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Village Theatre Will Present 23rd Annual Festival of New Musicals With Four New Shows

WIDOWS and three other new works will be staged at Village Theatre's Issaquah home.

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Village Theatre Will Present 23rd Annual Festival of New Musicals With Four New Shows

Village Theatre will present four new musicals as part of its 23rd annual Festival of New Musicals, taking place August 7–9 in Issaquah. The annual event brings together musical theater writers from around the world and gives audiences an opportunity to experience new musicals in development.

WIDOWS

Book by Matthew Greene

Music and Lyrics by Kira Stone

WIDOWS follows Bonnie, a woman trapped in an abusive marriage in 1950s suburbia whose life changes after a hit-and-run accident leaves her widowed. At a funeral home, Bonnie encounters a group of widows who reveal they were responsible for the deaths of abusive men, including her husband. Faced with joining their vigilante efforts while under suspicion from her brother-in-law, Bonnie confronts questions of morality, power, and survival.

LOVE IS DEAD

Book and Music by Brett Ryback

Book and Lyrics by Jeff Luppino-Esposito

Described as a “girl-meets-ghost” musical comedy, LOVE IS DEAD centers on Jordan, a recently single writer who books a solo Halloween getaway hoping to finish a life-changing article. Instead, Jordan discovers the guest house is occupied by a ghost determined to torment renters. The musical combines romantic comedy with supernatural elements and a pop-inspired score.

Jet City Improv Presents: AN IMPROVISED MUSICAL!

Audience members provide the title while performers create a fully improvised musical in real time. Featuring the We Have Some Notes Ensemble, the production is staged without a script or pre-written material.

LET ME FLY

Book and Original Lyrics by Minhyung Cho

Music by Chanhong Min

English Translation and Lyrics by Michael K. Lee

Based on the original IP of Let Me Fly Ltd. and developed by PROSLAB and Wooran Foundation, LET ME FLY begins in 1969 on the night of The Apollo 11 moon landing. After receiving acceptance into a prestigious design academy, tailor Namwon is suddenly transported to the year 2020 following a mysterious cosmic event. Determined to return to 1969 and reunite with Jungbun, the love of his life, Namwon embarks on a journey through time. The festival presentation marks the musical's first full English translation following its run in South Korea.

AN OPTIMIST'S GUIDE TO THE DARK AGES

Music by Michael Kooman

Book and Lyrics by Christopher Dimond

Set during the Dark Ages, the musical follows Percival von Schmootz, an unusually optimistic resident of a deeply cynical medieval town. After the Bubonic Plague destroys his community, Percival sets out on a quest to end the Dark Ages entirely. The musical combines comedy with an original score by Kooman and Dimond, whose previous collaborations include THE NOTEWORTHY LIFE OF HOWARD BARNES and THE BREAK.

Village Theatre Artistic Director Adam Immerwahr described the festival as “a gathering space for the people who love new musicals to celebrate the art form with the people who make new musicals.”

Tickets

Public admission to the Festival of New Musicals is $10 per ticket. Limited premium seating and access to additional festival events are available for donors supporting Village Theatre's New Works program.



Theater Fans' Choice Awards
2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats
Best Sound Design - Top 3
1. Adam Fisher - The Lost Boys
38.2% of votes
2. Tony Gayle - Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
11.6% of votes
3. Kai Harada - Ragtime
7.2% of votes

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