Goodspeed Musicals Announces 46 Artists to Participate in Johnny Mercer Writers Colony

For four weeks, beginning January 21, East Haddam, Connecticut's Goodspeed Musicals will host 46 established and emerging writers, composers, and lyricists who have been selected to participate in the Johnny Mercer Writers Colony. The writing teams represent nearly 30 new musicals that they will develop over the course of the immersive program.

Composer and lyricist Jonathan Brielle will serve as producer in residence, Michael Bush will serve as dramaturg, and Clifford Lee Johnson III joins the program for the first time as resident dramaturg. Among the illustrious group of artists are Tony-nominated actress Elizabeth Davis (Once), Pulitzer Prize finalist for drama Jon Marans (Old Wicked Songs), writer and producer of Showtime's Weeds Dave Holstein, recent composer for NBC's Smash Joe Iconis, and many more.

The complete 2014 list of participants is as follows: Marc Acito, Tim Acito, Jeff Bienstock, Scott Burkell, Michael Cooper, Bobby Cronin, Andrea Daly, Elizabeth Davis, Ty Defoe, Wade Dooley, Darcy Fowler, Jenny Giering, Adam Gwon, Laura Harrington, Leanna Renne Hieber, Dave Holstein, Joe Iconis, Kait Kerrigan, Barry Kleinbort, Lourds Lane, Victor Lesniewski, Nicholas Roman Lewis, Paul Loesel, Brian Lowdermilk, Stacey Luftig, Jon Marans, Tom Megan, Rebekah Melocik, Peter Mills, Ryan Scott Oliver, Phillip Palmer, Eric Price, Jennie Redling, Cara Reichel, Will Reynolds, Heather Robb, Benjamin Scheuer, Alan Schmuckler, Kenny Seymour, Joseph Thalken, Jeff Thomson, Nathan Tysen, William Wade, Jason "Sweettooth" Williams, Sam Willmott, and Jacob Yandura.