NYMF Announces Submission Deadline Extension for 2013 Next Link Project

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) announced today that due to the storm, the deadline for submissions to the Next Link Project, which guarantees production slots in the 2013 Festival, has now been extended by one week to November 12th. The 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival, NYMF's tenth season, will run July 8 – July 28, 2013. For more Next Link Project info and submission guidelines, visit www.nymf.org.

Ten of the 2012 Festival's full production slots are reserved for participants in the Next Link Project, NYMF's primary writer service program. The Next Link Project empowers emerging musical theatre writing teams as both artists and entrepreneurs by providing the training and relationships needed to help them move their musicals from mere readings to fully-realized productions and to advance their careers by maximizing the exposure they receive in the Festival.

Authors submitting to The Next Link Project will need to provide a demo recording of their songs, a detailed synopsis of their show, a 15-page script sample (15 consecutive pages representing the heart of the show and including lyrics for at least one of the songs), a complete script, and, if applicable, proof of rights to adapt underlying material.

Next Link Project participants receive the following benefits:

• A subsidized production slot at NYMF 2013 (including savings in production fees,
and discounted technical and marketing support)
• Individualized support from a member of our team of Next Link dramaturges
• Seminars and workshops geared toward helping them successfully prepare, present, and
promote their NYMF production
• Access to exclusive industry networking events

Any show that has not received a professional New York production may be submitted, by authors with or without industry representation. Scripts, however, should be ready for developmental production and the widespread exposure that NYMF provides. All entries undergo double-blind evaluations by several members of NYMF's reading team, with finalists referred to a Grand Jury of leading theater artists and producers. The 2013 Grand Jury includes choreographer Josh Bergasse (2012 Emmy® winner for NBC's "Smash"), composer-lyricist Jeff Bowen ([title of show]), two-time Tony® Award-winning actor Michael Cerveris (Evita), two-time Tony® Award-winning playwright Marsha Norman (The Secret Garden), Tony® winning producer Joey Parnes (Hair), Tony® winning actress Tonya Pinkins (Caroline or Change, Jelly's Last Jam), director Scott Schwartz (Rooms, Bat Boy), Tony® nominated actor Tony Sheldon (Priscilla Queen of the Desert), and GRAMMY® winner and Tony nominated composer Lucy Simon (The Secret Garden).