Networking
Find your next collaborator, actor, director, or producer from our conference attendees from all over the world.
New Work Cabaret
Top Dallas talent will perform songs written by our conference attendees!
Industry Pros & Guest Artists
Broadway and regional theatre pros share expertise in keynotes, breakout sessions, and discussion panels.
Workshops
Hear your song performed and receive instant feedback from our panel of pros.
2023 Keynote Speaker
Joey Contreras
Joey Contreras is a New York based, Mexican American musical theatre and pop songwriter. His various projects, performances, and studio album releases have amassed millions of streams. He is a two-time Fred Ebb Award finalist, three-time Jonathan Larson Grant finalist and an alum of the Johnny Mercer Project. His musical In Pieces is currently licensed and performed worldwide with a commercial run in the works. The highlights album was released by Broadway Records.
His other stage musicals include All The Kids Are Doing It, Forget Me Not, I Used to Shine, and the modern-day adaptation of Dante’s Inferno, Heartbreakers in Hell. Additional credits: Music and lyrics for “Kiwi’s First Flight” featured in Disney’s “Lights, Camera, Lexi!” and various short films.
He regularly teaches private songwriting coaching and masterclasses at universities and musical theatre training programs. He received his MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from Tisch School of the Arts. Follow along on all socials: @joeycontreras.
Special Guest
Major Attaway
Major Attaway is a Broadway, TV/Film and Voice Actor from Fort Worth, Texas. He is best known for his Broadway debut in Disney’s Aladdin in 2016. From 2017-2020 he took over the Tony Award-winning role of the Genie. He is currently the longest running Broadway Genie with over 1500 performances. He also played Fatty Arbuckle in NYCC Encores production of Mack and Mabel.
As a Voice Actor he’s voiced over 30 characters in Anime, video games, museum exhibits, narrations, and teaching materials. Some of which include characters in Borderlands 3, One Piece, Pokemon, Fairy Tail, Smite, Bread Barbershop, Dragonball Z Kai, Dragon Ball: Xenoverse, Pathfinder: Kingmaker, Battleborn, Snack World, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, and Space Dandy, to name a few.
He can also be seen in the final season of the Netflix original series Orange is the New Black and the film Carter High.
2023 Clinicians, Panelists & Moderators
Ashley White
Artistic Director
at Circle Theatre
in Fort Worth, Texas
Holly Reed
Writer and Producer,
Creative Director of
Reed Creative Group,
CEO of MusicalWriters.com
Rebecca Lowrey
Music Director and
Producing Director at
MusicalWriters.com
Jessica Humphrey
Assistant Professor of Theatre at Texas Christian University
Justin Rayna
Award-winning Percussionist, Composer, Performer & Choreographer
Dr. Nathan Wilks
Composer, Songwriter,
and Music Educator
Get Your Tickets!
Friday, July 14-Saturday, July 15
Fort Worth, Texas
Embassy Suites by Hilton Fort Worth Downtown
To book your hotel room using our discounted Festival rate, click here.
Or call the hotel directly at 817-332-6900 and use code: MWF.
The deadline to book discounted suites is June 23, 2023.
Festival Registration
Available through July 7All Access Performance Pass
Entrance to all evening eventsPartners & Sponsors
Interested in being a sponsor of our Festival?
Contact Holly Reed at hollyr@musicalwriters.com.
