The Chicago Musical Theatre Festival (Chicago, IL)

The Chicago Musical Theatre Festival is a new-works festival produced by Underscore Theatre company and two other groups. For information on this juried festival for new musicals go to http://steppenwolf.org/CMTF

NEXT Festival, Theater Latté Da (Minneapolois, MN)

Founded in 1998, Theater Latté Da (TLD) is in its 27th season of presenting original and re-imagined musical theater. Theater Latté Da creates new and impactful connections between story, music, artist, and audience – exploring and expanding the art of musical theater. TLD is dedicated to expanding the American Musical Theater with work that speaks to a contemporary audience. Our Festival provides a 2 week combined residency and workshop opportunity for 3 – 4 creative teams each summer. Each project culminates in two public presentations. For more information, visit https://www.latteda.org/next-25×25

RAW STAGES: New Works Festival (Minneapolis, MN)

RAW STAGES: New Works Festival is an opportunity to get an inside look at the script development process and provide feedback for the playwrights. The Festival will feature six staged readings of scripts-in-process, directed and performed by professional artists. Following each reading, audiences will be invited to join a live talkback with the artistic team and cast. More information at https://www.historytheatre.com/raw-stages-new-works-festival-2

Eugene O’Neill National Music Theater Conference

The National Music Theater Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center is “the nation’s premier program for the development of all styles and genres of original music theater, including musicals, song cycles, operas, and hybrid pieces.” Every summer, unproduced work is selected from a nationwide pool of submissions for a two-week-long, artist-driven workshop residency on the O’Neill’s campus in Waterford, CT. Selected pieces are matched with a team of directors, dramaturgs, musicians, and actors for an intensive rehearsal period, culminating in three public, script-in-hand readings. At every step in the process, the O’Neill strives to foster an inclusive, collaborative environment in which artistic exploration and experimentation is encouraged. 

Under the leadership of founding artistic director Paulette Haupt, NMTC uplifted scores of Broadway-bound musicals and their makers—highlights include In the Heights by Lin Manuel-Miranda and Quiera Allegra Hudes; Avenue Q by Robert Lopez, Robert Marx, and Jeff Witty; and Violet by Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley.

Current artistic director, Alex Gemignani, took up the mantle in 2017. Under his curation, NMTC has had the pleasure of supporting a myriad of music theater artists on the cutting edge of the field—including Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael R. Jackson (Teeth), Gavin Creel (Walk on Through), Masi Asare (The Family Resemblance), and more.

For more information, visit theoneill.org/nmtc

Goodspeed’s Festival of New Musicals (CT) 

The Festival has launched more than 50 new musicals into the universe, sending them across the country, to Broadway, and around the world! At this festival, spend a weekend filled with insider events, seminars, cabarets, and staged readings of brand-new works as the brightest writers and performers collaborate to create the future of America’s greatest art form. For more about Goodspeed’s festival, visit goodspeed.org/fnm.

IN THE WORKS ~ IN THE WOODS Theatre Festival (NY)

The IN THE WORKS ~ IN THE WOODS Theatre Festival was created and founded in 2021 at the Forestburgh Playhouse.  It grew out of the passion for nurturing, developing and celebrating new plays and musicals ~ and the diverse writers and artists who bring them to life. During an exhilarating week every September, dozens of creators from around the country gather on our enchanting Forestburgh, NY campus to rehearse, rewrite, commune, workshop and share their gifts with our community at large. Over the course of the festival weekend – we present staged readings of the new plays, new musicals and 2 new solo cabaret acts. For more about their festival, visit fbplayhouse.org/itw.

Newport NewWorks Musical Theatre Festival (RI)

The Newport NewWorks Musical Theater Festival is more than just a gathering of talented artists—it’s a creative community dedicated to the development of new musicals. They write, “Each summer, we bring together a diverse group of artists for a two-week residency focused on collaboration, innovation, and artistic growth in beautiful Newport, Rhode Island. The residency is focused on the development of specific new musicals selected through a rigorous application process. The festival culminates in public workshop performances of the works where audiences get a rare glimpse of the heart of the creative process.” For more information, visit newportnewworks.org.

Powerhouse Theater in Poughkeepsie, New York

Although not labeled a festival, this summer program has a festival feel and is a good place to see works by contemporary writers. Vassar and New York Stage and Film partner to create this event. “For six weeks every summer the Powerhouse Season brings fully-produced plays, musical workshops, and readings of works-in-progress to the college campus. In all, more than 200 professional artists come to Powerhouse each season and bring to life 20-25 new works.” They do not accept open submissions. Powerhouse at Vassar

Williamstown Theatre Festival

Set in the scenic Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, this festival develops some new plays and musicals, and accepts agented submissions only. For audiences, it is an opportunity to see professionals perform engaging works. Williamstown Theatre Festival

National Alliance for Musical Theatres (NAMT)

NAMT holds one of the most prestigious annual festivals and is frequented by many industry professionals. A limited number of musicals receive a forty-five minute showcase at the fall festival in New York City. Among the many musicals launched by NAMT’s annual Festival of New Musicals are Thoroughly Modern Millie, Children of Eden, HONK!, The Drowsy Chaperone, Ruthless!, Songs for a New World, and many others! namt.org

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Across a Crowded Room Series

NYPL’s annual incubator program series, called Across a Crowded Room, gives theater makers the chance to connect with others working across the industry. This summer-long program puts lyricists, composers, and bookwriters into a room together to form connections, collaborate, and ultimately create new 20-minute musical theater pieces to present at the Library for the Performing Arts. You can catch these free presentations at the library all summer long!

More details on the program can be found at nypl.org/research/lpa/events/across-a-crowded-room.

New York Stage and Film’s Summer Season

New York Stage and Film’s Summer Season at Marist University features productions, readings and residencies for new plays, musicals, dance, film, and television in development. Audiences experience stories in their earliest stages before they go to Broadway, major resident and international theatres, movies theatres or TV.  Since 1985, New York Stage and Film (SAF) has developed over 1,000 stories for theatre, dance, film and television that have won every major award including the Pulitzer-Prize, Tony, Emmy, Grammy and Obie, including Hamilton, Hadestown, Doubt, American Idiot, The Invisible Hand, Tru, and Side Man, amongst hundreds others. For more information, visit newyorkstageandfilm.org/summer-season.

SheNYC Arts Summer Theater Festival

SheNYC is the City’s premier festival showcasing new, original works by women, trans, & non-binary writers & composers. Here’s what they say about what makes their festivals unique: “Our goal is to make this an inclusive, productive, and affordable environment to see your work produced in full. We pride ourselves on providing more for less – more support, supplies, and learning opportunities without the prohibitive submission & participation fees that other festivals require. Also, we’re working to create a network of professionals and artists that are devoted to promoting the voices of women & gender-marginalized professionals in theater — not just put up your show and never hear from you again. We have meetings where all of the writers gather together to mingle, and hope that the other writers and artists involved in the festival will become lifelong friends, mentors, and supporters.” There are currently 4 branches of the SheNYCArts festivals – SheATL, SheDFW, SheNYC and SheLA. For more information about any and all of the festivals, visit shenycarts.org. For more about the NYC festival in particular, visit shenycarts.org/she-nyc.

Theatre Now’s Sound Bites 10-Minute Musical Festival

This annual “festival” put on by Theatre Now celebrates new works, either as excerpts or original 10-minute pieces. Visit tnny.org/soundbitesprogram for more information!

Florida Festival of New Musicals (Winter Park, FL)

As a professional, year-round musical theatre largely focused on producing lesser-known and new musicals, The Winter Park Playhouse believes wholeheartedly in the importance of fostering the development of new works. Thus the Playhouse created and launched The Florida Festival Festival of New Musicals in 2017. The Florida Festival of New Musicals is a 4-day event that showcases six brand-new, never-before-produced musical works and brings together writers and composers with patrons, press, producers and directors. The first act or one-hour version of each selected musical will be fully read and sung concert-style, without staging, by varying casts of professional actors and musicians. Along with members of the artistic community, the general public is encouraged and invited to attend and be engaged in this unique and exciting theatrical experience. To learn more, visit winterparkplayhouse.org/FFNM8.html.

Savannah Rep’s Savannah Musical Theater Festival (Savannah, GA)

Savannah Rep is dedicated to championing new voices in musical theatre. With a deep commitment to fostering the development of original works, we are proud to launch the inaugural Savannah Musical Theatre Festival—a premier, three-day celebration of fresh, never-before-produced musicals. Bringing together writers, composers, patrons, press, and producers, this festival offers an exclusive opportunity to experience the evolution of new musical theatre. Each selected show will be presented in a fully sung, concert-style reading, allowing audiences a rare glimpse into the creative process. Led by Producing Artistic Director Natasha Drena and Founder/Managing Director Jenn Bishop, the Savannah Musical Theatre Festival is the first of its kind in Georgia’s Lowcountry. It joins the ranks of esteemed new works festivals in cities like New York, Seattle, Chicago, Atlanta, and Los Angeles—solidifying Savannah’s place as a hub for bold and innovative storytelling. For more information, visit savannahrep.org/smtf.

SheATL’s Summer Theater Festivals (GA)

SheATLArts’s Summer Theater Festival is Atlanta’s home for original plays & musicals by top emerging writers. Here’s what they say about what makes their festivals unique: “Our goal is to make this an inclusive, productive, and affordable environment to see your work produced in full. We pride ourselves on providing more for less – more support, supplies, and learning opportunities without the prohibitive submission & participation fees that other festivals require. Also, we’re working to create a network of professionals and artists that are devoted to promoting the voices of women & gender-marginalized professionals in theater — not just put up your show and never hear from you again. We have meetings where all of the writers gather together to mingle, and hope that the other writers and artists involved in the festival will become lifelong friends, mentors, and supporters.” There are currently 4 branches of the SheNYCArts festivals – SheATL, SheDFW, SheNYC and SheLA. For more information about any and all of the festivals, visit shenycarts.org. For this festival specifically, visit shenycarts.org/she-atl.

Epiphanies New Works Festival by Wild Imaginings (Waco, TX)

The Epiphanies New Works Festival was founded in 2020, seeking to explore new and innovative work. Growing exponentially year to year, the unique feedback process that they provide for participating playwrights has become one of the things they are most known for. The top 8 submissions each year receive a developmental table reading, and 4 of those go on to receive directed staged readings at the in-person festival. Perhaps most excitingly, the winner is given a full production of their play the following year. For more about Epiphanies, visit wildimaginingswaco.com/epiphanies.

Musical Writers Festival (Dallas-Fort Worth, TX)

Rebecca Lowrey, CEO of MusicalWriters.com and the Festival’s Producing Director, emphasized the growing national influence of Dallas-Fort Worth in new musical development. “We believe the next great American musical can come from anywhere, and DFW is proving it,” Lowrey said. “This Festival is about momentum, community, and putting our city on the map for developing new musical theatre.” Come to the Musical Writers Festival any year to witness dozens of musical writers’ work – or even showcase your own! More details about the festival can be found at festival.musicalwriters.com.

SheDFW Arts (Dallas-Fort Worth, TX)

SheDFW is the newest branch of SheNYCArts festivals bringing new, original works by women, trans, & non-binary writers & composers to the stage. There are currently 4 branches of the SheNYCArts festivals – SheATL, SheDFW, SheNYC and SheLA. For more information about any and all of the festivals, visit shenycarts.org. For this festival specifically, visit shenycarts.org/she-dfw.

Foundation for New American Musicals

The focus of the Foundation for New American Musicals is high school and college-age writers. The Foundation organizes an ongoing concert series that showcases songs from new musicals. They bring new shows to Southern California and have opportunities for young writers, too! Find info at lafestival.org/ and on their Facebook page LAFNAM.

Hollywood Fringe Festival

The annual, uncensored Hollywood Fringe Festival is gathering momentum. The festival gives 100% of box office revenue back to participating artists and venues. Here’s what their website explains: “Each June during the Hollywood Fringe, the arts infiltrate the Hollywood neighborhood: fully equipped theaters, parks, clubs, churches, restaurants and other unexpected places host hundreds of productions by local, national, and international arts companies and independent performers….” Hollywoodfringe.org

SheLA Arts (CA)

SheLA is the California branch of the SheNYCArts festivals, bringing new, original works by women, trans, & non-binary writers & composers to the stage. There are currently 4 branches of the SheNYCArts festivals – SheATL, SheDFW, SheNYC and SheLA. For more information about any and all of the festivals, visit shenycarts.org. For this festival specifically, visit shenycarts.org/she-la.

Short and Sweet Hollywood

“Short & Sweet” is a festival of 10-minute shows that has been running internationally for many years. Their Hollywood-specific festival is a great space to get your musicals in the world, California-style. See shortandsweet.org – Hollywood for more information.

Village Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals (Seattle, WA)

Here, new musicals are presented in staged reading—rehearsed, fully sung presentations of new work, performed and directed by the region’s foremost theatre artists and guest artists from across the country—for audiences of Village Originals members and theatre professionals, for free. For more, visit VillageTheatre.org.

Australian Musical Theatre Festival (AUS)

The Australian Musical Theatre Festival is an unparalleled opportunity for musical theatre lovers, creatives, and industry professionals to get together, share, nurture and celebrate this wonderful genre combined with the best of Tasmanian hospitality. Learn more about the festival and how to get involved at amtf.org.au.

BEAM Showcase (UK)

As the largest gathering of the UK new musical theatre community, BEAM brings together producers, writers, composers, venues, investors, agents and development partners for two days of inspiring content. To date, over 35 musicals from previous BEAMs have gone on to be fully staged, including West End shows Operation Mincemeat and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York). BEAM is co-produced by Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network. For BEAM2025, we held 22 pitching days across the UK in autumn 2024, and 356 musicals were pitched to be part of the showcase. BEAM2025 featured 28 new musicals and 12 Artist Spotlight presentations, with an industry audience of over 350. For more information, visit mercurymusicals.com/beam.

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Looking for a real summer adventure? The famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival is considered the world’s largest arts festival. Held each August in Scotland, as many as 250 different types of performances are staged. “Be part of the world’s greatest platform for creative freedom…” says their website. Bring your own show any year – everyone is allowed. (Deadlines are in the spring.) Official site: edfringe.com. Note: this festival is a do-it-yourself opportunity, for the most part. If you’re curious, we recommend checking out their guide to getting started.

Short & Sweet International (Various Locations)

Short & Sweet has established itself as “the biggest little play festival in the world” and now holds iterations of their festival in various locations around the world, from Los Angeles to South India to Australia! There are no limits to the creativity or content of your scripts, only that it can be performed in 10 minutes or under. For a small submission fee of $20/script, there is no limit on plays submitted and no limit on the number of international Short+Sweet festivals it can be performed in. This is a unique opportunity to have your play produced around the world, with special encouragement placed on communication between Writers and Directors, and the opportunity to see your play for free wherever it is performed! See shortandsweet.org for more information.

Theatre Aquarius’ National Centre for New Musicals (Canada)

Launched in 2024, NCNM at Theatre Aquarius is a bold initiative dedicated to developing original Canadian musicals in Hamilton, Ontario. With the leading support of the incite Foundation for the Arts, in addition to corporate and private donors, including support from RBC Foundation, NCNM selects new musicals to support and develop over the upcoming year. Visit theatreaquarius.org/ncnm-applications to learn more!

Toronto Fringe Festival (Canada)

People come from around the world to enjoy live theatre, music, and art at the Toronto Fringe Festival. Many events are free and it does include some musicals. The festival’s main site is fringetoronto.com, with details of the annual July festival.