National Alliance For Musical Theatre Inc

TO BE A CATALYST FOR NURTURING MUSICAL THEATRE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION,INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION.

NEW WORKS PROGRAMS FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS: OUR MOST HIGHLY ATTENDED EVENT, OUR ANNUAL FESTIVAL SHOWCASES PRESENTATIONS OF EIGHT NEW MUSICALS BEFORE AN INDUSTRY-ONLY AUDIENCE WITH THE EXPERIENCE AND RESOURCES TO MOVE THE WORK FORWARD. FOLLOWING A VIRTUAL FESTIVAL IN 2020, THE 33RD ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS FILMED LIVE PRESENTATIONS OF ALL FESTIVAL MUSICALS, WHICH WERE THEN SCREENED AT AN IN-PERSON EVENT ON OCTOBER 21 AND 22, 2021. MEMBERS OF THE INDUSTRY WERE INVITED TO ATTEND THE SCREENING, WHERE THEY COULD ALSO MEET THE WRITERS, OR THEY WERE ABLE TO VIEW A LIVESTREAM OF THE PRESENTATIONS, PRESENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH BROADWAY ON DEMAND. NAMT ASSUMES THE COSTS OF PRODUCING AND MARKETING THE FESTIVAL, HANDLES ALL ADMINISTRATION AND LOGISTICS AND TAKES NO ROYALTY STAKE IN FUTURE PRODUCTIONS. SINCE 1989, THE FESTIVAL HAS INTRODUCED MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCERS TO ALMOST 300 MUSICALS AND OVER 500 WRITERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. MORE THAN 85% HAVE GONE ON TO SUBSEQUENT READINGS, WORKSHOPS, PRODUCTIONS AND TOURS; BEEN LICENSED; AND/OR RECORDED ON CAST ALBUMS AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE FESTIVAL. NAMT IS CONSTANTLY WORKING TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WRITERS TO PRESENT THEIR WORK TO THE INDUSTRY. IN ADDITION, IN 2019 NAMT LAUNCHED A NEW PROGRAM, THE FESTIVAL OBSERVERSHIP FOR EARLY-CAREER DIRECTORS, AIMED AT INCREASING ACCESS AND INCLUSIVITY. THE PROGRAM IS OPEN SPECIFICALLY TO DIRECTORS OF COLOR, DIRECTORS WITH DISABILITIES, WOMEN DIRECTORS, AND LGBTQ+ DIRECTORS. BY PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO OBSERVE THE MUSICAL THEATRE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, AND MEET AND NETWORK WITH LEADERS OF THE INDUSTRY, WE HOPE THAT THIS PROGRAM WILL ACTIVELY EXPAND DIVERSITY IN THE MUSICAL THEATRE INDUSTRY AND SUPPORT THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS. IN 2021, OBSERVERSHIPS ALSO INCLUDED A CHANCE TO OBSERVE THE VIDEO CAPTURE PROCESS FOR LIVE PERFORMANCE IN ADDITION TO THE EIGHT FEATURED SHOWS, IN A NON-PANDEMIC YEAR THE FESTIVAL ALSO INCLUDES THE SONGWRITERS SHOWCASE WHICH GIVES FOUR WRITING TEAMS A CHANCE TO PRESENT THEIR SHOW-IN-PROGRESS THROUGH SONG SELECTIONS AND A BRIEF Q&A; AND MIDDAY CABARETS, AN INFORMAL OPPORTUNITY DURING THE TWO LUNCH HOURS FOR FOUR ADDITIONAL WRITING TEAMS TO SHARE THE RANGE OF THEIR MUSICAL THEATRE WORK. DUE TO COVID RESTRICTIONS, THE SONGWRITERS SHOWCASE AND MIDDAY CABARETS WERE ABBREVIATED INTO A SINGLE TWILIGHT CABARET. WE HOPE TO RESUME THE FULL PROGRAMMING ONCE RESTRICTIONS ARE EASED. FRANK YOUNG FUND FOR NEW MUSICALS (FYFNM, FORMERLY THE NATIONAL FUND FOR NEW MUSICALS): OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE FRANK YOUNG FUND HAS AWARDED 18 GRANTS TOTALING $80,000 TO NAMT MEMBER NOT-FOR-PROFIT THEATRES. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2008, THE FUND HAS AWARDED 201 GRANTS TOTALING $765,500 TO SUPPORT A WIDE VARIETY OF NEW WORK AT EVERY STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT, FROM WRITER RESIDENCIES TO FULL PRODUCTIONS, SELECTED EACH YEAR BY A PANEL OF EXPERIENCED MUSICAL THEATRE PROFESSIONALS. INNOVATION & EXPLORATION FUND (I&EF): NAMT'S INNOVATION & EXPLORATION FUND IS DESIGNED TO HELP NAMT MEMBER THEATRES PILOT NEW CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAMS TO ADVANCE THEIR MISSIONS. AREAS OF EXPLORATION MAY INCLUDE (BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO) TECHNOLOGY, ACCESSIBILITY, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION AND ARTISTIC INNOVATION AND ADVANCEMENT. GRANT RECIPIENTS MUST REPORT THE RESULTS OF THEIR FUNDED PROGRAMS TO THE REST OF THE MEMBERSHIP, HELPING OTHERS WHO MAY BE CONSIDERING SIMILAR INNOVATIONS. THIS PAST YEAR, EIGHT I&EF GRANTS WERE AWARDED TOTALING $20,000 TO MEMBER NOT-FOR-PROFIT THEATRES.

MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS CONFERENCES: BOTH EDUCATIONAL AND INSPIRING, OUR NATIONAL CONFERENCES ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS TO INTERACT, COLLABORATE AND SHARE IDEAS ON THE LATEST TRENDS IN MUSICAL THEATRE. THE 2020 FALL CONFERENCE WAS HELD IN NEW YORK, NY ON OCTOBER 19 & 20, 2021 AND WAS ENTITLED "WHAT NOW, WHAT NEXT?" THE CONFERENCE INCLUDED PANELS ON ENGAGING AUDIENCES POST-PANDEMIC, NEW MUSICAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, EQUITY/DIVERSITY/INCLUSION AND MORE. THE 2022 SPRING CONFERENCE, ENTITLED "MARKETING AND MESSAGING: RE-BREAKING THE ICE," WAS HELD IN TORONTO, ON, CANADA ON MARCH 23-25, 2022. THE CONFERENCE INCLUDED PANELS ON SETTING AUDIENCE EXPECTATIONS, CHANGING THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF THEATRE, WORKING WITH PRESS IN THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE, AND MORE. WEBINARS: NAMT CONTINUES TO OFFER A KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE WEBINAR SERIES ABOUT BEST PRACTICES IN THE INDUSTRY, WHICH BUILDS ON DISCUSSIONS FROM OUR CONFERENCES AND PROVIDES A FORUM FOR STAFF AT ALL LEVELS OF OUR MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS TO SHARE RESOURCES AND EXCHANGE INFORMATION. ALL NAMT WEBINARS ARE ARCHIVED ON OUR WEBSITE FOR CONTINUED MEMBER ACCESS. DUE TO THE POPULARITY OF OUR VIRTUAL EVENTS IN 2020 AND 2021, NAMT HAS CONTINUED TO HOST A SERIES OF BI-WEEKLY WEB-BASED EVENTS INCLUDING KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE WEBINARS FROM EXPERT PANELISTS ON A LITANY OF PANDEMIC-RELATED TOPICS, VIRTUAL TOWN HALL-STYLE MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS, AND A WIDE RANGE OF VIRTUAL TRAINING SESSIONS INTENDED TO ALLOW NAMT MEMBERS OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMUNICATE, SHARE RESOURCES WITH ONE ANOTHER AND HAVE ACCESS TO EXPERT ADVICE FROM NAMT'S VAST NETWORK OF MEMBERS. THIS EXPANSION OF ONLINE PROGRAMMING BEGAN ON MARCH 19, 2020 WITH NAMT'S FIRST VIRTUAL TOWN HALL, AND PRESENTATIONS ARE ONGOING. NAMT NEWS & NOTES: NAMT NEWS & NOTES PROVIDES TOPICAL INDUSTRY INFORMATION TO ALL MEMBERS AND FESTIVAL ALUMNI WRITERS. IT IS SENT MONTHLY VIA EMAIL. WEBSITE: COMPLETELY RE-DESIGNED IN FY 15, NAMT'S WEBSITE, WWW.NAMT.ORG, IS OUR PRIMARY COMMUNICATION TOOL THAT INCLUDES LINKS TO MEMBERS' SITES, FESTIVAL INFORMATION, UPDATES ON NAMT PROGRAMS AND THE NAMT BLOG. THE "MEMBERS ONLY" SECTION OFFERS SEARCHABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THEATRES, PRODUCTIONS AND FESTIVAL WRITERS, AS WELL AS MEMBERS-ONLY DISCOUNTS. THE WEBSITE ALSO INCLUDES OUR SET & COSTUME REGISTRY, THROUGH WHICH MEMBERS CAN EARN REVENUE BY RENTING SETS, COSTUMES, PROPS AND ORCHESTRATIONS AND WHICH IS AMONG THE MOST HEAVILY TRAFFICKED AREAS OF THE WEBSITE. IN 2019, NAMT EXPANDED OUR WEB-BASED RESOURCES TO INCLUDE THE NEW MUSICALS MAP, AN INTERACTIVE TOOL THAT ALLOWS MEMBERS TO KEEP ABREAST OF NEW MUSICAL DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND THE INNOVATION & EXPLORATION GUIDE, A COMPILATION OF CASE STUDIES, VIDEOS AND GRANT REPORTS OUTLINING VALUABLE LESSONS AND BEST PRACTICES FROM NAMT MEMBERS AND OTHER EXPERTS. IN 2020, NAMT GATHERED RESOURCES AIMED TO PROVIDE TOOLS AND SUPPORT TO OUR MEMBER THEATRES AS WE ALL DO THE WORK NECESSARY TO MAKE A MORE EQUITABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR BIPOC COMMUNITY. THE COMPILED LIST IS SHARED IN A DEDICATED EDI AND ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES PAGE. RESEARCH SERVICES: NAMT CONDUCTS INDUSTRY SURVEYS ON SUBJECTS SUCH AS SALARIES, BENEFITS AND ROYALTIES, AND SHARES THE FINDINGS WITH OUR MEMBERS. ALUMNI & MEMBER EVENTS: WRITERS' ROUNDTABLE: THE WRITERS' ROUNDTABLE WAS HELD VIRTUALLY ON JULY 13, 2021 AND WAS TITLED "HOW DO WE GO FORWARD TOGETHER FROM HERE?" NAMT ALUMNI WRITERS AND PRODUCERS FROM NAMT MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS DISCUSSED TOPICS LIKE CREATING EQUITABLE ROOMS, ENHANCING AUDIENCE ACCESS, ARTICULATING DAY-TO-DAY FINANCIAL NEEDS, AND STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN LIVE AND DIGITAL PROJECTS.