LaChiusa, Gordon, Thalken to Pen Works for Signature in VA

In coming years, new works by Michael John LaChiusa, Ricky Ian Gordon and Joseph Thalken will premiere at the acclaimed Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA.

According to Variety, each is receiving a million dollar musical theatre composer grant donated to the theatre by the Shen Family Foundation, as part of the American Musical Voices Project.  The $25,000 that each receives each year over the course of four years will also enable him to fully workshop a new musical during the 2006-2007 season. During the 2009-2010 season, the musical will then be fully staged at Signature.

In addition, four time Tony Award-winning actress Audra McDonald, Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist Adam Guettel, Ted Sperling (director of See What I Wanna See, Tony Award for co-orchestrating The Light in the Piazza) and orchestrator Bruce Coughlin (Tony Award-winner for additional orchestrations to The Light in the Piazza) will also receive a one-time grant of $25,000 as part of the first musical theatre leadership awards.

LaChiusa is the composer/lyricist of musicals such as Bernarda Alba, See What I Wanna See, The Wild Party, Hello Again and First Lady Suite; his The Highest Yellow was produced at Signature Theatre in 2004. Gordon wrote the music for My Life with Albertine, as well as Dream True and the song cycle Orpheus and Euridice, among others. Thalken, who has also worked as a conductor, composed the music for Harold and Maude, produced last year at the Paper Mill Playhouse.

The presentation of The American Musical Voices Project composer grants and Leadership Awards will take place on Monday, May 15,  at a cocktail reception to be held at New World Stages in New York City (340 West 50th Street).  The reception, beginning at 5PM, will also feature performances of the honored composers work by some of the musical theatre's brightest stars, including McDonald (Ragtime), Tony-nominee Kelli O'Hara (The Pajama Game, The Light in the Piazza) and Tony-nominee Howard McGillin (The Phantom of the Opera).

A project timeline follows:

2006-07 season - Signature Theatre will present a workshop of a new Michael John LaChiusa musical and a cabaret featuring the work of the three composers.

2007-08 season - Signature will present a workshop of a new Joseph Thalken musical and the full production of Michael John LaChiusa�s new musical.

2008-09 season - Signature will present a workshop of Ricky Ian Gordon's new musical and a full production of Joseph Thalken's new musical.

2009-10 season - Signature will present a full production of Ricky Ian Gordon's new musical.

Visit www.sig-online.org for more information.