MusiCoLab to Present Musical Theatre Showcase SPOTLIGHT 3X30 in April
The showcase will take place on April 12-13.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Mar. 17, 2025
Philadelphia audiences are invited to discover the newest original work of three local musical theater writing teams when MusiCoLab presents “Spotlight 3x30” during Philly Theatre Week at CSz Theater, 2030 Sansom Street, on Saturday April 12 at 2pm and Sunday April 13 at 2 and 7pm.
The program for “Spotlight 3x30” features thirty-minute excerpts of these three new musicals being developed by Philly creators:
● Electric & Benevolent - Jay Purdy’s zany riff on the life of inventor Nikola Tesla, with songs by indie rockers The Extraordinaires
● Lawless - the scandalous story of Charles Dickens and his secret mistress, Nelly Ternan, as told by Charlie Gilbert
● Elderland - Michael Biello and Dan Martin’s poignant portrait of a community of seniors who reclaim their inspiring lives by sharing their stories
MusiCoLab is a non-profit organization that supports writers and composers from the greater Philadelphia area who are creating new musicals. Since 2018, MusiCoLab has produced workshop productions and showcases featuring over a hundred songs by dozens of local composers and lyricists. MusiCoLab’s Spotlight presentation last April was one of the highlights of Philly Theatre Week 2024.
A distinguished team of creatives has been assembled to bring these new works to the stage, including directors Bill Fennelly and Amy Dugas Brown and music directors Linda Henderson and Zach Poyatt. The cast for the event includes many top-tier Philly musical theater performers, including Elena Camp, Ben Dibble, Adam Hoyak, Ben Michaels, Nancie Sanderson, Lex Thammavong and Rob Tucker.
The three musicals in “Spotlight 3x30” were chosen after a dozen different writing teams “pitched” their projects for consideration. A panel of distinguished professional adjudicators selected these three as being among the most promising of those presented. The works vary widely in their musical and theatrical styles, representing the vibrant diversity of the creative scene for new musicals in Philadelphia.
Musicals featured in previous MusiCoLab stages have been seen on stages in New York, Chicago and London, and throughout the region and the nation.
“Musicals combine great stories, compelling songs and memorable characters, making them one of the crown jewels of the performing arts,” observes MusiCoLab’s artistic director, Charlie Gilbert, formerly the head of the musical theater program at the University of the Arts. “Philadelphia has been the birthplace of many new musicals over the years, but just a few of them have been by local creators. MusiCoLab seeks to provide more opportunities for the talented home team.”
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