Cultivating New Music Theatre

Since its inception in 1970, TheatreWorks has been committed to the creation and development of new works. Its New Works Initiative, established in 2000, has contributed to the development of scores of new plays and musicals and as a result, has brought national acclaim and recognition to the company and its new works programming.

The New Works Initiative includes development of traditional and non-traditional musicals, plays with music, and plays with soundscapes. The program encompasses formative readings and workshops, the annual Writers Retreat, annual New Works Festival, commissions of new work, and main stage world premieres. Artists who have participated in the New Works Initiative include Beth Blatt, Nell Benjamin, David Bryan, Kirsten Childs, Joe DiPietro, David Ford, Jenny Giering, Daniel Goldfarb, Paul Gordon, Aaron Jafferis, Tom Jones, Lynne Kauffman, David Kirshenbaum, Gihieh Lee, Andrew Lippa, Marsha Norman, Laurance O’Keefe, Billy Philadelphia, Steven Sater, Scott Schwartz, Stephen Schwartz, Tanya Shaffer, Duncan Sheik, Joe Thalken, and Chay Yew.

TheatreWorks audiences see the fruits of the New Works Initiative on the main stage each year. This season we produced our 50th world premiere, Emma (based on the novel by Jane Austen), with book, music, and lyrics by Paul Gordon. Emma received its first workshop at the 2006 New Works Festival with subsequent readings the following year at TheatreWorks. It was also selected to appear in the prestigious National Alliance for Musical Theatre Festival in New York last fall. Its main stage run this past August and September garnered unanimous rave reviews from critics and audience alike, and it subsequently became the highest grossing show in TheatreWorks’ 38-year history.

TheatreWorks' New Works Initiative embodies TheatreWorks' core values by combining artistic excellence through collaboration, diverse programming, and audience involvement, while celebrating the human spirit. From inception to production, it provides composers and writers the opportunity to develop their work and artistry by forming collaborations that shape exciting and dynamic new forms of theatre with music.

Join us for the New Works Festival this coming year and get in on the ground floor of exciting new work. Some of what you see will be funny, sad, or downright odd. But we promise you it will be a thrilling ride!

Kent Nicholson


Director of New Works

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