"The Ninth Annual Goodspeed Festival of Musicals, with its expanded programs and wonderful new talents, highlights our commitment to developing new musicals," said Michael P. Price, executive director of Goodspeed Musicals, in a statement. "It's thrilling for us to see the Goodspeed campus bustling in wintertime. Our community comes alive when hundreds of musical theatre fans from around the country join the best and brightest writers and performers as they work together to create the future of musical theatre."
Productions from the three composing teams included in the Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals and the schedule of special events follows:
Jan. 17
Adam Lives
7:30 PM, Goodspeed Opera House
Book, music and lyrics by Rob Baumgartner, Jr.
"Adam is an unsuccessful songwriter who doesn't know how to settle into his long-term relationship with Claudia. When he has an opportunity to write for an emerging pop superstar, Adam is forced to decide which he values more: an enduring partnership or a love that is worthy of song. Adam Lives is about finding and keeping the important things in life, but at what cost?"
Festival Cabaret
10 PM, Gelston House
Showcasing new songs by our festival writers. Jan. 18
Seminars
10 AM-12:45 PM, Gelston House
They're the Tops!
"What makes a Broadway hit? Mark Acito, Helen Hayes Award-winning playwright, novelist, and theatre historian, will discuss the common threads among the 100 top-selling Broadway shows of all time."
Uncovering Goodspeed Treasures
"Tucked away on a top shelf or buried in a dusty box, many one-of-a-kind treasures have been uncovered and preserved for generations to come in Goodspeed's Scherer Library of Musical Theatre. Noted author and theatre historian Ken Bloom will guide a discussion about some of the most fascinating objects in this rare collection."
An Actor's Life
"Get to know your favorite stars from Goodspeed's Hello, Dolly!. The beloved Klea Blackhurst (Dolly) and the Tony-nominated Tony Sheldon (Horace) will share stories of their lives as actors – including the triumphs, heartaches, and struggles."
Casting 101
"Back by popular demand! Learn the ins and outs of the casting process as Goodspeed's casting director Paul Hardt and resident music director Michael O'Flaherty uncover the tricks-of-the-trade."
Additional Seminars TBA
New Musical Preview
2:30–3:30 PM, Goodspeed Opera House
A preview of a new musical headed to Goodspeed's Norma Terris Theatre in 2014
Symposium
4 PM, Goodspeed Opera House
On the Road to Holiday Inn: "Creating a World Premiere Ever wonder what it takes to move a musical from conception to full-blown stage production? Now at the halfway mark of the process, a panel of theatre experts and members of the creative team will explore the work that’s been done and what's still to come for Goodspeed's world premiere of Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn." This event is free and open to the public.
Festival Dinner
5:30 PM, Gelston House or La Vita Gustosa
Enjoy a three-course meal with fellow festival goers.
A Proper Place
7:30 PM, Goodspeed Opera House
Book by Leslie Becker and Curtis Rhodes
Music by Curtis Rhodes and lyrics by Leslie Becker
Additional lyrics by Curtis Rhodes
"It is 1902. Mayfair, England. When an upper class British family is shipwrecked on an island with only their butler to help them survive, traditional class systems are questioned and unexpected love blossoms. Based on J. M. Barrie's play The Admirable Crichton, this musical fantasy with a sumptuous score, dubbed a 'cross between Downton Abbey and Gilligan's Island,' is a classic tale of equality, survival and forbidden love."
Festival Cabaret
10 PM, Gelston House
Jan. 19
Theory of Relativity
1 PM, Goodspeed Opera House
Music and lyrics by Neil Bartram
Book by Brian Hill
"This unconventional new musical from the writers of The Story of My Life is a joyous and moving look at our surprisingly interconnected lives. Through a collection of songs, scenes and monologues, The Theory of Relativity introduces a compelling array of characters experiencing the joys and heartbreaks, the liaisons and losses, the inevitability and the wonder of human connection."
Meet the Writers Reception
3:30 PM, Gelston House
Gain insight into the inspirations and processes of the writers. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cash bar.
For more information and tickets, call (860) 873-8668 or visit Goodspeed.org.
