Mission Statement:
Millikin University’s New Musicals Workshop mission is to foster original music theatre works by emerging writers and composers and to serve those writing teams to help them further develop their work. We create an environment where the focus is on the writers’ collaborative process with creative artists in an educational setting, providing the writers with valuable insight into their work and providing student and faculty artists with the opportunity to work with industry professionals in the service of the art form and its evolution.
Artistic Director: Lori Bales
Music Director: Kevin Long
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Christopher Dimond and Michael Kooman
with cast of dani girl
(Jenny Guse, Kevin White,
Kayla Bennett, Billy Seger)
January 2009 |
“The fact that such a program exists within the walls of a university is nothing short of extraordinary. Allowing students to experience a new musical workshop, to develop the skills necessary to thrive in such a setting, and to make connections with artists currently working in the field will certainly give them a significant advantage as they make the difficult transition from students to professionals.”
Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond
Writers of dani girl and Golden Gate and winners of the 2010 Larson Award
About the New Musicals Workshop
Over the last several years Millikin’s Department of Theatre and Dance has been developing an exciting an innovative program known as the New Musicals Workshop. In the workshop, students and faculty collaborate with professional writer/composer teams in the development of new musicals intended for commercial production. The collaboration provides students with a unique and intensive learning experience in the craft of writing, composing and rehearsing a musical from the ground up, AND provides the professional writers with a laboratory environment where they can use the talents, skills, facilities and resources that Millikin’s Department of Theatre and Dance has to offer. Students serve as actors, production managers, stage managers, dramaturges, and accompanists. The professional relationships cultivated through this collaboration are mutually beneficial to students entering the industry and to working professionals already established in that industry. The New Musicals Workshop at Millikin University has grown in a relatively short time to be one of the few university programs in the country recognized by the Broadway community as an opportunity for established writers to develop new musicals destined for Broadway and beyond.
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Lili Torre and Jake VanderLinden in
Ordinary Days |
Composers and lyricists the Workshop has hosted in the past include:
Facilities and Resources:
- artistic staff, including director, music director, dramaturg, musicians, and designers
- administrative support
- technical support
- rehearsal studios and practice rooms
- a variety of performance venues
- a state of the art recording studio
Submitting New Work for developement:
We are interested in experiences where we can serve the development of new work with artistry and resources provided by Millikin faculty and students. Millikin has designed the workshop to develop new works on a continuum from first drafts to fully realized productions, depending on the needs of the writers. We’re looking for a good fit in terms of material, development trajectory, and the needs and expectations of the writing team. Writers with a relationship to our program or recommended by other NAMT members are encouraged to submit work for review. To have your work considered, please send the following:
- A cover letter that describes desired next steps in terms of the development needs and projected trajectory dates, if applicable
- A script, score, and sample CD sent electronically to lbales@millikin.edu or kwlong@millikin.edu or hard copy by mail to Lori Bales, Millikin University, Department of Theatre and Dance, 1184 W. Main St., Decatur, IL 62522.
The best time to submit is late spring and early summer; submissions will not be returned.