ASCAP Foundation/Disney Theatrical Productions Musical Theatre Workshop

The 2nd annual ASCAP Foundation/Disney Theatrical Productions Musical Theatre Workshop is a five-day workshop, held in conjunction with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, that take place on April 6, 8, 20, 21 and 22, at 7:30 pm, at the Chicago Cultural Center.

The workshop is free of charge and open to everyone, regardless of performing right affiliation. All aspiring musical theatre writers, and those who submitted musicals for the workshop, are encouraged to attend. Admission is on a first come, first served basis.

The workshop is directed by theatre composer/lyricist Craig Carnelia (The Sweet Smell of Success, Is There Life After Highschool? and Working — based on the book by Studs Terkel), and the selected musical theatre writers have the opportunity to make short presentations from their original works-in-progress for professional critique by some of the most prominent theatre producers, directors and composers.

The selected writers and their musical works are listed below, and are presented on the following dates:

April 6 and 20: The New Kid
By Jordan Mann from Chicago, IL (book, lyrics) and Jeff Thomson from Los Angeles, CA (book, music)
A New York City Public High School is forever changed by the appearance of Jamal, a mysterious new student determined to make things better, by any means necessary. Dealing with contemporary themes, The New Kid is a story of unlikely heroes and finding hope and redemption in the face of apathy and injustice.

April 6 and 21: Ebenezer: Return of the Scrooge
By Keith Huff from Chicago, IL (book, lyrics) and Adryan Russ from Glendale, CA (music, lyrics)
Picking up where A Christmas Carol leaves off, Ebenezer Scrooge keeps Christmas better than any man in town. When Scrooge’s Christmas magnanimity threatens nephew Fred and his wife Christine of their inheritance, Christine enlists actors from her acting troupe to portray the ghosts of Christmas to spook Uncle Scrooge back to his penny-pinching senses. Can Scrooge’s Christmas spirit survive the night?

April 8 and 22: Julian Po
By Andrew Barrett (book, lyrics) and Ira Antelis (music) from Chicago, IL
When a strange man mysteriously arrives in an even stranger middle-American town, his presence causes the sleepy lives of The Townspeople to awaken.
Combining the traditional and mythical sounds of Americana bluegrass and mountain music with the musical theater form, Julian Po is a rollicking yet cautionary tale of Man’s greatness.