Yeston, Frankel & Ahrens Expected for BMI Musical Workshop

The BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop begins September 17 and runs through June 3, 2008.  A recipient of the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre Award, The BMI Lehman Engle Musical Workshop consists of approximately 250 composers, lyricists and book writers who are actively writing new works for the musical theatre. Alumni include Tony Award winners Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez (Avenue Q), Edward Kleban (A Chorus Line), and Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors).

Expected moderators include composer Maury Yeston (Nine, Titanic, Grand Hotel), lyricist Michael Korie (Grey Gardens), composer & musical director Scott Frankel (Grey Gardens, Into The Woods, Falsettos) lyricists Lynn Ahrens (Once on this Island, Ragtime, Schoolhouse Rock).

The first year class is co-moderated by Workshop Artistic Coordinator Patrick Cook (Captains Courageous, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) and Workshop alumni Frederick Freyer (Captains Courageous).

"Upcoming projects include Wanda's World, a musical being developed in the Lehman Engel Workshop about a young girl in middle school who has a purple birthmark on her face. To cope, she creates a fantasy world in her basement. It's currently backed by a not-for-profit organization with producers interested in a Broadway run," describe press notes, "See Rock City, another musical in development recently won the Jerry Bock Award.  It is a collection of short musicals set at tourist destinations across the country, from Rock City, Georgia to Niagara Falls, stopping off at Coney Island, Route 66 and the Alamo.  Each landmark introduces a new set of characters struggling to connect, to move past their fears and expectations in order to fully engage with each other."

Weekly sessions are from September 17 through June 3, 2008 at the BMI Corporate Office located 320 West 57th St. For more information or to visit a workshop, please call 212-554-7003.