Musical Theatre

The cast of the Shanghai production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera sequel. Love Never Dies, has been announced.

The cast features Luke McCall as The Phantom, John Ellis as alternate Phantom, Manon Taris as Christine Daae, Olivia Holland Rose as alternate Christine, Niall Sheehy as Raoul, Olivia Barnett Legh as Meg Giry, Britt Lenting as Madam Giry, Katrina Kemp as Fleck, Chris Draper as Squelch and Nic Cain as Gangle.

The ensemble comprises Alxander Emery, Cameron McAllister, Daniel Cox, Ben Nicholas, Josh Bennett, Francesca Benton-Stace, Sarah Kacey, Teddy Thomas, Sophie Hutchinson, Jess Bock, Eleanor Wainwright, CJ Field, Oliver Ramsdale, Robbie Alexander, Jessica Meegan and Embla Bishop.

Jack Sherran, Odo Rowntree-Bailly and Zayne Norris share the role of Gustave.

From the cast list, which features British, European and Australian performers, it seems clear that the production will be performed in English. I think it's also possible that this may be the first stop in an international tour.

The official Love Never Dies website doesn't have a lot of detail as yet, but will undoubtedly will be populated with season dates and venue information soon.

In this interactive video series, Olivier and Tony Award-winning Artistic Director of London's The Old Vic Matthew Warchus (who has directed musicals including Matilda and Groundhog Day) offers a glimpse into the process of putting on a musical from initial concept planning to opening night and beyond.

10 films offer a advice and insight on:

• Getting started on your musical
• Rights, permissions and finances
• Different types of musicals
• The design process
• Casting
• The rehearsal process
• The Sitzprobe
• Tech week
• Previews
• Opening night and beyond

This is part of The Old Vic's Hub for aspiring theatre makers and performers. Another article that might be of interest to musical theatre writers is How to adapt for the stage, although this article isn't specific to musicals.

The National Music Theater Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center is the nation's premier program for the development of all styles and genres of music theater, including musicals, song cycles, operas, and hybrid pieces. Every summer, three unproduced works are selected from a nationwide pool of submissions for a two-week-long, artist-driven workshop residency on the O’Neill’s campus in Waterford, CT. Each piece is matched with a team of industry-leading directors, dramaturgs, musicians, and actors for an intensive 60-hour rehearsal period, culminating in three public, script-in-hand staged readings. At every step in the process, the O’Neill strives to foster an inclusive, collaborative environment in which artistic exploration and experimentation is encouraged.

2024 NMTC Submission Window: October 2–16, 2023! For updates and reminders, sign up for the mailing list.

If you are interested in submitting a play, the 2024 NMTC Application Guide is available here for your reference. The application itself will be hosted on Submittable, which you’ll be able to access through this webpage when applications open. Be sure to sign up for email updates, too, to stay in the loop about NMTC applications. Eligibility requirements and a rundown of application materials can be found below.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Writers must be at least 18 years of age or older and have the right to work within the United States.
• Work must not have had a professional production prior to submission, and that the work remain unproduced until July 31, 2024. A professional production means that the artists working on the show were compensated for their time, and that all the theatrical or production elements desired were present. If your piece was produced but the production lacked significant and necessary theatrical elements — a Zoom or virtual reading, stage lighting, projections, or puppets, for instance — we do not consider that a “professional production.”
• NMTC has no specific requirements regarding the form or content of the piece. NMTC supports the development of all styles and genres of music theater, including song cycles, operas, and experimental works.
• You may submit an adapted work, providing that the rights to any material not in the public domain have been granted in writing, and a copy of the release is sent along with the script. You must provide proof of rights at the time of submission.
• Jukebox and catalog musicals are ineligible for consideration.
• The O'Neill requires vaccination for all staying on campus; therefore, all writers must be vaccinated against Covid-19.
• Only complete applications will be accepted.

The administrative fee for NMTC 2024 is $20 per script submission. This helps offset the costs of the application process itself: its organization, staffing, administration, and submission platform. A number of fee waivers are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you would like to request a fee waiver, please use this Request Form before you begin your application.

An in-depth story and interview with playwright David Ives and director Joe Mantello about the development of Sondheim's final show, Here We Are, by Frank Rich, long-time Sondheim advocate and former theatre critic for the New York Times.

It documents the shows origins, the protracted development period and various dead ends, and the resonance that Covid brought to a story about a group of people trapped in a room.

The piece also offers a justification for the dearth of songs in the second act, which had been previously reported.. A dramaturgically justifiable way around Sondheim's procrastination / writer's block?

A long read, but a good one.

Original Cast Recordings: Art, Artefact and Analysis is a two-day international conference of presentations, panels and discussion exploring the history, production, consumption and cultural significance of musical theatre on record, 1900 - present day.

It takes place on 5 and 6 September 2023 (starting on Tuesday at 1pm British Summer Time) online and at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (for two sessions).

The conference agenda is here

Register for the conference here

The terms “arranger” and “orchestrator” are frequently confused.

Orchestrator Larry Blank explains the difference using the song “Singin’ in the Rain” from the eponymous film. The composer and lyricist are charged with writing the actual song (“I’m singin’ in the rain, just singin’ in the rain…”). The arranger creates the intro before the song begins. And the orchestrator decides that flutes should play that intro before the song begins.

Responsibilities of a Musical Arranger
In general, arrangers work primarily on enhancing songs and scenes with additional musical material. For example, if a song requires an ensemble to sing harmonies, an arranger will write the harmonies for said ensemble. If a number requires a dance break, an arranger will work with the choreographer to create the music for said dance break. If the director wants underscoring for a scene, an arranger will work with the director to create the music for said scene, while seamlessly blending into the existing song’s style.

Responsibilities of a Musical Orchestrator
In general, orchestrators work from piano/vocal scores prepared by the arranger and composer. Orchestrators will work with the composer and producers to determine instrumentation for the show as well as the number of players available. While they may receive some notes/ideas from the composer and arranger, the orchestrator are the primary decision maker all existing musical instrumentations, from songs to scene underscores.

The arranger works frequently with members of the creative team such as the composer/lyricist, choreographer, and director rather than the orchestra. In contrast, the orchestrator primarily works with the orchestra, composer, and arranger rather than the director and choreographer.

The North American Tour of Moulin Rouge will welcome Gabrielle McClinton as Satine, Christian Douglas as Christian, Robert Petkoff as Harold Zidler, Sarah Bowden as Nini and Danny Burgos as Santiago beginning Wednesday, September 27 at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh.

Gabrielle McClinton originated the role of Angelina Baker in Paradise Square on Broadway. She has also starred as the Leading Player in Pippin after playing the role on Broadway, the First National Tour and in Australia. Her Broadway credits include Paradise Square, Chicago and Pippin, and her National Tour credits include Pippin and American Idiot. Gabrielle will appear in the upcoming film A Ramble Towards Rain.

Christian Douglas was last seen playing Tony in West Side Story at the Muny. Christian made his New York City debut as Charlie Price in the Off-Broadway revival of Kinky Boots. Other credits include the national tour of Pretty Woman: The Musical as well as regional productions of Songs for a New World at The Gateway, Newsies at Arena Stage and Gun & Powder at Signature Theatre.

Robert Petkoff has appeared in Ragtime, All The Way, Anything Goes, Spamalot, Fiddler on the Roof and Epic Proportions on Broadway. His National Tour credits include Fun Home, The Importance of Being Earnest, Tantalus and Spamalot. On the West End, Robert appeared in The Royal Family with Judi Dench and Emily Blunt.

Sarah Bowden was a member of the ensemble of the Moulin Rouge Broadway company. Her other career highlights include Cassie in A Chorus Line at The Hollywood Bowl/PCLO, Roxie in Chicago at The Muny and Velma at Maltz Jupiter. Internationally, Sarah starred as Sally Bowles in Cabaret and Esmerelda in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Danny Burgos appeared in On Your Feet! both on Broadway and in the First National Tour. When he isn’t on stage, Danny is a registered nurse at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

The North American tour of Hairspray, which is now in its third year, has announced new casting and a long list of tour stops for the upcoming 2023-24 season.

The tour will visit 45 cities including engagements in Calgary, Alberta; Charlotte, North Carolina; Cleveland; Dallas; Denver; Edmonton, Alberta; Houston; Nashville, Tennessee; Ottawa, Ontario; and Vancouver, British Columbia. The next stop is Ft. Myers, Florida (September 22-October 28).

The cast will be led by Greg Kalafatas as Edna Turnblad, Caroline Eiseman as Tracy Turnblad and Deidre Lang as Motormouth Maybelle. Joining them are Josiah Rogers as Seaweed J. Stubbs, Skyler Shields as Link Larkin, Ralph Prentice Daniel as Wilbur Turnblad, Andrew Scoggin as Corny Collins, Caroline Portner as Amber Von Tussle, Sarah Hayes as Velma Von Tussle, Scarlett Jacques as Penny Pingleton, and Kaila Symone Crowder as Little Inez. Micah Sauvageau is Male Authority Figure, and Emmanuelle Zeesman is Female Authority Figure.

The ensemble consists of Abigail Bensman, Connor Buonaccorsi, Ashia Collins, Joshua James Crawford, Scoob Decker, Craig First, Audrey Taylor Floyd, Gavin Guthrie, Alyssa Jacqueline, Leiah Lewis, Christy Oberndorf, Kynnedi Moryaé Porter, Caroline Purdy, Kalab Quinn, Josiah Thomas Randolph, Amy Rodriguez, Sage, Scott Silagy, Cara Torchia, Lilliannie Arie Urgent, and James Douglas Vinson.

Theatregoers were escorted from a London performance of Grease the Musical by police on Saturday night, to cheers of approval from the rest of the audience.

Footage posted online shows eight police officers and staff from the Dominion theatre lining the stairway in the balcony as audience members chant “out, out, out!”.

One officer could be seen stooping down to speak to a man and a woman in the audience, while another gestured at a different couple, apparently asking them to leave.

A Metropolitan police statement said: “Shortly before 8.40pm on Saturday 26 August, police received reports of two men and two women causing a disturbance at a theatre in Tottenham Court Road, W1.

“Officers attended and the group were escorted from the premises. No arrests. No injuries reported.”

The Guardian has covered the state of audience behaviour at the theatre in the past:

Almost 90% of theatre staff said that they had experienced or witnessed bad audience behaviour, while more than 70% believed the issue has worsened since the Covid pandemic.

Shockingly, nearly one-third of respondents said they had been involved in or witnessed an incident where a venue had to call the police, with 20% having feared for their safety at least once.

Constance Wu will make her New York stage debut in the off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors this fall.

The Crazy Rich Asians and Hustlers star will play Audrey opposite High School Musical star Corbin Bleu, who will play Seymour. The two start performances in the musical revival, which has been running at the Westside Theatre since 2019, on September 26 2023.

Bleu replaces Jeremy Jordan, who will play his final performance as Seymour on Sept. 17, and Wu replaces Joy Woods, who will play her final performance as Audrey on Sept. 24.

“Little Shop has been my number one favorite musical since I first saw a community production growing up in Richmond, Virginia. The music is so wonderful and I love Audrey. I relate to her scrappiness and finding beauty in the simple things,” Wu said. “I am so excited to be in this production, singing and performing alongside the brilliant Corbin Bleu, and enjoying the thrill of live and alive theater with the audience.”

Bleu has appeared onstage several times, with Broadway credits including Kiss Me Kate, Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn, Godspell and In the Heights.

“I’ve been a fan of Little Shop since childhood — I watched the film on repeat. It’s a perfect musical and this is definitely a dream-fulfilling moment for me,” Bleu said. “I am really looking forward to performing with Constance and finding our Seymour & Audrey dynamic. We both love and crave live theater — our mutual excitement is kinetic.”

Also among the production’s cast are Bryce Pinkham as Dr. Orin Scrivello, Brad Oscar as Mushnik, Aaron Arnell Harrington as The Voice of Audrey II, D’Kaylah Unique Whitley as Ronnette, Tiffany Renee Thompson as Crystal, and Khadija Sankoh as Chiffon.

Broadway’s Tony favorite holds forth on her loves (cookies) and her loathings (cruelty—and also beets).

Applications are open for the fifth round of grants for the NYC Women's Fund for Media, Music and Theatre.

The NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre provides grants to encourage and support the creation of digital, film, music, and live or online theatre content that reflects the voices and perspectives of all who identify as women.

The program provides production funds for live or online theatre (among other categories), with grants up to $50,000 available.

Apply for a grant here.

GRANT TIMELINE

• Applications open: August 22, 2023 at 10:00 AM ET
• Applications close: November 1, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET*
• Recipients notified: March 2024
• Funded Project completion: March 31, 2025

The NYFA Grants team will host a series of virtual information sessions designed to answer applicant questions and help artists build a stronger application. The Theatre information session will be held on September 12, 2023 at 2:00 PM ET. Register here.

Registration via the above links will open a week before each Information Session. All sessions will be recorded and made available on NYFA’s YouTube page.

With many Sondheim revivals on Broadway now and a new musical opening in September, the CUNY TV and online series Theatre: All The Moving Parts looks at Sondheim's legacy with theater experts.

In the first part, host Patrick Pacheco delves into the latest Sondheim revivals of "Sweeney Todd", "Company", "Into the Woods" and "Merrily We Roll Along" with podcaster Matt Koplik of "Broadway Breakdowns", Ruthie Feinberg, Executive Editor of Broadway News and Juan A. Ramirez, Chief Critic for Theatrely. The first part premieres on CUNY and YouTube on 25 August 8.30pm New York time.

In the second part, Pacheco looks at all of 19 Sondheim's shows including the new one "Here We Are" premiering in September with David Benedict, authorized Sondheim biographer and Elizabeth Wollman, Professor of Music at CUNY's Baruch College.

Previous episodes of All the Moving Parts have covered Shucked, & Juliet, A Beautiful Noise, Chita Rivera, Michael Starobin and more.

It might not sound like the most obvious premise for a hit show, but a musical set in a gender neutral public toilet has become one of the hottest tickets at this year's Edinburgh Fringe.

Public - The Musical sees four fictional strangers - with varying outlooks, predicaments and pronouns - get trapped together in a gender neutral public toilet.

It has had some rave reviews at Edinburgh's annual arts festival, which has previously been the launchpad for hits like Fleabag and Six.

Josh Groban will return to the Broadway production of Sweeney Todd this week following a brief bout with Covid-19. He will return for the Thursday 24 August evening performance, performing opposite Jeanna de Waal through 25 August, while Annaleigh Ashford continues to recover from the virus.

Several new cast members will join the US tour of Moulin Rouge. Joining the company in Pittsburgh on 27 Septemgber 2023 will be Gabrielle McClinton as Satine, Christian Douglas as Christian, Robert Petkoff as Harold Zidler, Sarah Bowden as Nini, and Danny Burgos as Santiago

Dujonna Gift and Olivier winner Sam Tutty will star in the London premiere of Two Strangers Written by Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, Two Strangers follows naïve but upbeat Brit Dougal (Tutty), who is flying to New York for the wedding of his estranged father. Waiting for him at the airport is Robin (Gift), a native New Yorker who is the sister of the bride. It will play at the Kiln Theatre from 9 November to 23 December 2023.

In Les Millénniables, the new pop parody musical at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe loosely based on Les Misérables, Jean Valjean is a millennial who has just graduated from college. Her nemesis, Javert, is a boomer debt collector chasing Jean for her student loan payments. Fantine? She’s trying to survive in the gig economy, and has been reduced to selling her hair…on eBay. Cosette? An overworked, unappreciated intern for the Thénardiers. It’s Les Miz for the millennial generation (Les Millz?). Except this version is much funnier.

Ayla Glass and Kelly D'Angelo talk about bringing their parody musical to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

For the first time in the history of the City Center Encores! series, all three 2024 productions will play two-week engagements at the famed Manhattan venue.

The 30th anniversary Encores! season will include

• Once Upon a Mattress (starring Sutton Foster), January 24-February 4, 2024
• Jelly’s Last Jam, February 21-March 3
• Titanic, June 12-23

City Center's 80th season also includes a gala concert of Savion Glover and Tony Goldwyn's reimagining of Rodgers and Hart's Pal Joey, starring Ephraim Sykes.

The third-annual Curtain Up Broadway Festival, a three-day outdoor experience in Times Square will be held from September 8 – 10, 2023.

All Events are Live and Free in Times Square, New York.

Curtain Up Broadway Festival Performance Schedule

(Performances are rain or shine with times, & participants subject to change.)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

2:00 – 2:30 PM - Broadway Sing-Along
Located on Prudential’s Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Stage

Check back for the exciting show announcement shortly!

2:30 – 3:00 PM - Official Curtain Up Kick-Off Celebration
Located on Curtain Up Mainstage
The Curtain Up Broadway Festival kicks off with guest speakers from Playbill, Times Square Alliance, The Broadway League, & title sponsor Prudential Financial, with Broadway guest hosts, live performances, and special guests from The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), the Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF), The Film Fund, Hotel Edison, Open Jar Studios, The Entertainment Community Fund, and more. The event will ignite excitement on the main stage and include a celebratory countdown to the official event start!

3:00 – 3:30 PM - The Broadway Block Party presented by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME)
Located on Curtain Up Mainstage

Join DJ Mike Borowski as he spins Broadway hits in the middle of Times Square!

3:45 – 4:15 PM - Broadway Sing-Along
Located on Prudential’s Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Stage

Check back for the exciting show announcement shortly!

4:30 – 5:00 PM - Broadway Sing-Along
Located on Prudential’s Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Stage

Check back for the exciting show announcement shortly!

5:00 – 6:30 PM: “All That Jazz” – A Celebration of Chita Rivera with the Entertainment Community Fund
Located on Curtain Up Mainstage

The Entertainment Community Fund, in association with Nouveau Productions, bring together Broadway stars and special guests celebrating nine decadesof the incomparable Chita Rivera! Featuring members of the American Pops Orchestra, the concert will feature performances and stories, shared, and performed by some of the brightest stars on Broadway. Plus, stay for a special appearance by Chita herself - this concert is one not to miss!

6:30 – 8:00 PM - Curtain Up After Dark presents Broadway Sings: Acoustic!
Located on Prudential’s Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Stage

Presented by Prudential, Curtain Up After Dark welcomes Broadway Sings: Acoustic to the stage! Join Broadway special guests, performers, and band as they present an acoustically driven concert under the golden setting sun. With hit Broadway songs and incredible arrangements, the concert will be one to remember forever!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2023

10:30 – 11:15 AM - Ailey’s Revelations dance workshop
Located on Curtain Up Mainstage

Everyone can dance with Ailey! Join the processional through Duffy Square as Ailey’s West African drummers and dancers lead New Yorkers of all ages to the Curtain Up Mainstage, where you’ll learn modified excerpts of Alvin Ailey’s masterwork, Revelations. Participants are asked to wear comfy clothing.

11:15 – 11:45 AM - Broadway Sing-Along
Located on Prudential’s Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Stage

Check back for the exciting show announcement shortly!

11:45 AM – 12:45 PM - The Broadway Block Party presented by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME)
Located on Curtain Up Mainstage

Join DJ Mike Borowski as he spins Broadway hits in the middle of Times Square!

1:00 – 2:15 PM - Belt It Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
Located on Prudential’s Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Stage

Join Prudential all weekend at Belt It Out on Broadway, a series of Dueling Piano showdowns held right in Times Square. From specially themed programs featuring Broadway stars to spirited sing-alongs where audience members choose the tunes, rollicking good fun will be yours for the asking. This session will star pianists Elijah Caldwell and Rachel Kaufman!

3:00 – 4:00 PM - Prudential Stages on Broadway Concert
Located on Curtain Up Mainstage

Hosted by Brittney Johnson, an acclaimed Broadway star who made history playing the title role of “Glinda” in the smash-hit musical Wicked – Prudential Stages on Broadway Concert will give four (4) aspiring and emerging artists across the country the opportunity to capitalize on their ‘Now What?’ moment and sing on stage with Johnson in front of theatre professionals like contest judges Tara Rubin and Allen René Louis. The winning aspiring artist will also walk away with a monetary prize of up to $10,000, plus an opportunity for financial advice from a Prudential Advisor.

4:00 – 5:00 PM - Belt It Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
Located on Prudential’s Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Stage

Join Prudential all weekend at Belt It Out on Broadway, a series of Dueling Piano showdowns held right in Times Square. From specially themed programs featuring Broadway stars to spirited sing-alongs where audience members choose the tunes, rollicking good fun will be yours for the asking. This session will star pianists Rachel Kaufman and Drew Wutke!

5:00 – 6:30 PM - ¡Viva! Broadway: Aquí y Allá (Here and There)
Located on Curtain Up Mainstage

¡Viva! Broadway celebrates the dynamic influence that Latin and Hispanic artists have had on the art form of Broadway. Conceived and directed by Luis Salgado, musical direction by Jaime Lozano, and written by Eric Ulloa, the concert is a celebration of history from the inspiration of early songwriters to the authentic voices and stories of Broadway today.

6:30 – 8:00 PM - Curtain Up After Dark presents Rockers On Broadway
Located on Prudential’s Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Stage

Presented by Prudential, Curtain Up After Dark welcomes the return of Rockers On Broadway: Live in Times Square, benefiting The PATH Fund. Join Broadway’s Donnie Kehr and his band as they rock the stage with Broadway and contemporary rock-n-roll hits, alongside special guests!

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2023

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM - Curtain Up! LIVE from Broadway
Located on Curtain Up Mainstage

An exciting, outdoor event that marks the culmination of Curtain Up Broadway Festival, the Curtain Up! LIVE from Broadway concert will feature 20 live musical performances and special guest star appearances highlighting the current Broadway season and broadcast live on WABC. Participating shows include & Juliet; A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical; Aladdin; Back to the Future The Musical; The Book of Mormon; Chicago; The Cottage; Hadestown; Harmony; How to Dance in Ohio; Jaja’s African Hair Braiding; Kimberly Akimbo; The Lion King; Moulin Rouge! The Musical; The Shark Is Broken; Shucked; SIX; Some Like It Hot; Spamalot; and Wicked.

1:00 – 3:00 PM - Belt It Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Presented by Prudential
Located on Prudential’s Belt it Out on Broadway Dueling Pianos Stage

Join Prudential all weekend at Belt It Out on Broadway, a series of Dueling Piano showdowns held right in Times Square. From specially themed programs featuring Broadway stars to spirited sing-alongs where audience members choose the tunes, rollicking good fun will be yours for the asking. This session will star pianists Sarah Glassman and Drew Wutke!

Annaleigh Ashford has posted that she too has tested positive for Covid and that her cover Jeanna de Waal will be playing Mrs Lovett in the Broadway production of Sweeney Todd until she has recovered.

With Josh Groban also testing positive a few days ago, this means both leads and big name stars are currently out of commission. A good time to get cheap(er) tickets.

Caledonia Creations is Scotland's only full time new musical theatre company. Caledonia Creations is a new developmental incubator focused on nurturing Scottish musical theatre talent and bringing vibrant, contemporary musicals to stages across Scotland and beyond. It provides opportunities for writers, composers, and musical creators to develop exciting new works through mentorship, workshops, readings, and productions.

Caledonia Creations has an open submissions portal for Scottish musical theatre creators.

Mercury Musical Developments and Stiles + Drewe announced the finalists for the Stiles & Drewe Best New Song Prize 2023. The twelve songs were selected by forty judges from 176 song applications. The grand final will take place at London's The Other Palace on Monday 13 November 2023, when West End stars will perform each of the songs, accompanied by a live band, and the overall winner of the £1000 prize will be chosen.

The finalists are:

• Ain't That So’ from T-Room...The Musical by Rosabella Gregory & Dina Gregory
• ‘Before I Move On’ from Bricks by Michael Henry, Emma Dennis Edwards & Darren Clark
• ‘Bio’ from Queerway by Geraint Owen
• ‘The Botanical Garden Gate’ from Game Theory by Rachel Bellman & Josh Bird
• ‘Drown Without Water’ from The Circle by Rachel Walker Mason & Nina Sundstrom
• ‘Height Lines’ from The Boy Who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair by Jordan Li-Smith
• ‘Henry’ from Undertaking Betty by Richy Hughes & Luke Bateman
• ‘Stay’ from Stay by Jonathan O'Neill & Isaac Savage
• ‘Talent’ from In Clay by Rebecca Simmonds & Jack Miles
• ‘This Moment’ from FLIP by Josh Bird & Giles Fernando
• ‘Time Slows Down’ from Black Holes Like Donuts by Sam Norman & Eliza Randall
• ‘Unstoppable’ from The Unstoppable Letty Pegg by Helen Arney & James Hughes

New York Times critics debate how well shows like “Six,” “& Juliet” and “Once Upon a One More Time” engage with the inner worlds of women onstage. Interesting reading if you're a subscriber or can get past the paywall.

Some highlights:

[There have been] a recent spate of Broadway musicals that set feminism to a pop beat, including “Six,” a zippy modern retelling of the lives of Henry VIII’s six wives; “& Juliet,” whose protagonist, miraculously alive, embarks on a girls’ trip of self-discovery; and “Bad Cinderella” (now closed), a chaotic rejiggering of the classic fairy tale. Aimed at girls and women (historically the majority of Broadway ticket buyers), these shows may be sincere attempts to engage with women’s issues — or they’re hollow efforts to capitalize on calls for change. Empty political gestures on Broadway?

LAURA COLLINS-HUGHES I wouldn’t say any of them are feminist.

SALAMISHAH TILLET Some are empowering, others are not. “Six” is partly feminist, because it shows the impact of King Henry VIII’s misogyny. With the exception of Anne Boleyn, most of his wives have been relegated to the margins. My 11-year-old daughter really loved that these women finally reclaimed their stories and did it with style! But I felt like I was at a fun pop concert rather than at a big Broadway musical.

COLLINS-HUGHES “Six” drives me completely up the wall. It wants to have a good time in the neighborhood of spousal murder and abandonment, singing “I don’t need your love.” As if Henry’s love had anything to do with it. As if abuse is what a man’s love for a woman looks like.

LINDSAY ZOLADZ I do think the overarching problem with these musicals is the way they fail to define terms, presenting “empowerment” and “feminism” as given, unexamined virtues. [...] “Once Upon a One More Time” provided the clearest distillation of the trend. Cinderella’s “feminist awakening” is spurred by her fairy godmother giving her “The Feminine Mystique.” Seriously. The book is treated like a magical talisman throughout the rest of the show, but its actual content is never engaged with.

COLLINS-HUGHES “Bad Cinderella” could have been so much more than it was. It is a messy show, it’s always been a messy show, but in London it was actually fun. It had a bit of substance to it. And magic. The feminism, which was so clear and so dramatically propulsive in the London version, was wiped away for Broadway.

COLLINS-HUGHES When it has a top-notch cast, “& Juliet” is a blast. But I am baffled that people perceive it as feminist. It really is not. I don’t mean that it’s anti-feminist, but I don’t think it’s particularly female-centered — not on Juliet, nor on Anne Hathaway [Shakespeare’s wife], who gets one of the subplots.

With the exception of “Six,” these shows are largely created by men. Does that explain anything?

COLLINS-HUGHES Of course. It’s not that men can’t and don’t write women well or can’t imagine women’s lives. And it’s certainly not that artists should stick to writing only about people just like them. But they are writing from the outside. That can come with a lot of blind spots and a lot of misapprehensions.

All of these musicals use a pop vernacular, “Bad Cinderella” somewhat less so. Is pop, particularly pop written and produced by men, a useful form for feminist discourse?

ZOLADZ Something I’ve been thinking about regarding “Once Upon a One More Time” and especially “& Juliet,” which uses the songs of the massive millennial hitmaker Max Martin, is the lyrical limitation of a lot of modern pop music. Martin and the generation of pop architects who followed him treat lyrics almost as an afterthought. Martin has referred to his method of songwriting as “melodic math.” “& Juliet” was fun and more cleverly written than “Once Upon a One More Time,” but a lot of that had to do with the ironic distance between the lyrics themselves and the winking, metatextual way the characters employed them

TILLET I hated a lot of those pop songs and found them anti-feminist when they originally came out, but when I sang along with the “& Juliet” audience and my tween daughter, I found that they aged better than I had expected. Or maybe, because I’m now middle-age, I’m mistaking nostalgia for progress.

Does the success of the Barbie movie, directed and co-written by a woman, with its several song and dance numbers, point a way forward?

COLLINS-HUGHES Absolutely, if the idea is to give the best numbers to the guys.

TILLET When I watched “Barbie,” I realized how seductive patriarchy is onscreen or onstage, even when we say we are trying to smash it.

These recent shows define empowerment narrowly, restricting it to questions of romantic and sexual relationships with men rather than any broader political awakenings. Why can’t these stories dream bigger or attempt something more intersectional?

TILLET I do think a lot of these producers feel that they are being intersectional, simply through casting. But while I appreciate so much more diversity onstage, it is still not enough. The musicals would really have to try to dismantle various forms of oppression at once. That takes nuance, patience and a really radical imagination. An older musical, “The Color Purple,” was successful at this, which brings us back to the strength of the source material, Alice Walker’s novel, and then a sizable female team behind its Broadway staging. It is an understatement to say that the evolution of Celie, who endured such abuse and trauma, is far more compelling than Cinderella’s!

ZOLADZ What I find missing from a lot of contemporary art about female empowerment is the way it focuses on the attainment of power and then stops there. What about stories about how easily power can corrupt those who have it? Yes, even women!

COLLINS-HUGHES This is a thing that “Wicked” imagines. And two decades on, it’s still packing houses and making loads of money. That show is partly about a girl learning to harness the power of her outrage to fight against injustice in the world.

TILLET I’ve seen “Wicked” twice recently. The depth of the storytelling — when the villain and heroine aren’t what they seem — it is just so good. Is it feminist? Maybe. Does it reveal the power and heartbreak of female friendship as the ultimate love story? Very much so. For that alone, it provides a wonderful model for how to really revel in the inner worlds of women onstage.

A workshop presentation of SIX creators Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’s new musical Why Am I So Single? will be held at London's Sadler's Wells from 6 September to 10 September 2023.

Why Am I So Single? is a musical about two perpetually single best friends who can’t figure out why they are so single, and who are also (on a completely unrelated note) deciding what to write their next musical about.

The ticketed workshop presentation of will allow audiences a rare chance to be part of a musical’s development process. The authors Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss have teamed up with producers Kenny Wax, George Stiles and Ameena Hamid. They are interested to put this new musical in front of an audience early in its development to hear their thoughts and feedback.

According to West End Friend, the cast includes Christina Bennington, Jemima Brown, Josh Butler, Joe Foster, DeAngelo Jones, Tilly LaBelle Yengo, Owen McHugh, Millie O’Connell, Caitlin Redpath, Noah Thomas, Rhys Wilkinson and Charlotte Wilmott.

The creative team comprises Director Lucy Moss, Choreographer Ellen Kane; Orchestrator, Vocal Arranger and Musical Supervisor Joe Beighton; Sound Designer Paul Gatehouse; Casting Director Will Burton; and Musical Director Yutong Zhang.

Prospect Theater Company seeks applicants to participate in the 17th installment of its annual musical theater laboratory program. Submit by midnight Monday 18 September 2023.

Each year, Prospect's lab brings together writing teams to create short musicals in response to a curated assignment. The 6-week program culminates in a public presentation of the new works generated through the lab process. The 2023 lab features in-person writer meetings, rehearsals, and a culminating public performance on 16 November.

DETAILS & HOW TO APPLY:
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This year's lab (title TBD) will be food themed! The writing prompt and organizing idea for the evening will be based around courses of an elaborate potluck dinner, where everyone brings something to the table. Each writing team will be responsible for creating one "course" of the meal. What are you hungering for? What feeds you? What makes a meal? The connection to food may be literal -- flapjacks for dinner, anyone? -- or metaphorical! We look forward to exploring all facets of this theme in our curatorial process with the selected writing teams.

Each lab writing team will create a short (8-10 minute) musical inspired by the writing prompt, to be performed by a cast of 2-4 performers.

Works generated in the lab will be presented in a one-night-only, concert-style public performance on Thursday, November 16, 2023 @ 7:30pm at Symphony Space (2537 Broadway, NYC) in the Peter J. Sharp Theater.

Application deadline: Monday, September 18, 2023 @ 11:59pm

Questions? Please email [email protected].

HOW IT WORKS:

Selected lab writers will be invited to pitch three show concepts. With curatorial input, writing teams will select one of these ideas to develop into an 8-10 minute long musical. The short, new works will be written between Oct. 4 - Nov. 1, and then workshopped and rehearsed between Nov. 2 - 15, and presented as a single evening's concert.

The culminating lab presentation will be directed by Dev Bondarin, Prospect's Associate Artistic Director.

​HOW TO APPLY:
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CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE GOOGLE FORM APPLICATION

​Please submit the name, role (composer, lyricist, bookwriter), pronouns, and a brief bio / info for each member of the writing team.

Writers should apply with their intended collaborator(s). Individual "team of one" writers who wear multiple hats may also apply. New collaborative teams may also apply. (Prospect doesn't create teams or pair writers.)

Writers are asked to include links to 3 sample songs (either mp3s or videos are acceptable) along with a brief scene sample. Work samples that are representative of the collaborative team applying are best. If the application marks a new collaboration, please be clear in describing the relevance of each sample to the application.

DEADLINE: 11:59pm on Monday Sept 18, 2023.

THE LOGISTICS:

We invite writers to be as intimately and frequently engaged with the lab process as possible. Please review the timeline below to confirm the team’s availability for this project. The lab intentionally operates on a compact timeline and incorporates random, playful elements in order to encourage writers to make bold and in-the-moment choices in their creative process. If you or your team members will be unavailable for much of the planned process, it is best to wait for a future cycle to apply.

Teams will be notified not later than Tues Sept 26, 2023. We will begin with a Meet & Greet with writers and the director on Wed., Oct. 4 to discuss the general process. If you apply, please try to hold this date -- as well as Wed., Oct. 18 evening -- open for in person group lab meetings.
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The presentation will be performed by a versatile and diverse cast of actor-singers, drawn from Prospect’s network of alumni performers and other recommendations. For the 2023 Lab, cast size will be limited to 2-4 performers who are dedicated to working on one primary project. Writers are encouraged to be at rehearsals, which take place over a two week period at a location in Manhattan, to be determined. The rehearsals will be a combination of day and evening time slots based on availability schedules submitted by the writing teams.

TIMELINE

• Wed Oct. 4 - First group meeting of writers in evening (please hold this evening open for the meeting.)
• Mon Oct. 9 - Show concept pitches due.
• Sat Oct. 14 - Cast breakdown due.
• Tues Oct. 18 - Second group meeting of writers in evening (please hold this evening open for the meeting.)
• Mon Oct. 23 - Libretto first draft due.
• Between Oct. 24 - Oct. 31 - Individual writer team meetings with director to be scheduled.
• Wed Nov. 1 - Completed rehearsal drafts of script and score due.
• Thurs Nov. 2 - Earliest first rehearsal date.
• Between Nov. 2 - 15 - Rehearsals for each piece scheduled during this period.
• Thurs Nov. 16 - Afternoon technical rehearsal / sound check at Symphony Space. 7:30pm performance.

​THE FINE PRINT

Writers receive a modest honorarium for their participation in the lab.

Writers retain all copyright/ownership of their work.

Writers who have previously participated in the lab are welcome to re-apply, but not in the session immediately following their participation. (Ie: Writers may not participate in two back to back labs, they must take one year off before re-applying.)

Previous lab projects include Museum Pieces (2008), Map Quest (2009), Snapshots (2010), Souvenir Stories (2011), Rites of Passage (2012), Portraits (2013), Street Seen (2014), By The Numbers (2015), Stage Fright (2015), Archetype (2016), World Views (2017), Monument (2018), Message In A Bottle (2019), Move Meant (2020), Rule of Three (2021), Caption This (2022).

The musical adaptation of John Berendt’s book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil will make its world premiere at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre next summer. Performances are scheduled for June 25, 2024-August 4, 2024.

The musical is a collaboration between composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown (Parade) and book writer Taylor Mac (The Hang). Tony Award winner Rob Ashford directs, with choreography by Tanya Birl and sets by Christopher Oram.

“When I am deciding to start a new show, the two most important questions I ask myself are: 1) Does it sing? and 2) Do I get to work with fun people? With Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, I knew the answers to both questions immediately,” said Brown.

Casting has not yet been revealed, but the musical had a reading in New York City in early August, with J. Harrison Ghee, Steven Pasquale, Austin Colby, Amber Gray and Jennifer Laura Thompson, among others.