News Summary
The ASCAP Foundation celebrated the 2025 ASCAP Foundation Musical Theatre Fest from May 5-6 at the Wallis Annenberg Center in Los Angeles. Hosted by renowned lyricist Stephen Schwartz, the event featured previously unheard songs from Broadway, workshops highlighting new musicals, and discussions with industry experts. The festival showcased talent such as Julian Hornik and Khiyon Hursey, along with announcements of upcoming performances in Los Angeles and New York City. Attendees enjoyed rich performances and insightful conversations about the creative process in musical theatre.
Los Angeles Hosts ASCAP Foundation Musical Theatre Fest
The ASCAP Foundation successfully held the 2025 ASCAP Foundation Musical Theatre Fest on May 5-6 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles. This vibrant festival was hosted by renowned lyricist Stephen Schwartz, who is well-known for his work on iconic Broadway productions.
The festival kicked off on May 5 with an opening event titled “Songs from the Cutting Room Floor,” which showcased previously unheard songs that were cut from major Broadway shows. This unique gathering featured celebrated composers and lyricists such as Irene Sankoff and David Hein, known for their work on the hit musical Come From Away, alongside Karey Kirkpatrick, associated with Something Rotten! and Mrs. Doubtfire.
The opening event provided attendees with both performances and engaging stories about the creative process and the sacrifice of certain songs made to ensure the overall success of musicals. The event received additional support from the Gary Geld Musical Theatre Foundation.
On the second day, May 6, the festival hosted the ASCAP Foundation Musical Theatre & Librettist Workshop, which highlighted fresh, new musicals that have a strong potential for Broadway. Participants included Julian Hornik, Khiyon Hursey, and Mark Sonnenblick, who showcased their musical titled WEEKEND. Another production featured was Piney Needlesmith and the Road Less Traveled, presented by Roslyn Catracchia and Peter Seibert.
Following the performances, Schwartz moderated a discussion with the writing teams and a panel of industry experts, including Kevin Bannerman, Jay Dyer, Winnie Holzman, and Kirkpatrick himself. This insightful dialogue allowed for a deeper exploration of the creative processes and inspirations behind the new musicals. These workshops were supported by the Kenward Elmslie Fund.
In addition to the festival events, various highlights from the musical theatre community were noted. Meredith Scott Lynn, who portrayed “Enid” in the film adaptation of Legally Blonde, attended a performance at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. Upcoming events include a free community concert by Golda Zahra scheduled for May 24 at the Beverly Cañon Gardens, and the announcement of a workshop production of “Arrest the Clowns — Insolent Until Proven Guilty” by the Actors’ Gang, set to run from May 15 to June 14.
Moreover, there are updates from New York City theatre performances, with Hugh Jackman involved in “Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes” beginning June 10 at the Minetta Lane Theater. Other notable productions include Weekend, Piney Needlesmith and the Road Less Traveled, as well as popular shows such as The Picture of Dorian Gray and Glengarry Glen Ross currently playing on Broadway.
In related news, a new bill has been proposed to ban pedicabs near Broadway theaters due to complaints regarding noise and harassment that have reportedly been impacting theatergoers’ experiences.
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Additional Resources
- The New York Times: Off-Broadway Shows in May 2025
- Broadway.com: Broadway Best Shows 2025
- NBC New York: NYC Proposed Bill to Ban Pedicabs Near Broadway
- People: Heathers the Musical Casts
- Playbill: Heathers the Musical NYC Return
- Wikipedia: Musical Theatre
- Google Search: Musical Theatre News
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Musical Theater
- Google News: Musical Theater 2025
