University Of The Arts Appoints Director Of Polyphone Festival

In October, Maggie-Kate Coleman will join University of the Arts' Ira Brind School of Theater Arts as the Suzanne and Doug Kreitzberg Director of the Polyphone Festival of New and Emerging Musicals, a position that is generously supported by the Kreitzbergs.

Coleman wrote the book and lyrics for Marie in Tomorrowland, which was the outstanding success of 2019's festival. She also wrote the book and lyrics for Pop, the recipient of seven Helen Hayes Award nominations for a 2011 production at the Studio Theater in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Coleman received a Jonathan Larson Grant in 2017 and has considerable experience in the curation and production of new musicals. She is also well-versed in fundraising and theatrical administration and has worked with the O'Neill Theater Center in Connecticut, and Ars Nova and the Drama League, both in New York City. A graduate of New York University, she has lectured and given workshops at numerous universities, including Pace, Penn State and Yale.

"Coleman was a unanimously popular choice with the Brind students, faculty and staff who got to work with her last spring," says David Howey, dean of the Brind School. "We are looking forward to a new partnership and continued innovation and success."

Under the direction of Cesar Alvarez-the festival's co-founder and artistic director-the Polyphone Festival of New and Emerging Musicals at University of the Arts has become one of the most successful and innovative theatrical events of its kind. It takes place at UArts each spring.

University of the Arts' mission is simple: to advance human creativity. Established in 1876, UArts believes creativity is the most essential skill for success in today's society and has educated generations of groundbreaking artists, performers, designers and creative leaders for more than 141 years.

After being granted university status in 1987, University of the Arts became the largest institution of its kind in the nation, offering programs in design, fine arts, media arts, crafts, music, dance, theater and writing. It now features 30 undergraduate arts majors, 15 graduate programs and the nation's first PhD program in Creativity. UArts is also home to innovative centers across disciplines, including the Philadelphia Art Alliance, the Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery, and the new Center for Immersive Media, launching in November 2019. Learn more about UArts.

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