NAMT Accepts Submissions for Festival of New Musicals

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) is accepting submissions for its 21st Annual Festival of New Musicals taking place in New York this fall.

Submission Deadlines: (postmark)

· February 5, 2009 - Non-NAMT Member Professional Theatre Organizations and Literary Agencies (include the $60 registration fee)

· February 19, 2009 - NAMT Members and Alumni Festival Writers (no registration fee required)

Any writer may apply, as long as the submission includes a letter of support from a NAMT member or any other professional theatre organization or an agent. If selected for the festival, the musical's writer and submitting organization have no financial obligation to NAMT, as NAMT fully funds the festival through contributions and sponsorships. Go to www.namt.org to read all submission guidelines and to fill out the new online application.

Past Festival successes include Tony Award winners THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE and THE DROWSY CHAPERONE which were recently on Broadway after being presented at NAMT's Festival. Other recent successes include:

THE STORY OF MY LIFE (Festival 2007) by Neil Bartram and Brian Hill will open on Broadway on February 19, following a run at Goodspeed Musicals.

Adam Gwon, writer of ORDINARY DAYS (Festival 2008), received the Fred Ebb Award, in addition to future productions of Ordinary Days, residencies and commissions.

KINGDOM (Festival 2007) by Ian Williams and Aaron Jafferis received the Richard Rodgers Award and had readings at the Public Theater and Queens Theatre in the Park, with a production to follow this February at The Old Globe Theatre.

VANITIES, A NEW MUSICAL (Festival 2006) by Jack Heifner and David Kirshenbaum had a production at the Pasadena Playhouse this past August and will open on Broadway next season.

BREAK UP NOTEBOOK: THE LESBIAN MUSICAL (Festival 2007) by Patricia Cotter and Lori Scarlett is now being produced by Tony Award-winning producer Kevin McCollum.

ACE (Festival 2005) by Richard Oberacker and Robert Taylor was produced at Cincinnati Playhouse, St. Louis Repertory Theatre, The Old Globe, and most recently at The Signature Theatre (DC).

NAMT's Festival of New Musicals is the cornerstone of NAMT's mission to nurture the creation, development, and production of new musicals. NAMT's Festival brings theatre producers from across the world together for an industry-only event to discover eight new musicals over two days. Since 1989, the Festival has presented over 200 musicals and 300 writers, and 75% of these shows have found subsequent productions, tours, and licensing agreements as a direct result of the Festival.

NAMT Executive Director Kathy Evans said, "We are honored to have had so many talented writers participate in the past. It is exciting to see their shows coming to life around the country, as a result of their being discovered at NAMT's Festival of New Musicals. We can't wait to introduce the next slate of talented artists to our members and the industry."

The Festival of New Musicals is funded by contributions to National Alliance for Musical Theatre, a not-for-profit organization, and is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts which believes that a great nation deserves great art, and by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency. The NEA has pledged the highest contribution ever awarded to NAMT, in support of the 2009 Festival.

For more information about the Festival of New Musicals, please contact NAMT New Works Director, Branden Huldeen at branden@namt.org or 212-714-6668 x14.

NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE (NAMT)

Founded in 1985 and based in New York City, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT), is a national service organization dedicated exclusively to musical theatre. NAMT's 150 members include not-for-profit and commercial regional theatres, developmental organizations, universities, and independent producers. Located throughout 33 states and 6 countries, member organizations share NAMT's commitment to nurture the creation, production, and recognition of new musicals. Last season, NAMT members cumulatively staged over 26,000 performances attended by 15.6 million people and reached revenues of over $500 million. NAMT fulfills its mission through its New Works Programs which include the Festival of New Musicals, New Works Summits, and the National Fund for New Musicals. Launched in October 2008, the National Fund for New Musicals awards grants to theaters, providing a support system to help small, mid-sized, and large theatres collaborate with one another and with other musical theatre artists, in order to create new work. For more information, visit www.namt.org.

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