Beth Turcotte News

Ball State University is luring artists to Muncie from as far away as Los Angeles and New York with the launch of a national musical theater festival and ambitions to produce the next great American musical.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) will present its Songwriter Spotlight concert at 54 Below on April 28 at 9:30pm. Adam Halpin (Dogfight), Lisa Howard (South Pacific), Corey Mach (Hands on a Hardbody), Patti Murin (Lysistrata Jones), Mamie Parris (Wicked), Kate Rockwell (Rock of Ages), Andrew Samonsky (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) and Sarah Stiles (Vanities) have joined the line-up.

Today at Goodspeed's 9th annual Festival of New Musicals, the two-time Tony Award-winning theatre announced plans for the production of a new musical, The Circus in Winter. Featuring a Book by Hunter Foster and Beth Turcotte and Music and Lyrics by Ben Clark, The Circus in Winter is inspired by the acclaimed novel of the same name by Cathy Day. The production will run this fall at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Connecticut, Goodspeed's home for new musicals.

One month ago, 35 gifted lyricists, composers and librettists took up residency at Goodspeed Musicals in East Haddam, CT for the first ever Johnny Mercer Writers Colony to participate in an environment of discovery and inspiration. Working in teams and housed in specially constructed quintessential New England two story cottages each equipped with a piano, the teams worked on over 30 musicals during the course of the month. On Saturday February 16, the residency program concluded with a Salon as had been done each week featuring a sparkling sampler of new musicals that were worked on throughout the month. Scroll below for photos from the event!

A total of 35 established and emerging writers, composers and lyricists will converge on the Goodspeed campus this month to participate in the first-ever Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals. The writing teams, representing more than twenty new musicals, will populate the campus, creating a truly exciting environment for discovery and inspiration.

A total of 35 established and emerging writers, composers and lyricists will converge on the Goodspeed campus this month to participate in the first-ever Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals. The writing teams, representing more than twenty new musicals, will populate the campus, creating a truly exciting environment for discovery and inspiration.

A total of 35 established and emerging writers, composers and lyricists will converge on the Goodspeed campus this month to participate in the first-ever Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals. The writing teams, representing more than twenty new musicals, will populate the campus, creating a truly exciting environment for discovery and inspiration.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today that Tony nominee Nancy Opel and Tony winner and NAMT alum Joe DiPietro (O. Henry's Lovers '98) will host the NAMT Songwriters Showcase as part of the 24th Annual Festival of New Musicals on Friday, October 12 from 1:20-2:30pm at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today the eight musicals selected to be part of the 24th Annual Festival of New Musicals at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today updated casting for the 24th Annual Festival of New Musicals and for the Songwriters Showcase that Tony nominee Nancy Opel and Tony winner and NAMT alum Joe DiPietro (O. Henry's Lovers '98) will host as part of the Festival on Friday, October 12 from 1:20-2:30pm at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) has announced final casting for the 24th Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 11 and Friday, October 12 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) has announced today additional casting for the 24th Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 11 and Friday, October 12 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today that Tony nominee Nancy Opel and Tony winner and NAMT alum Joe DiPietro (O. Henry's Lovers '98) will host the NAMT Songwriters Showcase as part of the 24th Annual Festival of New Musicals on Friday, October 12 from 1:20-2:30pm at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) has announced initial casting for the 24th Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 11 and Friday, October 12 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today the creative teams selected to be part of the 24th Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 11 and Friday, October 12 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today the eight musicals selected to be part of the 24th Annual Festival of New Musicals at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

How do you take tightrope walkers, elephant trainers and circus clowns and turn them into fodder for a musical audiences will love?

Join the students from Ball State University's Virginia B. Ball Center for Creative Inquiry as they present a concert reading of their original musical, 'The Circus in Winter', inspired by Cathy Day's novel of the same title. The story follows Wallace Porter, a young and country-raised stable owner as he acquires a disheveled circus and menagerie. Set while the circus is winter-quartered in Lima, Indiana, Porter and company consider notions of risk, redemption and rebirth through relationships as graceful and perilous as an acrobat's high-flying routine.

Join the students from Ball State University's Virginia B. Ball Center for Creative Inquiry as they present a concert reading of their original musical, 'The Circus in Winter', inspired by Cathy Day's novel of the same title. The story follows Wallace Porter, a young and country-raised stable owner as he acquires a disheveled circus and menagerie. Set while the circus is winter-quartered in Lima, Indiana, Porter and company consider notions of risk, redemption and rebirth through relationships as graceful and perilous as an acrobat's high-flying routine.