Core Curriculum Application Form

All applicants for the Core Curriculum will take part in an audition in September. Attend the first sessions in September, then collaborate with fellow applicant(s) over the next month and present your work in October for feedback.

At that point - we will make a determination as to whether or not you are a good candidate for the program at that time, and will make our offers of acceptance for the rest of the season. (This also gives you a chance to assess whether or not the program is a good fit for you.)

You would be expected to attend BOTH sessions in September either in person or via video conference. We will spend most of the first weekend giving an over-view of our approach to the craft, and getting to know each other, as well as with a short over-night assignment for all.

At the conclusion of the Sunday session, we will announce the teams for the auditions. You will be put on a team with one or two collaborators, and given a couple of assignments to work over the following month.

Your team will return for the October sessions to present your work for feedback from the staff. (You are still required to attend both days in full - this is a monthly requirement. We firmly believe you learn as much from hearing other people receive feedback as you do from hearing feedback on your own work.)

After the October sessions, the staff will confer about all of the participants, and we will send out acceptance/rejection emails. (You will also have a chance to remove yourself from consideration if you so choose.)

Accepted candidates will receive a new collaborative team and be given a new set of assignments to present in November, which will begin the cycle for each month for the rest of the season up until the 15 Minute Musicals.

Your final assignment will be a 15 Minute Musical which will be produced as an audio podcast in June or July.

If you are accepted into the program, you will be required (in addition to the monthly collaborative assignments) to take at least one CRAFT LAB (Book, Lyrics, or Music).

The Labs are a requirement for participation in the 15 Minute Musicals. For example, if you want to be a bookwriter on your 15 Minute Musical, you must have completed the Book Lab. If you want to be a lyricist, the Lyric Lab. If you want to be a bookwriter/lyricist or a lyricist/composer on your 15 Minute Musical, you would need to complete TWO Labs. (check out the FEES information toggle for information on the cost of an additional lab).

There is no need to take THREE labs. The Core Curriculum is a collaborative program, and therefore you will always have at least one partner on your writing team and would never be assigned as book, lyrics, and music for an assignment.

General Session Schedule – one weekend per month
Saturday 1:30 pm – 6:30 pm Pacific Time: Presentations
Sunday 9:00 pm – 11:00 am Pacific Time: Presentations, Assignments, (Plan to hold open the hour or so after this session for Collaborator Meetings with your new team)
ALL SESSIONS ARE VIA ZOOM ONLY

The full schedule for the 2025-26 season is:

Sat, Sep 20/ Sun, Sep 21
Sat, Oct 18 / Sun, Oct 19
Sat, Nov 15 / Sun, Nov 16
Sat, Dec 13 / Sun, Dec 14
Sat, Jan 10 / Sun, Jan 11
Sat, Feb 7 / Sun, Feb 8
Sat, Mar 7 / Sun, Mar 8
Sat, Mar 28 / Sun, Mar 29
Sat, April 4 - 15 Minute Musicals Launch

ALSO: The 15-Minute Musicals section of the program (writing, revisions, rehearsals, and recording of podcasts) take place from the last session listed above through mid July (approximately).

Participants applying to the Core Curriculum as composers will need to already possess the basic notation skills necessary to create a piano/vocal score. (We do not accept lead sheets.)

Most composers in our program use DORICO, FINALE, or SIBELIUS for notation purposes. There are other programs available, but you will want to make sure you have a program that is powerful enough to allow you to meet the Core requirements.

To see a sample of the type of score we will require, CLICK HERE.

If you are not able to create a piano/vocal score similar to the one linked to above, you might consider spending some time improving your notation skills and returning to us next season.

Fees for Core Curriculum

There is no fee to audition for the Core Curriculum, but if you are accepted and decide to continue with the program, then the fee schedule will begin.

The fee for the Core Curriculum is $1800. This includes the entire collaborative assignments program, plus one online craft lab (Book, Lyric, or Music), as well as the production of your 15 Minute Musical audio podcast.

Optional additional online craft labs are $495 each.

Fees are billed in four installments of $450 during the year. Payments are due on October 15 (or the week after you receive your acceptance, whichever is later); November 15, January 15, and March 15. All fees must be paid in full prior to the beginning of the 15 Minute Musicals project in April.

If you are taking the regular Core program (with the one included Lab), your quarterly installments will be $450 each.