The National Alliance for Musical Theatre has revealed the lineup for its 2020 Festival of New Musicals. The works will be presented virtually on Broadway on Demand November 19–20.
“Celebrating new work and emerging voices feels even more significant and vital this year,” said Betsy King Militello, executive director of the NAMT. “With a record-breaking year of submissions, we know there are countless stories to be told, reflecting a tremendous breadth of perspectives, ideas and experiences.”
The festival presents eight musicals before an audience to connect producers with writers to help shows continue on a path to development. This year’s presentations are overseen by NAMT New Works Director Ciera Iveson and Festival General Manager Dailey-Monda Management.
Casting for each musical and further programming details will be announced soon.
Check out the works being presented below:
Co-Founders
Book and lyrics by Beau Lewis, Adesha Adefela, and Ryan Nicole
Music by Jodie Ellis, Brian Watters, and Budo
Co-Founders is the story of two unlikely partners chasing impossible entrepreneurial dreams. Esata, a black woman from Oakland, and Conway, a small town college dropout, take on the most competitive startup accelerator in Silicon Valley—where the privileged make a killing while the people across the bridge grind to survive.
Cowboy Bob
Co-created by Molly Beach Murphy, Jeanna Phillips, and Annie Tippe
Music and lyrics by Phillips
Book and additional lyrics by Murphy
Additional music by Alex Thrailkill (also music director)
Directed by Tippe
You wouldn't look twice at Peggy Jo. She was a good daughter, always tipped well at restaurants, but disguised as “Cowboy Bob” in a fake beard and a ten-gallon hat, she was the slickest bank robber Texas has ever known. With a score that's equal parts Riot Grrrl rage and Texas two-step twang, this tale of a small-town legend spurs a discontented chain-restaurant waitress to buck routine and take life by the reins.
The Consoling Mechanism
Book, music, and lyrics by Josh Franklin
Music directed by Meg Zervoulis
Can our deepening commitment to technology also strengthen the bonds of human connection? In a world increasingly intertwined with artificial intelligence and virtual reality, The Consoling Mechanism pulls back the curtain on a family struggling to recover from unexpected loss.
Eastbound
Book and music by Cheeyang Ng
Book and lyrics by Khiyon Hursey
Directed by Desdemona Chiang
Music directed by Nate Hopkins
Eastbound is a new bilingual musical about the unexpected meeting of two brothers from opposite sides of the world, their quests for survival, and the power of choice. The musical is told through the soundscape of a contemporary score amalgamated with traditional Chinese folk music and Mandopop.
Hart Island
Book and lyrics by Michelle Elliott
Music and lyrics by Danny Haengil Larsen
Music directed by Jason Yarcho
Hart Island is the tale of an immigrant woman fighting for her child and the unexpected compassion of a disillusioned inmate who is the only person who can help her.
Lizard Boy
Book, music, and lyrics by Justin Huertas
Directed by Brandon Ivie
Trevor feels like a freak—which is not helped by the green lizard skin he grew after a bizarre childhood accident. When one fateful night sets him on a journey of mythic proportions, Trevor must decide if he’ll become the hero of his own story.
Obeah Opera
Book, music, and lyrics by Nicole Brooks
Steeped in Black music and sung entirely a cappella by a female cast, Obeah Opera reveals the story of the legendary Salem witch trials from the perspective of Caribbean slave women.
On This Side of the World
Music and lyrics by Paulo K Tiról
Developed and directed by Noam Shapiro
Music directed by Steven Cuevas
In On This Side of the World, six performers give voice to Filipino immigrants navigating old lives and new beginnings, as a one-way ticket sends them on a journey 8,000 miles from home.
