Backstage Pass

Welcome to a very special episode of Backstage Pass. We recently attended the National Alliance for Musical Theatre's 37th Annual Festival of New Musicals in New York City, and have created a podcast experience that will make you feel like you’re right there with us!

Each year, the NAMT festival shares 45 minute preview performances of 8 new musicals in development. This episode features conversations with NAMT’s New Works Director Frankie Dailey, and 4 of the 8 shows in this year’s festival: FINN by Chris Nee, Chris Dimond, & Michael Kooman, Love is Dead by Brett Ryback and Jeff Lupino-Esposito, Soft Magical Tofu Boy(s) by Kevin Wong and Particle by Selda Sahin, Autumn Reeser and Derek Gregor. Tune in next week to hear the other 4 shows!

We also share demo recordings of a song from each of these musicals so you can get a taste of the music from each show.

From FINN you’ll hear “Sparkle and Shine” performed by Zachary Noah Piser. From Love is Dead you’ll hear “Fully Formed” performed by Lana McKissack. From Soft Magical Tofu Boy(s), you’ll hear the song “Invincible” performed by Jonathan Tan. And from Particle you’ll hear "Meet Your Heroes" sung by Gabe Violett.

We also interviewed Sonya Hayden and Matthew Lowy who were featured in NAMT’s College Road Trip program, which shines a spotlight on university theatre programs that develop new musicals. Their musical, Taking Off! was recently developed at Michigan State University and an excerpt of the show was performed at the Festival of New Musicals.

You can hear their song, “Ready for the World” at the end of the episode performed by Sonya Hayden.

Check out Part 2 next week to hear interviews with the other NAMT writers, as well as more bonus content from musical theatre creators who were present at the festival.

Connect with Frankie Dailey:

Website: www.frankiedailey.com

Instagram: @daileyfray

Connect with Finn:

Instagram: @Finnmusical

Connect with Michael Kooman:

Instagram: @Michaelkooman

Connect with Chris Dimond:

Instagram: @dimondvision

Connect with Chris Nee:

Instagram: @chrisnee4660

Connect with Love is Dead:

Website: loveisdeadmusical.com

Instagram: @loveisdead.musical

Connect with Brent Ryback:

Website: www.brettryback.com

Instagram: @btryback

Connect with Juff Lupino-Esposito:

Website: https://www.jeffle.me/

Instagram:@jeffluppinoesposito

Connect with Kevin Wong:

Website: https://www.kevinwongmusic.com/

Instagram:@kevinywong

Connect with Selda Sahin and Derek Gregor:

Instagram:@seldaandderek

Connect with Autumn Reeser:

Website: https://www.autumnreeser.com/

Instagram: @autumn_reeser

Connect with Sonya Hayden:

Website: sonyahayden.com

Instagram: @sonyahayden11

Connect with Matthew Lowy:

Website: https://www.matthewlowy.com/

Connect with New York Theatre Barn:

Twitter: @nytheatrebarn

Instagram: @newyorktheatrebarn 

Facebook.com/nytheatrebarn

nytheatrebarn.org 

Pauls’s personal instagram: @paulsmacs

Teresa’s personal instagram: @terijoyeaux

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Matt Herrero, Joel Chapman, Weston Gaylord, Ken Savage, and Jessia Hoffman about their musical GRAVITY: A Newtonian Musical.

When physics prodigy Sophie is accidentally catapulted back in time, her meet-cute with 23 year-old Isaac Newton prevents him from discovering gravity—trapping Sophie in 1666.

To return home, Sophie must restore history and navigate the Enlightenment, where Natural Philosophers are the pop stars of their day. Along the way, she encounters historical luminaries such as up-and-comer Edmond Halley, Isaac’s rival Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz, and the unknown author Margaret Cavendish, who is embroiled in her own quest for fame and scientific recognition. 

GRAVITY is a hilarious romantic comedy, smashing together madcap time travel mayhem and delightfully remixed history.

This episode features the songs, “Let Us Enlighten You”, performed by Marcus Jamal Paige, Dave Abrams, Nathaniel Rothrock, and Weston Gaylord, as well as “In My Own Time” performed by Taylor Iman Jones and Matt Herrero.

Connect with GRAVITY: A Newtonian Musical:

Website: www.gravitythemusical.com

Instagram: @gravity_musical

Connect with Matt Herrero:

Website: www.mattherrero.com

Instagram: @mattherreromusic

Connect with Joel Chapman:

Website: https://www.joelchapmanmusic.com

Instagram: @joelchapmanmusic

Connect with Weston Gaylord:

Website: https://www.westongaylord.com/

Instagram: @westongaylord

Connect with Ken Savage:

Website: https://www.kensavageproductions.com/

Instagram: @krsavage12

Connect with Jessia Hoffman:

Website: https://www.jessiahoffman.com/

Instagram: @jessiajessiajessia

Connect with New York Theatre Barn:

Twitter: @nytheatrebarn

Instagram: @newyorktheatrebarn 

Facebook.com/nytheatrebarn

nytheatrebarn.org 

Pauls’s personal instagram: @paulsmacs

Teresa’s personal instagram: @terijoyeaux

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode features a conversation with Matt Herrero, Joel Chapman, Weston Gaylord, Ken Savage, and Jessia Hoffman about their musical GRAVITY: A Newtonian Musical.

When physics prodigy Sophie is accidentally catapulted back in time, her meet-cute with 23 year-old Isaac Newton prevents him from discovering gravity—trapping Sophie in 1666.

To return home, Sophie must restore history and navigate the Enlightenment, where Natural Philosophers are the pop stars of their day. Along the way, she encounters historical luminaries such as up-and-comer Edmond Halley, Isaac’s rival Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz, and the unknown author Margaret Cavendish, who is embroiled in her own quest for fame and scientific recognition. 

GRAVITY is a hilarious romantic comedy, smashing together madcap time travel mayhem and delightfully remixed history.

This episode features the songs, “I Wanna Be Mad” performed by Matt Herrero and “En Route” performed by Taylor Iman Jones and Matt Herrero.

Connect with GRAVITY: A Newtonian Musical:

Website: www.gravitythemusical.com

Instagram: @gravity_musical

Connect with Matt Herrero:

Website: www.mattherrero.com

Instagram: @mattherreromusic

Connect with Joel Chapman:

Website: https://www.joelchapmanmusic.com

Instagram: @joelchapmanmusic

Connect with Weston Gaylord:

Website: https://www.westongaylord.com/

Instagram: @westongaylord

Connect with Ken Savage:

Website: https://www.kensavageproductions.com/

Instagram: @krsavage12

Connect with Jessia Hoffman:

Website: https://www.jessiahoffman.com/

Instagram: @jessiajessiajessia

Connect with New York Theatre Barn:

Twitter: @nytheatrebarn

Instagram: @newyorktheatrebarn 

Facebook.com/nytheatrebarn

nytheatrebarn.org 

Pauls’s personal instagram: @paulsmacs

Teresa’s personal instagram: @terijoyeaux

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we continue our conversation with Karl Amundson and Emily Fink about their new musical: Falling Forward.

Falling Forward is about Meghan, a queer 27-year-old sculpture artist who is leaving New York City, moving in with her mom in Michigan and giving up on her artistic aspirations. However, packing her apartment proves to be a noisy affair, as all of Meghan’s belongings-- including a Bong, a Self-Help Book, a Vibrator, a Family Portrait, a smart-device, and more—come to life, forcing Meghan to reckon with her own role in her terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad year. Equal parts memory play, fever-dream, generational satire, and coming-of-age story, Falling Forward follows Meghan as she teeters on the brink of change, searching for certainty in her uncertain world. 

This episode features the songs “When It Falls” performed by Emily Kristen Morris and “Midwestern Life” performed by PJ Adzima.

Connect with Falling Forward

Instagram: @fallingforwardmusical

Connect with Karl Amundson:

Website: https://www.karlamundson.com/

Instagram: @karlamundson

Connect with Emily Fink:

Website: https://www.emilyfink.net/

Instagram: @emilycelestefink

Connect with New York Theatre Barn:

Twitter: @nytheatrebarn

Instagram: @newyorktheatrebarn 

Facebook.com/nytheatrebarn

nytheatrebarn.org 

Pauls’s personal instagram: @paulsmacs

Teresa’s personal instagram: @terijoyeaux

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode features a conversation with Karl Amundson and Emily Fink about their musical: Falling Forward. 

Falling Forward is about Meghan, a queer 27-year-old sculpture artist who is leaving New York City, moving in with her mom in Michigan and giving up on her artistic aspirations. However, packing her apartment proves to be a noisy affair, as all of Meghan’s belongings-- including a Bong, a Self-Help Book, a Vibrator, a Family Portrait, a smart-device, and more—come to life, forcing Meghan to reckon with her own role in her terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad year. Equal parts memory play, fever-dream, generational satire, and coming-of-age story, Falling Forward follows Meghan as she teeters on the brink of change, searching for certainty in her uncertain world. 

This episode features the songs “Guru Say!” performed by Karl Amundson, Emily Kristen Morris, Emily Fink, Danny White, and Kimberly Immanuel, as well as “If You’re Smiling”  performed by Kimberly Immanuel, Emily Kristen Morris, Karl Amundson, Emily Fink, and Michelle Coben. 

Connect with Falling Forward

Instagram: @fallingforwardmusical

Connect with Karl Amundson:

Website: https://www.karlamundson.com/

Instagram: @karlamundson

Connect with Emily Fink:

Website: https://www.emilyfink.net/

Instagram: @emilycelestefink

Connect with New York Theatre Barn:

Twitter: @nytheatrebarn

Instagram: @newyorktheatrebarn 

Facebook.com/nytheatrebarn

nytheatrebarn.org 

Pauls’s personal instagram: @paulsmacs

Teresa’s personal instagram: @terijoyeaux

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we continue our conversation with Tasha Gordon-Solmon and Faye Chiao about their new musical: Fountain of You. We learn more about the journey of the characters and end the episode with a game specifically designed for these writers.

When a thirty-something actress is suddenly aged out of the industry, she undergoes a wildly unconventional spa procedure to get her old life back. But it sets her on a whole new path to pursue true power and equality . . . at a cost. Fountain of You is a dark comedy that takes on our preoccupation with youth and beauty, and the system underlying it all, with a pop-infused score and lots of blood.

This episode features the songs “Lightheaded” performed by Jason Veasey and “What’s Underneath” performed by Jenni Barber, Lexi Rabadi, Betina Bresnan, and Faye Chiao.

Connect with Fountain of You

Website: https://fountainofyoumusical.com/

Connect with Tasha Gordon-Solmon:

Website: https://www.tashatashatasha.com/

Instagram: @tasheroonies

Connect with Faye Chiao:

Website: https://www.fayechiao.com/ 

Instagram: @fayechiao

Connect with New York Theatre Barn:

Twitter: @nytheatrebarn

Instagram: @newyorktheatrebarn 

Facebook.com/nytheatrebarn

nytheatrebarn.org 

Pauls’s personal instagram: @paulsmacs

Teresa’s personal instagram: @terijoyeaux

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode features a conversation with Tasha Gordon-Solmon and Faye Chiao about their new musical: Fountain of You. 

When a thirty-something actress is suddenly aged out of the industry, she undergoes a wildly unconventional spa procedure to get her old life back. But it sets her on a whole new path to pursue true power and equality . . . at a cost. Fountain of You is a dark comedy that takes on our preoccupation with youth and beauty, and the system underlying it all, with a pop-infused score and lots of blood.

This episode features the songs “Simple Steps” performed by Lexi Rabadi, Betina Bresnan, and Faye Chiao as well as “DABDA” performed by Lexi Rabadi, Allie Re, Caitlin Ort, and Jenni Barber.

Connect with Fountain of You

Website: https://fountainofyoumusical.com/

Connect with Tasha Gordon-Solmon:

Website: https://www.tashatashatasha.com/

Instagram: @tasheroonies

Connect with Faye Chiao:

Website: https://www.fayechiao.com/ 

Instagram: @fayechiao

Connect with New York Theatre Barn:

Twitter: @nytheatrebarn

Instagram: @newyorktheatrebarn 

Facebook.com/nytheatrebarn

nytheatrebarn.org 

Pauls’s personal instagram: @paulsmacs

Teresa’s personal instagram: @terijoyeaux

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we continue our conversation with Kevin Cloud and Lisa Kenner Grissom about their new musical: Vilna: A Resistance Story.

VILNA: A RESISTANCE STORY is an exciting new musical about Vitka Kempner, a 19-year-old Jewish girl who inspired the heroic Jewish resistance movement in the Vilna ghetto during the Holocaust. After the Nazis invade Poland, a fierce and fearless Vitka escapes to the free, bohemian city of Vilna, Lithuania where she meets a group of young artists—led by visionary poet Abba Kovner—and inspires them to form a resistance. But when the Nazis invade and confine Jews to the ghetto, Vitka and the group must find creative ways to fight back. With the Nazis bearing down, they make a daring escape to the forest where Vitka blows up a Nazi train—the first act of sabotage by a Jewish partisan in WWII—paving the way for their return to reclaim their beloved city. With a vibrant klezmer-influenced pop score, VILNA tells a forgotten and inspiring story that speaks to our times.

This episode features the songs “Never Say”, performed by Greg Lafollette, and also “Sewers” performed by Greg Lafollette.

Connect with Vilna: A Resistance Story:

Website: https://www.vilnamusical.com/

Instagram: @vilnamusical

Connect with Kevin Cloud:

Website: https://www.kevincloud.co/

Instagram: @kevincloudkc

Connect with Lisa Kenner Grissom:

Website: http://lisakennergrissom.com/

Instagram: @lisa_kenner_grissom_

Connect with New York Theatre Barn:

Twitter: @nytheatrebarn

Instagram: @newyorktheatrebarn 

Facebook.com/nytheatrebarn

nytheatrebarn.org 

Pauls’s personal instagram: @paulsmacs

Teresa’s personal instagram: @terijoyeaux

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode features a conversation with Kevin Cloud and Lisa Kenner Grissom about their new musical: Vilna: A Resistance Story.

VILNA: A RESISTANCE STORY is an exciting new musical about Vitka Kempner, a 19-year-old Jewish girl who inspired the heroic Jewish resistance movement in the Vilna ghetto during the Holocaust. After the Nazis invade Poland, a fierce and fearless Vitka escapes to the free, bohemian city of Vilna, Lithuania where she meets a group of young artists—led by visionary poet Abba Kovner—and inspires them to form a resistance. But when the Nazis invade and confine Jews to the ghetto, Vitka and the group must find creative ways to fight back. With the Nazis bearing down, they make a daring escape to the forest where Vitka blows up a Nazi train—the first act of sabotage by a Jewish partisan in WWII—paving the way for their return to reclaim their beloved city. With a vibrant klezmer-influenced pop score, VILNA tells a forgotten and inspiring story that speaks to our times.

This episode features the songs “Vilna, My Vilna", performed by Samantha Massell, Greg Lafollette, and the Ensemble of Vilna: A Resistance Story, as well as “Sheep to the Slaughter” performed by Kyle Anderson and the Ensemble of Vilna: A Resistance Story.

Connect with Vilna: A Resistance Story:

Website: https://www.vilnamusical.com/

Instagram: @vilnamusical

Connect with Kevin Cloud:

Website: https://www.kevincloud.co/

Instagram: @kevincloudkc

Connect with Lisa Kenner Grissom:

Website: http://lisakennergrissom.com/

Instagram: @lisa_kenner_grissom_

Connect with New York Theatre Barn:

Twitter: @nytheatrebarn

Instagram: @newyorktheatrebarn 

Facebook.com/nytheatrebarn

nytheatrebarn.org 

Pauls’s personal instagram: @paulsmacs

Teresa’s personal instagram: @terijoyeaux

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we continue our conversation with Nico Juber, Joe Barros, Jade McLeod, Diana Huey, and Gabby Boera about the new musical Winner. Winner was written by Nico Juber and Joe Barros.

Inspired by the queer journeys and bi erasure of its writers, Winner tells a coming out and coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of a rigged election at a Southern California high school in 1999. The musical explores a female-identifying queer narrative and is one of the first to explore bisexuality.

The story centers around Autumn, a high-achieving senior vying for the position of student body president, and her secret girlfriend Stevie, who unexpectedly becomes her opponent in the election. The musical incorporates a time loop, where the day resets three times, and a different girl wins the race each time.

The plot unfolds as Autumn, desperate to win the election to secure a college scholarship, discovers that the new electronic voting system at school was manipulated. This revelation sets off a chain of events that forces Autumn to confront her identity and the consequences of hiding her relationship with Stevie. Autumn's decision to prioritize her relationship with Stevie and her truth over winning the election leads to a public coming out that ultimately breaks the time loop, redefining what it means for Autumn to win.

This episode features the songs “Let’s Start Again”, performed by Alex Wyse and Jade McLeod, and also “Wildefire” performed by the Concept EP Cast of Winner The Musical.

Connect with Joe Barros:

Website: https://www.joebarros.com/

Instagram: @bisforbarros

Connect with Nico Juber:

Website: https://www.nicojuber.com/

Instagram: @stuffnicolikes

Connect with Jade Mcleod:

Instagram: @jademcleod

Connect with Diana Huey:

Instagram: @dianahuey

Connect with Garry Boera:

Instagram: @gabby.boera

Connect with New York Theatre Barn:

Twitter: @nytheatrebarn

Instagram: @newyorktheatrebarn 

Facebook.com/nytheatrebarn

nytheatrebarn.org

Pauls’s personal instagram: @paulsmacs

Teresa’s personal instagram: @terijoyeaux

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices