NEWPORT NEWWORKS Musical Theater Festival Launches This August 

A new destination for the development of bold, original musicals is taking flight this summer. Academy Award-nominated producer Peilin Chou and producer Jeanne Hagerty have announced the launch of Newport NewWorks, a nonprofit musical theater festival debuting August 3–17, 2025, in Newport, Rhode Island.

The festival, which aims to foster innovation in musical theater while building on Newport’s legacy as a hub for jazz and folk music, will feature two new musicals in developmental workshop presentations: Ink & Paint and Peripheral. All artists will live and work on-site in Newport for two weeks of intensive development, culminating in public performances that offer audiences a rare behind-the-scenes look at the creative process.

Festival Lineup

Peripheral

Friday, August 15 at 7 PM
Eventbrite Tickets
By Mark Aaron James (co-book, music & lyrics) and Sarah Elizabeth Grace (co-book)
Directed by Sean Daniels | Music Direction by Andy Collopy
An evocative musical exploring the lives of people captured just outside the frame of history’s most famous photographs.

Ink & Paint

Saturday, August 16 at 7 PM
Eventbrite Tickets
By Danielle Moore (music, lyrics, concept) and Marjorie Duffield (book, additional lyrics)
Directed by Liz Carlson | Music Direction by Josh Kight
A documusical celebrating the unsung women of Disney’s golden age of animation who fought for recognition in a male-dominated industry.

Festival Pass (Both Shows)

Eventbrite 2-Show Package

About Newport NewWorks

Founded by Chou (Over the Moon, Abominable) and Hagerty (Roundabout Theatre Company, Livent Inc.), Newport NewWorks is a developmental festival focused on musical theater with emotional resonance and cultural impact. Participants are supported by Broadway-level actors and creatives and immersed in a collaborative, residency-based creative process.