Rhinebeck Writers Retreat Hosts Residencies For 23 Writers Of Nine New Musicals

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat will host nine weeklong in-person residencies for 23 musical theatre writers of nine new musicals between June 27 and August 29. Writers include Tony-nominee Beth Malone; Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls; Jonathan Larson winners Avi Amon, Sara Cooper, Ty Defoe, and Anna Jacobs; and Dramatists Guild Fellows Nolan Doran, David Gomez, and John-Michael Lyles. Executive Director Kathy Evans said: "We were proud to support writers last year with virtual residencies, and I am so excited to have the writers back in the Hudson Valley with us this summer. We're supporting writers from diverse backgrounds throughout the USA. Their musicals' stories span America's history, from the Underground Railroad, to the Harlem Renaissance, to Memphis in 1968, to modern day Idaho."

One writing team lives in a private home each week to focus solely on writing. Writers receive a stipend, food, pianos, and supplies. They will work with a member of Rhinebeck Writers Retreat's Sounding Board of artistic advisors for dramaturgical support.

The nine musicals were selected from 171 applications representing 380 musical theatre writers, which were reviewed by 28 readers in the first round, including Tony-winner Tonya Pinkins and Signature Theatre's Director of Artistic Programs Iyvon Edebiri. The final round had six panelists: Neil Bartram, Composer; Anika Chapin, Artistic Associate at Goodspeed Musicals; Timothy Huang, Composer, Lyricist, Librettist & Rhinebeck alum; Khiyon Hursey, Writer, Composer & Rhinebeck alum; Kent Nicholson, Director of Musical Theatre of Playwrights Horizons; and Barbara Pasternack, Artistic Director of TheatreWorks USA.

All the writers' costs are covered by donors, including an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, The New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Fund, and The Noël Coward Foundation. Major individual support comes from Liz Armstrong; Rick Farrar and Jeff Zadroga; Liz and Bill Mills, Steve and Paula Reynolds, and Alex Robertson. Bios and synopses can be found at www.rhinebeckwriters.org

Full Lineup:

Jun 27 - Jul 4: Avi Amon, Ty Defoe, & Nolan Doran, THE LESSON, with Lead Support from Alex Robertson

Jul 4 - Jul 11: David Gomez & John-Michael Lyles, SHOOT FOR THE MOON, with Underwriting Support from Molly McEneny

July 11 - July 18, Noel Carey & Scott Weinstein, THAT'S ALL FOLKS!, with Underwriting Support from Paul Feuerman and Bruce Grivetti

July 18 - July 25: David Darrow & Kira Obolensky, FOUR MEASURES, with Lead Support from Steve and Paula Reynolds

Jul 25 - Aug 1: Brian Quijada & Nygel D. Robinson, MEXODUS, with Lead Support from Rick Farrar and Jeff Zadroga

Aug 1 - Aug 8: Sara Cooper & Lynne Shankel, PERPETUAL SUNSHINE & THE GHOST GIRLS, with Lead Support from The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Fund

Aug 8 - Aug 15: Amisho Baraka, Art Hooker, Justin Merrick, Gregory Thompson & Anasa Troutman, UNION: THE MUSICAL, with Lead Support from The Noël Coward Foundation

Aug 15 - Aug 22: Anna K. Jacobs & Anna Ziegler, A HOUSE WITHOUT WINDOWS, with Lead Support from Liz and Bill Mills

Aug 22 - Aug 29, Beth Malone, Erin Ortman & Emily Saliers, STARSTRUCK, with Lead Support from Liz Armstrong

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