at $25 and VIP access at $50, which includes a Friday evening artist meet-and-greet and reception.

Friday, July 11 – New Works Cabaret & Open Mic

The weekend kicks off with performances of original songs from musical theatre writers across the country, brought to life by standout DFW vocalists. Joey Contreras and Alyssa Payne will also perform selections from their celebrated bodies of work. The evening continues with a Writer Open Mic, offering audiences a behind-the-scenes look as composers and lyricists present their own material in a relaxed, community-centered format.

Saturday, July 12 – New Musicals Spotlight

Audiences will enjoy staged highlights from four musicals currently in development:

• BL!NK by Grace Ward and Elke Meyers (SheDFW Festival preview)

• Living the Dream by Michael Chu and Ulf Anneken (Encore presentation from a recent staged reading and Pitch Night winner)

• Wolf Ballad by Lindsay “Fiskars” Cutting (Upcoming staged reading preview and Pitch Night winner)

• A soon-to-be-announced new work by a Dallas-based writer premiering later this year

Dallas Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. BIG FISH (Texas Music Theatre Company)

7.2% of votes

2. SCROOGE THE MUSICAL (North Texas Performing Arts)

6% of votes

3. RENT (Grand Prairie Arts Council)

4.6% of votes

Vote Now!