The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center's annual National Music Theater Conference (NMTC) celebrates its just-concluded 2016 season with its annual Summer Gala July 23. Titled Frozen in Summer, the gala celebrates the music of the Oscar-winning husband-and-wife songwriting team of Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.
He developed his long-running Avenue Q at the NMTC in 2002; she developed her Broadway-bound In Transit there in 2008.
The gala will take place at 6 PM in the Sunken Garden.
Selected from a record-breaking 285 submissions, the following three new musicals got readings earlier this summer:
The Museum of Broken Relationships by David H. Bell (Book & Lyrics) & Daniel Green (Music & Lyrics) about a relationship rocked by a visit to an art gallery. Cast included Jonathan Burke, Erin Davie, Jeffrey Doornbos, Joy Franz, Jillian Gottlieb, Colin Hanlon, Andrew Keltz, Carly Kincannon, Sean MacLaughlin, Adrienne Reynolds, Howie Michael Smith, Josephine Spada, Andy Truschinski and Remy Zaken.
GIRL Shakes Loose by Zakiyyah Alexander (Book & Lyrics) & Imani Uzuri (Music & Lyrics), a young woman's coming-of-age story. Cast included Erica Bradshaw, McKenzie Frye, Kevin Mambo, Laiona Michelle, Christina Sajous, Shelley Thomas and Juson Williams.
Darling Grenadine by Daniel Zaitchik (Book, Music, & Lyrics), about the life of a commercial songwriter. Cast includes Adam Chanler-Berat, Josh Breckenridge, Laura Dadap, Brian Muller, Amma Osei, Debargo Sanyal, John Shartzer, Matt Von Roderick, Leah Sprecher and Emily Walton.
The O’Neill Theater Center's NMTC, which ran June 25-July 15, was just one facet of its summer programming, which also includes the National Playwrights Conference, National Puppetry Conference, and Cabaret & Performance Conference.
Preston Whiteway, executive director of the O’Neill, said, “The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center boldly continues our mission as Launchpad of the American Theater with our 2016 professional season. The artists selected across our programs, from over 2,000 applicants, are adding exciting and necessary ideas and pieces that will play our nation’s stages for years to come. I’m grateful to my partners—the four artistic directors leading the National Playwrights Conference, the National Music Theater Conference, the National Puppetry Conference and the Cabaret & Performance Conference – and encourage all those looking for the best and brightest new talents in American theater to join us this summer.”
Since its founding in 1978, the National Music Theater Conference has developed more than 130 new musicals, including early works of award-winning writers and composers such as Andrew Lippa, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Duncan Sheik, Steven Sater, Kirsten Childs, Tan Dun and Jeannine Tesori.
For more information, visit Theoneill.org/summer-conferences/nmtc.
