New@NAMT: The Next Wave of Musical Theatre

NEW@NAMT: The Next Wave of Musical Theatre Writers – Featuring Jenn Grinels (Wakeman)
✍️ Book, Music & Lyrics by Jenn Grinels

In this episode of NEW@NAMT, we sit down with powerhouse singer-songwriter Jenn Grinels, whose new folk-rock musical Wakeman brings to life the astonishing true story of Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, a 19th-century figure who defied convention, enlisted in the Union Army disguised as a man, and left behind a legacy captured in 33 riveting letters.

🎙️ Host Jean-Paul Yovanoff is joined by co-host Sonia Desai (Center Theatre Group) as they speak with Jenn about Wakeman’s journey from overlooked historical footnote to fully realized stage heroine. Jenn shares how she meticulously dissected and categorized each sentence of Wakeman’s surviving letters—preserving their original language and layering in a stirring folk-Americana score inspired by Brandi Carlile, big harmonies, and honest storytelling.

💡 The musical unearths questions about identity, gender, survival, and legacy—and leans into ambiguity where history leaves gaps. Jenn reflects on Wakeman’s life, the countless women who disguised themselves to fight in the Civil War, and her own discovery of the project.

🎶 Developed through Village Theatre, Circle in the Square Theatre School, the Tower Theatre Foundation, and more, Wakeman is a deeply personal and musically rich journey into an often-unseen corner of American history.

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https://namt.org/musicals/wakeman/

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NEW@NAMT: The Next Wave of Musical Theatre Writers – Featuring Kevin Wong of Soft Magical Tofu Boy(s)

  Book, Music & Lyrics by Kevin Wong

In this episode of NEW@NAMT, we step into a glittering queer Asian fantasia with Kevin Wong, the singular voice behind Soft Magical Tofu Boy(s)—a vibrant and imaginative new musical brimming with conjured memories, pop divas, anime princesses, ancestral spirits, and three magical brothers who can project images and sound into the air.

 Hosts Jean-Paul Yovanoff, Lily Tung Crystal (East West Players), and Joe Barros (New York Theatre Barn) speak with Kevin about growing up as a closeted, hyper-imaginative kid in suburban Toronto, and how that deeply personal experience shaped the heart of this show.

 Kevin dives into the inspiration behind the piece, from his pandemic-era live Twitch looping sessions to the 90s and early 2000s R&B/pop icons who shaped his musical voice (Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Babyface, Max Martin, and more). He also reflects on his past life as a practicing lawyer, the emotional walls we build in adulthood, and the power of letting softness take center stage.

 Commissioned by The Musical Stage Company and developed with fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre and the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Soft Magical Tofu Boy(s) is already an award-winning hit in Canada—and Kevin shares what he's hoping for next, from a concept album to full production.

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More about SOFT MAGICAL TOFU BOY(S):

https://namt.org/musicals/soft-magical-tofu-boys

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NEW@NAMT: The Next Wave of Musical Theatre Writers – Featuring the Team Behind FINN

Created by Chris Nee, Michael Kooman & Chris Dimond

Book and Lyrics by Chris Dimond & Chris Nee

Music by Michael Kooman

In this special Festival edition of NEW@NAMT, hosts Jean-Paul Yovanoff and guest co-host Braley Degenhardt (Atlantic Theater Company) dive deep—literally and figuratively—into the making of FINN, a bold and heartwarming musical about a young shark navigating identity, community, and belonging.

Writers Chris Nee, Christopher Dimond, and Michael Kooman share the origin story of FINN, which began with a NAMT connection and led to a Kennedy Center commission, national acclaim, and viral success after its planned tour was canceled during the Trump-era political shift. FINN became a symbol of artistic resistance, culminating in a star-studded Town Hall concert and a groundswell of industry support.

 The trio opens up about writing theatre for young audiences, finding universality through specificity, and crafting a musical they wish they’d seen as kids—one that centers joy, identity, and inclusivity. You’ll also hear about their Emmy-nominated work across animation, their dynamic musical style (including cinematic orchestration options), and what they’re hoping comes next.

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More about FINN:

https://namt.org/musicals/finn

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On this episode of NEW@NAMT: Arts Leaders, we sit down with Dev Bondarin, Associate Artistic Director at Prospect Musicals, the New York-based company known for its commitment to boundary-pushing new work. Hosts Jean-Paul Yovanoff and Skye Cone Ivey talk with Dev about her dual roles as director and curator, and how she helps shape Prospect’s celebrated musical theatre lab, which commissions writers around a central theme each season.

🎙️ Dev shares insights from directing at Prospect and beyond, and reflects on what makes collaborative development processes thrive. She also discusses her work on NAMT’s Festival Committee — including directing a presentation in the 35th Annual Festival of New Musicals — and how national community has influenced her approach to new work.

✨ Plus: why membership organizations matter more than ever, what’s giving her hope about the future of musicals, and the opening number she’ll never get out of her head.

A must-listen for fans of innovative musical theatre and the people who champion it.

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https://www.prospectmusicals.org/

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http://www.devbondarin.net/

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In this energizing episode of NEW@NAMT: Arts Leaders, hosts Jean-Paul Yovanoff and Skye Cone Ivey sit down with Kian Kline-Chilton, Associate Artistic Director at Diversionary Theatre in San Diego, one of the nation’s oldest and most vital LGBTQ+ theatres.

🎙️ Kian shares their path into producing and directing, their passion for uplifting queer narratives, and how Diversionary builds community through radically inclusive new work. They also talk about directing back-to-back shows at Diversionary and Cygnet Theatre and founding Patchwork Theatre Company to amplify immersive artists in the region.

🎶 Plus, Kian reflects on their work with NAMT’s Festival Committee and how national collaboration plays a role in spotlighting the stories that matter most right now.

💡 If you’re passionate about identity-driven theatre, artistic community building, and the future of new musicals, this episode is full of insight and heart.

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/kian-kline-chilton-9b428a133

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🎭 NEW@NAMT: The Next Wave of Musical Theatre Writers – Featuring Elissa Adams (Theater Latté Da)

In this Season 3 episode of NEW@NAMT: Arts Leaders, hosts Jean-Paul Yovanoff and Skye Cone Ivey sit down with Elissa Adams, Associate Artistic Director & Director of New Work at Minneapolis’s Theater Latté Da — one of the nation’s most vibrant homes for innovative musical theatre.

🎙️ With a career spanning La Jolla Playhouse, Children’s Theatre Company, Sundance Theatre Lab, and now Latté Da, Elissa shares deep insight into commissioning and dramaturgy, how to build meaningful partnerships with artists, and why Minneapolis is fertile ground for musical theatre development.

🎶 Elissa also discusses Theater Latté Da’s NEXT Festival, the values behind its curation, and how her work on NAMT’s Festival Committee continues to shape the national landscape for new musicals.

✨ Plus: her favorite opening number, what’s giving her hope about the future of the form, and the cast recording track she’ll never skip.

If you care about bold storytelling, dramaturgical rigor, and the future of new musicals, this episode is full of wisdom you won’t want to miss.

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https://www.latteda.org/

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/elissa-adams-69367aa/

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In this episode of NEW@NAMT: Arts Leaders, we speak with Michael Baxter, Associate Artistic Director at The Muny, America’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre. Hosts Jean-Paul Yovanoff and Skye Cone Ivey explore Michael’s unique journey from performer to choreographer to leader at one of the most iconic stages in the country.

🎙️ Michael opens up about what it means to program a season at such an enormous scale, what makes The Muny a singular theatrical experience, and why casting is about so much more than talent.

✨ We also talk about his work expanding the Muny Teens program, his love of mentorship, and how his role on NAMT’s Festival Committee helps bridge the gap between emerging work and established institutions.

Plus: reflections on staging Come From Away under the stars, what keeps him hopeful about the future of musicals, and the revival he’s dying to see.

Whether you’re looking for insight into casting, programming, or regional leadership in musical theatre, this conversation is a must-listen.

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https://muny.org/

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-baxter-59bab11b8/

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In this Season 3 episode of NEW@NAMT: Arts Leaders, we sit down with Cat Brindisi, Associate Artistic Director at Asolo Repertory Theatre and a longtime champion of bold, fresh musical theatre.

🎙️ Hosts Jean-Paul Yovanoff and Skye Cone Ivey explore Cat’s journey from co-founding 7th House Theater in Minneapolis to serving on NAMT’s New Works Committee, and now stepping into artistic leadership at one of Florida’s most influential regional theatres.

💡 Cat shares how Asolo Rep supports new musical development, what excites her about the future of the form, and how collaboration is central to every process she leads.

🎶 We also dig into her work as a director, her evolving creative process, and why saying “yes” to an Interim leadership role can change your entire path.

✨ Plus: Her favorite composer, the first musical she ever fell in love with, and the cast recording track she never skips.

Whether you're building a new musical from scratch or reimagining the canon, this episode is full of insight, inspiration, and heart from a leader helping push the field forward.

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https://www.asolorep.org/

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https://www.catbrindisi.com/

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In Season 3 of NEW@NAMT, we’re spotlighting the Associate Artistic Directors and Artistic Producers helping shape the future of musical theatre at NAMT Member Organizations.

🎙️ This week, hosts Jean-Paul Yovanoff and Skye Cone Ivey sit down with Brandon Ivie, Associate Artistic Director at Village Theatre in Seattle and the Drama Desk-nominated director of Lizard Boy.

With a career that has spanned Broadway, regional theatres, Off-Broadway and international stages, Brandon shares what it means to develop new musicals from the ground up, the power of collaboration with artists like Justin Huertas, and how Village Theatre supports writers through workshops, residencies, and second productions.

🎶 Hear Brandon talk about the Off-Broadway run of Lizard Boy at Prospect Theater Company, why regional theatre is critical to new work development, and what he thinks the industry needs most to support artists.

✨ Plus: His favorite opening number of all time, the most underrated musical, and the show that made him fall in love with the form.

🎭 If you love new musicals, bold storytelling, and the behind-the-scenes heroes who help bring them to life, this one’s for you.

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https://villagetheatre.org/

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More about Brandon Ivie:

https://www.brandoniviedirector.com/

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In Season 3 of NEW@NAMT, we’re spotlighting Artistic Leaders at NAMT Member Organizations — the people driving the future of new musicals behind the scenes.

🎙️ This week, host Jean-Paul Yovanoff and co-host Skye Cone Ivey sit down with Amber Wallace, Artistic and New Works Associate at Ogunquit Playhouse. With over a decade of experience championing new works and emerging artists, Amber has helped bring to life major premieres like My Best Friend's Wedding, Mr. Holland's Opus, The Nutty Professor, and The Da Vinci Code. She’s also produced over 100 developmental projects at The York Theatre Company, including the beloved Musicals in Mufti series.

In this episode, Amber shares her journey from early theatre days to producing new musicals at the regional and national level, discusses how regional theatres like Ogunquit help shape the new works landscape, and explores what excites her most about where musical theatre is heading.

✨ Plus: rapid-fire favorites, including her favorite opening number and the first musical she ever fell in love with!

🎶 If you care about the behind-the-scenes champions of new musicals, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

🎭 It’s time to lower the lights, raise the curtain, and LX1 Go on NEW@NAMT!

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More about Ogunquit Playhouse:

https://www.ogunquitplayhouse.org/

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-wallace-387819126/

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