Theater News

Musical Theatre Works Names New Artistic Director


Thomas Cott has been named the new artistic director of Musical Theatre Works. Lonny Price, who previously held the title, will now become the organization’s resident director, and Randy Ellen Lutterman will continue as executive director.

Cott worked at Lincoln Center Theater since that company’s inception in 1985. His responsibilities there included the scouting and development of new musical theater projects, the coordination of 14 cast recordings, and the creation of educational programs such as “Platforms,” a popular meet-the-artist series that he produced and moderated for the past few years. Previously, he had assisted producer Alex Cohen on several Broadway shows and television specials. Cott’s early career included stints as a reporter for a number of New Jersey newspapers, as a publicist and grants program coordinator for the Citizens Committee for New York City, and as a copy editor for the Book-of-the-Month Club.

In a press release announcing his Musical Theatre Works appointment, Cott was quoted as saying: “This is a dream job for me and I am grateful…for this chance to produce the work of a new generation of musical theater artists. Lonny and Randy have laid excellent groundwork at MTW over the last few years and I believe that even greater things are possible going forward.”

Musical Theatre Works is dedicated to the development of new musicals and to arts education. In September, the organization raised more than $350,000 with its original Broadway cast reunion concert of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. For further information, visit the website www.mtwnyc.org.