Event Schedule
DAY 1
Friday, July 14, 2023
Make your way to Dallas/Fort Worth!!!
Uber or TEXRail from DFW Airport
https://www.dfwairport.com/explore/transportation/publictransit/
4:00 pm
Check in at the Embassy Suites
Haven't booked your room? Click here to reserve using our discounted Festival rate! Or call the hotel directly at 817-332-6900 and use code: MWF. Deadline to book discounted suites is June 23, 2023.
Location: 600 Commerce St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
5:00 pm
Festival Registration Open
Location: 5th Floor Lobby
6:45 pm
Welcome!
Holly Reed & Rebecca Lowrey
Location: Synergy I
7:00 pm
New Works Cabaret
This cabaret will feature reprises and previews of our Academy Reading Series shows as well as new songs submitted by attendees, performed by top talent! See the full program here.
DFW's best talent joined by special guest Major Attaway
Location: Synergy I
9:00 pm
Open Mic Night
Rebecca Lowrey and YOU
Location: Synergy I
DAY 2
Saturday, July 15, 2023
8:00 am
Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast with the MusicalWriters team and other conference attendees. Breakfast is included with hotel reservation or can be purchased the day of at the hotel if you're staying off-site.
Location: The Atrium
8:45 am
Welcome
Holly Reed
Location: Synergy I
9:00 am
Morning Keynote: 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.
Location: Synergy I
10:00 am
Breakout Sessions
"Defining Development Steps: Timeline, Costs, Am I Ready?"
Clinician: Holly Reed | Location: Synergy I
"Navigating Character Descriptions and Cast Requirements"
Clinician: Rebecca Lowrey | Location: Synergy II
11:00 am
Breakout Sessions
“Best Practices for Successful Table Reads and Staged Readings"
Clinician: Rebecca Lowrey | Location: Synergy I
“Breaking Down Broadway Key Art and How to Develop Your Own"
Clinician: Holly Reed | Location: Synergy II
12:00 pm
"Taste of Texas" Lunch (provided)
Location: The Atrium
1:00 pm
Structured Networking & Collaborator Speed-Date
Location: The Atrium
1:30 pm
Breakout & Workshop Sessions
Song Feedback Workshop I
Panelists: Joey Contreras, Mike Richman, Major Attaway, Holly Reed
Accompanist: Rebecca Lowrey | Location: Synergy I
"Technology for Musical Writing"
Clinician: Justin Rayna | Location: Synergy II
"What Producers Want Writers to Know" Panel Discussion
Panelists: Natalie Rine (Broadway DNA), Garrett Storms (Stage West)
Moderator: Ashley H. White | Location: Synergy III
2:30 pm
Breakout & Workshop Sessions
Song Feedback Workshop 2
Panelists: Joey Contreras, Mike Richman, Major Attaway, Holly Reed
Accompanist: Rebecca Lowrey | Location: Synergy I
"From Piano to Pit: Orchestrating Your Score"
Clinician: Dr. Nathan Wilks | Location: Synergy II
"Writing Musical Theatre for the Education Market"
Moderator: Jessica Humphrey (TCU) | Location: Synergy III
4:00 pm
In Person Pitch Night
Think “Shark Tank” for musicals! 5 finalists will pitch their shows for a panel of producers, directors and creators of theatre. One lucky winner will receive a cost-free staged reading in Fort Worth in fall of 2023!
Circle Theatre - Sundance Square - 230 W 4th St, Fort Worth
5:00 pm
Dinner (on your own)
7:00 pm
New Musicals Spotlight
Staged reading snippets of our fave new works!
Location: Synergy I
9:30 pm
Open Mic Night - TAKE 2!
Join us for another open mic night with Rebecca Lowrey on piano and YOU on the mic performing a song from your original show.
Location: Synergy I
DAY 3
Sunday, July 16, 2023
9:00 am
Breakfast with MusicalWriters
Share a table with a fellow writer and recap the weekend's lessons. (Breakfast is included with hotel reservation or can be purchased the day of at the hotel if you're staying off-site.)
Location: The Atrium
10:00 am
Hotel Check-Out
See you at the next MusicalWriters event, live or virtual! Until then, keep on keeping on!
Late flight or staying in town another day?
We will be hosting 2-3 cold table reads of new musicals currently in development with MusicalWriters! Stick around and join us!