Musical Theatre Works (MTW) launched a new Resident Writers Program aimed at "supporting the best and brightest composers and lyricists writing for musical theatre" on Oct. 16. The program was kicked off with a gala benefit titled, "Live in Concert." The benefit concert will be directed by Daisy Prince, with Eric Stern serving as musical director.

Audra McDonald will host the evening, which will feature performances by Betty Buckley, Peter Gallagher, Neil Patrick Harris, Andrea McArdle, Audra McDonald, Billy Porter and Sherie Rene Scott.

In addition to kicking of the resident's program, production sources say the celebrity gala honors Celso Gonzalez-Falla and Sandra Gilman for their "extraordinary support to emerging creative talents in the musical theater through their Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Theatre Foundation."

MTW's inaugural resident writers include Jason Robert Brown, John Bucchino, Kirsten Childs, Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler, Ricky Ian Gordon, Adam Guettel, Michael John LaChiusa, Andrew Lippa, Glenn Slater, Grant Sturiale, and Jeanine Tesori.

According to a MTW spokesperson, these writers will be provided with "commission grants, rehearsal space, and casting, dramaturgical, technical and administrative support as they develop their work." -- By Murdoch McBride