Discovering Broadway Launches New Musical Commission; Zack Zadek Receives First

Discovering Broadway is launching of a new annual commissioning initiative.  In addition to its writers' retreats, concerts, and master class programs, the organization will now commission one new musical each year, beginning this summer with an untitled original musical written by Zack Zadek.

As part of the commission, Discovering Broadway will support composers, lyricists, and book writers in the creation and early development of an original musical – providing resources, artistic space, and institutional backing to advance the work toward its next stage of life. Submissions will open soon for the 2027 Sabello Musical Commission, the nonprofit's second annual commissioning initiative.

The inaugural piece to be selected for this program is a wholly original musical by writer Zack Zadek, whose work includes: Deathless, which Ghostlight Records recorded and released this past fall; and the upcoming musical Satellites, which was presented in a workshop by Ars Nova last month. The new work is being co-developed and directed by Joel Kirk, award-winning film/theater director, whose recent work includes Theater Adult with Gianmarco Soresi, Hamlet by Grammy-nominee Cody Fry, LOLO, Emmy Award Nominee Douglas Lyons, and more.

The new, untitled musical will take its first major step in development this summer at Discovering Broadway, where the creatives will gather in Indiana to workshop the script, music, and lyrics. The retreat will culminate in a public concert debuting the musical's score featuring Broadway talent.

“I'm deeply honored to be the first recipient of this commission,” says Zadek. “The financial support to write something from scratch, along with the resources to fully develop and iterate on a new piece is incredibly meaningful. I can't wait to dive in.”

The commission is made possible by Marianne Glick and Mike Woods. Additional support for this program is made possible through the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation.

Zack Zadek's connection to Discovering Broadway includes teaching their Master Classes, which are designed to educate Central Indiana aspiring artists and include many scholarship opportunities for underrepresented groups. Additionally, Zadek's musical The Turning was the fourth musical selected for Discovering Broadway's incubator program back in 2022. The musical held a recent workshop in Manhattan from LA's Center Theatre Group starring Lola Tung and Jordan Fisher.

Composers, lyricists, and book writers are invited to submit to administration@discoveringbroadway.org, including artist bios, a one-paragraph plot synopsis, and three demos. The submission window will be open exclusively from February 22 through March 1, 2026. Recipients will receive commission funds, a writer's retreat, and a concert of select songs from the score sung by Broadway and Indiana talent.