National Alliance For Musical Theatre To Celebrate Its 30th Annual Festival Of New Musicals

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) is celebrating its 30th Annual Festival of New Musicals this year, and in recognition of that milestone, NAMT will host a month-long new musicals celebration this September. During New Musicals Month, NAMT will celebrate and honor the groundbreaking work their members do year-round to develop new work.

New Musicals Month with feature musicals developed by NAMT members and Festival alumni writers at any time in 2018 leading up to the Festival taking place at New World Stages on October 25-26, 2018.

Betsy King Militello, Executive Director of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre explains, "This October we'll host the 30th Annual Festival of New Musicals, where we'll highlight eight new shows over the course of two days. However, NAMT member organizations are developing and producing new musicals year-round, and we also want to celebrate their important work in advancing the musical theatre cannon."

During New Musicals Month this September, NAMT will feature over 40 new musicals on social media, highlighting new musical development from member organizations including: American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University, Aria Entertainment, Barrington Stage Company, The Canadian Music Theatre Project at Sheridan College, CPA Theatricals, Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Millikin University, The Musical Stage Company, Paper Mill Playhouse, Penn State University, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Pittsburgh CLO, Prospect Theater Company, San Diego State University, Somerled Arts, Stage Aurora Theatrical Company, Theater Latté Da, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Transport Group Theatre Company and Village Theatre; associate members: David Coffman, Kevin Purcell, Matt Schicker and Phillip Stern; and Festival alumni writers: Nell Benjamin, Paul Gordon, Adam Gwon, Sarah Hammond, Joe Iconis, Michael Kooman & Christopher Dimond, Bob Martin, Harrison David Rivers, Dick Scanlan and many more.

Additionally, on the evening of Monday, October 22nd at 7pm, NAMT will hold a gala event, honoring Marleen & Kenny Alhadeff and New World Stages, to celebrate the Festival's first 30 years. The event will feature Broadway-caliber talent at Guastavino's, a beautiful, uniquely New York venue, with plenty of food, drink and mingle time.

This year's Festival of New Musicals includes 17 Again (book by Marco Pennette, music & lyrics by Alan Zachary & Michael Weiner), A.D. 16 (book by Bekah Brunstetter, music & lyrics by Cinco Paul), Gun & Powder (book & lyrics by Angelica Chéri, music by Ross Baum), Monstersongs (book, music & lyrics by Rob Rokicki), Row (book by Daniel Goldstein, music & lyrics by Dawn Landes), The River Is Me (book & lyrics by Sukari Jones, music by Troy Anthony), The Wicker Husband (book by Rhys Jennings, music & lyrics by Darren Clark), and XY (book, music & lyrics by Oliver Houser, developed with Hunter Bird).

For more information on New Musicals Month or to register for any of NAMT's fall events, please visit namt.org.

Now in its 30th year, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre's FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS attracts theatre producers from around the world for this industry-only event to discover eight new musicals presented in 45-minute concert presentations over two days. All production costs are underwritten by NAMT, at no cost to the writing teams. As a non-profit organization, NAMT funds the Festival entirely through donations, sponsorships and contributions.

The Festival has introduced musical theatre producers to 252 musicals and 478 writers from around the world. As a direct result of the FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, more than 85% of the musicals presented have gone on to subsequent readings, workshops, productions and tours, been licensed, and/or recorded on cast albums. Some past Festival shows include Benny & Joon, Come From Away, The Drowsy Chaperone, It Shoulda Been You, Striking 12, Ordinary Days and Thoroughly Modern Millie, among many others.

NAMT thanks the following foundations, government agencies and organizations for their ongoing support of our programs: The Alhadeff Charitable Foundation, The Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York Creative Spaces Grant, ASCAP Foundation Irving Caesar Fund, BMI Foundation, The Frederick Loewe Foundation, The Dubose and Dorothy Heyward Memorial Fund, The Hollywood Pantages, Howard Gilman Foundation, The Lucille Lortel Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, The New York State Council on the Arts, The Rodgers and Hammerstein Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Ted Snowden Foundation, and Anonymous donors.