Record Number of Musical Theatre Writers Set for 2016 NEW VOICES PROJECT

A record number of composers and writers have been selected to participate in the New Voices Project, a musical theatre development program hosted by New Musicals Inc. in Los Angeles (with support from Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment), now in its fourth year.

The New Voices Project is offered to a select group young musical theatre playwrights, composers and lyricists under the age of 26, who receive workshops, readings, and concerts of their work.

"Last year we invited four teams to participate in the project," explains Elise Dewsberry, Artistic Director of New Musicals Inc., "This year the submissions were so strong, we're inviting eight teams - and a total of 11 writers."

All of the teams will receive workshops and feedback with NMI's resident theatre ensemble, the Academy Repertory Company. Then, depending upon the needs of each particular musical and writing team, some of the writers will receive additional support, perhaps with full-length presentations, or concerts, or streamcast consultations with musical theatre writers and producers.

"Being a part of [the New Voices Project] was an incredibly informative experience." says Chris Bryon Pratt, NVP 2013 winner. "Having my material performed then dissected gave me a very clear picture of what I can improve on as a writer. I think workshops such as the New Voices Project are so monumental to young aspiring writers because the panel gives fabulous critical feedback."

The teams chosen to participate this year are:

- Rebekah Allen
- Ben Boecker
- Benedict Braxton-Smith
- Claire McKenzie and Scott Gilmour
- Blake Dylan Pilger
- Alex Ratner and Laurel Durning-Hammond
- Marina Toft and Benji Goldsmith
- Zach Spound

These young writers come from all over the globe, including Australia and Scotland; and the musicals they are writing range from traditional musical theatre suitable for family audiences, to rock-country, to operatic, to children's pieces; telling stories about witches, Appalachians, dinosaurs, whores, outlaws, and, of course, many pairs of star-crossed lovers.

The public can see a selection of works from the New Voices Project as part of got musical - NMI's annual presentation of season highlights of musicals in development (part of a new jointly-produced concert series between NMI and 3D Theatricals in Anaheim).

got musical will be happening on two nights this year in two locations: Tuesday, April 26th at 3D Theatricals in Anaheim, and Sunday, May 15th at the Colony Theatre in Burbank.

"New Musicals Inc. offers a great opportunity to get the exposure that all young writers so desperately need." says Santino DeAngelo, 2014 NVP winner. "The New Voices Project was my first chance to have my writing scrutinized by industry professionals and, throughout the course of the project, they really helped to shape the professional standards that I hold myself to today."

About This Year's New Voices Writers:

Rebekah M. Allen is a writer, composer, and lyricist living in New York City. Her musical WE ARE THE TIGERS had its world premiere at the Hudson Backstage Theatre in LA in 2015. Rebekah is currently a lyricist in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop.

Ben Boecker is a New York based composer/lyricist/bookwriter, vocal teacher, and teaching artist. His one-act musical, Magic in New Hampshire (NMI Merit Award 2015, UNC Sam Selden Award 2012) recently received its second NYC staged reading. Ben is on the Adjunct Faculty of the Calhoun School, is a proud member of the BMI Advanced Musical Theater Writing Workshop and is a member of the Dramatists Guild.

Benedict Braxton-Smith is an internationally-trained Australian composer, music director, and orchestrator who studied composition at the Queensland Conservatorium and music direction at the Goodspeed Opera House. Outside of the theatrical realm, Benedict has composed several film-scores and concert-works.

Laurel Durning-Hammond is a Boston-based writer, performer and director. A Yale graduate, Laurel is the 2011 recipient of the Robert Lyons Danly 1969 Memorial Fellowship, and is a member of the artistic faculty of the Charles River Creative Arts Program in Dover, Massachusetts.

Scott Gilmour trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and now works as an actor and writer throughout the UK. Currently, Scott and Claire are working on a new commission for Dundee Rep, Little Red and the Wolf, opening in March 2016, which Scott will also direct.

Benji Goldsmith is a composer, and currently an MFA student in NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. As a composer and lyricist, Benji has written three full-length musicals, and is a recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Award.

Claire McKenzie studied Composition and Musical Direction at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where she received the Patrons Prize for Composition from the Royal Schools of Music, the Stevenson Scholarship and the Paul Kelly Prize for Drama, and was nominated for a BAFTA New Talent Award for Original Music.

Blake Dylan Pilger is a composer, musical director, and pianist who has been involved in several amateur and professional theater productions. Blake's orchestral and chamber compositions have won local, state, and national awards, including Honorable Mention from the Music Institute of Chicago's National Generation Next Young Composers' Competition. Blake has received mentorship from Jeff Marx, co-writer of the Avenue Q score, for over a year, and is a member of the National Honors Society, the National Society for High School Scholars, and the Tri-M Music Honors Society.

Alex Ratner is a New York-based musical theatre composer-lyricist, musical director and arranger. Alex is a Yale graduate whose work has been featured in concert through the New York Musical Theatre Festival, New Voices Collective and Stagedoor Manor, and he is a member of the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop.

Marina Toft is a New York-based lyricist and bookwriter who is now an MFA candidate at New York University's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing program. Her short film "It's A Seussical Life!" (with co-bookwriter David Startup and composer Alexander Juhan) has been nominated for and received several awards globally, including the Special Achievement award at the Canterbury University Film Festival.

Zach Spound is an LA-based actor, writer, and composer. As a composer and songwriter, he contributed music to Northwestern University's famous Waa-Mu Show, and also wrote songs and played guitar with his hip-hop/funk rock band, Apolla.

For additional information on got musical (and to make reservations), visit the 3DT/NMI Concert Reading Series page at NMI's website.

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