This year marks my twelfth Festival with NAMT, and my 100th Festival presentation launched into the world. Over that time, I’ve watched this event change the lives of countless artists. I know that because it’s changed mine. I’m deeply thankful to those that joined us this October, especially in a year when, for many of us, simply getting here was exceptionally harder than it should be. 

I hope that you found a bit of shelter with us, at least for a moment, the same kind you offer to others as theatre makers. Theatres are sanctuaries: safe spaces for artists, audiences, students and staff alike. They are also places where we confront our most difficult truths.

Our practice in these spaces and the responsibility we carry as tenants of these temples has become the same as that of healers — of bridging divides, of gathering a soul, of growing the senses. 

But I want to reprogram you just a little a bit. You are healers, yes, but I want you to also be guardians.

It’s your job now to protect storytelling and pursue expression. If we’ve learned anything over the last ten months, it’s that everything you’ve witnessed this Festival season is on the chopping block. From now on, if not for you, this could be gone. 

NAMT is a place where people from all around the world gather to celebrate the storyteller. But we can’t leave the responsibility of storytelling to the writers alone. You, right now, must protect it.

And you’re not alone. For all the differences around us, we share an unshakeable belief in the freedom to tell a story. Freedom is a force. You are an Alliance, and you are undeniably strong when you stand together. I’ve seen this firsthand. You are remarkable people living in a moment where you have been dealt several generations' worth of career-defining, life-defining challenges in a matter of five or so years. And even in that, you are creating new things. 

If anyone can save us, it’s you. And an endless timeline of new stories will become your constellation in the sky, a reminder forever of how you met this moment, and how you made it here together.

Thank you for being part of NAMT. 

Learn more about our Resiliency Campaign, and double down your support of the NAMT membership.

Stay in the loop! Check out announcements from the NAMT Network:

BROADWAY POD: NAMT New Works Director Frankie Dailey covers the Festival of New Musicals and a deep dive into the selection process for Stuart Brown's ON BROADWAY podcast. 

FRED EBB AWARD: Veronica Mansour (Fest '24) & Sophie Boyce, creators of THE DARK LADY, win the 21st Annual Fred Ebb Award.

DEATHLESS EP: Zack Zadek (FYFNM '23) releases studio cast recording of DEATHLESS with Ghostlight Records, streaming everywhere now. 

NAMT MEMBER CONFERENCE KEYNOTES: Videos of the Meet the Writers session, Val Vigoda's Keynote Concert and an excerpt of Brett Egan's Keynote Presentation are now available to logged-in members on the Fall Conference page on our website. 

SONGS FOR HANDS: NAMT Members Prospect Musicals & New York Theatre Barn to present SONGS FOR HANDS ON A THURSDAY by Jay Alan Zimmerman (FYFNM '25 & I&EF '25)) on Nov 15-16 in NYC. Use code "HANDS" for $5 off. 

CHRISTMAS ON THE COAST: Broadway Star Desi Oakley to release holiday song "Christmas on the Coast" by Martin Storrow (Fest '22, FYFNM '23) & Dan Diaz, streaming everywhere Nov 21st.

EXTENDED OFF-BROADWAY: BEAU THE MUSICAL by Douglas Lyons & Ethan Pakchar (both FYFNM '18 & '19) extends Off-Broadway through January 2026. Use code "BEAUNAMT" for 25% off.  

ICYMI: Matthew Hardy saw 8 musicals in two days at the 37th Annual Festival! Watch his coverage and join him for the full Fest ride. 

By Daniella Ignacio
for American Theatre Magazine
www.americantheatre.org

Reflections on craft, style, new voices, and more at National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s recent fall conference and Festival of New Musicals.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals at New World Stages, which ran for its 37th year Oct. 23-24, offers an annual chance to reflect on the state of new musicals and wonder: What does the future of musical theatre look like? As an artist who has performed and worked on music teams for new works, I hoped to see unconventional musicals by underrepresented artists pushing the form. This year I had an added question: How are creators thinking creatively amid tough times?

In one whirlwind week, I got glimpses of the musical theatre future: personal stories leaning into vulnerability, connection, power—revolution, even—with new voices that speak to a political world. Seeing seasoned and emerging artists telling stories of young people with historical and cultural influences to advance the form of tomorrow’s musicals made me think: The intersection of well-honed craft, evolving musical styles, diverse voices, and untold stories is where musical theatre storytelling is, and should be, heading. [Read More.]

Follow @americantheatremag and hear more from Daniella's conversations with the Festival writers!

Submissions for the 2025-2026 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge for High School Students opened Monday, November 10, and we need your help to spread the word to the students in your communities!

What is the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge?
Presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge is a unique educational opportunity for high school students all across the country to write and showcase original songs that could be part of a musical. With an interactive submission process, students receive feedback from industry professionals on their work, and are invited to attend free, online educational events and workshops led by professional musical theatre writers to further develop their songwriting skills.

For events and more on how to get started, visit namt.org/challenge. 

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre is now accepting submissions for our 38th Annual Festival of New Musicals, which will take place on Thursday, October 22 and Friday, October 23, 2026 in New York City. All writers can submit an application for Festival consideration for free by December 16, 2025. Head over to namt.org/festapp to learn more about how to submit your show.

SUBMISSION DUE DATES:
The Free Submit deadline, which allows writers to submit their musical without paying a fee, is Tuesday, December 16 (11:59pm PST).

The Late Submit deadline for all submissions is Tuesday, January 6 (11:59pm PST). Late fees apply.`

Visit namt.org/festapp to learn more and get started. 

Through the Frank Young Fund for New Musicals, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) supports collaborations between member theatres and musical theatre writers. Through a competitive submission process, NAMT’s Frank Young Fund provides grants to support new musicals at all stages of development, at theatres of all sizes, with the goal of bringing quality new musicals to audiences across the country. In 2025, NAMT reached $1 million in awards to member organizations through the Frank Young Fund for New Musicals.

You can read more about the grants and find the application on our website
(don't forget to log in!). 

🔵 Writers Residency Grants - To support the collaboration between producers and writers at a NAMT member theatre, at any phase of a musical’s development, with preference given to projects at the earliest stages of development that cannot be funded by other Frank Young Fund grants. Writers Residency Grant applications are now being accepted, and are due on December 5, 2025 (no intent to apply required). 
This round is for projects taking place from January 1, 2026 – June 30, 2026.

🔵 Project Development Grant – To enable producers and writers to develop and refine works at the staged reading and workshop level. The intended outcome is a workshop or reading of the piece, a finished script or a demo CD. Awards are up to $5,000 and the recipient must match the grant 2 to 1.

🔵 Production Grant – To support a full production of a new musical with the potential to enrich the repertory. The intended outcome is a full production at one theatre or multiple productions among many theatres.  Awards range from $5,000-$10,000 and the recipient must match the grant 3 to 1.

Project Development Grant and Production Grant Letters of Intent are now being accepted, and are due by December 16, 2025. The due date for full applications for all Project Development and Production Grants will be on February 2, 2026.
This round is for projects taking place from May 1, 2026 - October 31, 2027

38th Annual Festival of New Musicals Submission info Session
November 17th, 4pm ET
Free Online Event

NAMT New Works Director Frankie Dailey and NAMT New Works Associate Skye Cone Ivey will walk you through the application process for this year’s Festival of New Musicals in this free webinar. Registration is required.

The first deadline, which allows writers to submit their musical for free, is Tuesday, December 16 (11:59pm ET).

The final deadline for all submissions is Tuesday, January 6 (11:59pm ET). Late fees apply.

Recipe for Songwriting: Lyric Structure
November 17, 7-8:30pm ET
Free Online Event

This event is for High School Students interested in the Songwriting Challenge.

How do you go from initial idea to a song written on the page? From beginning to middle to end? From Verse-Intro to Final Chorus? Join NAMT for our Song Structure Series: Recipe for Songwriting, where we’ll dive into the musical and lyrical elements of strong structure over the course of two workshops to give you the tools for getting your song to a first draft.

Featuring Shannon Burkett (The Female Pope, Fest '22)

December Office Hours: Festival of New Musicals & Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge
December 8, 6-8pm ET
Free Online Event

Submitting to the 38th Annual Festival of New Musicals or the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge for High School Students? Do you have specific questions not covered during our info session or on our website? Drop in during our Office Hours, where you can address any outstanding questions one-on-one with a NAMT staff member. 

December Office Hours will take place on Monday, December 8 from 6pm ET to 8pm ET.  You may sign in and see a NAMT Staff Member at any time during this period as they are available to assist you.

NAMT’s Management Roundtable is back! …in a slightly new form. Join us on Tuesday, January 13 for a special online-only forum on topics facing theatre education departments. Sessions will feature case studies, best practices, and most importantly lots of time to share your own questions and success stories and make connections with colleagues. 

The detailed agenda will be announced soon, but you can register now and pay just $10 to attend! Rates will increase on December 1.

Go to namt.org/roundtable for more information and to register today

Pearl Studios is the official rehearsal studio for the NAMT Festival of New Musicals. Pearl Studios is conveniently located in Midtown Manhattan on 8th Avenue between 35th & 36th Streets, and offers two floors of clean, bright and flexible rooms fit for all your rehearsal needs. For bookings, call 212-904-1850 or email contactus@pearlstudiosnyc.com.