2026 Newport NewWorks Musical Theater Festival to Feature Three New Musicals

Co-founders and co-artistic directors Peilin Chou and Jeanne Hagerty have announced the lineup for the second annual Newport NewWorks Musical Theater Festival, held in Newport, Rhode Island. The 2026 festival takes place August 2-16 and features three new musicals.

All festival artists will reside in Newport for the duration of the festival, during which they will write and work with the support of Broadway-level actors, musicians, and industry professionals. Each musical will undergo an intensive two-week residency development process, culminating in public presentations in the 300-seat Casino Theatre.

The musicals include STUPID A genius new musical with book, music, and lyrics by Benjamin Scheuer, Drama Desk winner for The Lion, and Simon Scheuer; The Debutantes about the female codebreakers of Bletchley Park during WWII, with book and lyrics by Sam Norman and music by Eliza Randall; and A Life Worth Living, about high school senior Gavin Zhou, who involuntarily lands himself in a residential treatment facility, with book, music, and lyrics by Jeffery Chen.