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Photo Flash: Check Out Photos From the Fred Ebb Award Presentation
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Dec 4, 2019

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell S. Bernard, Trustee) in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presented the fifteenth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Angela Sclafani & Benjamin Velez. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, was presented by Kate Baldwin on Monday, December 2nd from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lounge of The American Airlines Theater.

McCarter Theatre Center to Co-Produce BHANGIN' IT with La Jolla Playhouse
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Nov 20, 2019

Musical theater returns to McCarter Theatre Center with the 2021 arrival of Bhangin' It, a large-scale uplifting new musical that will premiere in June 2021, following a production at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego.

La Jolla Playhouse Announces 2020 Season, Including WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME, LEMPICKA and More
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Nov 20, 2019

La Jolla Playhouse announces four of six productions for its 2020/2021 season, including the world premieres of Bhangin' It, book by Mike Lew (Tiger Style!) and Rehana Lew Mirza (DNA New Work Series' Child of Colonialism), music and lyrics by Sam Willmott, directed by Amy Anders Corcoran, co-produced with McCarter Theatre Center; and Mother Russia, by UC San Diego MFA alumna Lauren Yee (Cambodian Rock Band), directed by Tyne Rafaeli (The Coast Starlight); along with What the Constitution Means to Me, the acclaimed work by Pulitzer Prize finalist Heidi Schreck, directed by Oliver Butler; and the previously-announced, Broadway-bound musical Lempicka, book and lyrics by Carson Kreitzer, music by Matt Gould, directed by 2019 Tony Award winner Rachel Chavkin (Broadway's Hadestown).

Angela Sclafani & Benjamin Velez To Receive This Year's Fred Ebb Award For Excellence in Musical Theatre Songwriting
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Nov 11, 2019

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell S. Bernard, Trustee) in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) will present the fifteenth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Angela Sclafani & Benjamin Velez. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, will be presented by Kate Baldwin on Monday, December 2nd from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lounge of The American Airlines Theater.

Johnny Mercer Foundation and AMTP Announces 14th Songwriters Project Lineup
by Sarah Hookey - May 22, 2019

Multi-platinum-selling and award-winning songwriter Lindy Robbins will join the roster of master teachers for the 14th annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project, a partnership between the Johnny Mercer Foundation and the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University.

27 Writers Of 9 New Musicals Announced For Rhinebeck Writers Retreat
by Stephi Wild - May 2, 2019

Founding Executive Director Kathy Evans announced the 27 writers of nine new musicals for Rhinebeck Writers Retreat's summer weeklong residencies. This year's artists include Obie-winner Heather Christian, Kleban-winner Brian Crawley, TV and film writers Bekah Brunstetter (THIS IS US) and Cinco Paul (DESPICABLE ME), inaugural Stephen Schwartz Award winner Oliver Houser, and ASCAP Foundation scholarship winner Khiyon Hursey. The musicals cover a wide range of subjects. Four have LGBTQ themes: a historical look at Florida in the 1950s (IN A SUNSHINE STATE), a Palestinian/Israeli love story (BORDERS), a modern coming of age of a young black man (SEAN'S STORY PART I | THE AWAKENING), and a fantasy queer rock musical celebrating lady love (TL;DR: THELMA LOUISE; DYKE REMIX). Two are darkly comedic historical musicals: one featuring Mary Magdelene (A.D. 16) and the second a WWII plot to foil Hitler (OPERATION MINCEMEAT). Other subjects include the opioid crisis (ALMOST HEAVEN), the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 (THE GOLDEN SPIKE), and a mystery involving a woman with a sleep disorder (NARCOLEPSY).

BHANGIN' IT and THE LUCKY ONES Named Winners of Richard Rodgers Award
by Julie Musbach - Feb 21, 2019

The winners of the 2019 Richard Rodgers Awards for Musical Theater were announced today by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

HATEF**K To Star Kavi Ladnier & Sendhil Ramamurthy; Performances Begin March 3
by Julie Musbach - Feb 5, 2019

WP Theater, in partnership with Colt Coeur, announces that Kavi Ladnier ( Just Add Magic, Heroes ) and Sendhil Ramamurthy ( Heroes, Covert Affairs ) will star in the World Premiere of the 2017 Kilroys List play Hatef**k by Rehana Lew Mirza. WP Lab Alum and 2018 Lucille Lortel Visionary Director Award winner Adrienne Campbell-Holt (WP's What We're Up Against) returns to WP Theater to direct this bracingly insightful new play, which begins Off-Broadway previews on Sunday, March 3, 2019. The four-week limited engagement through Sunday, March 31 will celebrate its official opening night on Wednesday March 13 at WP Theater (2162 Broadway).

Australian Discovery Orchestra to Hold Vocal Competition to Record New Music
by Julie Musbach - Jan 31, 2019

The Australian Discovery Orchestra, the world's first solely digital streaming orchestra, is proud to announce "16 STORIES" - a worldwide online vocal competition. Renowned musical theatre creators from around the world have contributed a song from a musical they have written that has never previously been recorded for commercial release; these 16 songs will comprise an upcoming Australian Discovery Orchestra album, to be released on the Broadway Records label.

Applications Open For Rhinebeck Writers Retreat Summer Residencies
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 8, 2019

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director of Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, announced applications are open for this summer. Nine musical theatre writing teams will be awarded nine consecutive weeklong residencies in the Hudson Valley between June 30 and September 1. Each team gets a private retreat to focus solely on writing their new musical. All writers are eligible and their musical can be at any stage of development. All costs are covered including travel up to $750, and each writer gets a $500 stipend. Writers with children are welcomed to apply. There is no fee for applications received by February 6 and there is a fee of $20 for the final deadline of February 16.  More information and the online application can be found at https://www.rhinebeckwriters.org/2019-residencies.

14th Annual Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project Seeks Submissions For 2019
by A.A. Cristi - Dec 12, 2018

The Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) and the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University will once again seek out the nation's most talented young songwriters and writing teams for the 14th annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project. The free, weeklong songwriting workshop will take place June 23 to 29, 2019 on Northwestern's Evanston campus.

Will Reynolds & Eric Price Announced Winners of 14th Annual Fred Ebb Award
by Julie Musbach - Nov 5, 2018

The Fred Ebb Foundation in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company will present the fourteenth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Will Reynolds and Eric Price. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, will be presented by Alan Cumming on Monday, November 26th from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lounge of The American Airlines Theater.

Kingsley Leggs, Alan H. Green, and More Announced For NAMT's Festival Of New Musicals
by Stephi Wild - Oct 19, 2018

NAMT has announced final casting for this year's Festival, along with programming details for the Songwriters Showcase and Midday Cabarets. The Festival of New Musicals will take place on Thursday, October 25 and Friday, October 26, 2018 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues).

Songwriter Showcase, Midday Cabarets And Final Casting Announced For National Alliance For Musical Theatre's 30th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS
by A.A. Cristi - Oct 18, 2018

National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce final casting for the 30th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS along with The Songwriters Showcase and Midday Cabarets. The FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS takes place on Thursday, October 25 and Friday, October 26, 2018 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). Festival events kick off on Monday, October 22 with Thank You, 30! a gala event to celebrate the 30th Annual Festival.

Abingdon Theatre Co, WP Theatre & Colt Coeur Partner to Present New Play By Rehana Lew Mirza
by Julie Musbach - Sep 13, 2018

Abingdon Theatre Company has announced the spring main stage production of their 26th season. Abingdon Theater Company teams up with WP Theater and Colt Coeur to present the world premiere of the 2017 Kilroys List play Hatef**k by Rehana Lew Mirza and directed by Adrienne Campbell-Holt.

Applications Now Being Accepted For Project Springboard: Developing Dance Musicals 2019
by Julie Musbach - Sep 11, 2018

Now entering its third year, Project Springboard: Developing Dance Musicals is pleased to announce that letters of inquiry are now being accepted for 2019.  The deadline to apply is October 5, 2018.  

MYTHIC, An Immortal New Musical, Will Get Its World Premiere At Charing Cross Theatre
by Stephi Wild - Sep 6, 2018

The relationship between a mother and her teenage daughter can be sheer Hell - especially if that daughter is a Greek goddess with a taste for the Underworld.

Bebe Neuwirth, PRONOUN SHOWDOWN and More Take the Stage at 54 Below Next Week
by Julie Musbach - Aug 10, 2018

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

SMALL TOWN STORY Cast Will Reunite For a Concert at Feinstein's/54 Below
by Stephi Wild - Jul 31, 2018

Cast members from Small Town Story, the musical about a musical that rocked a community, will reunite at Feinstein's/54 Below.

Rhinebeck Writers Retreat Announces 2018 Writers, Including Tony, Emmy, Jonathan Larson, And Kleban Winners
by Stephi Wild - May 17, 2018

Founding Executive Director Kathy Evans announced the 19 writers of 9 new musicals in this summer's Rhinebeck Writers Retreat. This year's writers include 2018 Jonathan Larson winners Andrew Farmer and Andrew Butler, 2018 Kleban winner Amanda Yasnowitz, Tony-winner Ken Davenport, 2018 Lucille Lortel winner for Outstanding Musical (KPOP) Max Vernon, Emmy winner Doug Katsaros, Obie winner Erin Courtney, and the writers of the podcast musical 36 questions who are developing their next musical, Chris Littler and Ellen Winter.

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