STAGES 2019

The 2019 STAGES Festival took place over the weekend of August 3-5, 2019 in North Hollywood and was also simultaneously LIVE-STREAMED.  The six presentations were:

Across the Street - tells the story of a Jewish boy and an Irish-Catholic girl living across the street from each other in 1939 New York.
Book and lyrics by Dean Alexander, music by Janet Hay

The Max Factor Factor - rival movie studios in the 1930’s are thrown into chaos when their rival leading men fall in love with each other. An “ice-cold reading”, in which we put the scripts of a brand-new-draft in front of actors and singers without any rehearsal whatsoever.
Book by Adrian Bewley, music by Joe Blodgett, lyrics by Chana Wise

Big Noise - In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina a dedicated musician fights to hold on to the two things he loves the most, his wife and his music. A table reading.
Book and lyrics by Joel Bailey, music by Ron Barnett

The Plot to Kill Charlie Chaplin - dramatizing the allegedly true plot to assassinate Charlie Chaplin onboard William Randolph Hearst’s yacht. It’s told in a vaudeville/silent movie style, presented in a concert reading.
Book and lyrics by Scott Guy, music by Kevin Mathie

The Flesh Trade - a 100-proof ragtime horror-comedy infused with cannibalism, greed, and women of ill repute. A surviving member of the Donner Party commissions a young prostitute to scare up meat for his cannibal gang…has she found a way out of the flesh trade, or bitten off more than she can chew? Second-Prize Winner of NMI’s 2019 Search for New Musicals
Book, lyrics, and music by Chris Holoyda

Pickpocket - A young woman makes her way in turn of the century New York. A table reading.
Book and lyrics by Sandy Kasten, music by Billy Wolfe

Got Musical 2019 - The 2019 STAGES weekend ended with a concert of excerpts of new works in development including pieces by the winners of the 2019 New Voices Project, pieces by writer members of New Musicals Inc., and excerpts from all the shows being presented over the weekend. (For the detailed program, check out the GOT MUSICAL ARCHIVES)

STAGES 2015

The 2015 Festival took place over the weekends of August 21-23 and 28-30.  The first weekend was at NMI in North Hollywood, and the second weekend was at 3D Theatricals in Anaheim.  The six presentations were:

The Anarchist Girl - An edgy, provocative chamber musical about a young protestor who breaks into a house planning to kidnap a famous author, to make him a spokesperson for her cause, only to find that this former literary giant is now confined to a wheelchair, no longer able to speak. She turns her attention to the author’s shut-in son, and tries to convince him to come with her into the dangerous world to stand up for what he believes in. This is an “existential” musical that will appeal to the audience that loves a challenge!

Book and lyrics by J. Linn Allen, and music by Cris Wo.
Directed by Jon Sparks with musical direction by Ron Barnett.

Bagels! - The almost-true story of the man who invented the automated bagel-making machine; how it almost tore apart a family, and got some union bagel makers pretty upset.  A family comedy, but with some adult moral dilemmas for the young inventor, this show has a charming, witty book and a lovely joyful score.

Book and lyrics by Chana Wise, music by Carl Johnson.
Directed by John Henry Davis, with musical direction by Emily Cohn.

Oklahoma in Wisconsin - It’s 1950, and the Bradley family are in dire financial straits with their Inn in Fish Creek Wisconsin.  Then a Hollywood location scout comes to town - promising to bring prosperity along with the filming of the movie version of Oklahoma!  Will he be able to pull it off?  A funny family show full of glorious harmonies.  A follow-up to our popular “Ice-Cold Reading” at STAGES 2013, this reading was an “Almost-Cold-Reading” with a brave who had the music in advance, but never had a rehearsal.

Book and lyrics by Richard Castle, music by Matthew Levine

Invisible - tells the story of two nerdy high school guys decide to create a potion to make themselves popular, so they can go to prom with the school’s cheerleading twins.  But miraculously, the potion turns one of them invisible!  Things start to sour between the friends when the visible one starts taking advantage of the situation, and doesn’t want to help his one-time-buddy become visible again, leading up to an explosive prom night.  It features a driving, young score with humor that’s edgy and contemporary (but still family friendly!)

Book by David Hollingsworth, lyrics and music by David Orris.
Directed by Elise Dewsberry with musical direction by Bryan Blaskie.

Off the Wall - This musical comedy, loosely inspired by the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, won the 2014 Search for New Musicals.  In this five-character, ninety-minute, original musical, the Mona Lisa is brought to life when a worker in the Louvre kisses her.  Much to worker’s dismay, Mona Lisa immediately starts causing chaos all over Paris.  This fresh, tongue-in-cheek musical may take place in the Belle Epoque, but it whimsically explores contemporary themes, including the glorification of celebrity, the obsession with physical beauty, and the importance of taking a second glance at preconceived notions of love and art.

Book and lyrics by Sarah Rebell, music by Danny Abosch.
Directed by Allison Bibicoff with musical direction by Jan Roper.

The New Voices Project - A concert of songs and musical excerpts written by the winners of the 2015 New Voices Projects - all writers under the age of 26.  This is the third year of this competition, with support from Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment.  Featuring the writers Ben Boecker, Andre Catrini, Samantha Chanse, Jacob Combs, Michael Finke, Bob Kelly, Madeline Myers, Bill Nelson, Mark Sonnenblick, and Joseph Trefler.

STAGES 2011

The 2011 Festival took place over the weekend of July 15-17.  The more developed shows in the 16th Annual Stages Musical Theatre Festival were:

Windjammers, the moving tale of a sailor on the Great Lakes in the 19th century, written by Robin Share and Clay Zambo;

In the Mind of Olympians, a powerful revue about the 1948 and 2012 London Olympics, written by a dozen writers in London and Los Angeles;

Powder Puff Pilots, telling the story of female pilots in the 1920’s, written by Marian Partee, Cindy O’Connor and Noelle Donfeld; and

Now and Then a Hero, ten stories of real life common heroes, written by Larry Johnson and Jake Anthony.

The shows at the first draft stage presented at the Academy were:

Ghost(s), a goofy story of a local theatre company who thought they were producing a musical based on the hit movie Ghost, but discover to their horror it’s a terrible musical adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s play about syphilis and euthanasia, written by Kincaid Jones, Brian Woodbury and Noelle Donfeld;

Mary Marie, a sweet family musical based on the classic 19th-century novel about a young girl struggling with her parents’ divorce, written by Chana Wise and Carl Johnson;

The Ring, a nasty dark comedy about revenge at a high school reunion, written by Eric Dodson and Alan Fleishman; and

The Angel of Painted Post, a powerful fable about an unlikely vision in an even more unlikely town, written Adrian Bewley, Richard Castle and Matthew Levine.