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new musicals inc. -- blog

we develop musicals.

new musicals inc.

At New Musicals Inc. in Los Angeles, we develop new musicals.

Here’s our blog, which includes posts and musings on the craft of writing musical theatre, along with our observations about developing new musicals, and how to get them produced.

Want to get involved, as a writer or producer?  See our page about developing musicals.

If you’re looking for classes, visit our sister organization, The Academy for New Musical Theatre.

 

Academy for New Musical Theatre Summer 2013 Internship Announcement

The Academy for New Musical Theatre is looking for a Summer 2013 intern to assist in the planning, marketing and presentation of the 17th Annual Stages Musical Theatre Festival! See below for internship description and eligibility requirements.



INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION

The Intern will assist at rehearsals and production meetings.  The Intern will also be directly involved in the marketing campaign: assisting in the design of print materials, email campaigns, marketing plans, public relations, social networking marketing and other advertising opportunities.  Pending the Intern’s particular skill set, assistance at the Festival itself will either be “front of house” (box office, house management, ushering) or backstage (light booth, sound, assistant stage manager).
The three-day Festival consists of concert presentations of eight new musicals in various “stages” of development:  from first drafts through polished versions ready for production.  Musicals currently selected for the festival include Mad Bomber, the winner of the 2012 Search for New Musicals, Vlad by Placido Domingo, Jr.  Other titles under consideration include works in development at the Latino Theatre Company, Deaf West Theatre, Celebration Theatre, and the Academy for New Musical Theatre.
The Festival was presented for fifteen years in Chicago; in 2010, the Festival moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, to be under the aegis of the Academy for New Musical Theatre.  The Festival is currently scheduled for August 23/24/25 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood. Rehearsals will take place at the Academy for New Musical Theatre.
This is a paid internship. The intern will receive a weekly stipend of $350. The tentative dates for this internship are June 17, 2013 - August 23, 2013.
OTHER DUTIES
ANMT has developed its own powerful database-driven communication and marketing software programs which assist in the dissemination of individually-targeted press-releases, as well as demographically-targeted ad campaigns, emails, newsletters, blog entries, RSS feeds and other specific marketing communications about musicals in the Academy’s catalog and other programming.  Therefore, part of the Academy’s Festival Intern’s additional duties and responsibilities will include assisting in the Academy’s current press list and semi-automated database-driven internet marketing procedure; writing and disseminating general press releases; and some general administration duties (such as filing and database management). 
Intern will be expected to assist with coordination of several other events associated with the Festival, including panel discussions, concerts, and some social events such as Opening Night Reception.  There may be an opportunity for the intern to function as an Associate Producer (supervised) for a concert on a weeknight prior to the Festival.  Duties and responsibilities would be similar to the Festival, but the intern would have more of a leadership role.
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility is limited to currently enrolled undergraduate college students who reside or attend college in Los Angeles County. Students must have completed at least one semester of college by June 1, 2013 or will complete their undergraduate degree between May 1 - September 1, 2013 in order to be eligible to participate. Students who have already earned a BA, BS or a higher degree are not eligible. Students who have previously participated in the Los Angeles County Arts Internship Program are not eligible.
SKILLS
The Festival Intern will have some background and general working knowledge of marketing, e‑commerce, and viral marketing.  The Festival Intern will have good general computing skills and be comfortable with using online forums and posting in online user groups and social networks.  Very useful to the position will be working knowledge with some combination of the following software:  Office (Word, Excel, Access, Publisher), basic working knowledge of HTML web-interface coding such as FrontPage or Dreamweaver, and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, Flash).  The Intern will also have good people skills, and be able to interface effectively with audience, actors, writers and press.
WHAT INTERN WILL LEARN
At the end of the ten week internship, the Intern will be able to:
- understand the basic planning required to produce a concert reading of a new musical
- understand the basic planning required to plan and implement a targeted marketing campaign designed to increase awareness of and participation in arts events (including budgeting, scheduling, marketing, and day-to-day operations)
- use viral marketing and online social networks to target potential participants and identify marketing opportunities
- interface with industry professionals (national writers, producers and theatre industry professionals)
- write and disseminate a basic press release
- know how to introduce oneself to theatre professionals
- identify key players in the musical theatre profession
HOW TO APPLY
Email an informal letter to academy@anmt.org and attach a formal resume or bio.  Address your ability to learn new software, your experience using social media as a marketing tool, and your interest or curiosity in new musical theatre.  TIP:  Although we suspect the ideal candidate is going to be in the marketing/producer arena, actors/writers are welcome to apply; this is a theatrical environment, rather than a corporate marketing atmosphere; and whoever is offered the internship will want to enjoy being around singers, directors and writers. 
Questions?  Please email academy@anmt.org

This internship is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. 74 undergraduate interns will participate in the program this year at 74 performing, presenting, and literary nonprofit arts organizations and municipal arts agencies throughout LA County. In addition to their full-time 10 week paid internship, interns will participate in several educational events as part of the program, which are funded by the Getty Foundation. The educational events are designed to provide interns with a broader perspective of the vibrant arts and cultural landscape of the County. For additional information on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, the Arts Internship Program, and for a complete list of all the internships offered this summer, visit the Arts Commission website at www.lacountyarts.org.

 

Yet Another Vampire Musical
— by Richard Castle
In 2006 I flew up to San Francisco to see the pre-Broadway production of Lestat, a new musical based on Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. With music by Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, the show was sure to be worth the trip. After all, I was a huge fan of Elton John’s music, and I have always loved vampire stories. I’ve even had arguments about who was the better Dracula: Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee. So you can imagine my excitement as I took my seat at the Curran Theatre on that rainy January night.
The show was a flop. People walked out before the intermission. I remember leaving the theatre wondering how a show written by such a talented team could go so horribly wrong.
Flash forward to August of 2011, when ANMT asked me if I would be willing to write a song for a producer who was interested in a new musical about vampires. With the memory of Lestat haunting me, I was torn as to whether to accept the assignment. However, I had recently seen a Swedish film called Let the Right One In, which offered a fresh take on the vampire story, and I felt newly inspired. Paired with composer Clifford J. Tasner, I wrote the lyrics to a song called And Ever. The song is about a vampire who dreads falling in love, because he is doomed to witness each of his mortal lovers grow old and die, leaving him to mourn them forever And Ever.
The Academy Repertory Company performed our song for the producer in November of that year, along with pitch songs from three other writing teams that had been assembled by ANMT. The producer liked everything he heard that night, and asked the writing teams to develop three different vampire shows.
With the influences of The Heiress, Rebecca and Vertigo, I hoped to fashion a dark, romantic and spooky show. Refining our material with the helpful feedback from the monthly Writer’s Workshop at ANMT, Clifford and l completed a 45-minute one-act version to present to the producer.
In May of 2012, Bloodline was presented along with two other vampire shows: Coffins of the Mayflower (a farcical comedy) and Child of Ages (a drama). Based on the presentation, the producer was eager to see all three shows expanded, so Clifford and I got to work on the second draft of Bloodline. ANMT staff provided helpful notes, and the producer offered some suggestions as well. We added some more songs, discarded some that didn’t work, and tried to flesh out a few of the characters. The producer staged a reading at the Met Theatre in Hollywood, providing feedback forms to the invited audience.
As I write this blog, I am busy working on the third draft of Bloodline, with hopes of a possible full-production. The hardest part of this process has been the expansion of the show to a 90-minute intermission-less one-act. It was originally structured to be a 45-minute musical. With each draft, it has been extremely challenging to expand the show without ‘bloating’ it. I have found the feedback to be extremely helpful, and I am currently outlining the newly expanded story. Keep an eye out for the next incarnation of the new vampire musical Bloodline.
I just hope it doesn’t suck.

New Staff Member

The Academy is once again defying the odds, expanding its staff, rather than cutting back. We’ve hired a new administrative assistant, Bryan Blaskie, to help with daily workload, as well as special projects.

Bryan’s responsibilities include sexy stuff like supervising the online Catalogue for New Musicals, overseeing new technology and social media, and then…LESS sexy stuff like office management, database supervision, and daily/weekly communication with composers, lyricists and bookwriters. And maybe a little bit of tidying and janitorial assistance thrown in, just for good measure.

Bryan first joined ANMT as a composer during 2011-2012’s Core Curriculum. After successfully completing the program, he wrote the music for “iWish” as part of the 2012 15-Minute Musicals program. In addition to his work as a composer, Bryan is an accompanist for various programs in Los Angeles. He played Keyboard II for our production of “A Ring in Brooklyn”. He is a staff accompanist for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. He also performs around the LA area in his blues duo, Torch Note. Bryan is from Columbus, Ohio, where he studied music composition and piano performance at Denison University.

“Bryan’s starting as a part-time employee,” says Scott, “but there is definitely room to grow into a full-time position, or even a whole new department. Bryan’s a smart, funny, and artistic composer, but he also has the skills and drive of an entrepreneur, and he knows there are opportunities to launch whole new departments at the Academy: the world is his musical theatre oyster…if that metaphor makes any sense.”

“I’m really a lucky guy,” says Blaskie. “I’ve wound up in the right spot and the right time. I love my bosses — we have a gas working together; lots of laughter and clowning around. But at the end of the day, I take this job very seriously. I know the opportunity they’re giving me here. But now it’s up to me to make something exciting happen.”

ANMT CONTINUES 2011/12 CONCERT READING SERIES WITH A GEM

(Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 25, 2012)  Emerald, a new musical, and winner of ANMT’s 2011 Search for New Musicals, will receive a one night only concert reading February 6 at 7:30 pm as part of The Academy for New Musical Theatre’s reading series at The Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood.

Written by the British writing team of Chris Burgess (book and lyrics) and Denise Wright (music), Emerald tells the story of Grace Maguire who abandons her life in Manhattan and moves to the secluded seaside town of Ennismuck, West Ireland. However, as soon as she arrives she clashes with a mining corporation buying up the local properties in order to extract the newly found gold. Grace campaigns to save Ennismuck, and starts a prickly relationship with truculent local artist, Mulcahy. But, beyond these perilous ventures Grace manages to topple the mining company’s monopoly, and eventually, thaw Mulcahy’s frozen heart. Calvin Remsberg directs and Ross Kalling is musical director.

“The musical theatre is full of stories that take place in exotic locales, often fictional but with some basis in reality. Brigadoon never existed but Scotland is real, and Missitucky isn’t really a state, but Finian’s Rainbow takes place there.” says director Remsberg. “In Emerald, we have a fictional Irish village, Ennismuck, but in modern day Ireland. It’s populated with lively Irish characters that create the stories’ charm. It’s always fun to work on something new, and it will be even more fun to see it up on its feet!”

Featured in the cast are Jake Anthony, Adrian Bewley, Noel Britton, Melisa Dunham, Courtney Freed, Christ Warren Gilbert, Randy Guiaya, Scott Guy, Sean Hankinson, David Holmes, Shirley Hughes, Rebecca Johnson, Luke Kipp, Gia Mora, Veronica Frances Scheyving, Stewart Scott, Tedd Szeto, Michael Tatlock, Gabrielle Wagner, Peter Welkin, Erika Whalen, and Jennifer Winkler.

The Lonny Chapman Theatre is located at 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood, CA. $10 tickets can be reserved through the ANMT website at www.anmt.org.

ANMT LAUNCHES 2011-12 CONCERT READING SERIES

What would you pay for a miracle? The people of the small town of Painted Post, Massachusetts have got plenty of reasons to believe. It is 1945, and not only has the town lost many of its young men in the war, but now a vision of the Virgin Mary has appeared in the window above the sickbed of a comatose young girl. So what if the girl’s mother charges admission to pray at her bedside and witness the vision? And when the girl suddenly awakens after five years, she is pregnant. Could it be yet another miracle — or just one of her mother’s hoaxes?

This is the starting place for the new musical The Angel of Painted Post, which will kick off the 2011-12 Concert Reading Series for the Academy for New Musical Theatre.

With book by Adrian Bewley, music by Matthew Levine, and lyrics by Richard Castle, The Angel of Painted Post is filled with unconventional characters and universal themes of faith, religion and family. With songs including “Mama’s Little Angel”, “Hey, Mother Mary” and a wacky dream sequence called “The Gospel of Alma”, the piece speaks to the role of faith in a society that has been ravaged by war. Wouldn’t you want to believe in miracles?

This new musical began in ANMT’s Full-Length Curriculum last year, and then won one of only eight coveted spots at Stages Musical Theatre Festival 2011. The actors involved with the development of the piece last season included: Sarah Girard, Christiana Moffa, Will Collyer, Dan Stewart, Stephen Stewart, Dana Shaw, Dina Buglione, Renee Scott, Peter Varvel, Erika Whalen, Ben Ryan, and Jonathan Dinerstein as Music Director.

“This is a dark, provocative, exciting new musical featuring the voices of three very talented writers,” says Artistic Director Elise Dewsberry. “I’m particularly excited because I will be stepping into the complex role of the manipulative mother myself. Roles like this for ‘mature’ women don’t come along all that often, and I look forward to sinking my teeth into it!”

The ANMT Concert Series will continue on February 6, 2012 with Emerald, written by Chris Burgess and Denise Wright from London, England. Emerald won ANMT’s 4th Annual Search for New Musicals, and received a workshop with the Academy Repertory Company in April 2011. The Concert Series will feature a new draft, based on the work which the writers have done since the April workshop.

The concert reading of The Angel of Painted Post will take place on Monday, December 12 at 7:30pm at the Lonny Chapman Theatre on Burbank Blvd., and will feature members of the Academy Repertory Company including Noel Britton, Elise Dewsberry, Evelyn Halus, Christopher Maikish, Sari Rose Poll, Andrea Press, Tedd Szeto, Peter Welkin, and guest Sean Hankinson as “Ben”. ARC Music Director Ross Kalling will be at the piano. Tickets are $10.

For tickets, visit www.anmt.org

FREE Workshop Demo – August 13

ANMT is now accepting applications for the 2011-12 season on their famed Writers’ Workshop.

Check it out at our FREE Workshop Demo on Saturday, August 13th from 6:30 to 9:30pm at The Academy for New Musical Theatre, 5628 Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood.

This collaborative incubator teams different writers every month for specific writing opportunities and feedback sessions. Sessions meet one weekend per month from September through April - followed by the intensive 15 Minute Musical process in which writers create a new 15 minute musical in under a month, and ANMT produces the results.

Can’t make the Workshop Demo? Audit the first sessions in September:
Saturday, September 17th from 10am to 2pm
and/or
Sunday, September 18th from 2pm to 6pm

Full details, schedule, fees, and testimonials available online.

For more info - and to reserve a spot - visit:
http://www.anmt.org/workshop/
www.anmt.org
academy@anmt.org

Bootcamp in Session! (classes still enrolling…)

ANMT’s Musical Theatre Boot Camp is a summer series of workshops, lectures, and
practicums designed to give participants a chance to work quickly over a
concentrated six week period. It’s also a great place to check us out before
committing to our full curriculum in the fall.

We have new classes starting until early August!

With Available Courses:
MUSIC FOR LYRICISTS
MAKE A SOCKO MARKETING VIDEO - WITH NO CAMERA!
PREPARING YOUR SCORE in FINALE NOTATION
HOW DOES A MUSICAL GET FINANCED?
LEGAL PERILS, PITFALLS AND TRAPS
CONQUER THE INTERNET/SOCIAL MEDIA
ACTING THE SONG with Georgia Stitt

For More Information Visit: http://www.anmt.org/bootcamp.asp#

MUSIC LAB – ONLINE!


ANMT’s sixth annual MUSICAL THEATRE BOOT CAMP presents:

MUSIC LAB - ONLINE!

Instructor: Philip Seward

Make your own schedule!

THIS COURSE IS OFFERED COMPLETELY ONLINE

Course Fee: $495 (Early Bird/ANMT Member Fee: $495)

A concentrated version of the full Music Lab curriculum offered as part of ANMT’s Core Curriculum program, with a unit a week instead of a unit a month. (If you’re planning to take the Core program, this course will fulfill your Lab requirement).

Write and format your musical professionally.

Videos, tests, exercises and interactive assignments on the craft of composing for musical theatre, from Columbia College professor Philip Seward. Topics include:
Setting a lyric
Creating a Piano Arrangement
Finding a rhythm in a lyric and using it to develop a melody
Creating a lead sheet (chord symbols and melody)
Working with a hook
Key signatures & accidentals
Driving melodically toward theclimax of the song
Supporting the melody with a piano accompaniment
When to modulate
Composing Incidental Music
Composing for the music theatre voice (head voice, chest voice, belt, legit, timbre)
Formatting a Score: Dynamics, Expressive Markings, Pedaling, Rehearsal Marks, etc.
Vamps; safeties; jump cue; out on
Formatting voice parts
Swing notation
Integrating Script and Score

Only during the summer - this online Lab is available for the ANMT Member price of $495.

To register (or for more info) - CLICK HERE

INSTRUCTOR INFO:
Philip Seward lists among his operatic and musical works, NIMUE (premiered 2007 in Edinburgh, Scotland), DOWNTOWN (2007 at Stages Festival in Chicago), SINCERELY YOURS (2003), JUAN PERON’S HAND (2002) at the Northtown Arts Center; HIGH FIDELITY (1998) Chicago Humanities Festival and (1999) Merkin Hall in New York; SPREADING THE NEWS (1998) at North Park University; HANS BRINKER (1994) at Theatre Building Chicago which was also a recipient of several Jeff Citations and an After Dark Award; the youth operas AFRICAN STORIES (2007), A NOTEWORTHY TALE (2002) and STONE SOUP (2001) commissioned by Lyric Opera of Chicago; BLESSING (2003) for the Lira Chamber Chorus; and PSALM 8 (1997) commissioned by the Lyric Opera Chapters. He is currently an Artist-in-Residence at Columbia College Chicago, co-conductor of the Lira Ensemble of Chicago, music director at St. James Presbyterian Church in Chicago, and he has served both as a free-lance conductor and performer for many ensembles, musical shows and operas.