New Musicals Initiative
Each year, Penn State Musical Theatre commissions writers to visit the Junior BFA class to meet, share work, and discuss important issues. These high-profile NYC writers leave and begin to write a musical utilizing those young artists. They return the following Fall to deliver a first draft of a musical inspired somehow by the now Senior students and their visit with them.
The writers are then in residence at Penn State throughout the year workshopping and developing the musical along with our Penn State artistic team. The project culminates in an NYC concert at Feinstein’s/ 54 Below and a full concert reading on campus. Possibilities exist for the show to continue on at Penn State into production and then professional co-production with a Regional or NYC Theatre.
Read about our New Musicals Initiative in American Theatre Magazine
The New Musicals Initiative is made possible by a generous donation from Peter and Ann Tombros.
Current Commissions
Love in Hate Nation
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Joe Iconis
- Commissioned January, 2016
- Development at Penn State 2016-2017
- Concert at Feinstein’s/ 54 Below January, 2017
- Reading at Penn State April, 2017
- Reading at Musical Theatre Factory in NYC October, 2017
- Full production at Penn State February, 2018
- World Premiere production at Two River Theater November, 2019
The Last Day
Music by Mike Reid; Lyrics by Sarah Schlesinger
Book by Sarah Schlesinger, John Simpkins and Mike Reid
- Commissioned January, 2017
- Development at Penn State 2017-2018
- Concert at Feinstein’s/ 54 Below January, 2018
- Reading at Penn State April, 2018
- Full production at Penn State June, 2019
- Currently being developed for film and documentary
The Lucky Boy
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Kirsten Childs
- Commissioned January, 2018
- Development at Penn State 2018-2019
- Concert at Feinstein’s/ 54 Below January, 2019
- Reading at Penn State April, 2019
- Reading at Musical Theatre Factory in NYC October, 2017
- Full production at Penn State February, 2020
- Development concert at New York Theatre Barn September, 2020
Dust and Embers
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Sam Salmond
- Commissioned October, 2018
- Development at Penn State 2019-2020
- Concert at Feinstein’s/ 54 Below January, 2020
- Reading at Penn State April, 2020
- Album demo recording Summer, 2020
Nostalgia Night
Music and Lyrics by Matthew McCollum; Book by Sofya Levitsky-Weitz
- Commissioned January, 2020
- Development at Penn State 2020-2021
Make it All Better
Music and Lyrics by Matthew McCollum by Gilbert Bailey
- Penn State reading, March 2022
- Feinstein’s/54 Below concert, June 2022
Me and My Friends vs. the Nazis
by Alexander Sage Oyen, Lauren Marcus, James Presson
- Penn State reading, April 2022
- Feinstein’s/54 Below concert, June 2022