The Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove

AT GOODSPEED MUSICALS

In 2013, Goodspeed Musicals began its 50th Anniversary Season with the announcement of a major new four-week residency program for musical theatre writers. The Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals is the first of its kind in the country dedicated solely to the creation of new musicals. In partnership with The Johnny Mercer Foundation, Goodspeed proudly offers established and emerging writers the unique opportunity to research, develop, and create new musicals. The Writers Grove is a unique, long term residency program devoted exclusively to musical theatre writing. It provides a sanctuary for composers, lyricists, and librettists to embark on new musical theatre work or to devote a substantial amount of time to a work-in-progress in an environment rich with creative energy. For four weeks each year, 30+ writers are immersed in this stimulating environment with the singular purpose of allowing the writers to write.

At Goodspeed Musicals, writers find the freedom to work without the distractions of daily life, while receiving the support and encouragement needed to develop their works in progress. Each project is assigned a creative mentor drawn from the highest levels of musical theatre professionals. The Writers Grove affords the artists unlimited access to research materials in the Scherer Library of Musical Theatre, one of the most extensive musical theatre libraries in the U.S.; composition time in Goodspeed’s music studios; and collaborative exchange with their peers through a series of informal salons for presenting and sharing their work. Throughout the residency, members of Goodspeed’s artistic staff and professionals from the Johnny Mercer Foundation are on site to offer guidance and support for the writers. Each year, writers are invited by Goodspeed’s panel of industry leaders to participate in this prestigious program.

With the establishment of the Writers Grove in 2013, Goodspeed Musicals has cemented its position as the center for the American Musical, which it supports through producing new and valued musicals from our nation’s history; the comprehensive collection and services of the Scherer Library of Musical Theatre; and the educational and outreach activities of its Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre.

Please note: participation in the Writers Grove program is by invitation only; unsolicited submissions will not be considered.

2023 writers CLICK HERE for a complete list of bios and projects. (in alphabetical order)
Melis Aker Jake Bernstein Jonathan Brielle Jonatha Brooke Jessie Burton Jeff Chambers Jacinta Clusellas Paula Cole Jennifer Lucy Cook Lauren Du Pree Scott Gilmour Mark Governor		Jasmine Joshua Joriah Kwamé Patrick Lundquist Beth Malone Claire McKenzie Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako Geoffrey Nauffts Tatiana Pandiani T.J. Pieffer Barnaby Race Heather Ragusa		Lynn Rosen Janet Roston Emily Sailers Marc Sambola Jesse J. Sanchez Peter Seibert Shelby Solla Mary Ann Stratton Shea Sullivan Melvin Tunstall III  Pia Wilson
2022 writers CLICK HERE for a complete list of bios and projects. (in alphabetical order)
Melis Aker Avi Amon Jake Bernstein Jonathan Brielle Ty Defoe Nolan Doran Dr. Amma Y. Ghartey-Tagoe Kootin Alex Hare Elliah Heifetz Paul Hodge		Alphonso Horne Naomi Iizuka Jessica Kahkoska Jesse L. Kearney, Jr. Zhailon Levingston Nevada Lozano Peter Mills Cheeyang Ng Hayley Gene Penner Kyle Puccia		Kalani Queypo Cara Reichel Jorge Miguel Rivera-Herrans Benjamin Scheuer Rona Siddiqui Eric Sorrels Khalil Sullivan Rotana Tarabzouni Joshua Williams Zack Zadek
2021 writers CLICK HERE for a complete list of bios and projects. (in alphabetical order)
Preston Max Allen Avi Amon Jake Bernstein Jonathan Brielle Sammi Cannold Isabella Dawis Ty Defoe		Nolan Doran Dr. Amma Y. Ghartey-Tagoe Kootin Jessica Kahkoska Kyle Puccia Kalani Queypo Jorge Miguel Rivera-Herrans Andy Roninson		Rona Siddiqui Tidtaya Sinutoke Khalil Sullivan Rotana Tarabzouni Joshua Williams Zack Zadek
2020 writers CLICK HERE for a complete list of bios and projects. (in alphabetical order)
Kevin Armento Jake Bernstein David Buskin Nick Butcher Carlton Byrd Rowen Casey Curt Columbus Sara Cooper Miranda Cooper Eloise Eonnet Joel Esher Sara Farb Paul Fujimoto Alex Grubbs		Jake Holmes Khiyon Hursey Michael R. Jackson Creighton Irons Britta Johnson Jonathan Karpinos Henry Lin-David Tom Ling Montserrat Olmos Lozano Douglas Lyons John McGrew Sammy Miller Emily Orling		Jason Pebworth Andre Pluess Todd Robbins Lainie Sakakura Lynne Shankel Jon Shave Katya Stanislavskaya Alex Tripp Gregory Van Acker Joseph Varca Amy Warren Douglas Waterbury-Tieman Joe White
2019 writers CLICK HERE for a complete list of bios and projects. (in alphabetical order)
Jill Abramovitz Janet Allard Brad Alexander Ross Baum Michael Bloom Matt Bogart Angelica Cheri Tom Coash Carmel Dean Ianne Fields-Stewart Erik Forrest Jackson Lance Horne		Orion Stephanie Johnstone Melissa Li Ray Leslee Janine McGuire Toby Marlow Or Matias Michael Medeiros Lucy Moss Matte O’Brien Marshall Pailet Abby Payne Katy Pfaffl		Lisa Diana Shapiro Bridget Sherman Arri Simon Tim Rosser Sam Salmond Charlie Sohne Jenny Stafford Georgia Stitt Lauren Taslitz Niko Tsakalakos Matt Vinson Kit Yan
2018 writers CLICK HERE for a complete list of bios and projects. (in alphabetical order)
Zakiyyah Alexander Kevin Armento Gilbert Bailey II Rob Baumgartner, Jr. Glen Berger Hunter Bird Molly Bogin Ben Bonnema Jeff Calhoun John Cariani Tom Coash Nathan Dame Colleen Dauncey Ty Defoe		Hunter Foster Scott Gilmour Robin Holloway Oliver Houser Tor Hyams Barry Kleinbort Mike Lew Mark Mancina Claire McKenzie Sammy Miller Rehana Lew Mirza Tekla Monson Jevares Myrick		Ronve O’Daniel Lindsey Hope Pearlman Akiva Romer-Segal Lisa Rothauser Sam Salmond Ben Scheuer Tidtaya Sinutoke Kent Staines Chris Staskel Ian Fields Stewart Georgia Stitt Imani Uzuri Sam Willmott
2017 writers CLICK HERE for a complete list of bios and projects. (in alphabetical order)
Janet Allard Nikko Benson Beth Blatt Alex Brightman Sam Carner Ben Clark Peppy Castro Joel Derfner Mindi Dickstein Kate Douglas Robert DuSold		Drew Gasparini Nolan Gasser Scott Gilmour Derek Gregor Kirsten Guenther Benjamin Halstead Shayfer James Andrew Kramer Patrick Lazour Daniel Lazour Sean Mahoney		Dan Marshall Claire McKenzie Andy Monroe Patricia Noonan June Rachelson Ospa Nicky Phillips Martha Redbone Jen Shuber Mark Sonnenblick Niko Tsakalakos Douglas Waterbury-Tieman
2016 writers CLICK HERE for a complete list of bios and projects. (in alphabetical order)
Aaron Albert Robert Askins Nikko Benson Brett Boles Ty Defoe Kate Douglas Tim Drucker Brian Feinstein Michael Friedman Zina Goldrich Ben Halstead Kristin Hanggi Ryan Hayes		Marcy Heisler Shayfer James Jason Kim Gordon Leary Grace McLean Julia Meinwald Sean Patrick Monahan Mary Kathryn Nagle Alexander Sage Oyen Kristia Pioppi Katy Rae Matthew Lee Robison Brett Ryback		Zoe Sarnak Erica Schmidt Garrett Sherwood Tidtaya Sinutoke Mark Sonnenblick Jeff Talbott Natalie Tenenbaum Eric Ulloa Will Van Dyke Max Vernon Amanda Yesnowitz Zack Zadek Daniel Zaitchik
2015 writers CLICK HERE for a complete list of bios and projects. (in alphabetical order)
Rob Ackerman Michael Aman Gabriel Barre Hunter Bell Rachel Chavkin Matthew Doers Diana Fithian Sam Foreman Hunter Foster Meredith Friedman Emily Goldman Keith Gordon Sarah Hammond Tor Hyams Creighton Irons Michael R. Jackson		Amanda Jacobs Sammy James, Jr. Jonathan Keebler Cheeyoung Kim Ryan Korell Dawn Landes Frank Licari Patrick Lundquist Douglas Lyons Sean Mahoney Dave Malloy Emily Maltby Ann McNamee Madeline Myers Sara Nicholson Patricia Noonan		Ryan Scott Oliver Ethan Pakchar Matthew Lee Robinson Heidi Rodewald Jean Rohe Dana Rowe Lisa Rothauser Brett Ryback Pete Seibert Stew Eric Ulloa Eric Webb Michael Weiner Alan Zachary
2014 writers CLICK HERE for a complete list of bios and projects. (in alphabetical order)
Marc Acito Tim Acito Jeff Bienstock Scott Burkell Michael Cooper Bobby Cronin Andrea Daly Elizabeth Davis Ty Defoe Wade Dooley Darcy Fowler Jenny Giering Adam Gwon Laura Harrington Leanna Renee Hieber Dave Holstein		Joe Iconis Kait Kerrigan Barry Kleinbort Lourds Lane Victor Lesniewski Nicholas Roman Lewis Paul Loesel Brian Lowdermilk Stacey Luftig Jon Marans Tom Megan Rebekah Melocik Peter Mills Ryan Scott Oliver Phillip Palmer Eric Price		Jennie Redling Cara Reichel Will Reynolds Heather Robb Benjamin Scheuer Alan Schmuckler Kenny Seymour Joseph Thalken Jeff Thomson Nathan Tysen William Wade Jason “Sweettooth” Williams Sam Willmott Jacob Yandura
2013 writers CLICK HERE for a complete list of bios and projects. (in alphabetical order)
Aron Accurso Will Aronson Arthur Lafrentz Bacon Sean Barry Neil Bartram Rob Baumgartner Jr. Jonathan Brielle Ben Clark Sam Davis Christopher Dimond Harris Doran Laura Eason		Jenny Giering Adam Gwon Christy Hall Brian Hargrove Laura Harrington Mark Hollmann Victor Kazan Hannah Kohl Michael Kooman Greg Kotis Patrick Lundquist Jordan Mann		Daniel Maté Thomas Mizer Curtis Moore Adam Overett Kevin Purcell Jason Schafer Benjamin Scheuer Peter Seibert Jeff Thomson Beth Turcotte Sam Willmott