The National Alliance for Musical Theatre has announced the 12 winners of its 15-Minute Musical Challenge. The contest was created in March as a push for creativity during times of self-isolation during the pandemic. “We were amazed by the passion and talent across the nearly 300 submissions we received,” said NAMT Executive Director Betsy King Militello. “The selected award recipients displayed work that was inventive, challenging, humorous, and heartfelt. We will be thrilled to see what happens for them in the future.”
Recipients were selected by a panel including Marleen and Kenny Alhadeff, Victoria Bussert (Baldwin Wallace University), Susanna Gellert (Weston Playhouse), Jim Joseph, Eric Keen-Louie (La Jolla Playhouse), Brian Moreland, and Arpita Mukherjee (Hypokrit Theatre Company). Awards were given on two levels, with winners receiving a cash prize supported by the Alhadeff Family Charitable Foundation.
The six First Award Level winners were Dragons & Dungeons by Kennedy Kanagawa, Holo by Nico Juber, Mimosa by Lauren Taslitz (book, lyrics) and Danny Ursetti (music), Monster on the Lawn by Obed De la Cruz, Perpetual Sunshine and the Ghost Girls by Sara Cooper (book, lyrics) and Lynne Shankel (music), and White Man’s Burden by Eric C. Jones (book, lyrics) and Joshua Davis (music).
The six Second Award Level winners were Fanny & Stella: The Westminster Hall Trial by Sevan (book) and Eamonn O’Dwyer (lyrics, music), Femmebodys, or the way we leave by Éamon Boylan, Obscene, Lewd, Lascivious, and Filthy! adapted from One v. Otto K. Olesen (1957) by Adam J. Rineer (music, addl. text), Rodeo Clowns by Dale Sampson (book, lyrics) with Marc Campbell and Dale Sampson (music), Sanctuary by Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj (book, lyrics) and Paul Edward Wilt (lyrics, music), and We Love by Ronve O’Daniel (book, lyrics, music) with J Kyle Manzay (book) and Jevares Myrick (music).