submissions
…get some feedback
feedback
book time with an NMI dramaturge
search for new musicals
submit to our annual contest
not sure?
we’re happy to help you figure it out
We really did appreciate all your help - you’ve got just the right tone to critique. It’s a matter of “A Spoonful of Sugar Helps The Medicine Go Down”!”
George Stiles
Mary Poppins, Honk, Soho Cinders
feedback
Check out the descriptions of the various different levels of developmental services available through New Musicals Inc.
NOTE: All Full Length Script options also include automatic submission to the Search for New Musicals.
If you don’t see what you are looking for, or have some questions this page doesn’t answer, please feel free to call us at 818-506-8500 or email us at admin@nmi.org
overview evaluation
An NMI dramaturg will read your script and listen to your demo and respond with a 20-30 minute audio overview evaluation addressing core topics such as: Is the plot clear and trackable? Is the theme clear and compelling? Does your lead have a clearly defined want and strong obstacles? Is the exposition delivered skillfully? Do the lyrics progress the story? Is there a partnership between the lyrics and the music? Does the score have variety and breadth? Is the author’s intent being realized as fully as possible?
$225 for 20-30 minutes of audio feedback.
detailed analysis
The Detailed Analysis consists of a 2-3 hour video feedback session. It covers the same topics as the audio Overview Evaluation, but at a much more detailed level, often discussing the work page by page, even line-by-line. Focus is on specific songs, themes, characters, subplot, diction, story logic, as well as manuscript presentation, marketability, and recommendations for next steps.
$500 for 2-3 hours of video feedback.
full draft personal consultation
Spend time in person (or by video or telephone conference) with an NMI staff member who has read and made notes on a full draft of your developing musical. The NMI staff member will spend up to four hours reading your show and making notes, and then arrange for a video conference call or in-person meeting with you for up to two hours.
$650 for prep and up to 2 hours of evaluation either in person, or by video or telephone conference call
hourly consultations
Outline Advice.
Feedback on plot points, character arcs, themes, target audience; before you begin writing.
Song Spotting.
Discussion, analysis, and brainstorming about song possibilities and their structures. Combining/condensing scenes; decisions about solos v. duets, or ensemble numbers. Structuring lyrics to convey the plot, character decisions, etc. 3 hr. minimum.
Lyric Crafting.
Detailed work, usually concentrating on one lyric. The goal of these sessions will vary, pending your needs, but typically, we’ll examine such elements as: character diction, rhyme, euphony, prosody, metaphor, as well as ensuring that each stanza is conveying exactly what you mean it to, that the jokes are landing, and that the storyline is clear.
Marketing.
Get advice on marketing copy, loglines, query letters, identifying potential producers, packaging, graphics, demos, and how to approach theatres with your musical.
Practical Advice about Producing.
Consultation about budgets, contracts, unions, producers’ checklists, raising money.
FEES: $100 per hour (including prep time).
staff table reading
Three NMI staff members read through the entire script/score, and then provide a detailed feedback session on book, music and lyrics. Authors can present the material, or the staff can cold-read/sing. The read/sing-through will generally take 2-3 hours; followed by a short break; and then up to four hours of feedback. This can be done in person; or the authors may attend by video conference; or NMI can make a video recording of the session to share with the authors.
$1500.
one-on-one consultations
Brand new in 2025 - take advantage of one hour one-on-one consultations with NMI’s Artistic Director Elise Dewsberry.
A benefit that has usually been restricted to NMI Members who have completed the Core Curriculum, NMI is now offering packages of consultations with Elise for all writers.
One fee of $700 will get you nine months of monthly 1-hour one-on-one consultations with Elise. Schedule at your convenience; use your sessions for whatever you need help with - outlining, song-spotting, presentation of scenes and songs, marketing advice, budgeting, feedback, music preparation, song structure, consultation about demo recordings, etc. - depending on the needs of you and your musical at any given moment in the process. Design your own sessions …whatever’s best for you and your musical.
9-Month Consultation package. One 1-hour session monthly from September through May. Schedule at your convenience - but book one meeting per month (no carry-overs). $700 per project/team.
(This is a $200 savings on the hourly consultation rate.)
Search 2015 Winner Invisible by David Hollingsworth and David Orris - in concert at the Colony Theatre
search for new musicals
New Musicals Inc. is committed to an ongoing search to find and nurture promising new musical theatre.
If you’ve written a musical, and you would like some honest, constructive, detailed feedback on how to make your musical better, you can submit your musical to NMI for dramaturgical feedback at levels from evaluation to analysis to table reading.
All full-length musicals submitted (at any level) to NMI by JULY 15 of any year will be automatically entered in the Search for New Musicals for the next season. Winners will be announced by November 15 following the annual deadline. The winner of the Search receives a workshop with the Academy Repertory Company, detailed feedback from the NMI staff, and will be given a concert reading in Los Angeles.
“The real value of this service is in its rarity: from genuine industry professionals who have the clarity and vision to provide feedback with no bias or agenda and which asks the right questions and suggestions to enable YOU to genuinely UNDERSTAND how to make your work a better piece of musical theatre - the long term benefits of which are incalculable!”
past SEARCH winners
THE 2024 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
FLASHES OF LIGHT
book, music, and lyrics by Ron Boustead and Billy Larkin
Flashes of Light brings to life the story of inventor, Nikola Tesla, and his muse, Electra, Goddess of the Storm Clouds, set against the backdrop of the industrial revolution in New York City in the late 1800’s. Tesla and Electra are obsessed with pushing the envelope of scientific discovery, but as the borderline between worlds begins to blur, a star-crossed love story unfolds that is both tragic and divine.
FLASHES OF LIGHT is receiving producer support for a production at the Sierra Madre Playhouse in June of 2025.
SECOND PRIZE:
UPLINE
book and lyrics by Jackie Brenneman, music by Lisa Sedares, and additional book, music, and lyrics by Nikki Yates
Upline follows four women as they become involved in Lumaplex, a vibrant and alluring multi-level marketing company. Kenzie and Alex, lifelong friends, join Lumaplex in pursuit of financial freedom and community, guided by Madison, the charismatic leader at the top of the pyramid. The arrival of Vic, a determined newcomer, disrupts the established order and forces the women to confront uncomfortable truths about the system they’re part of. As they rise through the ranks, they wrestle with ambition, relationships, and personal values. Upline explores themes of feminism, friendship, capitalism, and the pursuit of the American Dream, ultimately asking what one is willing to sacrifice to rise to the top.
UPLINE received a staff table reading (with NMI staff feedback) in early 2025.
THIRD PRIZE:
PLEASURE NEVER LIES
book and lyrics by Marshall Hagins, music by Brad Moranz, and original story by Marshall Hagins and Noah Brody
Pleasure Never Lies is about the evolutionary science of birds, feminism, and love. The question burning a hole in Sam’s mind is: What if the male-centric, chest-thumping theory “survival of the fittest” is only half of the story? Sam is working in the jungle of Papua New Guinea with a ragtag band of other bird scientists when a lucky break gives her the chance to be the host on a major new nature documentary. To take it, Sam must risk standing up to her boss, her boyfriend, and the humiliation of scientists around the world to reveal her radical answer: females’ pursuit of their own pleasure is the second great engine of evolution.
PLEASURE NEVER LIES received a Detailed Analysis from an NMI dramaturge.
THE 2023 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
THE RABBIT QUEEN
book by Ilana Gordon, music by Laura Watkins, lyrics by Jaime Lyn Beatty and Laura Watkins, with story help from Lynn Maleh
The Rabbit Queen is a comedic and absurdist show inspired by a true story of fake news. Three hundred years before girl bosses with bad intentions captured cultural attention, a young, English peasant girl named Mary Toft created a national uproar when she convinced the country’s leading medical experts that she could give birth to rabbits. A multi-genre score uses everything from pop hits and gospel music to classic musical theater songs to explore the side effects of virality, celebrity, female autonomy, and to interrogate the role of women in society, past and present.
THE RABBIT QUEEN received a developmental production at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in June of 2024.
SECOND PRIZE:
BREWED AMBITION
book and lyrics by BK Wells, music by Michael Turnblom, and additional Lyrics by Michael Turnblom
Brewed Ambition, a comic retelling of the Scottish play, is a highly-caffeinated musical set in a corporate coffee shop. After a prediction from a trio of café regulars, the lowly busboy is catapulted into the role of Lead Barista, and begins to plot his rise to Manager. Sip on this M@cb*** with a mocha because making your mark in the cutthroat coffee world can be murder.
BREWED AMBITION received a staff table reading (with NMI staff feedback).
THIRD PRIZE:
REDNECK SUPERSTAR
book, music, and lyrics by Angela Parrish
Redneck Superstar is a Surreality TV musical. Get ready to be entertained beyond your wildest dreams; you’ve been granted a seat in the studio audience of America’s hottest new reality show! Will Arkansas teenager Birdie Williams be transformed from trailer park to Park Avenue and become the next Redneck Superstar? The answer is in your hands!
REDNECK SUPERSTAR received a Detailed Analysis from an NMI dramaturge.
THE 2022 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
SUPPORTIVE WHITE PARENTS
Book and Lyrics by Joy Regullano, Music by Sam Johnides and Tony Gonzalez
Supportive White Parents tells the story of a Filipino college freshman who tells her parents she doesn’t want to be a doctor anymore, and finds herself wishing on a shooting star for Supportive White Parents.
SUPPORTIVE WHITE PARENTS received a workshop/reading in Los Angeles.
SECOND PRIZE:
ABSOLUTE ZERO
Book and Lyrics by Dorie Clark, Music by Marie Incontrera
Absolute Zero is a sexy-lesbian spy story set in an all-female universe. Top CIA Agent Sam Knight tries to stop her spurned ex-girlfriend from freezing the world after discovering how to reach Absolute Zero, at the same time she has to confront her womanizing ways.
ABSOLUTE ZERO received a staff table reading (with NMI staff feedback).
THIRD PRIZE:
HOME/FRONT
Book, Lyrics, and Music by Natalie Lovejoy
Home/Front tells the story of an idealistic U.S. Army soldier whose principles are put to the test when he leaves the army so his wife can follow her own dreams, amidst the Iraq war and an increasingly divided America. Inspired by the writer’s experiences as a former army wife.
HOME/FRONT received a Detailed Analysis from an NMI dramaturge.
THE 2021 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
IT’S ALWAYS OFF-SEASON AT THE CHALET FLAMINGO
By Julia Sonya Koyfman and Dusty Sanders
IT’S ALWAYS OFF-SEASON AT THE CHALET FLAMINGO is a wacky farce about a woman trying to get rid of a disaster-laden hotel without upsetting her wife who believes the hotel is inhabited by ghosts of her relatives. Complete with international jewel thieves, FBI agents, seances, explosions, and many many possums, this uplifting musical has a sassy score and a timeless message about the true meaning of love.
IT’S ALWAYS OFF-SEASON AT THE CHALET FLAMINGO received a series of readings and workshops at NMI.
SECOND PRIZE:
ABDUCTION
Book by T.J. Pieffer; Music by Becki Toth and Brad Kemp; Lyrics by T.J. Pieffer and Becki Toth
ABDUCTION tells the story of high school senior Pippa Peterson who must convince her town of an impending extraterrestrial threat during their beloved Corn Fest. This snappy sci fi comedy is fast paced, but grounded with heart and community.
ABDUCTION received a staff table reading (with NMI staff feedback).
THIRD PRIZE:
A BRIDGE TO THE MOON
Original Book, Music, and Lyrics by Michael-Ellen Walden, Ruchir Khazanchi, and Emmet Smith
A BRIDGE TO THE MOON, set in the face of an environmental crisis, follows three grieving siblings who are tasked with holding their island and family together. Written in collaboration with the American Music Theatre Project, this lively eco-fable celebrates the power of a child’s dreams and the risks we will take to care for our community. Instagram @abridgetothemoon
A BRIDGE TO THE MOON will receive a Detailed Analysis from an NMI dramaturge.
THE 2020 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
THE FOURSIGHT SAGA
Book by Wayne Self, Lyrics by Wayne Self and Scott Wilkinson, and Music by Scott Wilkinson
THE FOURSIGHT SAGA is a time-travelling musical for two performers and nine characters, telling the story of a scientist who invents a way to go back in time to stop herself from entering into a failed marriage - but then sets off a series of time-lines that fold in on themselves until the ill-fated couple can find their way out.
THE FOURSIGHT SAGA has received a series of readings and workshops with NMI, and had a premiere production under the new title BENEFIT OF HINDSIGHT at the 2022 Hollywood Fringe Festival.
SECOND PRIZE:
PICKPOCKET
Book & Lyrics by Sandy Kasten; Music by Billy Wolfe
PICKPOCKET tells the story of teenage pickpocket Nance Olden who dreams of escaping the squalor of the streets and living a glamorous life. She lands a job in the chorus at a Vaudeville theatre, planning to steal the star’s diamond necklace, but instead falls under the spell of performing. But what will happen when Nance’s former boyfriend Tom breaks out of prison and threatens to expose her criminal past?
PICKPOCKET received a Virtual Reading and Dramaturgical Feedback session in the fall of 2020.
THIRD PRIZE:
OUT FROM UNDOR
Book, music, and lyrics by Davern Wright
OUT FROM UNDOR tells the story of a girl who lives in a kingdom where each citizen is ranked on a ten-point scale of attractiveness — and those ranked below a “seven” are imprisoned in a hellish underground colony called “Undor.” When she is imprisoned herself, she must overcome her own low self-esteem to escape and unseat the forces behind her oppression.
OUT FROM UNDOR received a Detailed Analysis from an NMI dramaturge.
THE 2019 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
ENTERTAINING MURDER
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Chris Burgess
ENTERTAINING MURDER is a song cycle for four voices, based on the a true story of the hanging of Edith Thompson - a ‘cause celebre’ in 1922. There is now a consensus that she was innocent of colluding to murder her husband. So why did British justice fail her? And how did her sixty three love letters serve to incriminate her?
ENTERTAINING MURDER received a workshop at NMI.
SECOND PRIZE:
LOVE AND SONS
Book, Music and Lyrics by John G. Higgins
LOVE AND SONS is the story of a modern day farmer who risks everything to keep his family together on the same land his ancestors settled. His sons Dooley and Chase are ready to leave to start their own lives, but when Homer uses the money he’s promised them to buy new farmland for all of them to work, the whole family is driven apart. How can they find a way back to each other–and what does it really mean to be “together”?
LOVE AND SONS received an NMI staff table reading.
THIRD PRIZE:
GLASS CEILINGS
Music and Lyrics: Laura Watkins, Book by Nicholas David Brandt
GLASS CEILINGS is the story of historical women - whose stories you should but probably don’t know - who find themselves in the surreal afterlife of Hergatory, a cabaret bar where feminists go when they die. They balance telling their stories with watching current events unravel, waiting with bated breath for more glass ceilings to come tumbling down.
GLASS CEILINGS received a Detailed Analysis from an NMI dramaturge.
SPECIAL MERIT:
WEEDS
Book and Music by Adam Gubman
WEEDS is a fantasy movie musical about a young woman trapped in a mental institution somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Through the ultimate desire to create color and life in the fantastic (and somewhat horrific) magical world around her, she and her friends discover that true elevation lies in empowering each other, and through their understanding, find an escape to a better world.
SPECIAL MERIT:
ROSE PETALS AND ASHES
Book, lyrics, and music by Bill Berry
ROSE PETALS AND ASHES is a one-person song cycle about a songwriter struggling with addiction and the memories of his mother.
THE 2018 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
THE BULLY PROBLEM
by Michael Gordon Shapiro
Fourteen-year-old tech genius Kevin tries to steer clear of the struggle between nerds and bullies at Van Der Bort Junior High. But when he inherits an android from his inventor father, Kevin ends up providing robotic bodyguard service — and gets thrown into the thick of the conflict!
The Bully Problem was developed through NMI’s Sandbox; has received a couple of readings at NMI; and will be receiving a full production at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in the summer of 2019.
SECOND PRIZE:
THE FLESH TRADE
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Chris Holoyda
Honey is a lady of the night working on the line in Tombstone, Arizona at the turn of the century. When a surviving member of the Donner Party asks her to start procuring meat for him and his rowdy gang of cannibal buddies - human meat, specifically - Honey dives into doing dirty deeds for not so cheap. Will she ever find her way out of the flesh trade, or has she bitten off more than she can chew?
The Flesh Trade will receive a Staff Table Reading.
THIRD PRIZE:
WAYWARD SONS
book, music & lyrics by Bradley Buck
A secular, operatic re-telling of the story of the Prodigal Son that follows said son on his adventures as he learns some valuable life lessons before coming home.
Wayward Sons will receive a Detailed Analysis.
SPECIAL MERIT:
GOT IT ALL
Book / Music / Lyrics by Sidney James
GOT IT ALL is a multi media musical drama tracing a downward spiral of celebrity, race, sex and money through the labyrinth of the contemporary American justice system. Is there justice for all under the law? The accused claims innocence. Friends want to believe. Lawyers want to win.
THE 2017 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
BRAVO
Book by Cristian Guerrero and Andrew Moorehead, Music by Steven Schmidt, Lyrics by Cristian Guerrero, Andrew Moorhead, and Steven Schmidt
Bravo takes place in Italy during the second World War. It tells the story of Renzo, a sharp tongued and misunderstood fourteen year old, who struggles to fit in with his peers in a faction of the Mussolini Fascist Youth movement. When he finds himself helping a group of Jewish children hiding in the tunnels beneath the city, he begins to question whether or not the hate he’s been taught is morally right.
BRAVO was originally submitted through the New Voices Project, and then againf or the SEARCH. The show received an ARC workshop in the fall of 2017; and a concert reading in the summer of 2018 as part of the BIZ Conference.
SECOND PRIZE:
ALEXANDER
Book and lyrics by Gabriel Rotello; Music by Gabriel Rotello based upon the piano sonatas of Ludwig Van Beethoven
Alexander is about the life of the infamous Alexander the Great - focussing on his relationship with his mystical mother Queen Olympias (who believes Alexander is the son of Zeus); and his best friend Hephastion (who dreams of a world united by the ideals of ancient Greece). Hailed in Asia as a living god, Alexander begins to believe in his own divinity, setting in motion an epic betrayal of his Greek ideals, his Macedonian companions, and his oldest friend Hephastion.
ALEXANDER received a staff table reading and evaluation.
THIRD PRIZE:
SANTA RETURNS
Book, Music and Lyrics by Stefan Broadley
Santa Returns is the adult parable of little doubting Tommy who becomes a true believer after meeting Santa (in a dream), and forms a club with his friends to preach the good news. But a war breaks out with the evil Easter Bunny believers, and the Santa kids steal their toys on Christmas Eve expecting Santa to return to prove them right. But only when Tommy gets knocked unconscious does Santa return and reveal that (like god) he’s spiritually, not literally true.
SANTA RETURNS will receive a Detailed Analysis from the NMI Staff.
THE 2016 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
SPELLBOUND: A Perfect Musical Fairytale
Book, Music and Lyrics by Ben Boecker
Spellbound! tells the story of Cedarella, a witch who identifies more with Princesses than Witches, so she runs away from home to seek her One True Love in the mountains. She meets an Extreme Gardener named Hunter, whom she likes but ultimately rejects because he is not tall enough. Cedarella finally meets her perfect One True Love only to discover that he is a robot designed by her evil aunts to suck all of the love out of her heart. Will Cedarella be able to meld her fairytale vision of love with the real world? Or will her evil aunts suck all of the love out of her heart before she can?
SPELLBOUND received an ARC workshop in the fall of 2016; and a concert reading as part of the STAGES Festival July of 2017.
SECOND PRIZE:
WIKIMUSICAL
Book and Lyrics by Frank Ceruzzi and Blake J. Harris; Music by Trent Jeffords
WikiMusical tells the epic tale of two estranged brothers who are magically zapped inside the Internet. The brothers must put aside their differences and come to terms with their pasts in order to save the future. A quintessential quest story, WikiMusical shows us how our obsession with the virtual world has affected our ability to live in the real one.
WIKIMUSICAL received a staff table reading and evaluation.
THIRD PRIZE:
ASSISTANTS
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Bryan Blaskie and Manny Hagopian
Assistants the Musical follows four aspiring Hollywood go-getters as they explore the superiority complex and the glamorous lifestyle of Los Angeles that seems to elevate its participants above “ordinary” people. They maneuver around long hours, degrading work, and hostile environments in the name of their big dream. All alone in the bustling city of L.A., the characters find that they may need some assistance of their own.
ASSISTANTS received a Detailed Analysis from the NMI Staff.
THE 2015 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
INVISIBLE
Book by David Hollingsworth, music and lyrics by David Orris
Invisible is the story of high school nerds Griff and Kemper, who are determined to get popular enough to take the hot girls to the prom, despite warnings from their under-appreciated goth friend Hemlock. When their scientific experiment goes horribly wrong, Griff needs to figure out who is really standing by him, and whether or not being popular is all its cracked up to be.
Invisible received an enhanced concert reading at the Colony Theatre and at 3D Theatricals in June of 2016 (with a band and a puppet!) and is currently in further development with 3D Theatricals.
SECOND PRIZE:
CAROLINE AND GEORGE
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Michael Finke
Caroline & George is an outrageous musical comedy that follows the trials and tribulations of the not-so-happy couple, Caroline of Brunswick and the future King George IV (who were married, reluctantly, in 1795), as they push through their marriage, affairs, addictions, flatulence, and separations on their journey towards the crown of England … ultimately changing a nation.
Caroline and George received a workshop with the Academy Repertory Company, followed by a staff evaluation.
THIRD PRIZE:
MORALITY PLAY
Book and Lyrics by Janet Burroway, Music by Matthew M. Kiedrowski and Curtis Powell
Morality Play takes place in the England of the 14th century, a bitter winter in a time of plague: A traveling troupe of actors takes on a runaway priest. They come to a town where a young boy has been murdered and a beautiful deaf woman condemned for it. They can’t get an audience — because who wants a Morality Play when there’s real mystery afoot? How can they get back their audience except by Docudrama? In the process of inventing their murder story, they uncover the truth of a plot that mixes procurement, abuse, a Monk confessor and a powerful Duke.
Morality Play received a Detailed Analysis from the NMI Staff.
THE 2014 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
OFF THE WALL
Book & Lyrics by Sarah Rebell, Music by Danny Abosch
Off the Wall is a musical comedy loosely inspired by the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. In this ninety minute, original musical, the Mona Lisa is brought to life when Vincenzo, a museum worker who idolizes the famous painting, kisses her. Much to Vincenzo’s dismay, Mona Lisa immediately starts causing chaos all over Paris. This fresh, tongue-in-cheek musical may take place in the Belle Époque, 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.
OFF THE WALL received an ARC Workshop, and was presented as part of STAGES 2015 in Los Angeles and Anaheim.
SECOND PRIZE:
THE ANARCHIST GIRL
Book and Lyrics by J. Linn Allen, Music by Cris Wo
In a time of political chaos, a sexy, gun-waving radical invades the home of a famous philosopher-poet, intending to kidnap him to promote her anarchist group. But he is mute from a stroke, so she conceals her plot and sets out to help him speak again. She also seduces his suicidal math-genius son while battling the great man’s bitter wife and party-girl daughter. Once her plan is revealed, the lives of the entire family change.
THE ANARCHIST GIRL received a workshop with ARC, and was presented as part of the 2015 STAGES Festival of New Musicals.
THIRD PRIZE:
INVISIBLE
Book by David Hollingsworth, music and lyrics by David Orris
Invisible is the story of high school nerds Griff and Kemper, who are determined to get popular enough to take the hot girls to the prom, despite warnings from their under-appreciated goth friend Hemlock. When their scientific experiment goes horribly wrong, Griff needs to figure out who is really standing by him, and whether or not being popular is all its cracked up to be.
INVISIBLE received a workshop with ARC, and was presented as part of the 2015 STAGES Festival of New Musicals in Los Angeles and Anaheim (with 3D Theatricals).
THE 2013 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
It Happened in Roswell
by Terrence Atkins and Jeffery Lyle Segal
It Happened in Roswell (formerly titled I Come For Love) tells the story of an ambitious reporter who cooks up a bogus UFO story in Roswell, New Mexico (just after World War 2); and is thrown for a loop when he finds himself falling in love with an actual alien who has come to earth looking for the emotions she has heard about through radio transmissions but can’t find on her home planet.
IT HAPPENED IN ROSWELL received a workshop with ARC, and a developmental production at the NoHo Arts Center in North Hollywood during the summer of 2014.
SECOND PRIZE:
THE LOOKING GLASS WARS
Book, Lyrics and Music by Kurt Kuenne; based on the novel by Frank Beddor
The Looking Glass Wars is a musical adaptation of the popular trilogy which tells the “real” story behind Lewis Carroll’s “distorted” version.
THE LOOKING GLASS WARS received a staff table reading at NMI.
THIRD PRIZE:
INFAMOUS
book by Karen M. Cohen, music and lyrics by Stephen Kingsbury, and additional music and lyrics by Karen M. Cohen
Infamous tells the story of a rock star on the decline who runs into a rock star on her way up to stardom.
INFAMOUS was awarded a Detailed Analysis.
THE 2012 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
Mad Bomber
Book and Lyrics by Charles Monagan, Music by Richard DeRosa
Mad Bomber tells the true story of a madman with a grudge against Con Edison who plants a series of bombs in 1950s Manhattan. Concerted effort by cops, politicians, reporters leads to his capture.
MAD BOMBER received an ARC Workshop in January of 2013, and a concert reading as part of the STAGES Festival in summer of 2013.
SECOND PRIZE:
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Book, Lyrics, and Music by Stephen Telfer
Chapter Eleven depicts the collapse of a major corporation from the point of view of its indicted CEO, whose lawyer is preparing his defense in the form of a musical.
CHAPTER ELEVEN received a staff table reading and a full evaluation.
THIRD PRIZE:
Jack The Ripper
Book by Dan Kehde, music by Mark Scarpelli
Jack the Ripper is a new exploration of the iconic tale of the 1880’s murderer who haunted the streets of London and was never apprehended.
JACK THE RIPPER won a detailed Analysis by the ANMT dramaturgical staff.
THE 2011 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
EMERALD
book & lyrics by Chris Burgess, music by Denise Wright
An Irish-American woman returns to the land of her ancestors, and finds herself “haunted” by the famed Black Pig.
EMERALD received an ARC Workshop in May of 2011, and a concert reading at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood in February of 2012.
SECOND PRIZE:
LIFE AFTER LIFE
Written by Tracey Langran Corea; Music and Lyrics by Thaddeus Corea and Tracey Corea; Music by Thaddeus Corea
Life After Life is a modern rock musical about a group of loved ones who confront a past that binds them together in this life and the afterlife. Worlds collide and truths are revealed, they begin to understand, to heal, and to move forward in their lives… and in their deaths.
LIFE AFTER LIFE received an NMI staff table reading and feedback session in the summer of 2011.
SECOND PRIZE:
THE SPIRIT OF RIVER CITY
by Randolph Hobler
In heaven, an elder Meredith Willson decides to go back in time to Mason City in 1928 to invisibly debate with his younger self, to repair the terrible relationship he had with his father the first time. This show also fills the hole in The Music Man–the life of Meredith Willson himself. Many adventures ensue as young Meredith runs away to San Francisco, falls in love and returns to Mason City in musical triumph.
THE SPIRIT OF RIVER CITY received an ANMT staff table reading and feedback session in the fall of 2011.
THIRD PRIZE:
SILAS MARNER
by Cathy Elliott
Silas Marner is based on George Eliot’s third novel, Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe, first published in 1861, which tells the story of a reclusive weaver who becomes the unlikely guardian of an abandoned child.
SILAS MARNER won an ANMT Detailed Analysis.
THE 2010 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
GILBERT & SULLIVAN ON WALL STREET
book and lyrics by Charles Veley, music by Arthur Sullivan.
Ex-billionaire Wall Street entrepreneur Frederick F. Freemarket is about to save the world’s economy, make billions of dollars for his employees, and redeem his good name. What could possibly go wrong? This loving homage to the world of W.S. Gilbert , set to the music of Arthur Sullivan, is updated to the current stock market crisis.
GILBERT & SULLIVAN ON WALL STREET received a workshop with the Academy Repertory Company in May of 2010, and a concert reading on November 15 as part of the 2010-11 Concert Reading Series at the Colony Theatre in Burbank.
SECOND PRIZE:
THE NEXT FAIRY TALE
by Brian Pugach
Imagine the chaos in fairy-tale land when the object of the Prince’s affection turns out to be - another Prince!
THE NEXT FAIRY TALE received an ANMT staff table reading and feedback session in May of 2010.
THIRD PRIZE:
STRANGER TO THE MUSE
book and lyrics by Patrick Gallagher and music by Adam David Cohen
An aspiring screenwriter who knows nothing about love but is told he must incorporate it into his screenplay, decides to examine the great philosophical, literary, and cinematic explorations of love - causing the stories to come alive around him.
STRANGER TO THE MUSE won an NMI Detailed Analysis.
THE 2009 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
GREENBRIER GHOST
book by Susan Murray, music and lyrics by Clay Zambo
A dead woman’s ghost comes back from the grave to accuse her husband of her murder.
GREENBRIER GHOST was featured at ASCAP/Disney in 2005. After winning the 2009 Search, it received a workshop with the Academy Repertory Company and a concert reading as part of the 2009-10 Concert Reading Series at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. It then received a world premiere production at Spirit of Broadway in the spring of 2010.
SECOND PRIZE:
EMERALD
book & lyrics by Chris Burgess, music by Denise Wright
An Irish-American woman returns to the land of her ancestors, and finds herself “haunted” by the famed Black Pig.
EMERALD received an NMI staff table reading and feedback session in the 2010-11 season.
THIRD PRIZE:
DULA
book by Paul Elliott, music by Jeanie Cunningham, lyrics by Cunningham & Elliott
A fresh look at the story behind the infamous ballad of Tom Dooley.
DULA received a Detailed Analysis.
SPECIAL MERIT:
Girl Detective
Book/lyrics by Alan Gordon; Music by Mark Sutton-Smith
No secrets are safe now that the amazing Casey Ames is on the case!
THE 2008 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS
FIRST PRIZE:
THE WATER
Book by Tim Werenko and Jeff Hylton, Lyrics by Jeff Hylton, Music by Georgia Stitt
A small American town comes to terms with the aftermath of a devastating flood.
THE WATER received a workshop with the Academy Repertory Company in May of 2008, and a concert reading as part of the 2008-09 Concert Reading Series at the Colony Theatre in Burbank.
SECOND PRIZE:
ROCKET BOYS
book by Homer Hickam, Jr., stage adaptation by Chris Budinich, music & lyrics by Diana Belkowski and Dan Tramon, dramaturgy by Carl Anthony Tramon
Based on the book by Homer Hickam, Jr. that was made into the feature film October Sky.
ROCKET BOYS received an NMI staff table reading and feedback session in May of 2008.
THIRD PRIZE:
UNWRITTEN RULES
book by Danny Abosch and Tommy Noland, music & lyrics by Danny Abosch
A brand new teacher discovers high school politics.
UNWRITTEN RULES received an ANMT Analysis.
SPECIAL MERIT:
IDAHO: the Comedy Musical
book & lyrics by Buddy Sheffield, music by Buddy Sheffield and Keith Thompson
A loving (if slightly naughty) tribute to the musicals of yore, Idaho was the winner of the Audience Pick prize at the 2008 New York Musical Theatre Festival.
IDAHO received a concert reading as part of the 2008-09 Concert Reading Series at the Colony Theatre in Burbank.
Note: There are fees attached to all of the levels of development available through NMI. We know that some writers do not feel that there should be fees attached to script submissions, but our feeling is that the fee is for the feedback, and the entry into the Search is a side benefit. If you are submitting your musical ONLY because you want to win a contest, then the Search probably isn’t right for you.
annual deadline: July 15
“Elise Dewsberry is spot on. Her approach is thorough, extensive, direct and supportive. Her comments resonated as she identified and made suggestions for the hiccups and obstacles that had been thwarting us for too long. We wish we had her help years ago, and we look forward to working with her again soon on all of our projects.”
Caroline Sherman & Robert Hull
Empire the Musical
Search 2013 Winner It Happened in Roswell by Terrence Atkins and Jeffery Lyle Segal - in concert at the Colony Theatre
not sure?
We know that the many choices we offer can be overwhelming. So please check out the informational videos in which NMI’s Artistic Director talks about the various options NMI has on offer.
NOTE: Every project is unique, and requirements will differ. NMI staff will guide the musical to the appropriate level of feedback; nine times out of ten, we will steer you towards the least expensive version. We find, for instance, that the majority of musicals benefit most from the Detailed Analysis ($400), and that it’s unnecessary to involve actors or audience until the book is functioning. Give us a call at 818-506-8500, and we’ll be happy to help determine the right option for you.
“The Search evaluation provided not only insights, but also inspirations … and transformed the rewrite process into something exciting and fun!”
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“Thanks for the honest evaluation. That’s not easy to come by and the level of detail you provided far exceeded my expectations so I feel I got more than my money’s worth.”
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“If anyone is hesitant about the cost of submitting to you guys, be sure to have them talk to me. Your evaluations are worth ten times the fee.”
“Elise is the Sherlock Holmes of dramaturgy. With her keen eye, extensive knowledge and thoughtful commentary, she has managed to suss out exactly what the creatives must do to improve their story-telling. I’d love to have her expertise on all new shows I work on.”
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Director/Choreographer
Ragtime, High Society, Secret Garden
