Village Theatre & Gaisma Theatre Group Launch Puget Sound Writing Fellowship
The fellowship sends one Puget Sound musical theater writer to NAMT's Festival of New Musicals in NYC
Two local organizations supporting the creation of new works of musical theater, Village Theatre in Issaquah and Everett and Gaisma Theatre Group in Seattle, invite musical theater writers to apply for the inaugural Puget Sound Writing Fellowship. This award is for creators local to the Puget Sound region who have written at least one new musical. The fellow will receive door to door travel, per diem, and a pass to the 38th Annual Festival of New Musicals in New York City.
The Festival of New Musicals is produced by the National Alliance for Musical Theatre and presents 45-minute selections of eight new musicals over two days. The Festival is exclusive to those who work in the theater industry. Previous Festival shows include Thoroughly Modern Millie (6 Tony Awards, including Best Musical), Honk! (over 4,000 productions in US and Canada), Come From Away (Broadway, West End, national tour, upcoming at Village Theatre), and Wanted (upcoming Broadway).
“The Festival of New Musicals is an annual celebration of musical theatre's future. We are delighted to welcome an exciting new voice from the Puget Sound to join this joyful, energetic and productive annual meeting of musical theatre creators and producers. We look forward to meeting the inaugural Fellow and giving them the opportunity to experience the best new works in progress right now,” remarked NAMT Executive Director Betsy King Militello.
This Fellowship also represents the first public-facing partnership between Village Theatre and Gaisma Theatre Group. “Gaisma is thrilled to collaborate with Village in the creation of this fellowship,” said Gaisma Artistic Director Pauls Macs.
“Both organizations are deeply committed to supporting the musical theater writers of our region and to expanding their access to national stages. This fellowship reflects that shared belief by supporting a member of our creative community to attend one of the country's most significant festivals of new musical theater.”
Adam Immerwahr, Village Artistic Director and co-chair of the NAMT Festival selection committee, added, “The NAMT Festival of New Musicals is a showcase for some of the finest new musical theater writing in the country, as well as a gathering place for artistic directors, producers, agents and writers from around the globe."
"The Pacific Northwest is quickly becoming a hotbed for musical theater writing talent, and it is an honor to partner with Gaisma Theatre Group to bring an extraordinary local writer to experience the industry's most prestigious stage.” -Adam Immerwahr
Applications are open May 1—June 15, 2026, and can be found on Village Theatre's website. Applications will be reviewed by a representative from each organization, as well as one third-party reviewer. The selected applicant will be notified no later than July 15. The NAMT Festival of New Musicals takes place October 22-23, 2026, at New World Stages in New York.
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