| MMTL TO RELAUNCH OPERATIONS | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 03:55 pm EST 01/31/25 | |
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| MANHATTAN MUSICAL THEATRE LAB TO RELAUNCH OPERATIONS, REVIVE NEW MUSICAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM MMTL aspires to become the preeminent grassroots organization focused primarily on the early-stage development of musical theatre works (January 31, 2025–Manhattan, NY) Manhattan Musical Theatre Lab (MMTL) is thrilled to announce that it will relaunch operations this year. The organization, whose revitalized mission is to identify new musical theatre creators and serve as an incubator for the development of their work, will resume efforts under new leadership, helmed by President and General Director James Benjamin Rodgers. "When the opportunity arose to reshape MMTL, we really wanted to take the time to research the existing structures serving the creation of new musical theatre," said Rodgers. "This allowed us to identify some critical gaps in the support network for emerging creators." Founded by Bick Goss in 1999 as " Musical Mondays," MMTL's active years gained the organization recognition for nurturing new musical theatre writers by presenting their works in early stages under the supervision of Producing Artistic Director Frank Evans. Important works that were initially conceived with MMTL include the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Next to Normal (under title Feeling Electric) by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, and It Shoulda Been You by Barbara Anselmi, directed by David Hyde Pierce and starring Tyne Daly at George Street Playhouse. The organization paused operations in 2018. In its new incarnation, MMTL has a strong interest in work with high artistic merit, whose commercial viability is not immediately apparent. Rodgers says, "Given the financial burden associated with creating musical theatre, titles without inherent name recognition face an uphill battle in order to be produced at the highest level. We hope to provide some buoyancy to artist-driven work in its infancy." MMTL's New Works Initiative will empower creative teams and individuals to develop new musical theatre work by providing operational, artistic and administrative support throughout a three-phase, multi-year process. "Prioritizing the artistic focus of creatives, especially when their works are in primary stages, can be the difference between an underdeveloped, rudimentary piece with no prospects, and one filled with passion, sustainability and true artistic merit," said Amanda Calvin, MMTL Administrative Director. "We've observed that the amount of logistical work required to get a show on its feet often presents a burden to writers, shifting their energy away from their creative process. MMTL has committed to this early stage of the development process to allow them to focus on the work of creating the show, rather than the infrastructure required to support its creation." The inaugural project for MMTL's New Works Initiative is The Debutantes, by Sam Norman and Eliza Randall. The musical tracks the meteoric rise and quiet erasure of the female codebreakers of Bletchley Park. Norman and Randall will receive fiscal, administrative and production support, mentorship, and artistic guidance for the development of their piece in preparation for a reading and workshop this fall. "We are over the moon to be debuting The Debutantes with the Manhattan Musical Theatre Lab," said Norman and Randall. "MMTL is doing wonderful work in providing long-term creative, logistical and financial support to artist-driven projects. It's a rare gift to be given the space to work on songs, not spreadsheets, and we couldn't be more excited!" To learn more about the Manhattan Musical Theatre Lab's relaunch and initiatives, please visit mmtl.org. |
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