Calling All Composers & Lyricists! BMI's Musical Theatre Workshop Seeking Applicants

Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), a global leader in music rights management, has announced that the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop is now accepting applications for its first-year composer and lyricist class through the end of day on Friday, August 4th. To apply, click here!

This prestigious workshop begins mid-September 2017, and runs through June 2018. A recipient of the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre Award, the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop consists of approximately 250 composers, lyricists and book writers who are currently writing and developing new works for the musical theatre. The BMI Foundation presents The Harrington Award,The Jean Banks Award and The Ellen Schwartz Award to the participants with the most outstanding works.

The first-year class is moderated by BMI's Director of Musical Theatre, Patrick Cook, and Workshop Administrator, Frederick Freyer. Meeting in the Workshop themselves, Cook and Freyer participated in 1983 and have composed and written several musical works together. They conduct the workshop with their invaluable firsthand experience and deep appreciate and adoration for the theater.

"After another amazing year, we are thrilled to be back again accepting a fresh group of extremely talented aspiring writers," says Cook. "Seeing firsthand the incredible work that has come from the workshop, I know this new class will enrich the musical theatre community for years to come."

Alumni include EGOT recipient Robert Lopez (Frozen, The Book of Mormon, Avenue Q), Academy Award-winner Kristen Anderson Lopez (Frozen), and Tony Award winners Alan Menken (Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors), Edward Kleban (A Chorus Line), Maury Yeston (Titanic, Grand Hotel, Nine), Jeff Marx (Avenue Q), Michael John LaChiusa (Queen of the Mist, Marie Christine, The Wild Party) and Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey (Next to Normal).

The purpose of the workshop is to bring writers and composers together to work under the guidance and supervision of experienced professionals in order to develop new creative talent in American musical theatre. A springboard for new works, the workshop creates a learning environment for members to experiment, take risks and learn from moderators and other participants. Once accepted, first-year members will be eligible to apply for The George Bailey Fund, which was introduced earlier this year by BMI and the Dramatist Guild Fund. This grant provides financial assistance with any unforeseen expenses that go beyond the normal day-to-day cost of living that could interfere with the creative process.

Celebrating over 76 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses, Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in nearly 12 million musical works created and owned by more than 750,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI's repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year. For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit bmi.com, follow us on Twitter @BMI or stay connected through Broadcast Music, Inc.'s Facebook page. Sign up for BMI's The Weekly and receive our e-newsletter everyMonday to stay up to date on all things music.

Pictured: Workshop Alumni Kristen Anderson Lopez and Robert 'Bobby' Lopez visit BMI's New York Headquarters.